Food Safety and Quality - MFSQ

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences

The Master of Food Safety and Quality is a professional (Plan C) graduate degree designed to provide in‐depth training in food science and food safety. This program is offered entirely online, and was designed to be flexible to meet the needs of most students who desire to enhance their careers. For more information, please contact Karin Allen, Program Director (karin.allen@usu.edu).

Tuition and Financial Aid

The MFSQ program does not provide financial aid (assistantships).

Admission

The MFSQ program of study has been tailored for students with undergraduate training in food science or related fields of study. It is recommended that applicants have some background in chemistry, statistics and microbiology. Prior coursework in food science or food safety is desirable. Applicants are encouraged to contact the MFSQ program coordinator prior to completing the University online application for graduate studies.

Application, Review and Acceptance

Applicants must meet the requirements of the School of Graduate Studies, as seen on the School of Graduate Studies Catalog page. There is no entrance exam requirement for the MFSQ program, but applicants must meet these minimum requirements:

Complete the online application.
Pay the required application fee.
Provide transcripts for all college/university credits.
3.0 or higher GPA for the last 60 semester (90 quarter) credit hours.
3 professional letters of recommendation from professors, employers, or other professional references. No personal references are accepted.

The School of Graduate Studies will hold the application until it is complete, and it will then be reviewed by the NDFS department. If applicants have not received notification within 3 weeks of completing the application, they should contact the NDFS department (1-435-797-2126) to inquire on the status of their application.

Program Requirements

The MFSQ program of study requires completion of a minimum of 33 credit hours. Students will work with their chosen MFSQ faculty advisor to prepare a program of study by the end of their first semester. Students should select courses that complement their previous experience and career goals, and can include non-MFSQ courses with their faculty advisor’s approval. For example, students may choose courses that provide emphasis in microbial aspects of food safety and quality, or other various science aspects related to foods.

Core Courses

Students must complete all of the following courses:

NDFS 6110 - Food Microbiology 3 credit(s)
NDFS 6150 - Principles of Food Sanitation 3 credit(s)
NDFS 6160 - Principles of Food Toxicology 3 credit(s)
NDFS 6510 - Food Laws and Regulations 3 credit(s)
NDFS 6960 - MFSQ Capstone 1-4 credit(s)
Students must complete a minimum of 2 credits from the following list of courses:
NDFS 6170 - Food Safety and Quality: Food Safety Management 1 credit(s)
NDFS 6171 - Food Safety and Quality: Current Good Manufacturing Practice 1 credit(s)
NDFS 6172 - Food Safety and Quality: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points 1 credit(s)
NDFS 6173 - Food Safety and Quality: Preventive Controls 1 credit(s)
NDFS 6174 - Food Safety and Quality: Standards for Produce Safety 1 credit(s)
NDFS 6175 - Food Safety and Quality: Acidified Foods 1 credit(s)

Elective Courses

Courses that are dual listed (e.g., NDFS 5000/6000-level courses) or were included in the student’s undergraduate program cannot be retaken at the graduate (6000) level.

Students may select their remaining credits from the following courses:

NDFS 6030 - Dairy Technology and Processing 3 credit(s)
NDFS 6180 - Food Safety Inspection and Auditing 1-2 credit(s)
NDFS 6440 - Food Composition and Analysis 3 credit(s)
NDFS 6530 - Food Packaging and Labeling 3 credit(s)
NDFS 6620 - Microbiology of Fermented Dairy Foods 3 credit(s)
NDFS 6660 - Cheese Science 3 credit(s)
NDFS 6950 - MFSQ Special Problems 1-4 credit(s)
Students may include additional graduate-level courses in their program of study through a request to the faculty advisor that includes a description of the course and justification for how this course enhances their learning as part of their career objectives.

Capstone Report

The MFSQ program of study requires the production of a formal written capstone report. There are two options: (a) literature review or (b) special projects portfolio. The depth of the report is reflected in the number of credits taken for NDFS 6960 (2-4 credits). Expectations and credits should be discussed with the faculty advisor.

If a literature review is chosen, it must be written in a similar style as a thesis. The literature review should be appropriately scientific with conclusions drawn. Since this program is a “Plan C” program, the literature review is not submitted to the graduate school.

The second option is a special projects portfolio. This document should reflect the experiential development of the student based on the NDFS 6950 - MFSQ Special Problems credits the student was engaged in during their MFSQ program of study at USU.

Students should make use of the University Writing Center (writing.usu.edu) to correct formatting, grammar and presentation for either capstone report. The capstone report is submitted to the supervising professor for approval by the tenth week of the student’s final semester.

NDFS 6960 - MFSQ Capstone 1-4 credit(s)