Food Science and Technology Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS)
A bachelor's degree in Food Science and Technology provides the necessary foundation to pursue any of the many possible food and beverage related career paths. The program integrates principles and concepts in the physical, biological and engineering sciences (including courses in general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, physics, math and statistics, biochemistry, microbiology, and food engineering) and applies them to the scientific and technical aspects of food and beverage processing. Students who achieve at least a 2.00 GPA in the required foundation courses in chemistry additionally earn a Chemistry minor.
In addition to completing the Food Science and Technology Core, students must select from among three options (areas of concentration):
- Enology and Viticulture
- Fermentation Science
- Food Science
All curricula are approved by the Higher Education Committee of the Institute of Food Technologists, making students eligible for national and Oregon IFT scholarships, as well as providing universal degree recognition within the food industry. Beyond choosing an option, students are able to further customize their studies through a menu of elective credits, facilitating the development of additional expertise in food related areas such as microbiology, toxicology, nutrition, horticulture, and animal sciences, and crediting formalized career and professional development experiences. Among minors that complement the Food Science and Technology major are Business and Entrepreneurship, Microbiology, and Nutrition.
Major Code: 135
Grade Requirements
All courses required for completion of the Food Science and Technology major must be passed, graded on the A–F scale. Included are both "core" and "option" courses in FST, as well as supporting courses in math, sciences, and written and oral communication.
1. A C– grade, or better, must be earned in the specified prerequisites for the following courses. (These courses have additional prerequisites, but the C– minimum applies to the prerequisites listed below).
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BEE 472 | INTRODUCTION TO FOOD ENGINEERING PRINCIPLES | 5 |
Prerequisites | ||
| *ELEMENTARY FUNCTIONS | ||
| *CALCULUS FOR MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL SCIENCE | ||
or MTH 251 | *DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | |
| *GENERAL PHYSICS | ||
| FST 420 | SENSORY EVALUATION OF FOOD | 4 |
Prerequisites | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | ||
| FST 422 | FOOD CHEMISTRY FUNDAMENTALS | 4 |
Prerequisites | ||
| ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | ||
| ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | ||
| FST 460 | BREWING SCIENCE | 3 |
Prerequisites | ||
| *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY | ||
| ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | ||
| ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | ||
| FST 466 | WINE PRODUCTION PRINCIPLES | 3 |
Prerequisites | ||
| *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY | ||
| ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | ||
| ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | ||
| FST 479 | FERMENTATION MICROBIOLOGY | 3 |
Prerequisites | ||
| *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY | ||
| ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | ||
| ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | ||
2. Students must earn at least a 2.00 "major" GPA. The major GPA is a cumulative GPA calculated on a list of courses particular to each option. Selected core and option courses are included, as specified in the list accompanying requirements of each option.
Earning the Degree
To earn a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Food Science and Technology, postbaccalaureate students must fulfill all of the FST major core requirements, and those of any one of three options: Enology and Viticulture, Fermentation Science, or Food Science.
The Baccalaureate Core (general studies) component of an OSU bachelor's degree is considered fulfilled by the student's first degree. Additionally, the university requires that a minimum of 45 credits applied to this degree (32 if the first degree is from OSU) must be completed with Oregon State University course work completed while enrolled in this degree program.
Additional information for prospective postbaccalaureate students is available at the FST undergraduate department website.
Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Baccalaureate Core | ||
Select 51 credits | ||
| Food Science and Technology Core | ||
| Chemistry/Biochemistry Foundation Courses | ||
| BB 350 | ELEMENTARY BIOCHEMISTRY | 4 |
| CH 231 & CH 261 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231 | 5 |
| CH 232 & CH 262 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232 | 5 |
| CH 233 & CH 263 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 233 | 5 |
| CH 324 | QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS | 4 |
| CH 331 & CH 332 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 8 |
| CH 337 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY | 4 |
| Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics Foundation Courses | ||
| Calculus—Select one pair from below: | 8 | |
| *CALCULUS AND PROBABILITY FOR THE LIFE SCIENCES I and CALCULUS AND PROBABILTITY FOR THE LIFE SCIENCES II | ||
| *DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS and INTEGRAL CALCULUS | ||
| PH 201 | *GENERAL PHYSICS | 5 |
| ST 351 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| Biological Science Foundation Courses | ||
| BI 211 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY | 4 |
| BI 212 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY | 4 |
| BI 213 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY | 4 |
| MB 302 | GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY | 3 |
| MB 303 | GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY LABORATORY | 2 |
| Communication Foundation Courses | ||
| COMM 111 | *PUBLIC SPEAKING | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| *ENGLISH COMPOSITION | ||
| *TECHNICAL WRITING | ||
| *SCIENCE WRITING | ||
| Food Science and Technology Core Courses | ||
| BEE 472 | INTRODUCTION TO FOOD ENGINEERING PRINCIPLES | 5 |
| BEE 473 | INTRODUCTION TO FOOD ENGINEERING PROCESS DESIGN | 3 |
| FST 360 | FOOD SAFETY AND SANITATION | 3 |
| FST 370 | INDUSTRY PREPARATION/HACCP | 3 |
| FST 385 | ^COMMUNICATING FOOD AND FERMENTATION SCIENCE | 3 |
| FST 407 | SENIOR SEMINAR | 1 |
| FST 421 | *FOOD LAW | 3 |
| FST 422 | FOOD CHEMISTRY FUNDAMENTALS | 4 |
| FST 425 | FOOD SYSTEMS CHEMISTRY | 4 |
| Total credits required for graduation | 180 | |
| * | Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC) |
| ^ | Writing Intensive Course (WIC) |
Postbaccalaureate Study in FST
Admission
Students holding a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution who are otherwise admissible to Oregon State University will be accepted into the Food Science and Technology major upon meeting the following additional criteria:
All of the following courses (or equivalents) must be completed with a cumulative GPA of 2.25 (4.00 maximum scale). In the case of repeated courses, the second grade earned in the course will be used in the GPA calculation.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BI 211 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY | 4 |
| BI 212 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY | 4 |
| BI 213 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY | 4 |
| CH 231 & CH 261 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231 | 5 |
| CH 232 & CH 262 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232 | 5 |
| CH 233 & CH 263 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 233 | 5 |
| MTH 111 | *COLLEGE ALGEBRA | 4 |
| MTH 112 & MTH 241 | *ELEMENTARY FUNCTIONS and *CALCULUS FOR MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL SCIENCE | 4-8 |
| or MTH 251 | *DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | |
| PH 201 | *GENERAL PHYSICS | 5 |
Major Code: 135