Special Committee

Graduate students at Cornell are guided by a Special Committee rather than by rigid requirements. Students choose a Special Committee of the faculty by the end of their first semester in residence. Master's degree students choose two members, a chairperson representing the Field of Food Science and Technology plus one person representing a minor subject outside the Field. Ph.D. students select a chair and two members representing two minor subjects outside the field. Each student works closely with their Special Committee to develop a program of study best suited to his or her needs.

Courses

Although there are no set course or credit hour requirements for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in the graduate Field of Food Science and Technology, incoming graduate students are required to complete a program of courses determined in consultation with their Special Committee. Each student's program depends on his or her previous training and research plans. All food science and technology students should have competency in chemistry, physics, biochemistry, microbiology, statistics, and food processing. The requirements for minors are set by the fields concerned. Minor fields may include biochemistry, nutrition, chemistry, microbiology, animal science, agricultural or chemical engineering, environmental toxicology, marketing, economics, fruit and vegetable science, international development, physiology, statistics, or some other field that is relevant to food science.

Examinations

Students are expected to earn acceptable grades in all courses they take. Candidates for the M.S. degree are required to take an oral or an oral and written examination at the conclusion of their program. This examination is a defense of the thesis and an evaluation of the student's knowledge in food science and the minor field. Students in the Ph.D. program are required to take three examinations administered by their Special Committee. The first is a qualifying examination designed to evaluate the student's qualifications and potential for academic achievement in the program and to identify strengths and weaknesses in the student's background. The second is a comprehensive admission to candidacy examination (A exam) taken after students have completed their coursework. The third exam (B exam) is a defense of the thesis.

Teaching

Students are required to participate as a teaching aide for at least one course per degree.  Students can receive one to three credits in FD SC 698 for their teaching experience.