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Food Science (AGLS)

This is an archived copy of the 2019-2020 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.iastate.edu.

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Food science is a degree program focused on food issues from the time crops leave the field until consumers buy the food products. Food scientists apply basic science (chemistry, biology, physics) to improve processing, preservation, and safety of food and to develop new food products.  There are two options in food science, and both options are approved by the Institute of Food Technologists:  food science and technology option, and food science and industry option.

The department also offers a food science minor.

Administered by the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition

Students select one of the following options and complete all requirements for that option: food science and technology option or food science and industry option. Courses listed below are required for all of the options, except where specified by option below.

Total Degree Requirement: 120 cr.

Students must fulfill International Perspectives and U.S. Diversity requirements by selecting coursework from approved lists. These courses may also be used to fulfill other area requirements. Only 65 cr. from a two-year institution may apply to the degree which may include up to 16 technical cr.; 9 P-NP cr. of  electives; 2.00 minimum GPA.

International Perspectives: 3 cr.
U.S. Diversity: 3 cr.
Communications and Library: 10 cr.
ENGL 150Critical Thinking and Communication3
ENGL 250Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition3
LIB 160Information Literacy1
SP CM 212Fundamentals of Public Speaking3
Total Credits10
Humanities and Social Sciences: 6-12 cr.
Select Humanities course from approved list3
ECON 101Principles of Microeconomics3
If H Sci student, select:6
Additional Humanities course
Additional Humanities or Social Science course
Ethics: 3 cr.
FS HN 342World Food Issues: Past and Present3
Mathematical Sciences: 7-12 cr.
Food science and technology option:
MATH 165Calculus I4
MATH 166Calculus II4
Select at least 3 credits from: 3-4
Principles of Statistics
Introduction to Statistics
Introduction to Statistics for Engineers
Total Credits11-12
Food science and industry option:
Select at least 4 credits from:4
Survey of Calculus
Calculus I
Calculus and Mathematical Modeling for the Life Sciences
Select at least 3 credits from:3-4
Principles of Statistics
Introduction to Statistics
Introduction to Statistics for Engineers
Total Credits7-8
Physical Sciences: 14-20 cr.
Food science and technology option:
CHEM 177General Chemistry I4
CHEM 177LLaboratory in General Chemistry I1
CHEM 178General Chemistry II3
CHEM 331Organic Chemistry I3
CHEM 331LLaboratory in Organic Chemistry I1
CHEM 332Organic Chemistry II3
PHYS 111General Physics5
or PHYS 115
115L
Physics for the Life Sciences
and Laboratory in Physics for the Life Sciences
Total Credits20
Food science and industry option:
Select from: 5-8
College Chemistry
and Laboratory in College Chemistry
General Chemistry I
and Laboratory in General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry II
CHEM 231Elementary Organic Chemistry3
CHEM 231LLaboratory in Elementary Organic Chemistry1
PHYS 111General Physics5
or PHYS 115
115L
Physics for the Life Sciences
and Laboratory in Physics for the Life Sciences
Total Credits14-17
Biological Sciences: 12-13 cr.
Food science and technology option:
BBMB 301Survey of Biochemistry3
or BBMB 316 Principles of Biochemistry
BIOL 211Principles of Biology I3
BIOL 212Principles of Biology II3
MICRO 302Biology of Microorganisms3
MICRO 302LMicrobiology Laboratory1
Total Credits13
Food science and industry option:
BBMB 301Survey of Biochemistry3
or BBMB 316 Principles of Biochemistry
BIOL 211Principles of Biology I3
BIOL 212Principles of Biology II3
MICRO 201Introduction to Microbiology2-3
or MICRO 302 Biology of Microorganisms
MICRO 201LIntroductory Microbiology Laboratory1
or MICRO 302L Microbiology Laboratory
Total Credits12-13
Food Science and Human Nutrition: 49 cr.
FS HN 101Food and the Consumer3
FS HN 110Professional and Educational Preparation1
FS HN 167Introduction to Human Nutrition3
FS HN 203Contemporary Issues in Food Science and Human Nutrition1
FS HN 207Processing of Foods: Basic Principles and Applications2
FS HN 311Food Chemistry3
FS HN 311LFood Chemistry Laboratory1
FS HN 315Professional Development for Food Science Majors2
FS HN 351Introduction to Food Engineering Concepts3
FS HN 403Food Laws and Regulations2
FS HN 405Food Quality Assurance2
FS HN 406Sensory Evaluation of Food3
FS HN 407Microbiological Safety of Foods of Animal Origins3
FS HN 410Food Analysis3
FS HN 411Food Ingredient Interactions and Formulations2
FS HN 412Food Product Development3
FS HN 420Food Microbiology3
FS HN 421Food Microbiology Laboratory3
FS HN 471Food Processing3
FS HN 472Food Processing Laboratory2
FS HN 480Professional Communication in Food Science and Human Nutrition1
Total Credits49
 Food science and industry option:
Select 6 credits from the following business courses:6
Legal Environment of Business
Financial Accounting
Managerial Accounting
Intermediate Microeconomics
Labor Economics
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Management of Organizations
Organizational Behavior
International Management
Management of Diversity
Management Information Systems
Principles of Marketing
Consumer Behavior
Global Marketing
Total Credits6
Electives: 0-12 cr. Select from any university coursework to earn at least 120 total credits.

Go to FS HN courses.

Food Science, B.S. - Food science & industry option

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
FS HN 1013FS HN 1673
FS HN 1101CHEM 178 (if CHEM 177 was taken) or elective*3
CHEM 163 or 1774BIOL 2123
CHEM 163L or 177L1MATH 160, 165, or 1814
BIOL 2113ECON 1013
ENGL 1503 
LIB 1601 
 16 16
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
CHEM 2313BBMB 301 or 3163
CHEM 231L1FS HN 2031
PHYS 111 or 115 and 115L5FS HN 2072
ENGL 2503MICRO 201 or 3022-3
STAT 101 or 104 or 1053-4MICRO 201L or 302L1
 Humanities/Social Sci. (H Sci) or Elective*2-3
 Elective3
 15-16 14-16
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
FS HN 3113FS HN 3423
FS HN 311L1FS HN 3513
FS HN 3152FS HN 4032
FS HN 4203FS HN 4112
SP CM 2123FS HN 4213
Humanities course3Humanities or Elective*1-3
 15 14-16
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
FS HN 4063FS HN 4052
FS HN 4103FS HN 4073
FS HN 4713FS HN 4123
FS HN 4722FS HN 4801
Business Course3U.S. Diversity (if not already taken) or Elective3
 Business course3
 14 15

Food Science, B.S. - Food science and technology option

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
FS HN 1101FS HN 1013
CHEM 1774FS HN 1673
CHEM 177L1CHEM 1783
BIOL 2113BIOL 2123
ENGL 1503MATH 1664
MATH 1654 
LIB 1601 
 17 16
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
CHEM 3313CHEM 3323
CHEM 331L1FS HN 2031
PHYS 111 or 115 and 115L5FS HN 2072
ENGL 2503BBMB 301 or 3163
STAT 101, 104, or 1053-4MICRO 3023
 MICRO 302L1
 Elective1-2
 15-16 14-15
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
FS HN 3113FS HN 3513
FS HN 311L1FS HN 4032
FS HN 3152FS HN 4112
FS HN 4203FS HN 4213
SP CM 2123ECON 1013
Humanities course3Humanities or Elective1-3
 15 14-16
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
FS HN 4063FS HN 3423
FS HN 4103FS HN 4052
FS HN 4713FS HN 4073
FS HN 4722FS HN 4123
Humanities/Social Sci. (H Sci) or ENV S (AgLS)2-3FS HN 4801
 US Diversity (if not already taken) or elective*3
 13-14 15