The Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Michigan State University offers nationally recognized academic, research and outreach programs. Our department is home to 40+ faculty, 44 graduate students and over 500 undergraduate students.
Our faculty and staff are active in research to solve contemporary issues in food production, quality and safety, as well as nutrient function and applications to health and chronic disease prevention. We are committed to excellence and the application of knowledge and expertise in classrooms, laboratories and communities.
Tour our updated research and educational facilities and do not forget to try the world-class ice cream and cheese available through our MSU Dairy Store!
Our Mission: To assure the effective development of people through creation and dissemination of relevant food and nutrition knowledge targeted at societal needs.
Our Vision: To provide an environment in which individual faculty, staff and students flourish collectively in pursuit of academic excellence.
Undergraduate
The FSHN Dept offers Bachelor of Science degree programs in 3 areas: dietetics, food science, and nutritional sciences.
Dietetics - Dietetics undergraduates in this ACEND-accredited program can expect to gain knowledge in foods and nutrition and to develop expertise in nutritional assessment and care, as well as in food service management systems.
Food Science - Food science graduates of this IFT-approved program use cutting-edge technology to develop new food products, add value to raw food commodities, and improve the quality and safety of foods.
Nutritional Sciences - Nutritional sciences students choose one of three tracks depending on interest on health care occupations such as medicine or dentistry, or in public health nutrition, or in global food and health initiatives.
Graduate
The Department of FSHN offers both Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degree programs in two areas: food science and human nutrition. In addition, the department oversees an ACEND-accredited post-bachelor's dietetic internship.
Food Science - Students who are admitted to the food science master's and doctoral degree programs carry out research in either food safety and toxicology or in food processing and quality enhancement.
Human Nutrition - The human nutrition graduate programs provide a strong biochemical research base with practical community-based applications and diverse transdisciplinary experiences.
Nutrition and Dietetics - Dietetic Internship - The MSU combined master's degree and dietetic internship prepares its graduates to take the national registration examination for dietitians and to apply state-of-the-art practice in diverse and challenging healthcare, community/public health, foodservice management, and entrepreneurial positions.