A solid background in science or engineering, together with enthusiasm for applying these skills to practical cutting-edge problems, is the most important attribute. A strong BS degree usually satisfies the admission requirements. Overall course requirements are flexible, allowing them to be tailored to an individual's background, interests, and career goals. Completion of a significant research project is a primary component of both the MS and Ph.D. degree programs. Students come to our graduate program with a variety of backgrounds, not necessarily in food science.
Students work in teams to solve a real-life problem presented by a scientist from the food industry.
There are currently more than 45 graduate students in the department, and all are supported by research assistantships. Assistantships are available for study on various research projects, and university and national scholarships are available to qualified applicants. Purdue University sponsors a number of graduate fellowships and assistantships. There are a variety of national and federal fellowships available from the National Science Foundation, Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, Howard Hughes Foundation, and others. The department actively promotes diversity in the graduate program, with a variety of fellowships available for minority and female graduate students.