Frequently Asked Questions
What is a graduate group?
The Food Science Graduate Group (FSGG) is a unique approach to graduate study offered only at UC Davis. Courses are organized across departmental lines to offer a graduate degree and students are given opportunities to conduct research in many different departments and settings. This allows students to focus on food science from a variety of perspectives. Currently, faculty members who have primary responsibility for the core coursework and advising of the FSGG are located in Food Science and Technology. Other FSGG faculty are located in other departments/units of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, the College of Engineering, the School of Medicine, and the School of Veterinary Medicine, specializing in the areas of Food Chemistry/Biochemistry, Food Microbiology, Food Engineering, and Sensory Analysis.
When is the application deadline?
The deadline for both degree programs is December 1st.
What background is needed for each degree program?
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 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.
For further information, please see links above for Admissions Information.