You are reading the 2024/25 Academic Calendar. The 2023/24 version remains in effect until August 31, 2024 and is available here.

Food Science Major

Food Science is a discipline encompassing food chemistry, food microbiology, physical, sensory, and nutritional properties of food, and food process science with respect to the manufacture, preservation, quality assurance, and development of food products.

Students wishing to specialize in or concentrate on certain areas should consult the program advisor.

Admission

The first two years of the Food Science major are comprised of the standard core of the FNH program. Students may apply after completing at least 24 credits of the listed first-year courses (or their equivalent). The annual application date is March 31 for September admission. Application information is available online.

To apply for admission after second year, the student should have completed at least 48 credits of listed first- and second-year courses (or their equivalent).

Admission to the Food Science major is based on two components:

  • Academic Performance (85% of Admission Score): Admission to the Food Science major is based on a minimum academic standing of 70%, calculated based on the best 21 credits per year of post-secondary courses required in this program. The student must have completed LFS 150 or equivalent. Elective courses and LFS 100, LFS 250, LFS 350, or LFS 450 are not included in this calculation.
  • Letter of Intent (15% of Admission Score): The student must submit a 500 word (maximum) Letter of Intent which addresses the following: a) why the student wishes to enrol in the Food Science major; b) the student's career aspirations; c) any personal, volunteer, or work experiences that demonstrate the student's interest in food and/or nutrition, and; d) for students who have taken less than 24 credits per year, a brief explanation of why.

Admission after third year or a subsequent year will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Meeting the minimum requirements for application to the major does not guarantee admission. Students admitted to the Major will be required to maintain an average of at least 70% in required courses in each year, to remain in the program.

Students who are not accepted into the major or do not maintain the required average would be eligible to complete the FNH general major, or select another program if appropriate.

Food Science Major

First Year 
LFS 1001
LFS 150 or WRDS 15013
BIOL 112 & 1216
FNH 160 & 16126
CHEM 121 (or 111)34
CHEM 123 (or 113)4
MATH 100 and 101 or equivalent46
PHYS 131 or equivalent53
Total Credits33
Second Year 
LFS 2506
LFS 252 or equivalent63
FNH 2003
FNH 2503
CHEM 205 & 2336
CHEM 2351
BIOL 200 & 20176
MICB 2113
Total Credits31
Third Year 
BIOC 3023
FNH 3003
FNH 3013
FNH 3023
FNH 3033
FNH 3093
FNH 3133
FNH 3253
FNH 3263
MICB 3531
Restricted elective83
Total Credits31
Fourth Year 
FNH 4033
FNH 4043
FNH 425 or FNH 4996
LFS 3503
One of ECON 101, ECON 310, LFS 101, FNH 415, or 300 or 400 level COMM3
Food Science elective93
Restricted elective83
Unrestricted electives6
Total Credits30
Overall four-year total credits125
1 Or equivalent course to fulfill Communication Requirement. 
2 Equivalent courses include BIOL 153, BIOL 155, CAPS 301. 
3 CHEM 111 is not for students with Chemistry 12.
4 Equivalent courses for MATH 100 include MATH 102 and MATH 104. Equivalent courses for MATH 101 include MATH 103 and MATH 105. Students who have not completed Calculus 12 should take MATH 180 or MATH 110, plus MATH 101 to fulfill their first year Math requirement.
5 Students without credit for Physics 12 must take PHYS 100 before taking other 100-level PHYS courses. Acceptable alternatives are PHYS 101, PHYS 106, PHYS 107 and PHYS 117.
6 Courses equivalent to BIOL 201 include BIOC 202 and BIOC 203.
7 Equivalent courses include BIOL 300, EPSE 482, FRST 231, STAT 200.
8 To be selected in consultation with a program advisor. For suggested courses see the list posted to the Faculty website.
9 See the list of Food Science Electives posted to the Faculty website.

 


UBC Crest The official logo of the University of British Columbia. Urgent Message An exclamation mark in a speech bubble. Caret An arrowhead indicating direction. Arrow An arrow indicating direction. Arrow in Circle An arrow indicating direction. Arrow in Circle An arrow indicating direction. Chats Two speech clouds. Facebook The logo for the Facebook social media service. Information The letter 'i' in a circle. Instagram The logo for the Instagram social media service. Linkedin The logo for the LinkedIn social media service. Location Pin A map location pin. Mail An envelope. Menu Three horizontal lines indicating a menu. Minus A minus sign. Pencil A pencil indicating that this is editable. Telephone An antique telephone. Plus A plus symbol indicating more or the ability to add. Search A magnifying glass. Twitter The logo for the Twitter social media service. Youtube The logo for the YouTube video sharing service.