Ph.D. Degree in Food Science - Graduate Handbook

Requirements

• Course requirements (listed below)
• Comprehensive exam (information in pages 13, 19, & 20)
• Prospectus (information in pages 14-15)
• Defense (information in pages 16-17)
• Checklist (page 18)

Course requirements

The PhD coursework is dependent on the student’s background and level. Students must get approval from your advisor on course selection.

• 18 dissertation credits are required to complete the degree. A maximum of 9 dissertation credits can be registered per semester. The dissertation credits can be used to reach the maximum of 16 credits per semester.
• Students should meet the following requirements for courses taken during the degree:

Category 1 (all students)
• 3 credits Research methods (FS797R)
Category 2 (all students)
• 1 credit Teaching Experience (FS796T)
Category 3 (all students)
• 2 credits Graduate Seminar (FS791A/792A, 1 credit each, 2 separate semesters). A minimum 1 letter grade seminar (require presentation)
Category 4a (Students with Food Science MS)
• 6 credits from courses within the Department ≥600 level
• One ≥600 level can be outside department upon advisor’s approval
Category 4b (Students with Food Science BS)
• 9 credits from courses within the Department ≥600 level
• One 500 level can be used to replace ≥600 level upon advisor’s approval
Category 4c (Students with non-Food Science MS)
• 6 credits from courses within the Department ≥600 level
• 6 credits 500 level (any two of Fd Chem, Fd Micro, or Fd Proc/Eng, both courses cannot be in the same area, e.g. Fd Chem)
• One ≥600 level can be outside department upon advisor’s approval
Category 4d (Students with non-Food science BS)
• 9 credits from courses within the Department ≥600 level
• 6 credits 500 level (any two of Fd Chem, Fd Micro, or Fd Proc/Eng, both courses cannot be in the same area, e.g. Fd Chem)
• One ≥600 level can be outside department upon advisor’s approval
• One 500 level can be used to replace ≥600 level upon advisor’s approval
Category 4e (Students with UMass Food Science MS)
• FS796T and 1 credit of seminar (FS791A, letter grade

Residency Requirements

The Graduate school requires two consecutive semesters of residency for graduation, fulfilled by registering and earning 9 or more credits in two consecutive semesters. Most students complete this requirement during their first 2 semesters.

Required Processes and Forms

1. Comprehensive oral exam: Student requests advisor to form the comprehensive oral exam committee (at least 4 faculty). The exam is suggested to be completed within 18 months of starting the degree. The chair of the Comprehensive Exam Committee sends the  nomination (results of comprehensive exam) to GPD.
2. Appointment of dissertation committee: Student requests advisor to send email to GPD requesting the appointment of dissertation committee (should include at least 3 internal members (including advisor, and 1 external member).
3. Submission of prospectus: Student submits signed prospectus/outline signature sheet to graduate school after completion of prospectus (At least 6 months before defense).
4. Notification of final defense: Student requests advisor to send e-mail to GPD for a memo with dissertation defense date, time, location, and title of dissertation. This should be done at least one month prior to defense date.
5. Final defense: After completing the final defense, the student requests advisor to send e-mail to GPD for results of defense, date passed, and committee names.
6. Submission of dissertation: Student submits the signed dissertation signature sheet (ask Moriah for template and set up DocuSign) and the Doctoral degree eligibility form to the graduate school after completion of successful defense.
7. Archiving of dissertation: Student submits dissertation electronically to  ScholarWorks@UMassAmherst.

Notes

• Specific timing depends on individual student’s progress.
• Additional information can be found at https://www.umass.edu/graduate/handbook/degree-requirements/doctoral-degree-requirements
• You can submit the required documents by either emailing them to UMass Graduate School Student Records at @email or by handing them in at the Graduate Student Service Center, 534 Goodell Building.
• Please complete the section B, residency requirement semesters, before sending out for signatures.
• Prof. Lili He, lilihe@umass.edu, (344 Chenoweth Lab) is the Food Science GPD.