Program Overview
This program is exclusively available to current UMass Amherst Food Science & Technology track undergraduates.
The Accelerated Thesis M.S. is open to Food Science & Technology track undergraduates at UMass Amherst. Begin the lab training and research during your junior year and earn the M.S. degree in just one additional year after the B.S. Up to 12 credits can be transferred toward the M.S. degree (including up to 6 double-counted credits), providing a seamless and efficient transition.
Students engage in original thesis research under faculty mentorship, developing the skills needed for careers in research, industry, or doctoral programs.
- Currently enrolled as a UMass Amherst Food Science & Technology track undergraduate student.
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the time of application.
- Completed at least 60 undergraduate credits.
- Identified a faculty advisor willing to supervise the thesis research.
- Submitted application by the end of the junior year (recommended).
graduate credits minimum
counted toward both B.S. and M.S.
max 9 per semester
Note on credit transfer: Up to 12 credits can be transferred toward the M.S. degree, including up to 6 credits double-counted toward both the B.S. and M.S. degrees. Subject to advisor and GPD approval; students must be formally admitted before double-counting.
Category 1 Food Science Electives
At least 6 credits of Food Science courses at the 600 or 700 level, excluding Thesis and Independent Study. One must be Research Methods (FS790STA), offered every Spring.
Category 2 Graduate Seminar
One credit of Graduate Seminar (FS791A) taken for a letter grade.
Category 3 Core Courses
Food Chemistry (FS541, FS542) or Food Analysis (FS581); Food Microbiology (FS567) or Food Quality and Safety Control (FS521); Food Processing (FS561) or Elements of Food Process Engineering (FS575). Students who completed these as undergraduates need not repeat them.
- Junior Year : Identify faculty advisor, apply to the accelerated program, begin taking graduate-level courses that can be double-counted.
- Senior Year : Complete remaining undergraduate requirements while taking additional graduate courses. Begin thesis research and register for thesis credits.
- 5th Year (M.S. Year) : Full-time graduate student. Complete remaining coursework, finish thesis research, write and defend thesis.
- Advisor sends email to GPD requesting appointment of thesis committee (at least two faculty, including the advisor) at least one month before the final defense.
- Defense notification is sent to all department members two days prior to the scheduled defense.
- Advisor emails GPD with defense results, date passed, and names of committee members.
- Use DocuSign to obtain committee signatures for the signature page; submit to the Graduate School.
- Submit the master's degree eligibility form through the SPIRE system for Kuali workflow approval.
- File thesis electronically to ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst.
Email @email to request an M.S. with thesis checklist