Ph.D. Degree Requirements (Food Science Graduate Program)

The Fox Graduate School requirements for the Ph.D. degree are described in detail in the Graduate Bulletin. Additional general and specific requirements determined by the Food Science Faculty are presented in "PhD Requirements with an MS" and "PhD Requirements without an MS".

The Doctor of Philosophy degree is the highest mark of achievement of the University for creative scholarship and research. Doctoral study develops the student's capacity to make significant contributions to knowledge. Except in special cases, a M.S. degree in Food Science is earned before pursuing a Ph.D. degree.

English Competency

GCAC-605 English Competence – Research Doctorate requires that every graduate program have a formal mechanism for assessing and improving English language competence of both domestic and international students. The AEOCPT, TOEFL and/or IELTS tests do not adequately assess the level of English competence expected of a doctoral degree student and for conferral of a doctoral degree from Penn State. Therefore, all Ph.D. students must be assessed for English Competency as defined herein and according to GCAC-605.

In the Department of Food Science, the English Competency is assessed using a written and an oral component. The Department defines the written component as the ability to relate scientific information in clear and easy-to-understand language using correct English grammar, syntax, spelling, and punctuation, and the oral component as the ability to listen, comprehend, and convey scientific and general information in an understandable manner.

Assessment of English speaking and writing competency will be assessed by the Director of Graduate Studies and members of the Food Science Graduate Faculty at the beginning of Fall and Spring semesters, as necessary. Within the first month of their first semester in residence in the Food Science program, all new Ph.D. students will be asked to:

Write a one-page summary on a subject in Food Science in one hour to test writing competency. The student will select one writing prompt from a list provided by the Graduate Program Committee. The writing will be evaluated by the Director of Graduate Studies and one member of the Graduate Faculty or two members of the Graduate Faculty using a standardized rubric.
Complete a half-hour oral interview with the Director of Graduate Studies and one member of the Graduate Faculty or two members of the Graduate Faculty to test speaking competency using a standardized rubric.

Each student's performance will be evaluated by those administering the examination who will prepare a report of the outcome of the examination within two weeks and provide it to the student, their advisor, and the graduate program coordinator.

Improvement of English Competency and Remedial Steps

A Ph.D. student must satisfactorily complete both parts of the English competency examination. In case of unsatisfactory performance in one or more parts, the student will be directed to take appropriate remedial course(s). Those students whose writing is judged below acceptable standards will be required to take one or more appropriate technical writing courses. Those students whose speaking is judged below acceptable standards will be required to take ESL 115G, 117G or 118G or other appropriate courses.

Remediation must be successfully completed prior to the student being permitted to take the qualifying examination.

All new doctoral students must take the English competency examination.

Qualifying Examination

The Qualifying Examination (QE) will be administered consistent with policy GCAC-604 Qualifying Examination. Students must take the QE within 3 semesters (not counting summer semesters) of entry into the doctoral program.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the QE is to provide an early assessment of whether the student has the potential to develop the knowledge, skills, and attributes the program has defined in its formal Learning Objectives, including evidence of critical thinking skills, necessary for a successful researcher in the disciplinary field.

Eligibility

To be eligible to take the QE, the student must:

Have a M.S. degree or have completed at least 18 credits of graduate coursework beyond a Baccalaureate degree, prior to taking the QE.
Have a grade-point average of 3.00 or greater for work done at the University while a graduate student.
Have no incomplete or deferred grades.
Have successfully completed their English Competency Exam or successfully completed the recommended English Competency remediation, as applicable.
Be in good academic standing as a registered full-time graduate student for the semester (excluding summer semester) in which the QE is taken.

Criteria for Evaluation

Below is a description of the specific evaluation criteria developed by the Graduate Faculty in Food Science and administered by the Qualifying Examination Committee (QEC) under the direction of the Department Head, who is also Head of the Food Science Graduate Program.

Before taking the QE, students should have knowledge of the following areas with an emphasis on principles/concepts rather than details:

The scientific method, including hypothesis development, basic experimental design, and methods of data analysis.
Scientific ethics and academic integrity.
How to effectively communicate scientific research information to a wide variety of audiences.
Principles of chemistry and biochemistry of foods, including food ingredients and food systems from raw materials to during and after processing.
Principles of food microbiology, including beneficial and detrimental aspects of microorganisms in foods, as well as methods used for detection, enumeration, and control of microorganisms important in foods.
Principles of nutrition with emphasis on aspects of human physiology and metabolism, nutrient intake and utilization, nutrition surveillance and dietary recommendations, and the impact of food intake patterns on health.
Principles of food engineering, including fluid flow and heat transfer, as applied to unit operations in food processing and manufacture.

Qualifying Examination Committee Composition

The Ph.D. Qualifying Examination Committee (QEC) will be composed of four Food Science faculty members representing the diversity of disciplines within Food Science. Members will be appointed by the Department Head for a period of four years and will become Chair of the QEC in their fourth year. All QEC members will have equal rights and voting privileges. When a member of the QEC has a conflict of interest (e.g. advisor of the Ph.D. student being evaluated) that member will be responsible for finding a substitute within the Food Science Faculty in the field they represent and notifying the QEC and the student of the change. In the event the Chair of the QEC has a conflict of interest, the next senior member of the QEC will act as Chair. Depending on the number of students taking the QE in one semester, the Department Head may establish an additional group of four Food Science faculty members to serve as a supplementary QEC.

Scheduling

Students must take the QE within 3 semesters (not counting summer semesters) of entry into the doctoral program. The QE will be administered during December and May, preferably when classes are NOT in session. Approximately two months before conducting the QE, the Chair of the QEC or the Graduate Program Coordinator will ask all Food Science graduate students of their intent to take the QE. Approximately one month prior to the QE, the Chair of the QEC will meet collectively with the students scheduled to take the QE to explain the procedures and expectations for the exam and clarify the protocol and evaluation criteria.

Evaluation

The QE will consist of an oral examination. The QE is used to evaluate a student's potential for Ph.D. research, including the student's ability to think critically, analyze research problems, and communicate means to approach and examine these problems. In general, as administered in the Food Science Graduate Program, this examination is designed to assess two things: 1) the student's ability to engage in critical thinking within the field of food science, and 2) the student's knowledge in broad areas of the field, with an emphasis on understanding central principles and concepts rather than specific factual detail.

Two Weeks before the Scheduled QE:

Students provide the QEC with the following:

A copy of the master's thesis and any relevant published work.
Transcripts of undergraduate and graduate course work.
Statement of purpose for Ph.D. studies (professional goals, major research interests and plan for completing Ph.D.).
A list of courses taken and to be taken at Penn State.

QEC provides students with a research paper of broad relevance to food science. This paper will be selected by the QEC. An ideal research paper will describe food science research and be published in a core food science journal (e.g. Journal of Food Science, Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry, Food Microbiology, Journal of Food Engineering, Food Research International). The research paper should be broadly comprehensible to all members of the QEC and should have some flaws that the student can identify and critique.

The QE will begin with the student presenting a 30-minute critique of the research paper. Students may use visuals aids and notes. A written draft that could be read from is not permitted. After the presentation, the QEC will have the opportunity to ask questions regarding information presented in the paper, primarily to evaluate overall understanding of the work and how it is related to other areas in food science. The aim of these questions is to determine the student's ability to show a clear understanding of the data presented and to demonstrate competency in explaining research data to a scientific group in a logical and precise manner. It is expected that the student will have a thorough understanding of all aspects of the research paper including background literature and all methodology used. The student shall provide a copy of the presentation to the QEC two days before their scheduled QE.

Decision of the Qualifying Examination Committee and Communication of Results

The primary outcomes of the examination are 1) pass, 2) fail with an opportunity for a re-examination, or 3) fail with no opportunity to retake. To pass, the student must receive at least 3 out of 4 positive votes from the QEC. If the decision is to fail the student (less than 3 of 4 positive votes from the QEC) the QEC will then vote to determine whether the student may retake the QE. At least 3 out of 4 positive votes are required to allow a retake and the QE must then be taken at the next available opportunity. Students will only be given one opportunity to retake the QE. The result of the QE (pass, fail with the opportunity to retake, or fail with no opportunity to retake) will be communicated to each student immediately after their QE. Within a week after all the qualifying examinations are finished, each student taking the QE, their advisor(s), all members of the QEC, the Department Head and the Director of Graduate Studies will be notified in writing as to the outcome of the QE, whether the QEC perceived any specific deficiencies, and what coursework and/or other work are recommended to remedy the perceived deficiencies.

Specifically, the QEC will assess the following student abilities with the goal of determining the student’s potential to successfully conduct independent research and complete a doctoral degree in Food Science:

Structure of a Study: Ability to identify the hypothesis, objectives, and major experiments in a peer-reviewed scientific publication.
Strengths & Weaknesses: Ability to identify the strengths and weaknesses related to the hypothesis, experimental approaches, and data interpretation.
Significance & Implications: Ability to place a particular study into the broader context of the scientific literature in terms of its significance to food and related science (the extent to which it advances the field, answers important long-standing questions, raises new questions), and industry and public health stakeholders (is the topic important to industry, public health, is it translatable beyond the laboratory).
Future Studies: Ability to outline experiments to extend or improve the studies reported in a particular peer-reviewed publication.
Speculating/Hypothesizing: Ability to answer questions rooted in, but peripheral to, a particular peer-reviewed scientific study. The answers should demonstrate critical thinking, a broad knowledge of food science and related disciplines, and the ability to formulate an answer with incomplete information/expertise, and intellectual honesty (i.e. student is aware and forthcoming about what they know and what they do not know and are willing to share that information with the committee).
Scientific Communication: Ability to summarize and effectively communicate study design, key findings, implications, and strengths and weaknesses of a particular study.

The QEC will evaluate each student in terms of each of the above abilities and score them as Outstanding, Very Good, Acceptable, Marginal or Not Acceptable. For the student to pass, 5 of the 6 abilities listed below must be rated Acceptable or greater.

QEC table
Ability	Ability Description	Outstanding	Very Good	Acceptable	Marginal	Not Acceptable
1	Structure of a study
2	Strengths & weaknesses
3	Significance & implications
4	Future Studies
5	Speculating/Hypothesizing
6	Scientific Communication

Remedial steps, if necessary:

Formation of Doctoral Committee

GCAC-602 Ph.D. Committee Formation, Composition, and Review - Research Doctorate Ph.D. students, in consultation with their advisor, shall establish a thesis committee within 1 month of completing the QE. Please complete the Doctoral Committee Appointment Signature Form to appoint and/or revise the Doctoral Committee and provide to the Graduate Program Coordinator for processing. The Fox Graduate School requires the Research Doctoral Committee Appointment Form be completed through its Adobe Sign workflow template, and the Graduate Program Coordinator initiates this workflow using the information provided on the student's submitted signature form. Once the form is completely through the Adobe Sign process, the Graduate Program Coordinator submits it to the Fox Graduate School for review and approval. The Graduate Program Coordinator will notify the student when their committee is approved. Committee formation must be completed and approved by the Fox Graduate School prior to the Oral Comprehensive Examination. All graduate students shall have a minimum of 1 formal thesis committee meeting annually. This meeting will be reported as part of the Annual Graduate Student Evaluation and will be a factor in determining if adequate progress to degree is being made.

Ph.D. Requirements Worksheet

General and specific requirements determined by the Food Science Faculty are presented in "PhD Requirements with an MS" and "PhD Requirements without an MS". The Ph.D. Requirements Worksheet must be completed by the student and signed by student and advisor(s). The Ph.D. Requirements Worksheet will be used as a guideline to ascertain if all academic requirements for the Ph.D. degree have been fulfilled. One semester prior to scheduling the Comprehensive Exam, students must provide the Graduate Program Coordinator with a PDF of their transcript and their completed Ph.D. Requirements Checklist (as applicable, w/MS or w/out MS). It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all appropriate requirements for a degree have been met.

Oral Comprehensive Examination

GCAC-606 Comprehensive Examination The student coordinates scheduling of their comprehensive exam with their advisor and doctoral committee. Once a date for the exam has been confirmed, the student must submit a Grad Request Form to schedule the exam through the Graduate Program Coordinator, indicating the date, time, and requesting room reservation for the location of the exam. The Graduate Program Coordinator must then enter the request in LionPath for Department Head and Fox Graduate School approval. The comprehensive exam is officially scheduled and announced by the Office of Graduate Enrollment Services. Submit Grad Request Form no later than 3 weeks in advance for processing and room reservation.

The Ph.D. Comprehensive Exam is a thorough test of the student’s knowledge and intellectual capability. The student is expected to demonstrate a mastery of food science and be able to utilize that knowledge to interpret research and creatively solve problems. It should be noted by all students admitted into the Ph.D. program that, according to The Fox Graduate School, the graduate student has no official status as a doctoral student until the Oral Comprehensive Examination has been passed.

The examination shall consist of both a written and an oral component. The written component will consist of ideally, a research proposal but might be a different written piece of work (e.g., manuscript), determined in consultation with the committee and student, not to exceed 20 pages in length. The format and topic of the written proposal will be determined by the thesis advisor(s), in consultation with the committee and the student. The proposal will be distributed to each member of the student’s committee at least two weeks prior to the oral component of the examination.

The comprehensive examination is held in-person. The student, advisor, and all regular Ph.D. committee members (major field, outside field, outside unit, minor field) must be physically present for the examination. Special committee members are encouraged to be physically present but may participate remotely.

If a fully in-person examination is not possible due to extenuating circumstances, the Graduate Program Head may approve, at their discretion, the remote participation of the student and/or members of the committee. If the Graduate Program Head does not approve the request for remote participation, either the student or advisor may appeal to the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education of the College of Agricultural Sciences.

The oral examination should be comprehensive in nature and not merely focus on the student's thesis research (questions are not limited to the narrow subject matter under investigation). A favorable vote of at least two-thirds of the members of the committee is required to pass.

Based on the student's performance, the committee may recommend to the Dean of the Fox Graduate School one of the following actions:

That the student be passed,
That the student be re-examined later,
That the student be failed and dropped from the Ph.D. program.

Comprehensive Exam during Summer Semester: Students planning to take their comprehensive exam during Summer semester need to be enrolled in 1 credit of FDSC 600 for that summer semester and need to apply for STAP funding. STAP funding is limited and applications are accepted from the beginning of February through the beginning of June. Students in this situation should notify the Graduate Program Coordinator as soon as possible in the spring semester for guidance and further instruction. The Graduate Program Coordinator does send an email in February with additional information on STAP funding.

Post-Comp Enrollment in FDSC 601: After passing the comprehensive examination, students are enrolled in FDSC 601 by the Graduate Program Coordinator each fall and spring semester until degree completion. FDSC 601 (Full-Time Dissertation Research) is a zero-credit course, graded R (Research). A Ph.D. Dissertation Fee is assessed for this course; however, no tuition is charged.

Final Oral Defense Seminar

Upon completion of dissertation research and prior to the Final Oral Examination/Defense, each student will present a seminar to the Department. The dissertation seminar must be scheduled so that the student's committee can attend. The scheduling of a dissertation research seminar is administered by the student's advisor in conjunction with their dissertation doctoral committee, the Seminar Committee, and the Graduate Program Coordinator. Provide the Graduate Program Coordinator with the title and abstract of the seminar at least two weeks prior to the scheduled seminar. If not a part of the Department Seminar Series, the student should submit a Grad Request Form no later than 45 days prior to the date of the seminar so that a room can be reserved and so that the Graduate Program Coordinator is aware of the seminar date/time. The Grad Request Form should be submitted once and include both the Thesis Seminar and Thesis Defense information. If the defense date is not known at the time of submission, a separate form may be submitted later for the Thesis Defense. Refer to Dissertation Research Seminar, provided in "General Requirements", for further details and information.

Final Oral Examination/Defense

A copy of the student's dissertation must be given to each member of their doctoral committee two weeks prior to the scheduled Defense and a majority of the committee members must agree to proceed with the defense one week prior to the scheduled Dissertation Defense. The dissertation must be in the format acceptable for submission to the Fox Graduate School. See The Fox Graduate School's Thesis and Dissertation Information.

In accordance with GCAC-607 - Dissertation - Research Doctorate and GCAC-608 Final Oral Examination, the student coordinates scheduling of their final oral examination with their advisor and doctoral committee. Once a date for their exam has been confirmed, the student should submit a Grad Request Form at least 3 weeks prior to the date of the defense so that a room can be reserved and so that the Graduate Program Coordinator is aware of the defense date/time. The Grad Request Form should be submitted once and include both the Thesis Seminar and Thesis Defense information. If the defense date is not known at the time of submission, a separate form may be submitted later for the Thesis Defense. The Graduate Program Coordinator must then enter the request in LionPath for Department Head and Fox Graduate School approval. The final oral examination is officially scheduled and announced by the Office of Graduate Enrollment Services.

The final oral examination (dissertation defense) is held in-person. The student, advisor, and all regular Ph.D. committee members (major field, outside field, outside unit, minor field) must be physically present for the examination. Special committee members are encouraged to be physically present but may participate remotely.

Electronic Submission of the Thesis (eTD)

Electronic submission of the final dissertation (eTD) is a requirement for all doctoral students at Penn State. The dissertation should be submitted for formatting review and for final submission for approve by the dates provided by The Fox Graduate School's Thesis, Dissertation, Performance and Oral Presentation Deadlines Calendar as per GSAD-510 - Thesis Submission. For information on formatting requirements and the submission process see the Thesis and Dissertation Handbook. Visit the eTD website to review previously uploaded Theses and Dissertations.

Graduation

Students must notify the University of Intent to Graduate and apply for graduation via LionPATH according to the deadlines provided by the Academic Dates and Deadlines for the appropriate academic semester (typically a period of approximately 6 weeks at the beginning of the semester graduating).

Exit and Checkout

Students are required to schedule an exit interview with the Department Head via the Department Head’s Administrative Assistant. It is preferred that the exit interview be in person prior to departure from campus. Please use the Grad Request Form to request an exit interview. An example of the Exit Interview Questions are included herein for reference.

Students should also complete the tasks on the Graduate Student Graduation Checkout Sheet prior to departure from campus.

Ph.D. Graduate Program Checklist

Year 1

Obtain ID card, set up access/email account, complete pre-registration activities, obtain keys, attend orientation
*International Students Only* - Take AEOCPT Exam prior to 1^st semester; Graduate Program Coordinator will register international students) AEOCPT Information
Complete Initial Laboratory and Research Safety Training - University Park
Schedule FDSC 500 A, B, C, D, FDSC 501, and FDSC 602
Schedule academic 400 and 500 level courses in consultation with advisor(s)
Confirm FDSC 600 Enrollment is accurate in LionPath after Graduate Program Coordinator completes enrollment
Complete Individual Development Plan (IDP) with advisor(s) and review IDP halfway through the AY
Schedule and take Qualifying Exam/English Competency with Qualifying Exam Committee within 3 semesters of entry into the doctoral program (not including summer)
Complete RECR Requirement (FDSC 501 satisfies RECR requirement)
Complete Annual Evaluation (happens in Spring semester, Graduate Program Coordinator initiates)
Upon passing of QE, appoint Doctoral Committee within 1 month. Complete Doctoral Committee Appointment Form and submit form to the Graduate Program Coordinator for processing. Must be submitted before Oral Comp Exam

Year 2

Schedule academic courses per coursework plan
Confirm FDSC 600 Enrollment is accurate in LionPath after Graduate Program Coordinator completes enrollment
Complete Individual Development Plan (IDP) with advisor(s) and review IDP halfway through the AY
Serve as TA
Schedule at least one doctoral committee meeting(s), in consultation with advisor(s)
Develop thesis proposal and present to committee
Submit applicable Ph.D. Requirements Worksheet to Graduate Program Coordinator in the semester prior to scheduling Comprehensive Exam
Schedule Oral Comprehensive Exam with committee. Submit Grad Request Form no later than 3 weeks in advance for processing and room reservation
Complete Annual Evaluation (happens in Spring semester, Graduate Program Coordinator initiates)

Year 3

Confirm FDSC 601 Enrollment is accurate in LionPath after Graduate Program Coordinator completes enrollment
Complete Individual Development Plan (IDP) with advisor(s) and review IDP halfway through the AY
Schedule at least one doctoral committee meeting, in consultation with advisor(s)
Serve as TA
Write thesis & manuscript(s)
Schedule Thesis Seminar with Advisor/Committee and submit Grad Request Form once for Seminar & Thesis
Schedule Thesis Defense with Advisor/Committee and submit Grad Request Form once w/ Seminar if possible
Activate "Intent to Graduate" the semester intending to graduate (via LionPATH by deadline)
Submit Thesis for format review with Fox Graduate School Thesis Office by deadline
Submit thesis online for Committee, Department Head, and Fox Graduate School approval.
It is recommended to check with the department head's administrative assistant and confirm the department head's availability prior to submitting thesis.
Schedule Exit Interview with Department Head submit Grad Request Form
Complete Annual Evaluation (happens in Spring semester, Graduate Program Coordinator initiates)
Complete Graduation Checkout List
Return keys, PCard, and equipment. Complete PCard travel and expense reports, vacate office

Entry into the Ph.D. Program without First Obtaining a M.S. Degree

General Policy Statement

Although most applicants to the Ph.D. program have already obtained a master's degree in food science or a related program, the master's degree is not a prerequisite for entrance into the doctorate program. The Graduate Program Committee (GPC) will consider requests from exceptionally qualified students who have received or anticipate receiving a B.S. degree, and from students currently enrolled in the Food Science M.S. program who wish to transfer into the Ph.D. program without first completing the M.S. requirements. Final approval of all applications will be made by the Department Head upon recommendation of the GPC.

New applicants with only a B.S. degree or equivalent who are not accepted into the Ph.D. program may apply for entrance into the M.S. program. Accepted students who subsequently fail the Qualifying Examination with no opportunity for retake or who fail the exam twice, may transfer to the M.S. program. In this case, credits earned while enrolled in the Ph.D. program may apply to course requirements for the M.S. degree.

Current M.S. students who are not approved for transfer into the Ph.D. program may continue their M.S. studies without penalty. Accepted transfer students who subsequently fail the Qualifying Examination with no opportunity for retake or who fail the exam twice, may return to the M.S. program. In this case, credits earned while enrolled in the Ph.D. program may apply to course requirements for the M.S. degree.

Application Procedures

New applicants who wish to enter the Ph.D. program with only a B.S. degree or equivalent must submit the following via the GRADS online application system:

All information, test scores, and fees currently required for M.S. to Ph.D. applicants
A section within the personal statement that describes his/her justification for bypassing the M.S. degree

Current M.S. students who wish to transfer into the Ph.D. program without first completing all M.S. requirements must complete the Resume Study/Change of Graduate Degree or Major application in the online GRADS application system and submit the following:

Their original complete M.S. application file
A letter written by the student that describes his/her justification for bypassing the M.S. degree
A letter from the student's advisor: The student's advisor must provide a letter to the Graduate Program Committee recommending transfer. This letter would generally be submitted within two semesters after admission of the student into the M.S. program. The student's advisor should discuss a funding plan with the Department Head before providing a letter to the GPC recommending transfer to ensure a funding plan is in place. The advisor’s letter to the GPC should indicate that funding has been discussed with the Department Head.
A second letter of recommendation: A second letter must be provided by another faculty member from Penn State supporting the student's transfer into the Ph.D. program. This letter must be submitted to the GPC at the same time that the advisor's letter is submitted. It is suggested that this second letter be provided by a faculty member who has had the student in at least one graduate level course (400 level or above).

Recommendations

It is strongly advised that applicants be informed of the procedural requirements and evaluation criteria necessary for passing the Qualifying Examination. GCAC-604 Qualifying Examination - Research Doctorate. These include taking the exam at the next available opportunity after official entry or transfer into the Ph.D. program (summer sessions do not count towards this requirement) and after having earned at least 18 credits in graduate courses beyond the baccalaureate.

Note that according to the Penn State Fox Graduate School, "the student has no official status as a doctoral student and no assurance of acceptance as a doctoral student until the Oral Comprehensive Examination has been passed."