Minimum requirements for a Ph.D. degree in Food Science when entering with a M.S. degree or equivalent.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
- Maximum Non-degree credits allowed (needs approval): 15
(Transfer credits are not allowed for the Ph.D. degree) - Qualifying Exam
- Comprehensive Exam
- Thesis
- Residency: 2 Semesters
Two semesters within a 12-month period; summer session is not considered a semester.
- Minimum GPA needed to graduate: 3.0
- Time Limit (from date of passing Qualifying exam): 8 years
Minimum Departmental Requirements
- FD SC 500A, FD SC 500B, FD SC 500C, FD SC 500D: 4 credits
Not needed if student received credit for course during masters degree program at Penn State.
- FD SC 501: 2 credits
Not needed if student received credit for course during masters degree program at Penn State.
- FD SC 602: 2 credits
Beginning with 2nd year, Ph.D. students are required to assist with one course each academic year as a Teaching Assistant (TA).
- Other 500-level Food Science courses: 6 credits
3 credits of this requirement can be satisfied by 400 level Food Science courses with permission of the adviser.
- Statistics (STAT) 500 or equivalent: Yes
Students receiving a Ph.D. in Food Science must have satisfactorily completed at least one 400-500 level course in each of these areas, during their undergraduate or graduate program.
- Qualifying exam
- Doctoral committee
- Comprehensive exam
- Thesis seminar
- Thesis defense
