McGill.CA / Agricultural and Environmental Sciences / Prospective Students / Undergraduate

BSc in Food Science

About

 Would you like to understand why some foods taste so good? Or why coloured fruits and vegetables are good for your health? Or perhaps you would like to learn how to invent new foods such as an avocado-based tiramisu dessert, a new type of veggie burger, or a high-protein/high-energy snack with a longer shelf-life, all award-winning creations from McGill Food Science students. In the Food Science program you can do this and more. You will discover how to make the food we eat every day safer, taste better, look more appealing and last longer.

Food Scientists work on the discovery of new ingredients and how they can be incorporated into foods. They study how flavours and colours develop when food is baked, roasted or fried. They also develop and apply techniques to make sure that all new products are safely processed and packaged. Food Science is a chemistry-based program, but your studies will also introduce you to an array of disciplines such as microbiology, physics, biochemistry, sensory analysis and engineering.

Internships are also an option. Our students have participated in activities such as learning quality control in a Malaysian beverage factory; designing healthy meals in a Parisian bakery; and understanding the processes of manufacturing and food safety in a large food plant in Canada.

This program will provide you with the much needed skills and knowledge required for dealing with food development and safety in the modern world. Two options are available to Food Science students: Food Chemistry or Food Science.

Options

■ Food Chemistry Option:  The chemistry of food incorporates additional required core chemistry courses; Includes the academic elements necessary for membership in the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST) and the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT); Must be completed in order to be eligible for membership in the Order of Chemists of Quebec (OCQ)

■ Food Science Option:  The study of food science from a more general and interdisciplinary approach; Integrates courses from many disciplines related to the science of food, including biochemistry, microbiology and processing; Graduates will have the academic qualifications for membership in the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST) and can also qualify for recognition by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)

Courses

Both options require 90 credits of courses.

The Food Chemistry option is made up of 54 credits in required courses + 30 credits in Food Chemistry courses + 6 credits in Elective courses.

Bachelor of Science (Food Science) (B.Sc.(F.Sc.)) - Major Food Science - Food Chemistry Option (90 Credits)

The Food Science option is made up of 51 credits in required courses + 21 credits in Food Science courses + 18 credits in Elective courses.

Bachelor of Science (Food Science) (B.Sc.(F.Sc.)) - Major Food Science - Food Science Option (90 Credits)

Careers

■ Food industry
■ Flavour industry
■ Functional foods
■ Food safety and quality
■ Technical sales and marketing
■ Research (university, government, private sector)
■ Food biotechnology

For more career options: mcgill.ca/caps/discipline

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