FOOD SCIENCE

GRADUATE PROGRAM
HANDBOOK

DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
225 FSCN BUILDING
1334 ECKLES AVENUE
ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA 55108-6099
Tel: 612-624-1290 Fax: 612-625-5272

fscn.cfans.umn.edu/education/StudentHandbooks/index.htm

2010-2011
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contact your advisor, DGS Dave Smith, or DGS Assistant Nancy Toedt for the most current
information.

I. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 4
A. Handbook Objectives ........................................................................................................... 4
B. Information Resources ......................................................................................................... 4

II. FOOD SCIENCE PROGRAM .................................................................................................... 5

A. Food Science Program Goals .............................................................................................. 5

III. ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FOOD SCIENCE GRADUATE PROGRAM........... 5

A. Preparation ........................................................................................................................... 6
B. Test Data .............................................................................................................................. 6
C. Application Procedure .......................................................................................................... 6
D. Action Taken on Applications for Admissions ...................................................................... 6
E. Documentation of Admission Decisions ............................................................................... 7
F. Admission of International Students ..................................................................................... 8
1. General .................................................................................................................... 8
2. Assurance of Financial Support ............................................................................... 8
3. Proficiency in English .............................................................................................. 8
G. Faculty Advisor .................................................................................................................... 9

IV. GRADUATE SCHOOL REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT ....................................................... 9

V. READMISSION POLICY ......................................................................................................... 10

VI. RESPONSIBILITIES AND POLICIES WITH RESPECT TO FACULTY AND STUDENTS .... 10
A. General Policy with Respect to Graduate Research Assistants ........................................ 10
B. Department Responsibility to the Graduate Student .......................................................... 11
C. Duties, Responsibilities and Privileges of Graduate Students ........................................... 11
1. Service ................................................................................................................... 11
2. The Graduate Program .......................................................................................... 12
3. Vacations ............................................................................................................... 12
4. Resident Tuition Policy .......................................................................................... 12
5. Teaching Assistant Requirements ......................................................................... 13
6. Required Safety Training ....................................................................................... 15

VII. POLICY AND PRACTICES RELATING TO RESEARCH ASSISTANTS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF

FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION ........................................................................................ 16
A. Selection of Graduate Assistants ....................................................................................... 16
B. Reappointment of Graduate Assistants ............................................................................. 16
C. Responsibilities of the Graduate Student........................................................................... 16
D. Relationship to the Department ......................................................................................... 17
E. Evaluation of Graduate Student Progress ......................................................................... 17
F. Student Rights .................................................................................................................... 18
G. Grievances ......................................................................................................................... 18
H. Orientation .......................................................................................................................... 18
I. Student Placement .............................................................................................................. 18
J. Student Progress ................................................................................................................ 19
K. Payment of Student Travel to Scientific Meetings ............................................................. 19
I. Travel Fellowships ............................................................................................................... 19

VIII. GPA REQUIREMENTS FOR M.S. AND PH.D. STUDENTS .................................................. 20

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IX. GRADUATE LEVEL COURSES IN FOOD SCIENCE ............................................................ 20
A. Core Coursework Requirements ........................................................................................ 20
B. Registration for Food Science Examinations ..................................................................... 22
C. Approved Courses for use on Food Science Graduate Programs to build expertise in a given
area ................................................................................................................................... 23

X. DEGREE PROGRAMS............................................................................................................ 23
A. Master of Science Program ................................................................................................ 23
1. General Requirements for Master’s Degree .......................................................... 23
2. Plan A: Master’s Degree with Thesis..................................................................... 24
3. Plan B: Master’s Degree without Thesis ............................................................... 27
4. Student Status and Time Sequence ...................................................................... 29
5. Benchmarks for Food Science M.S. Degree Program Guidelines ........................ 30
B. Doctor of Philosophy Program ........................................................................................... 32
1. General Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree ....................................................... 32
2. Admission to the Ph.D. Program ........................................................................... 32
3. Program of Study and Schedule ............................................................................ 33
4. Thesis Title Form ................................................................................................... 33
5. Language Requirement ......................................................................................... 33
6. Coursework in Major Area ..................................................................................... 34
7. Coursework in Supporting/Minor Program ............................................................ 35
8. Preliminary Written Examination ........................................................................... 36
9. Preliminary Oral Examination ............................................................................... 38
10. Publication Requirement ......................................................................................... 39
11. Doctoral Thesis ........................................................................................................ 39
12. Final Oral Examination ............................................................................................ 39
13. Benchmarks for Food Science Ph.D. Degree Program Guidelines ........................ 42

XI. MINOR REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS MAJORING IN OTHER FIELDS WISHING TO

MINOR IN FOOD SCIENCE .................................................................................................... 43

XII. IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION ............................................................................... 43

XIII. FOOD SCIENCE GRADUATE COMMITTEES/OFFICERS .................................................... 45

A. Director of Graduate Studies .............................................................................................. 45
B. Associate DGS ................................................................................................................... 46
C. Graduate Advisors ............................................................................................................. 46
D. Graduate Studies Committee ............................................................................................. 46
E. Graduate Handbook Committee ........................................................................................ 47
F. Quality Control Committee ................................................................................................. 47
G. Orientation Committee ....................................................................................................... 48
H. Seminar Committee ........................................................................................................... 48

XIV. LIST OF FOOD SCIENCE GRADUATE FACULTY ................................................................ 48

XV. CRITERIA FOR MAINTAINING MEMBERSHIP ON THE FOOD SCIENCE GRADUATE FACULTY
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XVI. GOVERNANCE: OFFICERS, COMMITTEE AND STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES ............ 51

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I. INTRODUCTION

A. Handbook Objectives

This handbook is prepared in an effort to provide a summary of the policies

of the Graduate Faculty in Food Science regarding graduate study. Each
graduate student is expected to be familiar with this handbook as well as
the University of Minnesota Graduate School Catalog and Handbook for
Graduate Assistants (both available online below). The material contained
in these references is generally not reproduced in this handbook.

The Food Science Program Handbook is revised periodically to keep it up-

to-date. Suggestions for its improvement are welcomed at any time and
should be submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies.

B. Information Resources
The Graduate School Catalog (www.grad.umn.edu/program/index.html)
contains information on:
General graduate information
Registration and regulations
Problem solvers and support groups
Money and jobs
Course descriptions
Campus activities

The Handbook for Graduate Assistants (www1.umn.edu/ohr/gae/) contains

information on the following topics:
Assistantships & appointments
Tuition benefits
Grievances
Graduate assistant taxes
Workloads and compensation
Health benefits
International graduate assistants
Vacations and leaves

Tuition and other student fees are available at www.onestop.tuition.html or

130 Coffey Hall. Forms necessary for the specific degree program petitions
and thesis titles are available online through the Graduate School
www.grad.umn.edu/current_students and the Department of Food Science
and Nutrition fscn.cfans.umn.edu/education/forms/index.htm. A list of
useful websites, telephone and office numbers is provided in Section XII of
this handbook.

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II. FOOD SCIENCE PROGRAM

A. Food Science Program Goals

The Department of Food Science and Nutrition is the administrative unit of

the Food Science Graduate Program. Specialization in food science may
be achieved through coursework and thesis research in such areas as food
chemistry, microbiology, technology, consumer food issues, and certain
commodity orientations. The program offers both the Master of Science
(M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) degrees. Qualified students with
strong foundations in the sciences are eligible for admission. The specific
objectives of the Food Science Graduate Program are as follows:

1. To provide graduate level education for post-baccalaureate students

interested in applying science and engineering to the theoretical and
practical aspects of the entire food chain from production of the raw
material to utilization of the product by the consumer.

2. To provide a focus for graduate study and research in food science

at the University of Minnesota.

3. To aid in promoting interactions with other disciplines which relate to

the study of food science.

III. ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FOOD SCIENCE GRADUATE

PROGRAM

General requirements for admission to graduate study are discussed in the section
on “Graduate School General Information” and in the sections on “Fields of
Instruction: Food Science” of the Graduate School Catalog.

The Food Science Graduate Program endorses the Graduate School’s

commitment to diversity which states: “The Graduate School embraces the
University of Minnesota’s position that promoting and supporting diversity among
the student body enriches graduate education by providing a multiplicity of views
and perspectives that enhance research, teaching, and the development of new
knowledge. A diverse mix of students promotes respect for, and opportunities to
learn from, others with the broad range of backgrounds and experiences that
constitute modern society. Higher education trains the next generation of leaders
of academia and society in general, and such opportunities for leadership should
be accessible to all members of society. The Graduate School and its constituent
graduate programs are therefore committed to providing equal access to
educational opportunities through recruitment, admission, and support programs
that promote diversity, foster successful academic experiences, and cultivate the
leaders of the next generation.”

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A. Preparation

The program listings and course descriptions (except 8xxx, which are for
graduate students only) appear in the undergraduate catalog. Short
descriptions of the 5000 and 8000 level courses may also be found in the
current Graduate School Catalog.

B. Test Data

C. Application Procedure

Application materials and instructions are available online through the FScN
website fscn.cfans.umn.edu/education/index.htm or the Graduate School
www.grad.umn.edu/prospective_students. Questions may be directed to
Student Services at the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, 1334
Eckles Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota 55l08-6099. Telephone:
612.624.6753.

D. Action Taken on Applications for Admissions

The Graduate Studies Committee of the Food Science Graduate Program

implements the rules and regulations of the graduate faculty in Food
Science on all aspects of evaluation of applicants for admission to the
program.

The evaluation of applicants includes:

1. Evaluation of scholastic record as an undergraduate (and graduate if

appropriate).

a. Overall grade point average (GPA). The Food Science

Graduate Program has a preferred performance level of 3.0.

b. Grades in basic sciences; general chemistry, organic

chemistry, biochemistry, physics, mathematics, biology,
microbiology, statistics, and others as appropriate. The
applicant must meet the following coursework requirements:

1) General Chemistry with lab

2) Organic Chemistry with lab
3) Physics with lab
4) Biology with lab
5) Calculus (college level or documented equivalent)

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 Applicants who have not completed the above may not be
admitted, but will be sent a note asking them to verify when
they have completed the courses. Courses in biochemistry,
microbiology, and statistics may be made up in the program at
the discretion of the advisor and student, or could be met by
enrolling in higher level courses.

2. GRE Test Scores

The applicant in Food Science is required to take the Graduate
Record Examination (GRE). The results are advisory to the Food
Science Graduate Studies Committee and no specific minimum
scores are required. Applicants whose native tongue is not English
are required to submit Test of English as a Foreign Language
(TOEFL) (see section III. F). An international applicant is exempt for
the TOEFL requirement if he/she has a degree from a U.S.
university.

3. Evaluation of three recommendations.

4. Evaluation of TOEFL for international students when appropriate.

The Graduate School operational minimum for the TOEFL Score is
550 (paper version), 213 (computer version), or 79 (internet-based
version). Additionally, a minimum score of 80 on the MELAB or 6.5
on the ITELS is acceptable.

5. Personal objectives and goals statement.

Advisors select students based on their credentials and approval of

admittance by the Graduate Studies Committee. When the Graduate
Studies Committee has decided that the applicant is acceptable for
Admission, the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) reviews the file again
and attempts to fit the applicant with the appropriate advisor. If the DGS is
not successful, the faculty are made aware of the applications that have
been approved and they then have the opportunity to review the files and
determine if the applicant meets their needs. An applicant may also
actively seek out an advisor. The files are left open for several months. If
an advisor is not identified or if an advisor does not come forth in that time,
the applicant is rejected for lack of space or lack of an advisor. Although
the DGS in Food Science may serve as a temporary advisor, no student is
recommended for admission unless an advisor is available.

E. Documentation of Admission Decisions

The DGS summarizes the remarks of the Graduate Studies Committee

from each admission evaluation sheet. If the applicant is qualified for
admission, an attempt to identify a potential advisor is made.

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 Alternatively, the Graduate Studies Committee has the option of meeting at
regular intervals for oral meetings to make recommendations during heavy
workload periods or for special problems. The summary from such
meetings would be recorded.

F. Admission of International Students

1. General

Any student with a bachelor’s degree or its international equivalent

from a recognized college may apply for admission. International
students must fill out a financial certification statement prior to
admission according to Graduate School rules.

2. Assurance of Financial Support

The Food Science and Nutrition Department has very limited funds
to assist international students on a planned basis. There are no
funds available for assistance on an emergency basis. International
students are required to provide the University with a financial
statement in order to get a visa. This must be endorsed by an official
governmental or institutional agency from the student’s home country
or an international agency such as the World Health Organization,
the Agency for International Development of the United States State
Department, or other acceptable national or international agency or
organization. A student planning to finance their education out of
their own, family, or other private resources must still provide written
assurance from an official agency that their financial resources are
adequate for the entire period of study, and that the agency giving
such assurance is prepared to provide or otherwise secure
appropriate assistance for the student in the event that the student
experiences an unforeseen emergency while studying in the United
States.

3. Proficiency in English

All students in the Food Science Program must participate in some

teaching experience (see section VI.C.5). The amount of remedial
English study will be determined through testing by the University.
English courses will have priority over other coursework until
adequate proficiency is demonstrated. All international students
must take the Teaching Assistant SPEAK test upon arrival and must
pass before they TA any courses.

G. Faculty Advisor

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 Ordinarily, students are assigned an academic and research advisor prior to
admission to the program. The advisor will assist the student with program
planning, course selection, and the selection of a research project.

The prospective graduate student may contact a member of the graduate

faculty whose research is in an area of common interest and request that
person to serve as the advisor. If the faculty member agrees to serve this
role, the student and the faculty member should notify the DGS.

Students do not often change advisors during the pursuit of a particular

degree, but occasionally it is necessary to do so. If either the faculty
member or the student wishes to initiate a change, this may be done by
contacting the DGS who will consult with all concerned and arrange the
change.

IV. GRADUATE SCHOOL REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT

All graduate students are required to register in the Graduate School every fall and
spring semester to maintain active status. This registration requirement continues
until all degree requirements are completed and you graduate. Grad 0999- a zero-
credit, zero-fee, non-graded registration option is available for those Graduate
School students who must register solely to meet the Graduate School’s
registration requirement.

Confer with your advisor and/or DGS to determine what you should register for
each semester. In addition to any criteria outlined by your advisor and/or DGS,
you should consider the following:

1. Do you have course credits or thesis credits that must be taken to complete
graduate program and/or Graduate School degree requirements?

2. Do you have to be registered part-time or full-time to meet any

internal/external registration requirements in addition to the Graduate
School’s fall/spring registration requirement? For example, obtaining
financial aid, holding an assistantship or fellowship, maintaining legal visa
status, deferring loans, etc. What number and type of credits will meet the
requirements of those internal/external demands?

3. If you have completed all coursework and (if applicable) thesis credit
requirements, and you do not have to be registered to meet any
requirements other than the Graduate School’s fall/spring registration
requirement to maintain active status, you may register for Grad 0999.

If you have internal/external registration requirements and if you have received

grades for all of your courses and have all of your degree requirements (including
thesis credits) completed by the deadline date, you are eligible to be considered
for Advanced Student Status. The latter permits eligible Advanced Master’s and

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 Doctoral candidates to be certified as “full-time” students when registered for only
one credit. The advisor and DGS must affirm that each student is indeed working
full time on the thesis or dissertation. The term deadlines for submission of
Request for Advanced Student Status are:

Fall term August 15

Spring term December 15
Summer term May 15

Eligible M.S. students register for FScN 8333 (FTE: Master’s) and eligible Ph.D.
candidates register for FScN 8444 (FTE: Doctoral). Additional information and
forms can be found on The Graduate School website www.grad.umn.edu.

V. READMISSION POLICY

You will be required to seek readmission if you do not register in the Graduate
School every fall and spring term. The Change of Status/ Readmission
Application is available on Graduate School website. If your request for
readmission is approved you will be required to register the term for which you are
readmitted and every subsequent fall and spring term until you complete all
degree requirements and graduate.

VI. RESPONSIBILITIES AND POLICIES WITH RESPECT TO FACULTY AND

STUDENTS

A. General Policy with Respect to Graduate Research Assistants

On appointment, or on any subsequent change in the terms or conditions of

appointment, the graduate Research Assistant (RA) receives a letter stating
the rank, term and amount of appointment, and any other relevant
information.

The appointee will be informed in appropriate detail, usually by the advisor,

as to what characterizes (a) satisfactory performance of the assigned duties
and (b) satisfactory academic progress as a graduate student. The
Department of Food Science and Nutrition has prepared a performance
evaluation form that can be used regularly by the advisor and Research
Assistant.

Graduate Research Assistants are normally continued on appointment until

they complete their program objectives, if funds permit and if they are
making satisfactory progress (defined below). Except in the case of
unforeseen reductions in funds, the student who is not to be continued on
appointment will be notified as soon as possible and not later than mid-July
when the termination date is prior to August 30th. Students terminating their
graduate study with the M.S. final examination may wish to terminate their
appointment based on discussions between the student and advisor.

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 Any student wishing to discontinue his or her appointment as a Research
Assistant should notify the advisor and the Department in writing as soon as
possible and no later than two weeks prior to the close of the academic
semester.

Grievances which arise from employment and/or graduate study shall be

handled as outlined in Section VII.G.

Full-time graduate students, including those holding assistantships of 25-

50% time, are expected to complete the M.S. degree program in 2 calendar
years; combined M.S. and Ph.D. program within 5 calendar years. Students
who enter the Ph.D. program with an M.S. degree are expected to finish in
3 calendar years. A Plan B M.S. degree, however, can be designed to be
completed in less than 2 years dependent upon background and program.

B. Department Responsibility to the Graduate Student

All staff, but particularly those who are members of the graduate faculty, are
obligated to provide the best instruction, advice and counsel possible for the
graduate students. Those faculty who serve as advisors are specifically
obligated to give high priority to the academic needs of their advisees.
While doing this, the advisor should be careful to provide the student with
ample opportunity to develop initiative and self-reliance.

C. Duties, Responsibilities and Privileges of Graduate Students

1. Service

Graduate students who hold part-time assistantships are expected to

provide services to the Department, through the advisor, in relation
to the amount of time indicated in the appointment. A full-time
appointment is assumed to be at least 40 hours per week, though
the “40-hour-per-week student” is likely to have some problems in
meeting the satisfactory progress schedule described above. The 12
month (50% time) appointee is expected to provide 20 hours per
week of service, or 1000 hours per year. This does not include the
time spent on the courses which are part of the graduate program.
There are approximately 2 weeks of legal holidays per year.
Graduate students who receive an assistantship should be familiar
with the current University of Minnesota Handbook for Graduate
Assistants at http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/gae/.

For the student on an RA and busy with coursework, allowance is

often made through the advisor so that the obligation to the
Department is temporarily deferred. In this case, the student has a
special responsibility to plan the use of time so that the obligation

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 can be fulfilled later. The details of these arrangements should be
worked out by the student with the advisor. When the student
reaches the thesis stage, thesis research time may frequently, but
not necessarily, be included as part or all of the work obligation to
the Department.

2. The Graduate Program

It is assumed that a student who has completed an undergraduate

course of study and earned a baccalaureate degree is qualified to
personally assume major responsibility for the design of a graduate
program. Because the advisor has greater experience in the
profession, the advisor is in a unique position to advise the student
on this program. However, the advisor, as well as the student,
should always keep in mind that it is the student’s future that is the
primary issue and, therefore, it is appropriate that the student
assume responsibility for it. It is, of course, the student’s and the
advisor’s joint responsibility to make final decisions which ensure
that the requirements of the Graduate School are met and that high
academic standards are maintained.

3. Vacations

University policy provides no official vacation time for graduate

Research Assistants. Students who plan wisely for the use of their
time should have no problem in setting aside some time for “rest and
rehabilitation.” This planning must always include the advisor
because obligations to the advisor have priority.

4. Resident Tuition Policy

Graduate and professional students holding University administered

and selected fellowships, research assistantships and traineeships
generally are entitled to resident tuition rates. The resident tuition
benefit may accrue to immediate family members of the
fellow/trainee, and the recipient can accumulate extended resident
tuition eligibility to the same extent that such privileges are provided
to students holding assistantships.

The mechanism for establishing resident tuition eligibility for

graduate students is as follows: Departments should forward a letter
of request to the Graduate School Fellowship Office, 314 Johnston
Hall, which includes the following information:

a. The non-resident student’s full name and I.D. number.

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 b. A copy of the fellowship award letter to the student.

c. A copy of the approved University appointing document, i.e.,

the B.A. 25 (Scholarship, Fellowship, Award Appointment).
Authorization to pay resident rates for the specific semester(s)
will be forwarded directly to Admissions and Records. (Note:
Departments will continue to submit tuition authorizations to
the Registration Center in 202 Fraser Hall if they want the
tuition billed directly to a budget number.)

5. Teaching Assistant Requirements – FScN Department TA policy

Graduate education is more than just taking courses, passing

milestones and doing research for a thesis. One significant
component of graduate education is for students to participate in the
education endeavor by acting as a Teaching Assistant (TA) in
undergraduate courses. These experiences are invaluable in
learning how to deal with people in meaningful ways and when
confronted with difficult situations. Thus, graduate students should
consider this experience as a means of improving their teaching and
communication skills and as a part of their contribution to the
educational experience. In return, the Department of Food Science
and Nutrition intends that serving as a TA (with no extra
compensation) will provide valuable educational benefits to the
students.

The graduate faculties in the Department have agreed on a system

that requires each graduate student to serve as a Teaching Assistant
for about 60 hours a year (one class per year) for each year they are
in a graduate program up to a maximum of 2 years for a M.S.
student and a maximum of 3 years for a Ph.D. student. A student
completing both M.S. and a Ph.D. degrees at the University of
Minnesota would serve a maximum of 4 years for both degrees
combined. A student holding a paying Teaching Assistant position
will be automatically credited with 60 hours of service for each
semester they serve as a paid TA.

It is generally expected that each TA would attend the lectures for

the class they are assigned. Attendance at lectures is considered
necessary to provide meaningful help in the class. This time does
not count as part of the 60 hours of service. There are some classes
or situations where lecture attendance may not be required;
however, this decision rests with the course instructor.

All students are expected to meet this TA requirement irrespective of

receiving a salary from the Department. In situations where the

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student is working full time outside the Department or where TA
requirements present personal hardship, alternatives will be
presented for meeting this requirement. Alternatives might include
developing laboratories, giving guest lectures, or developing course
materials for Internet delivery. Students must request a TA
alternative if desired.

Every effort will be made to avoid scheduling a graduate student in

an unpaid TA position during their first semester in Graduate School.
All incoming students must take the General TA Workshop offered
through the University at the start of their first semester. All
international students will also be required to take the SPEAK test
upon arrival. If students do not pass this test they will be placed in
TA positions that do not require direct student contact.

Faculty wishing to have an unpaid Teaching Assistant must submit

the following information to the TA Committee by May 15 of the
preceding academic year:

Name of course,
Credits,
Anticipated enrollment,
Lab and classroom schedule,
TA responsibilities, including the estimated amount of time
required per estimated number of students (e.g. TA hours per 40
students enrolled),
The total number of TA hours requested both for the entire
semester and broken down by weekly intervals,
Faculty must describe how they will change the course if one or
more of the TA positions requested is not available. (We will
assume that all courses can be taught in some manner without a
TA, but the activities in the course will differ if TA help is
available. In some cases the number of laboratories will be
diminished if there is no help, in some cases the number of tests
given may diminish, in some cases the number of assignments,
projects, etc. may be diminished or the proportion of those that
are graded may be diminished if no TA help is available.)
Brief description of course development, support or administrative
activity that a student may pursue that does not include
classroom or laboratory attendance.

The TA Oversight and Assignment Committee is composed of the

Directors of Graduate Study in Food Science and in Nutrition, the
Food Science and Nutrition Undergraduate Program Chairs, the
Graduate Program Coordinator and 2 FScN graduate student
representatives (one each from Nutrition and Food Science). This
Committee will meet each year after May 15, but before June 1 to

14
 consider faculty requests for unpaid TAs and to match available
graduate students with the requests.

Graduate students may request assisting in a specific course. A

form for that purpose will be provided to all graduate students. The
TA Committee will try to accommodate all requests, but cannot
guarantee specific placement.

This TA system assumes that each student will put forth about 4
hours per week for a given class or 60 hours effort per course. A
graduate student may request that he/she contribute double this, 8
hrs per week per class, to get double credit thereby reducing the
number of years that a student would have to serve as a TA. This
request will be granted when it is consistent with course needs.

The time estimated for a given class may be in error and thus,
students should keep an accurate accounting of their time and
review this with the course instructor on a regular basis. If the time
required from an individual graduate student is over what has been
estimated, or the nature of the work is different from that promised,
the student should first attempt to resolve the discrepancy as soon
as possible with the course instructor. If that fails, the student should
bring the issue to the TA Oversight and Assignment Committee. The
Committee will work together with the student, faculty member and
department head to correct the situation.

Graduate students should request evaluations of their performance

as a TA from the faculty supervisor and from students in the course
as a part of the required student course evaluation. After completing
their work in the TA activity, students will be asked to evaluate their
experience using the evaluation form provided them at the start of
the semester. These evaluations will be used to improve the
experience for future TAs.

6. Required Safety Training

All graduate students must meet the University safety requirements

for training as outlined by the Departmental Safety Committee for
their work area. The laboratory safety coordinator for the student’s
work area will have the necessary information on training required
and forms for documentation of completing training. A copy of the
Departmental Chemical Hygiene program is on file in FScN 225. This
document provides the protocols for the safe handling and use of
hazardous chemicals.

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VII. POLICY AND PRACTICES RELATING TO RESEARCH ASSISTANTS IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION

A. Selection of Graduate Assistants

Admission to a graduate program of the University is a prerequisite to

appointment and is based on scholastic capabilities, recommendations,
previous experience and training, general aptitude, space available for the
student, and a professor available to serve as an advisor.

Appointment as a graduate Research Assistant is based on essentially all

the measurements used to admit a student to a graduate program,
especially those appropriate to the activities of the graduate assistantship.
The recommendation of the Project Director would be requested for
appointment of a specific graduate student to a research assistantship. For
Teaching Assistants, selected instructors or the Department Head would
make the recommendation instead of the project director.

Notification of selection as a graduate Research Assistant is by letter from

the Head of the Department. Any assistantship still in effect at the end of
the semester in which the student completes all requirements for the
degree sought terminates automatically unless specifically reappointed in
accordance with the provisions in section III relative to shifting to a Ph.D.
program.

B. Reappointment of Graduate Assistants

All criteria used for the initial appointment are utilized to evaluate
reappointment on a regular basis. The Department may elect not to
reappoint a Graduate Assistant for the next term of appointment on the
basis of its evaluation of performance of the duties of the position, the
student’s progress toward the degree, or budgetary constraints.

Each Graduate Assistant will receive notification about mid-July renewing

his or her appointment as an RA for the academic year or for the next fiscal
year. The renewal normally is in the same format as the notification of
original appointment. Notification of discontinuance of the assistantship is
given at the same time.

C. Responsibilities of the Graduate Student

Each appointment or reappointment to a graduate research assistantship

carries responsibilities and activities that will be defined by and regulated by
the project principal investigator or faculty advisor. The advisor should
identify the source of funds to the Graduate Assistant. Whenever
continuation involves a shift from M.S. to Ph.D. it should be emphasized
that such continuation is contingent upon adequate research performance,

16
 satisfactory academic performance in graduate studies, and formal
approval of a change in degree objective. Without such performance and
approval, appointment to the assistantship will be terminated.

D. Relationship to the Department

The relationship of the graduate student to departmental and college

governance is defined in the constitutions of the colleges, and graduate
student representation at faculty meetings is defined in the departmental
guidelines.

E. Evaluation of Graduate Student Progress

Rationale:

1. To ensure the timely completion of degree requirements

2. To ensure that M.S. / Ph.D. quality research is being conducted

which will meet thesis requirements

3. To increase interaction between the student and his/her Thesis

Committee

The evaluation process involves completion of the “Annual Food Science

Graduate Student Progress Report” form by the student and his/her
advisor. This form will serve to summarize degree program progress and to
identify any concerns. The form is submitted to the DGS. If performance
necessitates discussion or action, the DGS, the Food Science Quality
Control Committee, the advisor, and the student will hold a meeting to
attempt mediation. When a student’s performance and/or progress does
not meet program requirements, he/she shall be notified by the DGS or
his/her advisor. If the deficiencies endanger the student’s status in the
graduate program, he/she shall be promptly informed. A graduate student
will be dismissed if his/her cumulative GPA is below 2.8 for three
consecutive semesters.

Research expectations will be made clear to the graduate student by

his/her faculty research advisor. The evaluation of research progress
serves to keep the student and advisor focused on the timely completion of
the degree. The faculty research advisor will determine satisfactory
research progress; however, it is recommended that the student actively
involve his/her Thesis Committee. If satisfactory research progress is not
being made, the advisor must inform the student in writing on the “Annual
Food Science Graduate Student Progress Report” form and must indicate
the conditions necessary for satisfactory progress. If satisfactory progress
is not made by the end of the following semester, the advisor may dismiss
the student. In the final year of graduate study, the Ph.D. student should

17
 meet with his/her Thesis Committee members, as a group or individually, at
least 6 months prior to the expected completion date. This meeting is to
discuss any additional work or identify any clarifications needed for
completion of the thesis investigation.

The “Annual Food Science Graduate Student Progress Report” form will
become a permanent record of accomplishment and will be maintained in
the graduate student’s departmental file. This form must be submitted to
the DGS each year, irrespective of the type of appointment. The yearly
report is due on March 15 of each year in the program. Submit your
completed form to your advisor for comments and signature. The form will
be forwarded to the DGS for final approval. A copy will be returned to the
student and to the advisor. A student’s continued participation in the Food
Science Graduate Program is contingent upon submission of the Annual
Food Science Graduate Student Progress Report by March 15. A student’s
registration may be put on hold if this form is not submitted to the DGS by
March 15.

F. Student rights

A graduate Research Assistant who is discharged prior to appointment

termination, or is disciplined in any way, is entitled to a written explanation
of the cause and of her/his avenues of appeal. Graduate Assistants are
held responsible only for actions relating to or affecting their academic
duties, and in appeal cases, assistants will be continued on salary until final
decision.

G. Grievances

If there is a potential grievance, the student should first attempt resolution

working with the advisor, second with the Director of Graduate Studies and
third, with the Department Head. If the problem remains unresolved, the
student should contact the Graduate Assistant Office. Graduate students
with employment grievances are covered by the Regent’s University
Grievance Policy. The policy and form for filing a complaint may be
obtained from the University Grievance Office at www1.umn.edu/ugo, 658
Mgmt/Econ Building, 271-19th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (612-624-
1030).

H. Orientation

The service and inservice orientation and training include a fall semester
graduate student orientation meeting and an open door policy on the part of
the DGS.

I. Student Placement

18
 The placement of graduate students has always been an important activity
on the part of all of the faculty in the Department, as well as of the college
offices of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. However,
there is neither departmental nor faculty responsibility for successful
placement. Job openings may be emailed to students or posted on the St.
Paul Campus Career Center website.

J. Student Progress

A timetable for progress, as well as many other procedures for Graduate

Assistants, is well defined elsewhere in the Food Science Graduate Student
Handbook. Most procedures and policies for Graduate Assistants are
identical to those for graduate students not on assistantships. This includes
grievance procedures and other departmental or program operations.

K. Payment of Student Travel to Scientific Meetings

No commitment to payment for student travel is to be made informally in

advance of completing and securing approval on a travel authorization, or
alternatively, of stating the circumstances in a memo to the Department
Head for informal approval or exemption.

The major criteria for funding any student meeting travel are participation in
the meeting by delivering and (co)authoring a paper or doing something
else of equivalent weight. Additionally, in the project leader’s judgment,
project funds must available for necessary travel.

If the above activity requirement is met and project funds are available,
travel expenses may be funded on the basis of the lowest airfare, actual
registration cost, room cost at lowest student rate, and a Department set
meal allowance. Availability of funds is always a criterion whether explicitly
stated or not and project leaders are free to set lower amounts.

Where the above concepts of student travel limitation and of an activity

requirement are maintained, variations that are within the spirit or intent in
terms of amount expended may be introduced, in recognition of particular
circumstances (e.g., some meetings within driving distance, others not;
sharing auto transportation to reduce cost and allow others to attend who
might not otherwise qualify, etc.). The rationale for such variations must be
communicated to and approved by the Department Head prior to any travel
commitment being made or any travel document prepared.

L. Travel Fellowships

Funds may be available through the Graduate Studies Committee to award

some travel fellowships to graduate students in the Food Science Program.
The grant will not cover all of the expenses and current policy is that the

19
 student must be presenting a paper. If the student desires support, he/she
will submit:

1. a justification for support and the proposed expenses;

2. a letter from the advisor stating support of attending;

3. a copy of the accepted abstract to the DGS. The Graduate Studies

Committee will meet or by ballot will decide on how to dispense the
funds.

VIII. GPA REQUIREMENTS FOR M.S. AND PH.D. STUDENTS

Grades of A, B, and C are permitted on the graduate program. No credit is

allowed for work with a grade lower than a C minus, and the student is expected to
maintain an average GPA in all coursework of better than 2.8 for the M.S. degree
and for the Ph.D. degree (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1). However, the student may take
any course on an S/N basis as per the University of Minnesota Graduate School
regulations. At least two-thirds of the credit hours on any official degree program
must be in courses taken on an A/F basis. The Food Science Graduate Program
permits a maximum of 4 credits of incomplete coursework on a student’s
transcript. More than 4 credits of incomplete coursework will result in a hold on
the student’s record. All grades received become a part of the student’s
permanent record, whether or not they are satisfactory. While there may be
unusual exceptions, no course may be retaken for the purpose of raising a low
grade previously earned. In cases where the student has taken coursework
beyond the minimum program requirements, the advisor and the Graduate Studies
Committee in evaluating and approving the minimum program submitted, will also
expect comparable standards of performance for all classes on the transcript.
They may reject the minimum degree program if the total record falls below the
academic standard for the degree and may also terminate candidacy.

The DGS will monitor degree program progress (see section VII.E) to determine if
any student falls below the required GPA for the degree program. A student’s
registration may be put on hold if the calculated GPA falls below the degree
standard. The DGS will forward such transcripts of students below acceptable
academic performance to the Quality Control Committee who will then review the
transcript with the advisor and make recommendations to the DGS whether or not
to put a hold on the record or terminate.

IX. GRADUATE LEVEL COURSES IN FOOD SCIENCE

A. Core Coursework Requirements

The Food Science Graduate Program requires the student to have breadth
in food science and depth in an area of study within food science. The

20
minimum graduate Food Science core course requirements for breadth in
food science are:

FScN 4111 Food Chemistry, 3cr

FScN 4121 Food Microbiology and Fermentations, 3cr
FScN 4122 Laboratory Methods in Food Microbiology and
Fermentations, 2cr
FScN 4131 Food Quality, 3cr
FScN 4312 Food Analysis, 4cr
BBE 4744 Engineering Principles for Biological Scientists, 4cr
FScN 4332 Food Processing Operations, 3cr

It is expected that all students will have a working knowledge of the content
of the Food Science core courses. The class syllabus and performance
objectives for each of these classes will be available and should be used by
students to assess their competence in these courses. Any deficiencies
must be corrected if the student expects to perform well on the degree
examinations. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they meet the
expected student performance objectives of these courses before they take
the final oral examination. Students must sign the “Graduate Student
Registration for the Food Science Examination” form to indicate that they
have read the expected student performance objectives and are satisfied
that they are adequately prepared to be examined for competency in the
Food Science core disciplines.

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B. Registration for Food Science Examinations Form

Graduate Student Registration

for the Food Science Examination

It is expected that all students will have a working knowledge of the Food Science core
courses. The class syllabus and performance objectives for these classes will be
available and should be used by students to assess their competence in these courses.
Any deficiencies must be corrected if the student expects to perform well on the final
degree examination. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they meet the
expected student performance objectives of these courses before they take the final
oral examination or Ph.D. written preliminary examination. The students must sign the
“Graduate Student Registration for the Food Science Examination” form to indicate that
they have read the expected student performance objectives and are satisfied that they
are adequately prepared to be examined for competency in the Food Science core
disciplines.

Check one:
_____M.S. Plan A Final Oral Exam
_____M.S. Plan B Final Oral Exam
_____Ph.D. Written Preliminary Exam

I hereby certify that I have read the expected student performance objectives for the
core disciplines in Food Science and am satisfied that I am adequately prepared to be
examined for competency in the core disciplines.

____________________ ____________________ __________

Signature Print Name Date

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 C. Approved Courses for use on Food Science Graduate Programs to build
expertise in a given area:

FScN 4103 World Food Problems, 2cr

FScN 4341 Sensory Evaluation of Food Quality, 2cr
FScN 4342 Properties of Water in Foods, 4cr
FScN 4343 Processing of Dairy Products, 3cr
FScN 4344 Technology of Fermented Dairy Products, 4cr
FScN 4345 Flavor Technology, 3cr
FScN 4346 Functional Foods: Regulations and Technology, 3cr
FScN 5411 Food Biotechnology, 2cr
FScN 5421 Introduction to Food Law, 3cr
FScN 5431 Physiochemistry of Food, 2cr
FScN 5441 Introduction to New Product Development, 2cr
FScN 5451 Structure and Function in Foods: Quantitative Analysis, 2cr
FScN 5461 Food Packaging, 2cr
FScN 5471 Advanced Food Chemistry, 3cr
FScN 5531 Grains: Introduction to Cereal Chemistry and Technology, 2cr

FScN 8211 Risk Analysis in Food Science and Nutrition, 2cr

FScN 8213 Food Lipids: Biological and Toxicological Aspects, 2cr
FScN 8320 Advanced Topics in Food Science, 1-3cr
FScN 8330 Research Topics, 1cr
FScN 8331 Dairy Chemistry and Physics, 2cr
FScN 8334 Reaction Kinetics of Food Deterioration, 2cr
FScN 8335 Carbohydrate Chemistry in Food and Nutrition, 2cr
FScN 8336 Lipid Chemistry and Rancidity of Foods, 2cr
FScN 8337 Flavor Chemistry, 2cr
FScN 8338 Antioxidants in Food: Practical Applications, 2cr
FScN 8391 Independent Study: Food Science, 1-4cr

X. DEGREE PROGRAMS

A. Master of Science Program

The Master’s degree program is awarded in recognition of academic

accomplishment as demonstrated by a coherent program of coursework,
passing of the required examinations and the preparation of a thesis or
projects.

1. General Requirements for the Master’s Degree

The Master’s degree is offered under two options: Plan A, involving a

thesis, and Plan B, which substitutes for the thesis a special project
(to be described).

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 A student should submit to the advisor a proposed master’s program
(using the “Degree Program Form” available on the Gradual School
website) by the time they have taken 10 semester credits of graduate
work. An unofficial transcript should be submitted along with the
program. A student’s registration may be put on hold if the
calculated GPA falls below 2.8 (see GPA requirements for M.S. and
Ph.D. Students).

The student’s program including proposed coursework, thesis topic

and title should be submitted to the Food Science Graduate Studies
Committee for review. The program must be approved by a majority
of the members of the Committee. If adequate, it is then signed by
the Director of Graduate Studies and forwarded to the Graduate
School for approval by the Dean of the Graduate School. The
student will be notified by mail by the Graduate School of the Dean’s
approval of the program. If a student’s registration is to be put on
hold by the Graduate School because the program has not been filed
by the appropriate time, the DGS will notify the advisor.

All requirements for the Master’s degree must be completed within 7

years after the study is started, but realistically the student should
complete all requirements in 2 years. If, for some reason, a student
does not maintain “active status” in the Graduate School, and then
wishes to take more coursework, that student must be readmitted to
the Graduate School. The request is made on a “Change of Status”
form through the Graduate School.

2. Plan A: Masters Degree with Thesis

All Plan A M.S. students must meet the minimum Graduate School
requirements of 14 credits in the major, 6 credits in related fields or
minor, and 10 thesis credits. Of the 14 credits required in the major,
General Seminar (FScN 8310, 1cr) and Current Issues in Food
Science (FScN 8318, 2cr) must be taken. The student must also
take or have taken a course in human nutrition (FScN 1112 or the
equivalent). The Food Science core courses may have been taken
as an undergraduate at the University of Minnesota or at another
academic institution. If these requirements or their equivalents have
been met, a student will not be expected to repeat this material. The
student would then build a program by selecting courses from the
approved list for use on graduate programs to build their area of
expertise and to meet the 14 credit requirement in the major.
Students entering the Food Science Plan A M.S. graduate program
without a degree in Food Science or a food science background will
be required to take the minimum Food Science core course
requirements (22cr) in place of their 14 credit major requirement in
Food Science. The student may also be expected to take additional

24
food science courses beyond the core, in order to provide further
depth in food science.

a. Coursework requirements in the related fields or minor.

The student can choose to pursue coursework in either a minor or

related fields. The minor involves coursework concentration in a
given area and courses must be approved by the DGS in the chosen
department. Related fields involves the student electing courses
from one or several areas that will support his/her academic goals.
For example, the student may choose to take a course in
experimental design from the Statistics Department and one in
biochemistry - the courses do not have to be from the same
department. Courses with a 6xxx or 7xxx designator are acceptable
up to a maximum of four credits on a student’s program, providing
the courses have sufficient graduate level rigor, which will be
determined on a course by course basis by the graduate studies
committee.

These fields (or minor) may include analytical chemistry,

biochemistry, chemical engineering, industrial engineering,
marketing, microbiology, nutrition, physiology, public health,
economics, business administration, physical chemistry, statistics or
any other area decided upon by the student and the advisor. The
coursework of the supporting field supports the student's academic
and professional goals. It should be noted, however, that the credits
in the outside area must be clearly related to the thesis or strongly
supportive of the student’s Food Science Graduate Program. If this
is not the case, the DGS should be consulted prior to taking any
courses intended to meet this requirement.

As noted above for a minor program, the DGS of that program may
specify the required coursework and must sign the program. No split
minor is allowed, but a double minor is possible by taking the
minimum number of credits in each field. Work in other related fields
is also allowed to be added.

b. Thesis

The thesis must be written in acceptable English (instructions for

preparation of the Master’s thesis are available from the Graduate
School - document titled “Preparation of the Master’s Thesis”),
showing ability to work independently as a research scholar (see
Graduate School policy in the Graduate School Catalog).
Registration of the title page must be made in the Graduate School
at least 1 month before the date by which the candidate expects to
receive the degree.

25
At the discretion of the advisor, a student may submit one full-length
original research paper ready for submission for publication in a
reputable journal to the Thesis Review Committee in lieu of a
traditional thesis. Review articles or technical notes are not
acceptable... However, the overall thesis format submitted to the
Graduate School must still conform to the Graduate School
requirements. A number of conditions must be met: l) the candidate
shall be listed as the sole author of the thesis; 2) if the manuscript
includes more than the student’s research, the student must make
his/her contribution clear to the Committee; 3) submission of a
manuscript in lieu of the traditional thesis requires a suitable
introduction and, if necessary, transition sections which might not
ordinarily be included in the published manuscript; 4) where
appropriate, a comprehensive literature review, not usually permitted
by journals, should be part of the submitted thesis; 5) appendices
should be added to the manuscript as necessary to provide the
comprehensiveness not ordinarily permitted by scholarly journals.
The Graduate School will allow the binding of reprints of published
manuscripts if satisfactorily (and legally) reproduced on thesis-quality
paper.

The final copy of the thesis requires a front page signed by one
advisor indicating that the student has made all of the changes that
were suggested by the reading/oral examination committee and that
the advisor has reviewed these changes and approved them. Once
completed, an unbound copy is submitted to the Graduate School. At
least four copies of the thesis must be prepared: two unbound copies
for the Graduate School, one for the advisor, and one for the
department.

c. Thesis Reading and Oral Examining Committee

The advisor and graduate student must submit a suggested list of

faculty to serve as the Thesis Reading and Oral Examination
Committee. The two departmental members of this Committee
should be chosen to reflect breath in the food science discipline. For
example, one should not choose two “chemists” or “microbiologists”
but mix the expertise of the Committee to include one chemist and
one microbiologist or one technologist and one microbiologist. The
faculty suggested must have been contacted in advance by the
graduate student to insure their willingness to participate (if selected)
in the student’s examination. The faculty member from the minor or
related field will serve as the outside examiner for the oral final
exam. This member is generally chosen based on the student having
had a course from an instructor or the person is directly involved in
the student’s research. The Graduate Studies Committee will review

26
 those names and may modify the list before submitting it to the
Graduate School. The Graduate School will make the final approval
of Examination Committee members.

To assist the Graduate Studies Committee in assessing the

proposed M.S. program, the student should complete the “Food
Science Graduate Program Evaluation” form (on our department
forms website at fscn.cfans.umn.edu/education/forms/index.htm)

A draft of the thesis must be submitted to the Final Oral Examination

Committee no less than 2 weeks prior to the scheduled examination.
The Committee will determine if the thesis is “ready for defense”.
“Ready for defense” means the student has completed work on a
research area and has written it up; it does not mean it has to be in a
form the reviewer felt it should be or the research was not done in a
manner the reviewer would have done it. These matters are for
consideration at the oral defense.

The candidate for a Master’s degree, Plan A, must pass the final oral
examination of not more than 2 hours length. The candidate must
obtain a “Final Examination Report” form from the Graduate School
before the exam. The oral presentation of the thesis research for the
examination should not exceed 20 minutes, if given uninterrupted,
and should cover research objectives, important results and the
significance of the findings. A majority vote of the Oral Committee is
required for passage. Only when voted by a majority of the
Examining Committee will it be necessary for the candidate to take
an additional written or oral examination of not greater than 2 hours
in length. Results of the oral and additional written or oral
examination (when voted on) must be reported to the Graduate
School on the appropriate form and must be returned within 24 hours
of the examination day. The student can ask for the results of the
exam to be set aside if all members of the Committee aren’t present
for the exam since the Graduate School requires that all members
must be present and voting in any examination.

3. Plan B: Master’s Degree without Thesis

a. Coursework required

The coursework required for the Plan B M.S. degree is the same as
that noted above for the general requirements for the Plan A
Master’s degree, but additional course credits are required in place
of the 10 thesis credits. All Plan B M.S. students must meet the
minimum Graduate School coursework requirement of 30 credits
including 14 credits in the major and 6 credits in related fields or
minor. The remaining credits needed to meet the 30 credit minimum

27
requirement for the degree are chosen by agreement between the
advisor and the student.

The Food Science core courses may have been taken as an

undergraduate at the University of Minnesota or at another academic
institution. If these requirements or their equivalents have been met,
a student will not be expected to repeat this material. The student
would then build a program by selecting courses from the approved
list for use on graduate programs to build their area of expertise and
to meet the 14 credit requirement in the major. Students entering the
Food Science Plan B M.S. Graduate Program without a degree in
Food Science or a food science background will be required to take
the minimum Food Science core courses (22cr) as part of their 30
credit requirement.

b. Plan B project

The Plan B project, as required by the graduate faculty in the field of

Food Science, is done by the candidate in lieu of a Master’s thesis. It
is equivalent to 120 hours of work or three full weeks of research and
writing. It should consist of one of the following options which are
intended to familiarize the candidate with the tools of research or
scholarship in the field and serve to demonstrate the ability to work
independently:

1) The candidate may prepare one paper equivalent to 120

hours of work in one advanced course, over and above the
normal course requirement as approved by the instructor in
consultation with the advisor. This course must be from the
major field of interest.

2) The candidate may prepare one paper equivalent to the

requirement of 120 hours in some related field or course as
approved in consultation with the instructor and the advisor.

3) The student may do an equivalent amount of library or

laboratory research and write a research report to satisfy the
requirement as approved by the advisor. This may take the
form of a research proposal.

The intent of the Plan B project is to give the candidate some chance
to do work (independent of courses) which should be of the quality of
graduate study. As noted, the plans of the Plan B project should be
submitted along with the Master’s program to the Graduate Studies
Committee.

28
 c. Oral Examination Committee

The advisor and graduate student must submit a suggested list of

faculty to serve as the Oral Examination Committee. The two
departmental members of this Committee should be chosen to reflect
breath in the food science discipline. For example, one should not
choose two “chemists” or “microbiologists” but mix the expertise of
the Committee to include one chemist and one microbiologist or one
technologist and one microbiologist. The faculty suggested must
have been contacted in advance by the graduate student to insure
their willingness to participate (if selected) in the student’s
examination. The faculty member from the minor or related field will
serve as the outside examiner for the oral final exam. The Graduate
Studies Committee will review those names and may modify the list
before submitting it to the Graduate School. The Graduate School
will make the final selection of Examination Committee members.

To assist the Graduate Studies Committee in assessing the

proposed M.S. program, the student should complete the “Evaluation
of Graduate Program” form (see student support services assistant
or the DGS for the form).

The candidate for a master’s degree, Plan B, must pass the final oral
examination of not more than 2 hours length. The candidate must
obtain a “Final Examination Report” form from the Graduate School
before the exam. A majority vote of the Oral Committee is required
for passage. Only when voted by a majority of the Examining
Committee will it be necessary for the candidate to take an additional
written or oral examination of not greater than 2 hours length.
Results of the oral and additional written or oral examination (when
voted on) must be reported to the Graduate School on the
appropriate form and must be returned within 24 hours of the
examination day. The student can ask for the results of the exam to
be set aside if all members of the Committee aren’t present for the
exam since the Graduate School requires that all members must be
present and voting in any examination.

4. Student Status and Time Sequence

Full-time graduate students, including those on assistantships, are

expected to complete M.S. degree programs in not more than 2
calendar years following their initial enrollment. Students not
admitted for further continuing study shall be terminated at the end of
the semester in which they take their examination. Any request for
an exception to this policy shall be submitted to the Graduate
Studies Committee for review and final action.

29
5. Benchmarks for Food Science M.S. Degree Program Guidelines

This list is a guideline of benchmarks for a timely graduation.

Students should meet with their advisor to convert the guidelines into
specific goals for their degree program. For the M.S. program, each
student is required to be a Teaching Assistant in two classes. For
complete information, consult the Food Science Graduate Program
Handbook and the Graduate School Catalog.

30
First Semester
1. Complete required safety training.
2. With assistance from advisor, plan graduate program, course selection, and selection of a
research project.
3. Start coursework.
4. Begin thesis literature review.
5. Begin thesis research.
6. Be aware of Ethics Seminars and attend as appropriate.

Second Semester
1. Continue coursework.
2. Continue thesis research.
3. Fulfill T.A. responsibility.
4. After completing 10 credits of graduate course work, file official degree program with thesis
(Plan A) or project (Plan B) title.
5. Prepare final draft of literature review.

Summer following First Year

1. Continue thesis research

Third Semester
1. Continue coursework.
2. Continue thesis research.
3. Fulfill T.A. responsibility.
4. Submit abstract for presentation at national/international meeting.

Fourth Semester
1. Complete coursework.
2. Complete thesis research.
3. Begin writing publication(s)/thesis.
4. Present seminar

Summer following Second Year

1. Register thesis title with the Graduate School when draft of thesis is ready for distribution to
reviewers.
2. Order a graduation packet online via the GS website after the thesis title is registered.
3. Schedule final oral examination. Notify the advisor and other members of the final Oral
Examination Committee at least two weeks in advance that the thesis or Plan B project will
be delivered on a particular date. All Examining Committee members must have at least
two weeks to read the thesis or Plan B project after it has been delivered.
4. After final exam, make corrections or revisions to the thesis and submit thesis to Graduate
School. Also submit one bound copy of the thesis to FScN Student Services in 225J FScN.
5. Perform required Departmental laboratory checkout. Turn in keys.
6. Complete students are encouraged to schedule an exit interview with the Department Head.

31
B. Doctor of Philosophy Program

1. General Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D. Degree)

The Doctor of Philosophy degree is granted, not on the basis of

successful completion of a definite amount of prescribed work, but
rather in recognition of the candidate’s notable accomplishments and
abilities in a specialized field. This is shown, first, by passing the
required examinations covering both the general and the specialized
fields of the candidate and, second, by preparing a thesis.

The Graduate School does not specify a minimum number of credits

in the major field for the doctoral degree. Depending on previous
preparation and the nature of the research undertaken, the number
of credits required for individual students may vary considerably.
However, most students in the Ph.D. Food Science Graduate
Program will take a total course workload equal to 60 semester
credits. Of these, a minimum of 12 credits must be completed in the
minor field or supporting program and 24 credits comprise the
required thesis credits (FScN 8888).

A student is expected to complete all requirements for the Ph.D.

degree within 5 calendar years from the date of passing the
preliminary oral exam (see Evaluation of Graduate Student Progress,
section VII.E). The Food Science Graduate Program maintains the
policy for a GPA of 2.8 or better for Ph.D. candidates. (see Graduate
School Catalog).

2. Admission to the Ph.D. Program

Admission to the Ph.D. program is possible under the following

circumstances:

a. Direct Admission from the Bachelor’s to the Ph.D. Program

In addition to an exceptional coursework record and

exceptional GRE scores, the student must have demonstrated
research capabilities. Demonstration of research capabilities
can take many forms, e.g., a published paper, senior thesis,
undergraduate research project report, etc. In any case,
something tangible must be present for evaluation.

b. Petition to Change into Ph.D. Program

The petition should be submitted after the student has

completed 10 credits but not more than 20 credits and has
demonstrated research capabilities. The student and advisor

32
 must adequately document research capability. It is still
desirable for the student to have a M.S. before the Ph.D.

c. Upon Completion of the M.S.

A student may apply for admission to the Ph.D. program after

obtaining the M.S. degree.

3. Program of Study and Schedule

The “Degree Program Transmittal” form must be filed before the end
of the third semester from initial registration. This form will include all
work offered for the degree: all graduate courses completed and
proposed in the major are listed as well as the courses in the minor if
required, and supporting fields when used. Use of credit from other
institutions will be considered when the doctoral program is reviewed
first by the Graduate Studies Committee and then by the Graduate
School. At this time, the advisor and student also submits with the
program a list of faculty who may be chosen for the subsequent Oral
Examination and Thesis Review and Defense Committees. Include a
statement outlining the suitability of the chosen Committee members
for reviewing your proposed thesis research and for reviewing the
final doctoral dissertation. The criteria for selection of these two
Committees are described later in this handbook.

To assist the Graduate Studies Committee in assessing the

proposed Ph.D. program, the student should complete the “Food
Science Graduate Program Evaluation” form (on the FScN forms
website http://fscn.cfans.umn.edu/education/forms/index.htm)

4. Thesis Title Form

The “Thesis Title” form for the doctoral dissertation must be filed at
the time of submission of the doctoral program. This must be
approved by the advisor and the Food Science Graduate Studies
Committee prior to submission to the Graduate School. The
Graduate School requires that the thesis title be accompanied by a
typewritten statement of approximately 250 words, describing the
research to be undertaken and the methods to be used in carrying it
out.

5. Language Requirement

The Graduate Faculty in Food Science has no language requirement

for M.S. or Ph.D. degrees. Students who wish to have proficiency in
a language recorded on their transcripts must prove proficiency by

33
 passing either the Graduate School Foreign Language Test or a test
administered by the appropriate language department.

6. Coursework in Major Area

The course requirements for a Ph.D. can be broken down into the
following situations:

a. Students who have previously completed their M.S. degree in

Food Science at the University of Minnesota will be required
to take the minimum 12 credits in the minor field or supporting
program (minor field or supporting program credits obtained
with the M.S. count toward the 12 if approved by the advisor),
General Seminar (FScN 8310, 1cr), Current Issues in Food
Science, (FScN 8318, 2cr), and an additional 24 thesis credits
(FScN 8888) beyond the 10 thesis credits required for the
M.S.

b. Students who have not completed an M.S. in Food Science at

the University of Minnesota will be required to meet the Food
Science undergraduate core course requirements (22cr).
These Food Science core courses may have been taken as
an undergraduate at the University of Minnesota or at another
academic institution. If these requirements or their equivalents
have been met, a student will not be expected to repeat this
material. The student will then build a program by selecting
courses from the approved list for use on graduate programs
in order to provide further depth in food science. The student
must take a minimum of 4 courses in food science beyond the
Food Science core requirements, not including General
Seminar (FScN 8310) and Current Issues in Food Science
(FScN 8318). The student will also be required to take the
minimum 12 credits in the minor field or supporting program,
General Seminar (FScN 8310, 1cr), Current Issues in Food
Science, (FScN 8318, 2cr), and 24 thesis credits (FScN 8888)
beyond the 10 thesis credits required for the M.S. The student
must also take or have taken a course in human nutrition
(FScN 1112 or the equivalent).

c. Students entering the Food Science Ph.D. Graduate Program

without a degree in Food Science or food science background
will be required to take the minimum Food Science
undergraduate core course requirements (22cr) as part of
their Ph.D. major field requirements. The student will then
build a program by selecting courses from the approved list
for use on graduate programs in order to provide further depth
in food science. The student must take a minimum of 4

34
 courses in food science beyond the Food Science core
requirements, not including General Seminar (FScN 8310)
and Current Issues in Food Science (FScN 8318). The
student will also be required to take the minimum 12 credits in
a minor field or supporting program, Graduate Seminar (FScN
8310, 1cr), Current Issues in Food Science, (FScN 8318, 2cr),
and 24 thesis credits (FScN 8888) beyond the 10 thesis
credits required for the M.S. The student must also take or
have taken a course in human nutrition (FScN 1112 or the
equivalent).

It should be emphasized that the above course requirements

are minimums. It is anticipated that students will take
additional courses in both the major field and minor or
supporting fields to support their research and professional
interests.

7. Coursework in Supporting/Minor Program

The student can choose to pursue coursework in either a minor or

related fields. The minor involves coursework concentration in a
given area and courses must be approved by the DGS in the chosen
department. Related fields involve the student electing courses from
one or several areas that will support his/her academic goals. For
example, the student may choose to take a course in experimental
design from the Statistics Department, one in biochemistry and one
in business management – the courses normally are not from the
same department. Courses with a 6xxx or 7xxx designator are
acceptable up to a maximum of four credits on a student’s program,
providing the courses have sufficient graduate level rigor, which will
be determined on a course by course basis by the graduate studies
committee.

These fields (or minor) may include analytical chemistry,

biochemistry, chemical engineering, industrial engineering,
marketing, microbiology, nutrition, physiology, public health,
economics, business administration, physical chemistry, statistics or
any other area decided upon by the student and the advisor. The
coursework of the supporting field supports the student's academic
and professional goals. It should be noted, however, that the credits
in the outside must be clearly related to the thesis or strongly
supportive of the student’s graduate program in Food Science. If this
is not the case, the DGS should be consulted prior to taking any
courses intended to meet this requirement.

No split minor is allowed, but a double minor is possible by taking the minimum number
of credits in each field. Work in other related fields is also allowed to be added.

35
8. Preliminary Written Examination for Ph. D. in Food Science

Preliminary Written Examination is a Research Proposal prepared by Food Science

Doctoral Candidate Students.

Purpose of the examination:

1) It is a requirement of the Graduate School;

2) To examine the student’s ability to write a research proposal;
3) To evaluate and enhance written communication skills.

Research proposal:

The research proposal must be drafted by the student with only minor help from the
advisor. Any detailed proposals on this research topic, written by the advisor (for example
to acquire funding for the student's research), cannot be utilized. This research proposal
will follow the current USDA AFRI Grant Proposal Format.

Examination Procedure:

-The research proposal, this section of Food Science Graduate Student Handbook,
(Preliminary Written Examination for Ph. D. in Food Science), and a copy of the current
USDA AFRI Grant Proposal Format (to which the proposal must conform) are to be given
by the student to each of the members of the student’s Examining Committee.
.
-At this same time these same documents and a list of the members of the Examining
Committee should be given to the DGS (see below for contact information).

-Each committee member will read the proposal, evaluate it and issue a score of either
SATISFACTORY or NOT SATISFACTORY and then email their score to the DGS [Dave
Smith: desmith@umn.edu; phone 612-624-3260] and copy the DGS Assistant
[fscngrad@umn.edu] and the Associate DGS [Dan O’Sullivan: dosulliv@umn.edu].

-The evaluation is to be completed within 30 calendar days of receiving the proposal. If

this time line cannot be met by a committee member, she/he must inform the student and
the DGS immediately.

-If all members of the committee deem the proposal SATISFACTORY the student will
have passed the Preliminary Written Examination and the result will be reported to the
Graduate School, the committee, the advisor and the student ASAP.

-If any “NOT SATISFACTORY” evaluations are given, the Examining Committee will be
convened by the student’s advisor to discuss the reason(s) for the “NOT
SATISFACTORY” evaluation(s). At the end of the committee’s discussion the committee
will cast a final written ballot.

36
-Following the final ballot at this meeting, the student will be considered to “PASS” the
Preliminary Written Examination if no more than ONE Examining Committee member
assigns a “NOT SATISFACTORY” grade. If a “Pass” is the result of the meeting, the
advisor will communicate this to the DGS and the result will be sent to the Graduate
School. Also, the advisor is responsible for immediately notifying the student of the
“PASS.”

-If, however, TWO or more Examining Committee members assign a “NOT

SATISFACTORY” grade, a letter stating the concerns of the committee will be drafted by
the committee chair (the adviser) and circulated to the other members of the committee
for their approval prior to sending it to the student.

-Upon receipt of the letter the student must submit, to each member of the committee, a
revised proposal within 30 calendar days of the date of the letter from the committee.

-Along with a revised proposal, the student must also submit a letter documenting how
each of the points raised by the Committee members in their letter was addressed. (The
student is encouraged to contact each of the Committee members during this period to
get their feedback.)

– If the student does not submit a revised proposal and response to the points raised by
the committee within the 30 day time limit, the student will Fail the Preliminary Written
Examination. A notice of this will immediately be sent by the DGS Assistant to the
Graduate School.

-Based on the final proposal and letter received within the 30 day requirement, each
Examining Committee member must submit a second and final grade (within 30 calendar
days) on the revised proposal to the DGS, Associate DGS and DGS Assistant (see
above for email addresses).

-Based on these grades, the student will be considered to pass the Preliminary Written
Examination if no more than ONE Examining Committee member assigns a “NOT
SATISFACTORY” grade.

-If the student obtains TWO or more “NOT SATISFACTORY” grades on the final
proposal, he/she will be considered to have “FAILED” the Preliminary Written
Examination and will be dismissed from the Food Science Ph.D. program.

-The final vote of the Examining Committee will be filed by the DGS Assistant with the
Graduate School and each committee member including the adviser will be notified of the
final vote. The adviser will be responsible for notifying the student.

37
9. Preliminary Oral Examination

At least one full academic semester before the degree is conferred, a

preliminary oral examination of the student shall be given by a
committee suggested by the student in consultation with the advisor
and approved by the Graduate Studies Committee and Graduate
School. This examination may not be taken until the written
examination has been satisfactorily completed and until the student
has completed most of the course work on their Degree Program.

a. Purpose of the examination:

1) It is a Graduate School requirement;

2) To evaluate the student’s knowledge in food science as

well as in the supporting or minor field;

3) Evaluate the readiness of the student to conduct

independent research.

b. Mechanism

1) Examining committee

The advisor and student will choose his/her Committee

in the first year of study. The Committee will consist of
individuals on the graduate faculty of the University of
Minnesota who have familiarity with the thesis subject
area. If the student is being coadvised and both
advisors are serving on the Examining Committee, an
additional committee member will be added to the
Committee. The Committee will be suggested by the
advisor and approved by the Graduate Studies
Committee.

2) Examination procedure

The examination will conform to the Graduate School

requirements for length, committee composition, voting
procedure etc. The primary goals of this examination
are to evaluate the readiness of the student to conduct
independent research and to evaluate the student’s
breadth in food science. The readiness of the student
to conduct independent research will be evaluated by
having the student prepare a research proposal as
defined in Section 8 above. This proposal will be given
to the Examining Committee at least 10 working days

38
 before the preliminary oral examination. The student
will give an oral presentation of the research plan in the
examination not to exceed 15 minutes if given
uninterrupted. This will form the basis for the research
component of the examination.

3) Reporting the results

The Examining Committee will report the results of the

preliminary oral examination to the Graduate School
office. If the Committee decides that a student passed
the examination with reservations, it must inform the
student immediately. The Committee has one week,
however, to send the student a letter that clearly
stipulates the reservations and the steps required to
remove them. A copy of this letter must be forwarded to
the Graduate School. A second letter informing the
student that the reservations have been satisfied is
also required; again, a copy must be forwarded to the
Graduate School. The Chair of the Preliminary Oral
Examination Committee should write both letters on the
Committee’s behalf. The final oral examination cannot
be scheduled until the Graduate School receives a
copy of the second letter.

10. Publication Requirement

Before the student schedules the final thesis defense, they will
submit a first authored, peer reviewed paper on their doctoral
research, in a journal pertinent to their research discipline (published
or accepted for publication) to the graduate studies committee.
Upon confirmation from the DGS that the publication requirement
has been met the student can proceed with the final thesis defense.

11. Doctoral Thesis

The rules, regulations and timing of events occurring in the

successful preparation of a Ph.D. thesis are defined in the Graduate
School Catalog. The format requirements for the thesis are also
available from the Graduate School in a document titled “Preparation
of the Doctoral Thesis”.

12. Final Oral Examination

a. Final Oral Examining Committee

39
 Although the student’s advisor will serve as a member of the
Final Oral Examining Committee, another member of the
Committee must be designated as the Chair and will function
in this capacity at the final oral examination. The Chair must
be a full member of the graduate faculty but may be from the
minor or supporting program. The Graduate School Dean will
appoint the Chair and other members of the Final Oral
Examining Committee upon recommendation of the Director
of Graduate Studies in the major field. The Final Oral
Examining Committee should consist minimally of five
members, three from the major and two from the minor or
supporting program, at least two of whom normally shall
represent a graduate program and a budgetary unit other than
that of the candidate’s major.

b. Function of the Final Oral Examination

The final oral examination shall consist of a seminar to which

the scholarly community is invited and which includes a
presentation of the thesis by the candidate. A closed meeting
between the candidate and the appointed Examining
Committee will immediately follow the thesis presentation.
Following the examination (3 hr limit), the candidate shall be
excused and the vote taken on whether the student passed
the examination. The final oral examination shall be limited to
the thesis subject and relevant areas.

The advisor should be responsible for ensuring the inclusion

of appropriate modifications and required revisions, if any, in
the final thesis. The “final oral examination report” form should
not be signed and submitted to the Graduate School until all
reservations have been satisfied. The voting distribution to
pass can not include more than one dissenting vote. The
Chair of the Final Examination Committee may withhold the
final examination form until all of the thesis corrections
recommended by the Committee have been completed.

The Examining Committee has both the authority and the

responsibility to fail a student whose performance in the thesis
or the oral defense does not meet the standards for award of
a doctoral degree. On the other hand, there are occasionally
instances in which, although the final examination does not
proceed well, the Committee feels that the student has an
acceptable thesis that he or she is capable of defending
adequately. Under these circumstances, the final oral exam
may be recessed and reconvened.

40
Circumstances that might prompt a recess of the final oral
examination fall into two broad categories. The first involves
primarily non-substantive matters. These include, but are not
limited to, cases in which the student’s nervousness prevents
him or her from adequately defending the thesis. In such
circumstances, the Examining Committee may decide
informally to recess for up to a week. The Committee and the
student should select a date and time for reconvening that is
agreeable to all parties. No written notice need be given to
the student, although the Committee should give him or her
such advice and assurances as it deems important. The
Graduate School need not be notified of the recess until after
the fact, when the “final oral examination report” form is
returned. At that time, the Chair of the Examining Committee
should attach a brief note indicating simply that the Committee
has recessed, and the date it reconvened and completed its
examination of the student.

The second category includes all cases in which Committee

members have serious concerns about either the thesis itself
or the student’s ability to defend it, but in which they believe
that the situation can be remedied if the student is given
additional time to revise the thesis or prepare for the
examination. In such cases, the Committee should stop the
examination, inform the student of its intent to recess, and
discuss with the student the deficiencies that prompted the
recess. Within a week of the examination, the Chair of the
Committee should send a letter to the student clearly stating
these deficiencies, outlining the steps necessary to remedy
them, and indicating when the Committee expects to
reconvene and resume the examination. A copy of this letter
should be sent to the Graduate School, along with the
unsigned “final oral examination report” form. When the
student and the Committee are ready to reconvene the
examination, it should be scheduled in the normal way with
the Graduate School.

The date of the final oral examination shall be publicly

announced and any member of the graduate faculty may
attend. To be recommended for the award of the doctoral
degree requires that the candidate receive either a unanimous
vote or that there be not more than one dissenting member of
the total Committee. The Chair reports the results to the
Graduate School.

41
 13. Benchmarks for Food Science Ph.D. Degree Program Guidelines

This list is a guideline of benchmarks for a timely graduation.

Students should meet with their advisor to convert the guidelines into
specific goals for their degree program. For the Ph.D. program, each
student is required to be a Teaching Assistant in three classes. For
more complete information, consult your Food Science Graduate
Program Handbook and the Graduate School Catalog.

First Semester
1. Complete required safety training.
2. With assistance from advisor, plan graduate program, course selection, and
selection of a research project.
3. Start coursework.
4. Begin thesis literature review.
5. Begin thesis research.
6. Be aware of Ethics Seminars and attend as appropriate.

Second Semester
1. Continue coursework.
2. Continue thesis research.
3. Fulfill T.A. responsibility.
4. Take written prelim (first Monday in May following spring semester finals).
5. Work on literature review.

Summer following First Year

1. Continue thesis research.
2. Prepare final draft of literature review.

Third Semester
1. Continue coursework.
2. Continue thesis research.
3. Fulfill T.A. responsibility.
4. File “Official Degree Program” and “Thesis Title” forms.
5. Submit abstract for presentation at national/international meeting.
6. Start research proposal for oral prelim.

42
Fourth Semester
1. Complete coursework.
2. Continue thesis research.
3. If written prelim was not taken at end of second semester, student must take it now
(first Monday in May following spring semester finals).
4. Complete research proposal for oral prelim.
5. Begin writing publication(s).
6. Schedule oral prelim if written prelim was taken at end of second semester.

Summer following Second Year

1. Continue thesis research.

Fifth Semester
1. Begin registering for thesis credits (students may not register for thesis credits until
the semester after passing their oral prelim).
2. Schedule oral prelim with Graduate School if not yet taken (at least one full
academic semester before degree is conferred).
3. Continue thesis research.
4. Fulfill T.A. responsibility.
5. Submit abstract for presentation at national/international meeting.
6. Order a graduation packet online via the GS website after passing oral prelim.

Sixth Semester
1. Complete thesis research.
2. Present seminar.
3. Begin writing publication(s)/thesis.
4. Register for thesis credits.

Summer following Third Year

1. Schedule final oral examination. Notify the advisor and other members of the Final
Oral Examination Committee at least two weeks in advance that the thesis will be
delivered on a particular date. All Examining Committee members must have at
least two weeks to read the thesis after it has been delivered.
2. After final thesis defense, make corrections or revisions to the thesis and then
submit thesis to Graduate School. Also submit one bound copy of the thesis to
FScN Student Services in 225J FScN.
3. Perform required Departmental laboratory checkout. Turn in keys.
4. Completed students are encouraged to schedule an exit interview with the
Department Head.

XI. MINOR REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS MAJORING IN OTHER FIELDS

WISHING TO MINOR IN FOOD SCIENCE

The student must consult with the DGS in Food Science to establish specific
requirements and goals for an acceptable minor program of study. FScN 4111
Food Chemistry (3 cr), 4121 Food Microbiology and Fermentations (3 cr), and

43
 BAE 4744 Engineering Principles for Biological Scientists (4 cr) must be taken for
an M.S. minor totaling 10 credits.

For a Ph.D. minor, all three of the courses listed above for the M.S. are required
plus one additional Food Science graduate level course totaling 12 credits.

XII. Important Contact Information

Accounting Office
Jackie Lee, Principal Accountant - budgetary matters
leexx079@umn.edu 330 Haecker Hall Ph:612.624.3440

Sue Merrin, Accountant - payroll and health insurance

smerrin@umn.edu 225A FScN St. Paul campus Ph: 612.624.4289

Director of Graduate Studies in Food Science

Dr. Dave Smith, Professor
desmith@umn.edu 136H ABLMS, St. Paul campus Ph: 612.624.3260

Graduate Assistant Employment Office

gaoinfo@umn.edu, Donohowe Bldg, 319 15th Ave SE, Minneapolis Campus
Ph: 612.624.7070
Graduate Assistants Insurance Office
www.bhs.umn.edu/insurance/graduate 410 Church Street SE, N-321 BHS,
Minneapolis campus Ph: 612.625.6936
Graduate School
www.grad.umn.edu 316 Johnston Hall, Minneapolis Campus Ph: 612.625.3490
M.S. student inquiries email: gsmast@umn.edu
Ph.D. student inquiries email : gsdoc@umn.edu
Catalog (degree requirements): www.catalogs.umn.edu/grad/index.html

International Student and Scholar Services

www.isss.umn.edu 190 Hubert H. Humphrey Center, Minneapolis campus
Ph: 612.626.7100
Office Support
Sue Winkelman, Executive Administrative Specialist – general department
information, meeting room scheduling (FScN & ABLMS) , grad mailboxes
swinkelman@umn.edu 225 FScN, St. Paul campus Ph: 612.624.1290

44
Student Services
Nancy Toedt, Graduate Program Coordinator
fscngrad@umn.edu 225J FScN, St. Paul campus
Ph: 612.624.6753

Anna Cariad-Barret, Undergraduate Program Coordinator Ph: 612.624.4787

Permission numbers, course/classroom scheduling, food ordering

Frequently Used Web Sites

Department of Food Science and Nutrition fscn.cfans.umn.edu
Financial Aid onestop.umn.edu/finances/index.html
Graduate Assistant Employment Office www1.umn.edu/ohr/policies/governing/gradasst
Graduate Assistant Insurance Office www1.umn.edu/ohr/gae/benefits/index.html
Graduate School www.grad.umn.edu
International Student and Scholar Services www.isss.umn.edu
Nutrition Graduate Program
fscn.cfans.umn.edu/education/nutritiongraduate/index.htm
One Stop (search for everything U of MN) onestop.umn.edu
Registration onestop.umn.edu/onestop/registration.htm

XIII. FOOD SCIENCE GRADUATE COMMITTEES/OFFICERS

A. Director of Graduate Studies

Generally DGS terms are two years in length, with an option for term
renewal. Elections are held in the spring for the following academic year.

The Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) shall supervise and coordinate the
administration of graduate studies within the graduate program or programs
for which he/she is responsible. He/she shall perform such duties in the
administration of graduate studies as the faculty of the graduate program
may assign, normally including such functions as arranging for the review of
graduate admissions, orienting and counseling graduate students with
respect to program and degree requirements until they choose graduate
advisors, assisting graduate students in choosing advisors, enforcing the
regulations of the Graduate School and of the degree programs, receiving
and arranging for review of petitions submitted by graduate students,
maintaining graduate student records, initiating and providing data for
evaluations of graduate students, referring to the graduate faculty in the
degree program or to a committee on graduate admissions or graduate
studies any of the matters which may require its attention and providing it
with information or data it may need and providing guidance and
information needed by graduate advisors in the degree programs. The
DGS also serves as the programs representative to the Biological Sciences
Policy and Review Committee of the Graduate School.

45
B. Associate DGS

The DGS is elected to a two-year term by the graduate faculty in Food

Science. Associate DGS will serve as DGS when DGS is absent from
campus. Associate DGS maybe past DGS or DGS elect. The DGS elect is
elected by the program faculty no later than six months prior to the
completion of the second year term of DGS.

C. Graduate Advisors

Each graduate student must secure the assistance and counsel of a

graduate advisor who is a member of the graduate faculty of the program in
which he/she is pursuing studies. When appropriate, one advisor may
counsel the student during the period of graduate coursework, and another
may supervise the student’s thesis or dissertation research; the latter shall
have special competency in the area of the student’s concentration.
Students may obtain help from the Director of Graduate Studies in
identifying appropriate advisors or changing advisors. The provision of an
advisor for each student is the responsibility of the faculty of the program.
However, the individual advisor-advisee relationship rests upon mutual
agreement. The advisor (a) shall assist the student in formulating a
program of study and research, and his recommendation must accompany
the program submitted; (b) shall review and attach a recommendation to
any petition the student may make with respect to graduate status or
requesting a waiver of normal requirements affecting graduate studies,
examinations, or research; (c) shall direct the student’s research for and
writing of any graduate thesis or dissertation; (d) from time to time shall
provide the student with evaluations of academic progress. The advisor
should normally be a member of the student’s committees for approval of
dissertation and final oral examinations, and shall be responsible for having
the reports signed by the members of the Examination Committee and
returned to the Graduate School. In the discharge of these functions the
graduate advisor is responsible to the faculty of the program and to the
Dean of the Graduate School.

D. Graduate Studies Committee

The Graduate Studies Committee shall implement the wishes of the

graduate faculty in Food Science on all aspects of evaluation of applicants
for admission to the program and on the approval of graduate student
programs, thesis titles and abstracts, petitions, and associated matters.
Activities not explicitly identified with other standing committees of the Food
Science Graduate Program also would be a responsibility of this
Committee.

46
 The Committee shall be made up of the Director of Graduate Study (Chair),
the Associate Director of Graduate Study, the Affirmative Action Officer for
the program, and the Chair of the Quality Control Committee. The Graduate
Faculty of Food Science may add other individuals to the Graduate Studies
Committee or modify the Committee by an appropriate motion at a regular
graduate faculty meeting.

E. Graduate Handbook Committee

Preparation and revision of the Food Science Graduate Faculty-Graduate

Student Handbook.

1. Handbook is to include main points of policy of Graduate School and

Department of Food Science and Nutrition.

2. Handbook shall contain specifics of the Food Science Graduate

Program with respect to requirements for M.S. and Ph.D. programs
including examination guidelines and course requirements.

3. Handbook shall contain specifics and standard procedures of the

Food Science graduate faculty committees.

To prepare or revise handbook at least every two years unless otherwise

voted by the graduate faculty. To insure adequate copies are available for
new faculty and students and that such copies are distributed and used.

F. Quality Control Committee

Periodically review procedures and recommend to the faculty possible

changes and new procedures for the following:

1. M.S. and Ph.D. oral examination procedures

2. GPA standards for graduate student

3. Minimum course requirements for M.S. and Ph.D. students

4. Monitor student progress on annual basis

Review current files on all M.S. and Ph.D. students, as supplied by DGS, to
determine if the time sequences and GPA standards, as outlined in the
handbook for degree completion, are being followed and recommend
actions with respect to holds and warnings. Periodically review and sit in on
student oral examinations to determine whether student quality is being
maintained.

47
 G. Orientation Committee

Coordinates orientation activities for incoming and continuing graduate

students.

H. Seminar Committee

Coordinates scheduling of graduate seminar series.

XIV. LIST OF FOOD SCIENCE GRADUATE FACULTY

Senior Members
Mrinal Bhattacharya Len Marquart
Linda Brady Larry McKay
Mirko Bunzel Lloyd Metzger
Agi Csallany Dan O’Sullivan
Francisco Diez Devin Peterson
Joellen Feirtag Gary Reineccius
Baraem Ismail Roger Ruan
Ted Labuza Dave Smith
Allen Levine Zata Vickers

Affiliate Senior Member

Frank Busta (Emeritus Professor, Current Termination Date: 6/30/09)

Affiliate Advising Member

Craig Hassel
Kayla Polzin
Joanne Slavin
Katherine Swanson
Bernard van Lengerich

Affiliate Member
Mary Schmidl

Appointment Responsibilities
Senior Member
Teach course for graduate credit
Examine Minor Field and Post Baccalaureate Certificate (PBC)
Examine Master's & M.S. Thesis Review
Advise M.S.'s
Co-Advise Doctoral
Examine Doctoral & Ph.D. Thesis Rev
Chair Doctoral Exam

48
 Advise Doctoral
Participate in governance
Affiliate Senior Member
Same as Senior Member but does not participate in governance
Advising Member
Teach course for graduate credit
Examine Minor Field and Post Baccalaureate Certificate (PBC)
Examine Master's & M.S. Thesis Review
Advise M.S.'s
Co-Advise Doctoral with Senior or Affiliate Senior Member
Examine Doctoral & Ph.D. Thesis Rev
Participate in governance
Affiliate Advising Member
Same as Advising Member but does participate in governance
Member
Teach course for graduate credit
Examine Minor Field and Post Baccalaureate Certificate (PBC)
Examine Master's & M.S. Thesis Review
Examine Doctoral & Ph.D. Thesis Rev
Participate in governance
Affiliate Member
Same as Member but does participate in governance

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XV. Criteria for Maintaining Membership on the Food Science Graduate Faculty

The Food Science graduate member contributions will be reviewed by the Food Science
Graduate Program Quality Control Committee every three years. This Committee will
forward its recommendations to the DGS for a full graduate faculty vote on continuation or
termination of membership for each member. Senior Members, Advising Members, or
Members must satisfy at least one requirement in each of the four categories listed under
section I in the three-year period under review. Affiliate Senior Members, Affiliate
Advising Members, or Affiliate Members must satisfy at least one requirement in two of
the three categories (Seminar, Teaching, and Research) listed under section I in the
three-year period under review. It will be the responsibility of each graduate faculty
member to communicate in writing his or her contributions, with documentation, to the
DGS at the time of the review.

Section I. Participation in Food Science Graduate Program Activities

Seminar
Present a seminar at the Food Science graduate seminar series

Regularly attend the Food Science graduate seminar series or special Food
Science Graduate Program seminars

Invite and host an outside speaker sponsored by the Food Science Graduate
Program

Governance
Regularly attend Food Science graduate faculty meetings

Serve on a Food Science Graduate Program committee

Teaching
Coordinate or co-coordinate Food Science graduate seminar series

Write a question for the Ph.D. written prelim and grade the responses

Teach or co-teach a food science course (FScN designation) for graduate credit

Research
Serve on examination committees for Food Science M.S. or Ph.D. students

Advise Food Science M.S. or Ph.D. students

Contribute to writing a successful grant to support a Food Science graduate

student

Publish at least 2 peer-reviewed research/review papers in field of Food Science

Section II.
I no longer wish to remain a member of the Food Science Graduate Program.

Signed: ______________________________ Date: _______________

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XVI. GOVERNANCE: OFFICERS, COMMITTEES AND STUDENT
REPRESENTATIVES

Food Science Graduate Program Committee Members for July 1, 2008 to June 30,
2010

A. Director of Graduate Studies: David E. Smith

B. Associate DGS: Daniel J. O’Sulllivan

C. Graduate Studies Committee

David E. Smith , Chair, Director of Graduate Studies
Daniel J. O’Sulllivan, Associate DGS
Zata Vickers, Affirmative Action Officer for the program
Francisco Diez, Member-at-Large
Mirko Bunzel, Member-at-Large

D. Quality Control Committee

Zata Vickers, Chair
Daniel J. O’Sullivan
Francisco Diez

E. Seminar Committee 2009

Fall and Spring Semester: David Smith

F. Representative to the Graduate Faculty

Josephine Charve

G. COGS Representative
TBD

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