PhD in Food Science

Food science as a formal academic discipline began at UMass Amherst in 1918, and now, more than a century later, the program at UMass remains one of the world’s best. The PhD in food science will prepare you to be a researcher, scholar, and leader in the field.

In your work in the program, you’ll delve into a range of research areas, choosing from specialties in food biotechnology, physical-chemical properties of food, food safety, and foods for health and wellness.

The Department of Food Science has been ranked the #1 food science PhD research program in the U.S. by the National Research Council, and UMass has been ranked the #3 best university for food science and technology by U.S. News & World Report.

We have a long history of training food science professionals, with our graduates moving on to careers within the food industry, higher education, and government.