M.S. Degree

Academic Requirements and Plan
The M.S. degree may be obtained under Plan A (with a thesis) or Plan B (without a thesis). Either program consists of at least 30 total credits of which at least 16 credits shall be at the 800 level or above. For Plan A students at least 6 and no more than 10 credits will be research in FSC 899 or HNF 899. All M.S. students are required to present one seminar for credit (FSC or HNF 892). 

Full-time students, including those on 1/2-time assistantships, should expect to complete the M.S. degree in two years. University policy limits the total time for completion to five years.

Any student on Plan B wishing to transfer to Plan A or vice versa should complete a Change of Status form and write a letter to the Department Chairperson indicating the reasons for requesting the change. The request will be referred to the Department Graduate Affairs Committee for evaluation and recommendation. The Department Chairperson will then report the decision to the student.

A minimum of 9 credits in the degree program must be earned on campus in order to meet the University residency requirement.

Guidance Committee, Course and Research Program
The major professor in consultation with the student shall recommend to the Department Chairperson a Guidance Committee by completing and submitting the form "Appointment of Guidance Committee". A graduate guidance committee should be composed of at least three (3) MSU regular faculty members as defined by the Faculty Handbook; at least two (2) of whom shall be from this Department and the third member can come from Food Science and Human Nutrition Department or any other department. Adjunct faculty and others can participate on the committee as long as their number does not exceed the number of regular MSU faculty. The completed "Appointment of Guidance Committee" form must be submitted to the Department Chairperson for approval at least two weeks prior to the first committee meeting.

Program requirements for the Masters Degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition are in Section 8. Prior to the completion of 14 credits towards the M.S. degree, students must submit seven copies of an approved Master's degree program plan signed by all members of the Guidance Committee. Copies of the form are available from the major professor or office secretary. The Guidance Committee will meet to approve the program plan and should meet as often as necessary to review the student's research progress.

Students on a Plan A Masters program are expected to prepare a thesis proposal to be approved by their Guidance Committee prior to initiation of the research. Format for proposals may vary, but should include background, justification, objectives, and protocol for proposed studies. 

Courses required for undergraduate majors in a given program area (i.e., Food Science or Human Nutrition) are normally considered collateral for graduate programs in that area and will not be given graduate credit. Graduate students may receive a limited number of graduate credits from undergraduate departmental courses required by their major with approval of the guidance committee.

Examination
The examination on the thesis and related areas will be an oral exam, approximately one to two hours in length. Committee members may ask additional questions of M.S. candidates who anticipate continuing on for the Ph.D. degree in FSHN at MSU to help determine the student's competence to be successful at the Ph.D. level.

Final Semester Procedures
All students must complete a Graduation Information Sheet at the Registrar's Office, 150 Administration when registering for the final semester of the graduate program at MSU. If a student fails to complete the work within the deadlines published in the Schedule of Courses and Calendar for that semester, but completes the requirements before the first day of classes for the next semester, no additional registration is required.

The Schedule of Courses and Calendar lists the deadlines pertaining to the thesis and/or oral exams for the graduating candidate for the semester in which graduation is expected. Students should familiarize themselves with the dates and meet the deadlines. Failure to comply with the above mentioned deadlines may delay graduation until the following semester.

Thesis Preparation
Thesis format should follow University regulations (a manual is available at the Graduate Office). A major journal in the field might be used as a format (i.e., J. Food Science, J. Nutrition). All charges for preparing graphs, charts, typing, and binding of the thesis are to be paid by the student. 

One unbound copy of the thesis, plus one additional copy of its title page and abstract, must be delivered to the Graduate School by the end of the semester of graduation. The Graduate School will forward the thesis to University Microfilms to be microfilmed and bound. Before certification approval, one bound copy of the abstract and thesis shall be presented to the Department, or a receipt indicating that University Microfilms is reproducing and binding the thesis and sending it to the Department. The major professor should also receive a bound copy of the abstract and thesis. All majors administered by the College of Human Ecology must submit one copy of the unbound abstract plus one copy of the bound thesis to the Office of Academic Affairs in the Human Ecology Building. All theses are maintained in the Animal Industries Reference Library.

Checkout and Final Certification
All students should prepare a draft(s) of the manuscript and submit it to the major professor before the Final Certification for Graduation is approved by the major professor. The Final Certification form will come directly to the Department from the Registrar's Office for completion. A checkout sheet (Form 18) will also be distributed to the student through the major professor. The student must complete the form before leaving campus. 

Transfer from M.S. to Ph.D.
Students might wish to transfer from a M.S. to a Ph.D. program. Students who have authored or co-authored a manuscript which has been accepted for publication in a reputable peer-reviewed journal may petition the Department Chairperson for acceptance into a Ph.D. program. The petition should be accompanied by a letter of approval from the major professor. The petition will be referred to the Graduate Affairs Committee for their evaluation and recommendation. The Department Chairperson will then report the decision to the student.

Students with a plan B, M.S. degree may be accepted into the Ph.D. program on Provisional status. A research manuscript must be accepted for publication in a reputable peer-reviewed journal prior to the student being considered for Regular status.

Continuation from M.S. degree into the Ph.D. program
Students who complete the M.S. degree in FSHN at MSU and are favorably recommended by the M.S. guidance committee to continue for Ph.D. studies should complete the "Request to Continue for a Ph.D. in Food Science and Human Nutrition" form obtained from the Graduate Secretary. Students who complete the M.S. degree in FSHN at MSU and who are not recommended for Ph.D. studies by the M.S. guidance committee must reactivate their file to be considered for admission into the Ph.D. program. Their file will be reviewed, together will all other applicants for graduate study, as part of the regular review process by the entire faculty at the next regularly scheduled review meeting.