collageIn this post, we will review the UC Davis Food Science Acceptance Rate, uc davis food science major requirements and food science graduate programs. Do you know where your next meal is coming from? Whatever you choose, it was probably grown, processed, delivered and prepared using techniques developed by food scientists and technologists. Food scientists help solve problems of producing and distributing food safely across broad geographical ranges and in varying climatic conditions. They also respond to market demands by creating food products that meet modern consumers’ needs for nutrition, taste and convenience. From microwavable meals to Vitamin A-enriched rice, food scientists’ projects help solve one of the oldest problems known to humanity: What are we going to eat?Real World Outcomes:
Food science majors from UC Davis have gone on to careers in large food corporations such as Del Monte, General Mills, Procter & Gamble, Adolph Coors and Campbell Soup Company. Students specializing in food biochemistry are now working in a range of technical careers in the food industry, including research and development, quality assurance and food analysis. Other graduates work with the USDA or FDA to ensure a safe food supply while others have become teachers, writers or entrepreneurs.Requirements:
During your first two years of study, you will concentrate on developing the scientific and general background necessary for advanced coursework by taking courses in chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics and (optionally) introductory food science. In your upper-division courses, you will study nutrition, microbiology and food chemistry, analysis and processing. You may choose to specialize in one of seven career-oriented options: food technology, food business and management, consumer food science, fermentation science, food biology/microbiology, food chemistry or food biochemistry.
uc davis food science major requirements
UC Davis Food Science acceptance rate is a little over 60% for the last 5 years. The average GPA of accepted students is 3.7 and their SAT scores are around 1420.
To be accepted into the program, you need a degree in food science or related fields such as agriculture, animal science, or nutrition. You will also have to take the GRE exam and submit your official transcript from all previously attended universities.
UC Davis Food Science Acceptance Rate
Applicants should understand that funding is limited and competitive. While the Graduate Group makes every effort to provide financial support to students, it cannot guarantee such support for the entire length of study. Below are the forms of support graduate students may be eligible for:
University Fellowships
The graduate online application process automatically includes an application for University Fellowships. These campus-wide fellowships are highly competitive.
Graduate Group Fellowships
The Graduate Group has limited funds available each year to help support incoming students. International Master’s students are not eligible for fellowship funding from the Food Science Graduate Group. Offers of Graduate Group Fellowships are made at the time of admission, and are included in the Graduate Group admission offer letter.
Teaching Assistantships (TA Appointments)
Teaching Assistants are graduate students who assist faculty in the teaching, instructional support or grading of their classes. TA appointments are available within the Department of Food Science & Technology as well as other departments on campus.
To apply for TA appointments outside of the Department, please contact the administration for each Graduate Program you could TA for directly. Additionally, many campus-wide TA opportunities are posted on the UC Davis Internship & Career Center’s Aggie JobLink and some can be found on the Office of Graduate Studies Teaching Assistantship Database. Students are strongly encouraged to contact other UC Davis departments where they have the expertise to serve as a teaching assistant.
The Department of Food Science & Technology offers several teaching assistantships each quarter. Appointments are individually determined by the course instructor and the FST TA committee. At present, in-state fees, tuition and health insurance are completely covered under the UC Fee Remission program for any teaching assistantship appointment of 25% or greater.
Graduate Student Researcher (GSR Appointments)
Graduate Student Researchers (formerly termed Research Assistants) are hired under faculty research grants to perform research under the mentorship of the faculty. Traditionally, these appointments are negotiated after the student has secured a major professor. At present, students hired as a GSR for 25% or more have their in-state (and Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition, if eligible) fees paid under the UC Fee Remission program.
Department Scholarships
The Department of Food Science & Technology offers several privately funded scholarships. Anyone within the Department is eligible to apply, although some scholarships have additional requirements. Scholarship applications are distributed in early Fall quarter with the announcement of awards in January. Students and faculty are notified of applications and deadlines through department listservs.
External Scholarships and Fellowships
External Fellowships are those offered by private foundations, government agencies, and corporations. Students are always encouraged to seek funding from external sources. The Office of Graduate Studies provides listings of External Funding Sources, which can be accessed here: http://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/current-students/financial-support/external-fellowships.
UC Davis Food Science Acceptance Rate
University of California—Davis is a public institution that was founded in 1905. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 31,162 (fall 2020), its setting is city, and the campus size is 5,300 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. University of California—Davis’s ranking in the 2022 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #38. Its in-state tuition and fees are $14,654; out-of-state tuition and fees are $44,408.
University of California–Davis admissions is more selective with an acceptance rate of 46%. Half the applicants admitted to University of California–Davis have an SAT score between 1140 and 1400 or an ACT score of 25 and 31. However, one quarter of admitted applicants achieved scores above these ranges and one quarter scored below these ranges. The application deadline is Nov. 30 and the application fee at University of California–Davis is $70.
Admission Criteria
The primary requirement for admission is evidence of intellectual achievement and potential for successful graduate study. Applicants should hold at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a physical or biological science or in engineering from an institution of acceptable standing. The minimum acceptable grade point average is a “B” or its equivalent. Translation of transcripts from non-US institutions into a grading system similar to the American 4.0 point scale will help those applicants to be compared appropriately with their American counterparts.
Beyond these minimum requirements, the admission committee looks for evidence of intellectual potential by reviewing performance in university coursework, considering GRE/TOEFL scores, and carefully reading the candidate’s statement of interest and letters of recommendation. The candidate’s statement and recommendation letters should highlight the applicant’s potential for performing independent, thoughtful research. That can be done, for example, by describing the candidate’s previous research experience in an academic or industrial setting, or by describing the student’s ability to think beyond class assignments in a coursework setting. The candidate’s statement should include a description of the student’s future research interests, as well as their motivation for pursuing graduate education.
The admissions committee reviews every completed application in its entirety.
The Application Process
Applicants must apply online via the UC Davis Office of Graduate Studies application system. Additional information pertaining to University-wide admissions requirements is available on their website.
Application for Admission
Deadlines: Applications open in September and the deadline to apply to Food Science Graduate Group is December 15. For best consideration, please ensure all of your application materials are received by the deadline, including letters and transcripts.
Applications: Applications to the Food Science Graduate Group must be submitted online through the UC Davis Office of Graduate Studies. No paper copies will be accepted. Fellowships: Within the admission application, prospective students are able to apply for UC Davis fellowships. Access to the UC Davis Internal Fellowship section is only available after you have completed and submitted the admission application section. If applying for fellowships, you must also fill out and submit the fellowships application for new students.
Letters of Recommendation: Three letters are required. Once you have identified recommenders in your application, they will be sent a secure online submission link. Letters of recommendation will only be accepted via the online system. No paper letters will be accepted.
Transcripts: UC Davis requires academic records from each college-level institution you have attended. You will be instructed to upload scanned copies of your transcripts after you have submitted your online application. For more details visit https://grad.ucdavis.edu/prospective-students/admissions-application/submitting-your-transcripts.
Status: Your login to the application system will also allow you to monitor the status of your application once submitted. All inquiries concerning the status of applications for admission should be referred to the Office of Graduate Studies.
Application fee: Current application fees are listed at the Graduate Studies Application Portal.
Additional information for International applicants can be found here.
Additional Requirements
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
All applicants are required to take the General Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Scores must not be more than five (5) years old. Scores must be reported electronically to UC Davis. We strongly recommend that you plan to take your GRE examination early in order for scores to arrive prior to the deadline. There is no minimum requirement.
English Language Proficiency
Applicants whose native language or language of instruction is not English must take the TOEFL or IELTS. Scores must not be more than two (2) years old. The TOEFL/IELTS requirement is waived for international applicants who have who have completed an undergraduate or graduate degree in the US.
For the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Exam, a minimum score of 80 is required. Students with TOEFL iBT scores of 104 or below will be required to take an additional ESL examination once they start their graduate program here to determine their level of English ability and whether they would benefit from additional ESL coursework at UC Davis. Students with a TOEFL Speaking section scores less than 23 will also be required to take and pass the UC Davis SPEAK test in order to be eligible to serve as a Teaching Assistant.
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Exam – as an alternative to the TOEFL, you may submit scores from the Academic Modules of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) designed by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate and administered by the British Council worldwide. You are responsible for providing Graduate Studies with an official test report form showing the score you earned on your IELTS examination. Remember to order the TRF when you register to take the test. The minimum score required for admission to graduate study at UC Davis is 7 on a 9-point scale.
The Graduate Group in Food Science is fully committed to providing educational, research and social environments that are both rich in diversity of thought, and welcoming of cultural, religious, racial and individual differences, including gender expression and disabilities. Food is a fundamental necessity for all of humankind, but is selected, prepared, consumed and preserved differently in different cultures and geographical locations. Food also figures prominently in celebrations and other ceremonies of life. Sharing, understanding and appreciating the commonality of food as it is used both for sustenance and in ritual is a uniting, as well as enlightening endeavor. To participate fully in an enriching educational environment, no student should encounter any barriers to sharing or learning that might be caused by his or her individual heritage, background or social condition; individual differences are an asset, not an affliction. We therefore enthusiastically subscribe to the UCD Principles of Community, to “confront and reject all manifestations of discrimination, including those based on race, ethnicity, gender and gender expression, age, visible and non-visible disability, nationality, sexual orientation, citizenship status, veteran status, religious/non-religious, spiritual, or political beliefs, socio-economic class, status within or outside the university, or any of the other differences among people which have been excuses for misunderstanding, dissension or hatred.”
food science graduate programs
UC Davis Food Science Tech Rankings
The food science tech major at UC Davis is not ranked on College Factual’s Best Colleges and Universities for Food Science Technology. This could be for a number of reasons, such as not having enough data on the major or school to make an accurate assessment of its quality.
University of California–Davis is ranked #67 in Best Global Universities. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.
| Ranking Type | Rank |
|---|---|
| Most Popular Colleges for Food Science Technology | 1 |
| Most Focused Colleges for Food Science Technology | 9 |
| Highest Paid Food Science Technology Graduates | 15 |
UC Davis Food Science Courses
FST 1 – Principles of Food Science
FST 3 – Introduction to Brewing and Beer
FST 3V – Introduction to Brewing and Beer
FST 10 – Food Science Folklore and Health
FST 50 – Introduction to Food Preservation
FST 55 – Food in American Culture
FST 100A – Food Chemistry
FST 100B – Food Properties
FST 100C Food Physical Chemistry
FST 101A – Food Chemistry Laboratory
FST 101B – Food Properties Laboratory
FST 102A – Malting and Brewing Science
FST 102B – Practical Malting and Brewing
FST 103 – Physical and Chemical Methods for Food Analysis
FST 104 – Food Microbiology
FST 104L – Food Microbiology Laboratory
FST 106 Food Chemistry for Clinical Nutrition
FST 109 – Principles of Quality Assurance in Food Processing
FST 110 – Physical Principles in Food Processing
FST 110L – Food Processing Laboratory
FST 114/ VEN 114 – Fermented Foods
FST 117 – Design and Analysis for Sensory Food Science
FST 119 – Chemistry and Technology of Milk and Dairy Products
FST 123 – An Introduction to Enzymology
FST 123L – Enzymology Laboratory
FST 127 – Sensory Evaluation of Foods
FST 128 – Food Toxicology
FST 159 – New Product Food Ideas
FST 160 – Food Product Development
FST 190 – Senior Seminar
FST 198 Directed Group Study *NEW*
uc davis food science faculty
Our faculty helps students thrive by innovating new ways to learn. With their guidance, you can learn the intricacies of engineering through coffee-making or explore nuanced social issues through mural design.
We value our professors’ dedication to teaching. Each year, UC Davis honors a faculty member for being an exceptional teacher and scholar with a $45,000 prize.
Meet some of our past winners, like biochemistry professor Judy Callis. She and so many others at UC Davis are enriching our undergraduate education.
Beyond the barriers:
Supporting a system-impacted community
A new initiative, led by Assistant Professor of Chicana/o Studies Ofelia Cuevas, aims to break down stigma, offer ways for our system-impacted community to connect for mutual support, and to address the system through research and education.
Engineering professor
uplifts voices in engineering
Ralph Aldredge — associate dean for Undergraduate Studies and professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering — has been a leader in the college for years. He lifts up student voices and ensures prospective and current students from disadvantaged backgrounds can find a pathway to excel at UC Davis.
Award recognizes exceptional
lifetime achievement in agriculture
Pamela Ronald, a distinguished professor in the Department of Plant Pathology, is recognized for her history of major discoveries in plant molecular genetics.
Plant biochemist is
a top teacher
Students say Judy Callis, an expert in plant biochemistry, is an exemplary, dedicated instructor who creates a respectful, engaging classroom climate.
uc davis food institute
The Foods for Health Institute is an active part of UC Davis and beyond. We participate in multi-disciplinary collaborations with departments across campus.
Milk and Lactation
Milk is the complete food for infants, thanks to millions of years of natural selection on mammalian lactation. Through the bioreactive process that is lactation, milk provides complete nourishment and protection for the infant and their microbiota. This principle of a complete food delivered as a complex mixture of molecules is used throughout the programs and projects of the Foods for Health Institute. Research projects in Milk & Lactation include: discovering new components and structures in human milk and their functions; clinical testing of milk-based dietary solutions for enhancing immunity; and development of new milk lipid-based solutions for improving skin health in premature infants.
Children’s Health and Education
Our Education program empowers school children with real skills to be their healthiest right now and for the rest of their lives. The core principles of human genetic and phenotypic diversity are becoming central to the personalized medicine field that is transforming modern health care. FFHI researchers are invested health education that is personalized and phentotype-appropriate. From K-12, we get students engaged in health-focused Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and training that positions them not only as skilled workers and thinkers, but also as capable of lifelong personal health management.
Biotechnology and Bioprocessing
The thematic principle guiding the Foods for Health Institute is to use our understanding of Lactation Biology to guide all aspects of the food enterprise from agricultural traits to complete diets. This principle is unusually insightful for the processing of food because at its core, the mammary gland is a food bioprocessor. Indeed, the principles of biology are revolutionizing the traditional approaches to Food Processing. The Foods for Health Biotechnology programs are using principles of lactation to develop innovative ‘bio-inspired processes’ to enhance the biological structures and functions of foods rather than to degrade them.
Precision Health Measurement
People are not all the same, and they don’t want to be! In order to guide their health along improved trajectories that they choose, people will need to eat different diets. But how will they know? We will have to add personal health measurement to the list of criteria for choosing foods and assembling diets. Foods for Health is building much more precision into health and in diets than is possible today.
UC Davis has an acceptance rate of 62%, meaning that if you apply to UC Davis, there’s a 62% chance you’ll get in. If you don’t, it doesn’t mean that you’re not smart or capable—it just means that UC Davis has more qualified applicants than available spots. The number of applications for the class of 2022 is up 15% from last year (to 100,000), so it’s likely that UC Davis will continue to receive more applications each year.
If you’re interested in attending UC Davis and want to know if your GPA and ACT scores are competitive enough to be accepted, check out our admissions calculator! You can also see what students say about their experience at UC Davis on College Factual or read reviews from current students on Niche.
For more information about the University of California system and its acceptance rates, visit our website!
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