Online Food Science Degree Programs

<p>Online food science degree programs are available at the associate's degree to master's degree levels. Although PhD programs in food science are offered by several schools throughout the U.S., they aren't typically available online. Undergraduate and graduate students can earn a degree in food science in a few short years without ever having to step foot on campus. The different types of online food science degrees are discussed in the sections below along with key program characteristics. </p> <h3 id="section---OnlineFoodScienceAssociateSDegreePrograms">Online Food Science Associate's Degree Programs</h3> <p>Online food science associate's degree programs are offered by several community colleges and universities and take an average of two years to complete. These programs are open to students with a high school diploma or GED and enable interested students to transfer many of their associate's degree courses into a bachelor's degree program. </p> <h4 id="section---ProgramLength">Program Length</h4> <p>Associate's degree programs in food science include around 60 credit hours of coursework. Traditional full-time students take around 30 credit hours per year and can complete these programs in two years. Students who take more courses can finish sooner, and students taking fewer courses per semester can extend the length of their program. </p> <h4 id="section---CommonCourses">Common Courses</h4> <p>Online food science associate's degree programs are typically comprised of general education courses, such as those in mathematics and social sciences, as well as program-specific classes. Some of the classes that can be included in online food science associate's degree programs are listed below. </p> <ul><li><b>Nutrition</b> - Students explore principles and characteristics of nutrition and diets, including topics such as absorption and digestion, to better understand the benefits of proper nutrition. </li><li><b>Food Processing</b> - This course teaches students the basic principles of food processing, including physical and chemical characteristics and processes used to make foods safely. </li><li><b>Food Safety</b> In this course, students explore key topics in food safety, including hazardous food properties and practices, regulations and illnesses. </li><li><b>Food Science</b> - Students explore the science of food, including various properties and processes of foods as well as implications of food interactions. </li></ul><h4 id="section---CostOfProgram">Cost of Program</h4> <p>The cost of an online food science associate's degree program varies by school and student. Schools may charge tuition per credit and other applicable fees (such as registration fees) or offer flat-rate tuition and cost options. The table below summarizes the cost of a food science associate's degree program based on example costs using two different cost structures (per-credit and flat-rate). </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th>Credits Required </th><th>Cost Structure </th><th>Credits per Semester </th><th># of Semesters </th><th>Total Tuition</th></tr> <tr><td>60 </td><td>$250 per credit </td><td>15 </td><td>4 </td><td>$15,000</td></tr> <tr><td>60 </td><td>$2,500 per semester (10 to 18 credits) </td><td>15 </td><td>4 </td><td>$10,000</td></tr> </table><p>The table above shows the potential total cost of tuition. However, keep in mind that many schools have other indirect fees, such as course materials fees. Associate's degree programs, especially those offered by community colleges, are typically less expensive than bachelor's degree programs. Students without prior college coursework who are interested in a bachelor's degree could save thousands of dollars by obtaining an associate's degree and then transferring their credits into a bachelor's degree program. Students should consult with their schools to ensure that credits will be transferred effectively. </p> <h3 id="section---OnlineFoodScienceBachelorSDegreePrograms">Online Food Science Bachelor's Degree Programs</h3> <p>Online food science bachelor's degree programs are open to students who have a high school diploma or an equivalent. These programs typically take 4 years of full-time study to complete, and are more commonly offered online than food science associate's degree programs. Key features of online food science bachelor's degree programs are discussed below. </p> <h4 id="section---ProgramLength-2">Program Length</h4> <p>Online food science bachelor's degree programs usually include around 120 credit hours of coursework, which take around 4 years to complete (based on 30 credits per year). Students who have previously earned an associate's degree can often cut their program in half, and students with even a few previous college credits can still typically transfer them into the new program and decrease the program length. As with online associate's degree programs, students who take more courses per semester can finish their program sooner than students taking fewer courses. </p> <h4 id="section---CommonCourses-2">Common Courses</h4> <p>Online food science bachelor's degree programs include general education courses, such as history and mathematics, as well as science courses and program-specific courses. While courses vary by school, the classes listed below are commonly included in online food science bachelor's degree programs. </p> <ul><li><b>Food Science Fundamentals</b> - This introductory course explores food science topics such as development, processing, food composition and labeling. </li><li><b>Composition and Analysis of Foods</b> - Students explore key components of food, including specific structures, nutritional properties and chemical processes. </li><li><b>Food Chemistry</b> - This course examines the chemical properties of food, such as carbohydrates and proteins, as well as chemical reactions to various food manipulations. </li><li><b>Quality Assurance</b> - Students learn about regulatory and quality topics in food science, such as food testing and manufacturing and practices in hazard analysis. </li><li><b>Food Microbiology</b> - This course explores characteristics and interactions of food microorganisms as well as topics such as preservation, sanitation and spoilage of foods. </li><li><b>Product Development in Food</b> - Students learn how to create marketable foods using principles of microbiological and chemical analysis and proper packaging and marketing practices. </li></ul><h4 id="section---CostOfProgram-2">Cost of Program</h4> <p>The cost of online food science bachelor's degree programs vary, depending on the school, any applied transfer credits and course load. Students enrolled in bachelor's degree programs may also be able to utilize a flat-rate tuition option for their program. The table below summarizes the potential cost of an online food science bachelor's degree program based on cost structure; keep in mind that a student with an associate's degree may only need to complete half of the credits shown, meaning their cost could be half as much. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th>Credits Required </th><th>Cost Structure </th><th>Credits per Semester </th><th># of Semesters </th><th>Total Tuition</th></tr> <tr><td>120 </td><td>$400 per credit </td><td>15 </td><td>8 </td><td>$48,000</td></tr> <tr><td>120 </td><td>$4,000 per semester (10 to 18 credits) </td><td>15 </td><td>8 </td><td>$32,000</td></tr> </table><p>As shown above, flat-rate tuition enables students to pay less per credit hour by taking more courses each semester. Students who transfer credits into their program will be required to take fewer classes and will have lower total tuition. In addition to tuition, online food science bachelor's degree students usually have other fees (such as course supplies/materials, distance learning fees, technology fees and registration fees). These fees vary by school but can add up to several thousand dollars over the course of a program. </p> <h3 id="section---OnlineFoodScienceMasterSDegreePrograms">Online Food Science Master's Degree Programs</h3> <p>Online food science master's degree programs are available to students who have previously completed a bachelor's degree. While some schools require students to have an undergraduate degree in a science-related field, many schools welcome students with a variety of undergraduate degrees. Key characteristics of online food science master's degree programs are discussed below. </p> <h4 id="section---ProgramLength-3">Program Length</h4> <p>Online food science master's degree programs typically include 30 to 36 credit hours of coursework and take traditional full-time students 2 years to complete (9 credits per semester). In addition, many online graduate (as well as undergraduate) programs can be completed in year-round cycles of accelerated terms. Instead of traditional 16-week semesters twice per year, many schools offer classes in 8-week terms six times per year. A student taking 9 credits per semester could complete 27 credits in one year rather than 18 credits via traditional semesters. </p> <h4 id="section---CommonCourses-3">Common Courses</h4> <p>Courses included in online food science master's degree programs vary, but many programs include some of the courses listed below. </p> <ul><li><b>Food Packaging</b> - This course examines design, functionality and materials of food packaging as well as relevant considerations such as environmental and ethical factors. </li><li><b>Fermented Foods</b> - Students explore the processes involved in fermenting foods and beverages as well as characteristics that exist after fermentation (such as flavor and chemical traits). </li><li><b>Food Preservation</b> - This course provides an overview of the processes and chemicals associated with food preservation, including processes in canning, freezing and dehydration. </li><li><b>Advanced Food Safety</b> - Students explore research and characteristics of food safety topics such as risk assessment and prevention, foodborne diseases, microbial changes and quality assurance. </li></ul><h4 id="section---CostOfProgram-3">Cost of Program</h4> <p>As with undergraduate online food science degree programs, master's degree costs vary by school and student. The table below summarizes potential tuition costs for an online food science master's degree program based on estimated values. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th>Credits Required </th><th>Cost Structure </th><th>Credits per Semester </th><th># of Semesters </th><th>Total Tuition</th></tr> <tr><td>36 </td><td>$500 per credit </td><td>9 </td><td>4 </td><td>$18,000</td></tr> <tr><td>36 </td><td>$5,000 per semester (10 to 15 credits) </td><td>12 </td><td>3 </td><td>$15,000</td></tr> </table><h2 id="section---WhatIsAccreditationAndWhyDoesItMatter">What is Accreditation and Why Does it Matter?</h2> <p>Accreditation is like a stamp of approval. For a school to earn accreditation, it has to meet several requirements relating to quality that are set by the accrediting organization. Once a school has earned accreditation, it must maintain those standards and be reevaluated for accreditation every few years. Accreditation is extremely important for students for three key reasons: quality, financial aid and future implications. </p> <ul><li><b>Quality</b> - Students attending an accredited institution have a much greater chance of having a quality experience and education. </li><li><b>Financial Aid</b> - Several types of aid are only available to students of accredited schools, including federal aid and some private aid. </li><li><b>Future Implications</b> - Some employers may prefer graduates of accredited schools. Also, students who return to school later will not be able to transfer credits from a nonaccredited school. </li></ul><h2 id="section---CareersForGraduatesOfOnlineFoodScienceDegreePrograms">Careers for Graduates of Online Food Science Degree Programs</h2> <p>Online food science degree program graduates can pursue a variety of fields depending on their backgrounds and interests. Some of the careers available to graduates of online food science degree programs are discussed below. </p> <h3 id="section---AgriculturalAndFoodScienceTechnicians">Agricultural and Food Science Technicians</h3> <p>Agricultural and food science technicians help food and agricultural scientists with various tasks, including analyzing agricultural and food products. Food science technicians are often responsible for collecting and organizing samples, testing samples of food and additives, analyzing chemical characteristics and preparing results of their findings. They may also gather and maintain chemicals for testing, create presentations of results, and ensure laboratories are sterile and safe. While most of these positions require an associate's degree, some employers prefer candidates with a bachelor's degree in a related field (such as food science). </p> <h3 id="section---AgriculturalAndFoodScientists">Agricultural and Food Scientists</h3> <p>Agricultural and food scientists work to discover methods for improving the safety and efficiency of products, services and organizations. Their duties can include conducting research and tests, developing new foods and food processes and traveling between locations to oversee various activities and projects. Food scientists and technologists apply biology, chemistry and other sciences in researching methods for improving foods in society. They may research topics such as food packaging, distribution or sanitation. These professionals are required to have a bachelor's degree in their field of specialty, although many have master's degrees or higher. Online food science students interested in becoming food scientists can greatly benefit from internship opportunities, which help to provide essential skills in research and teamwork. </p> <h3 id="section---FarmersRanchersAndOtherAgriculturalManagers">Farmers, Ranchers and Other Agricultural Managers</h3> <p>Farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers operate and oversee institutions that hold and produce livestock, crops and dairy products. These professionals include crop farmers and managers, who oversee plant growth and harvesting. Also included in this category are livestock, poultry and dairy farmers as well as ranchers and managers; these individuals care for animals and oversee the harvesting of products such as eggs and milk. While educational requirements vary, these managers may have better employment opportunities with a degree in agriculture or a similar field (such as food science). For example, a graduate of a food science degree program may be qualified to work as a manager of a dairy farm or crop farm. </p> <h3 id="section---BiologicalTechnicians">Biological Technicians</h3> <p>Biological technicians assist scientists with laboratory experiments and testing. Their duties can include maintaining laboratory equipment, gathering and testing samples, recording and analyzing data, and preparing reports based on their findings. Their specific duties can vary based on their field of work and position but can include using specific computer software, collecting samples in field locations and separating proteins. These technicians typically need to have a bachelor's degree in biology or another scientific field along with hands-on laboratory experience (which can potentially be gained through internships) </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th>Job Title </th><th>Median Annual Salary (2018) </th><th>Estimated Job Growth (2018-2028)</th></tr> <tr><td>Agricultural and Food Science Technicians </td><td>$40,860 </td><td>6%</td></tr> <tr><td>Agricultural and Food Scientists </td><td>$64,020 </td><td>7%</td></tr> <tr><td>Farmers, Ranchers and Other Agricultural Managers </td><td>$67,950 </td><td>-1%</td></tr> <tr><td>Biological Technicians </td><td>$44,500 </td><td>7%</td></tr> </table><p><i>All career data is provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i></p>