4+1 B.S. to M.S. in Food and Nutrition (Food Science and Nutrition Science)

Who can apply

• Framingham State Food Science majors
• An overall GPA of at least 3.00
• Planned coursework or training in biochemistry, calculus and statistics before the end of your junior year. You may need to take more prerequisites while in the program.

When you apply, you must have completed, or be enrolled in:

• BIOL 235 Principles of Human Physiology
• CHEM 301 Biochemistry I
• FDSC 151 Principles of Food Science or FDSC 161 Introduction to Food Science and Technology
• MATH 208 Biostatistics
• MATH 219 Calculus I

How to apply

Apply in the spring of your junior year. You'll need:

• An official transcript from each college or university you've attended
• Two letters of recommendation, both from Food Science faculty members
• A 300-word statement of purpose
• The 4+1 program application

• Years 1 to 3: Complete your Food Science major courses. Apply in the spring of Year 3.
• Year 4: Finish your bachelor's degree and take up to three graduate courses that count toward both degrees.
• Year 5: Complete your M.S., including your thesis and an oral comprehensive exam.

The M.S. is 10 courses: four core, five specialization and one elective.

Core courses (4)

• FDSC 911 Research and Seminar in Food Science/Nutritional Biochemistry
• FDSC 960 Thesis in Food Science/Nutritional Biochemistry
• NUTR 874 Human Nutrition Science
• NUTR 903 Advanced Nutrition and Metabolism

Specialization courses (5)

• CHEM 821 Instrumental Analysis
• CHEM 832 Biochemistry II
• FDSC 805 Food Analysis or FDSC 808 Food Chemistry
• FDSC 813 Food Safety and Microbiology or FDSC 815 Food Engineering and Processing
• FDSC 990 Independent Study in Food Science/Nutrition Science

Elective (1)

One 800- or 900-level graduate course, approved in writing by your advisor.

You'll complete both your thesis (FDSC 960) and an oral comprehensive exam.

See the full requirements for the M.S. in Food and Nutrition (Food Science and Nutrition Science) in the graduate catalog.

A 4+1 (or 4 + 1) program lets you earn a bachelor's and a master's degree in about five years. In this program, you take up to three graduate courses in your senior year that count toward both degrees, then finish your M.S. in one more year.

About five years: four years for your bachelor's degree and one more for your master's.

Framingham State Food Science majors with an overall GPA of at least 3.00 who have completed, or are enrolled in, the prerequisite courses in physiology, biochemistry, food science, biostatistics and calculus.

In the spring of your junior year. You start graduate courses in the fall of your senior year.

Graduates are prepared for careers in the food science industry or for Ph.D. study in food science or a related field.

Yes. The graduate courses you take in your senior year still count toward your bachelor's degree.