Application Procedures
Currently, ONLY students that reside within the United States or Canada are eligible for admission into the Graduate Distance Food Science Education program.
When should I apply?
Applications should be made at the beginning of the previous semester, and preferably
earlier to ensure availability of a major professor. Admission to the program is highly
competitive.
Application submission deadlines:
- Fall semester is April 15.
- Spring semester is September 15.
What will I have to submit?
- A completed application form
- Three letters of recommendation to:
Dr. J. Scott Smith
Graduate Program Chair
Kansas State University
Food Science Institute
208 Call Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506 - Official transcripts of all previous college work
- A short statement of objectives
- Students may submit a current transcript and, if admitted, will receive provisional acceptance pending submission of an official transcript showing completion of a bachelor's degree, or M.S. degree for doctoral applicants.
- For domestic students, $50 application fee. Please make check payable to Kansas State University Graduate School. Students applying to the Graduate Certificate Program do not need to pay an application fee.
What needs to be in the statement of objectives?
- Describe why you want to pursue a graduate degree in Food Science at Kansas State University.
- The discipline area you want to study (i.e., food chemistry, food microbiology, cereals, meat science, sensory analysis, etc.) This allows the application to be directed to the appropriate faculty. Terms such as "food processing" and "food technology" are too general and may result in rejection because of lack of specificity.
- Prior contact you have had with any faculty
- Faculty you desire to work with as a graduate student
What happens after I send my application material in?
When we receive all of the required application documentation, your file will be
reviewed by an application committee composed of the Food Science graduate faculty.
If you are deemed acceptable for admission, a graduate faculty member willing to serve
as your major professor must be identified prior to forwarding your credentials to
the graduate school.
What courses do I need to take before entering the Food Science degree program?
Requirements for entering graduate study in food science are:
- Mathematics, including college algebra, calculus, and statistics.
- Biochemistry and organic chemistry.
- A course in physics.
- An introductory course in microbiology.
- A course in botany, zoology, or biology.
The student's supervisory committee will resolve course deficiencies. Certain programs within food science may require additional courses. When the student's committee believes it necessary, the student will be required to take additional undergraduate courses to prepare more completely for the individual program.
