Food and Human Nutritional Sciences
Head: Dr. Cristina Rosell
Grad Chair: Dr. Harold Aukema
Campus Address/General Office: 209 Human Ecology Building
Telephone: 204-474-6874
Fax: 204-474-7593
Email Address: FHNS.Grad@umanitoba.ca
Website: umanitoba.ca/agricultural-food-sciences/food-and-human-nutritional-sciences
Academic Staff: Please visit our Academic Staff webpage

Food Science Program Information

The Department offers programs in both food science and human nutritional sciences leading to the Master of Science and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees.

Admission Information

Admission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies

Application and Admission Procedures are found in the Academic Guide.

Admission requirements for Master’s students are found in the Master’s Degrees General Regulations section of the Guide.

Food Science M.Sc. Admission Requirements

Entrance into the program requires a four-year undergraduate degree in Human Nutritional Sciences, Food Science, or equivalent.  Decisions on equivalent degrees or courses needed to bring the student's background to the equivalent of a Human Nutritional Sciences or Food Science degree will be made by the Food and Human Nutritional Sciences Graduate Studies Committee (FHNSGSC). Each student must have an advisor identified before acceptance into the program.

Application Information

Students should complete and submit their online application with supporting documentation by the date indicated on the Food Science M.Sc. program of study page.

Degree Requirements

There are two types of Food Science Master’s programs in the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences:

Thesis

Thesis projects may be of a basic research type or of an applied or practical nature relating to the chemistry, physics and/or microbiology of food raw materials, processes and/or products.

As part of the 12 credit hours required in the program, all students are required to take HNSC 7200 (3 CH) or FOOD 7130 (3 CH), plus 3 credit hours in HNSC or FOOD courses at the 7000 level.  The remaining 6 credit hours can be from within or outside the department and must include at least 3 credit hours at the 7000 level or above.  Reading/Special Topics courses at the Master's level must not exceed 3 credit hours.

Non-thesis

Not currently accepting students into this option

Additional coursework plus practical work terms and a comprehensive examination are substituted for a research project and written thesis.

The non-thesis program requires a minimum of 30 credit hours of coursework. Of this total, a minimum of 15 credit hours must be at the 7000 level in Food Science with the remaining courses to be approved by the student’s advisory committee.

Expected Time to Graduate: 2 years

Progression Chart

Plan of Study Grid

Year 1		Hours
GRAD 7300	Research Integrity Tutorial	0
GRAD 7500	Academic Integrity Tutorial	0
FOOD 7130	Food Science Seminar	3
Select 3 credit hours in HNSC or FOOD courses at the 7000 level.		3
Select 6 credit hours from within or outside the department, which must include at least 3 credit hours at the 7000 level or above		6
Thesis Proposal 1
	Hours	12
Year 2
GRAD 7000	Master's Thesis 2	0
	Hours	0
	Total Hours	12

¹

A written thesis proposal followed by an oral presentation by the student must be assessed and approved by the Advisory Committee within 9 months of commencing the program. Students will be apprised of guidelines and evaluation procedures by the Advisor. The thesis proposal shall include the title, an introduction, literature review, hypothesis, objectives, methodology, references and Gantt chart. Students shall submit their draft thesis proposal to the advisor for feedback prior to circulation to the Advisory Committee. The student then presents orally for 20 minutes and defends the thesis proposal to the members constituting the Advisory Committee.

²

Students in the thesis route must pass an Oral Examination. The examining committee will grant approval based on the written document and the ability of the student to defend the work completed.  Agreement with no more than one dissenting vote on the written thesis and oral defense is required for final approval.

Registration Information

Students should familiarize themselves with the Faculty of Graduate Studies ‘GRAD’ courses applicable to their program. If you have questions about which GRAD course(s) to register in, please consult your home department/unit.

Prior to registration, students must consult with their advisor and then present a completed registration approval form to the department head. Any changes after the initial registration must also be approved by both advisor and department head.

Courses are subject to cancellation if there is insufficient enrolment. Courses with insufficient enrolment will be cancelled the first week of classes.

Regulations

Students must meet the requirements as outlined in both Supplementary Regulation and BFAR documents as approved by Senate.

Supplementary Regulations

Individual units may require specific requirements above and beyond those of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and students should consult unit supplementary regulations for these specific regulations. 

Bona Fide Academic Requirements (BFAR)

Bona Fide Academic Requirements (BFAR) represent the core academic requirements a graduate student must acquire in order to gain, and demonstrate acquisition of, essential knowledge and skills.

All students must successfully complete:

• GRAD 7300 prior to applying to any ethics boards which are appropriate to the student’s research or within the student’s first year, whichever comes first; and
• GRAD 7500 within the first term of registration;

unless these courses have been completed previously, as per Mandatory Academic Integrity Course and Mandatory Research Integrity Online Course.

Students must also meet additional BFAR requirements that may be specified for their program.

General Regulations

All students must:

• maintain a minimum degree grade point average of 3.0 with no grade below C+,
• meet the minimum and not exceed the maximum course requirements, and
• meet the minimum and not exceed the maximum time requirements (in terms of time in program and lapse or expiration of credit of courses).

Courses

Food Science