Food Science Appointment Procedures

Procedures for Appointment/ Reappointment of Graduate Students

The Department of Food Science receives applications for Fall and Spring admission to the Graduate Program. These are received as a result of word-of-mouth, reputation, brochures sent to other Food Science Departments in the U.S. and Canada as well as to “1890 Colleges”. In addition the University’s Office of Minority Graduate Student Recruitment and Retention (OGSRR) provides us with names of potential applicants obtained from recruitment trips to traditionally black colleges. Such individuals receive personalized letters of encouragement to apply to our Department’s Graduate Program

Applications are reviewed by a committee of 5 faculty. Summaries of applicants’ credentials and committee evaluations are distributed to all faculty. The majority of assistantships awarded are research assistantships. These are awarded by individual faculty using funds from research grants and are based on mutual interest and applicant qualifications. These are renewed annually until the student completes his/her program of study. A very limited number of teaching assistantships are awarded to new or existing graduate students based on fluctuating Department needs in its undergraduate teaching programs.

Qualified applicants may also be nominated for Opportunity Awards from OGSRR.