Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Agriculture and Life Sciences specializing in

Dairy Processing

The MPS degree specializing in Dairy Processing is offered by the Field of Food Science and Technology, College of Agriculture

and Life Sciences, Cornell University. This degree emphasizes breadth of training via coursework rather than research experience. Working with a mentor at Cornell's #1 rated Food Science and Technology program, students complete 30 credits of coursework, including a project report on a subject of interest. Cornell University is home to a number of programs and facilities committed to dairy research, including our state-of-the-art dairy processing plant, the Milk Quality Improvement Program, and the Northeast Dairy Foods Research Center. These resources are available to MPS students working on a project in Dairy Processing. For further information about an MPS specializing in Food Science visit our web site at:

foodscience.cals.cornell.edu

About the MPS

Students work with an advisor from the food science and technology faculty to plan a class schedule and project unique to individual academic needs and career goals.

Program length is flexible and students can begin in the Fall or Spring semester.

MPS projects can be dairy processing-oriented and can be completed in the research lab, the dairy processing plant, or the food processing and development laboratory.

Opportunities to interact with Food Science Advisory Council industry representatives.

Receive assistance with interview skills, resume writing, and finding internship or job opportunities through Cornell’s Career Development Office:

cals.cornell.edu/academics/advising/career

Career Resources

Flexible Program Design

“Cornell University’s M.P.S. degree provided me with a thorough and

extensive introduction to almost every topic within food science. I graduated after two semesters and immediately began an internship as a cheese making assistant at Asgaard Farm & Dairy, a family owned and operated organic goat farm. Because of my MPS degree in Food Science and my experience at Asgaard, I was qualified to join Hilmar Cheese in Dalhart, TX as a production supervisor. ”

Jenna Burgess, MPS ‘11

Fall Course Title Credits

FDSC 4180 Food Chemistry II (includes dairy chemistry section) 3

FDSC 4210 Food Engineering Principles 3

FDSC 6040 Chemistry of Dairy Products 2

FDSC 5000 MPS Project 1-3

*FDSC 6000 Seminar in Food Science 1

*FDSC 6010 Principles and Applications of Food Science and Technology 2

Spring Course Title Credits

ANSC 4010 Dairy Industry Seminar 1

FDSC 4170 Food Chemistry I 3

FDSC 4250 Unit Operations and Dairy Foods Processing (includes lecture as well as a lab in the pilot plant)

3

FDSC 6650 Food and Bioprocessing Systems 2

FDSC 5000 MPS Project 1-3

*FDSC 6000 Seminar in Food Science 1

Example Curriculum

Admission Requirements Bachelor’s degree in animal science, dairy science or other physical or life science field (e.g. microbiology, chemistry, biochemistry etc.).

At least 15 credits of introductory college-level science courses if your bachelor’s degree is in a non-science background (e.g. business, liberal arts). This includes general chemistry, organic chemistry, general biology, and corresponding labs. Course-work in microbiology is recommended. Advisors Advisors are assigned prior to enrollment; however, students have the opportunity to identify and switch to an appropriate permanent faculty advisor once on campus. Program Completion and Cost On average, students complete the MPS degree in 12 to 18 months. The degree must be completed within four years of admission. Tuition and health insurance costs vary from year to year. For the 2015-2016 academic year, tuition costs $32,000 and health insurance costs approximately $2,587. There is no tuition for summer unless you enroll in a class.

Alumni Spotlight

Development of Greek style yogurt using milk fortified with micellar casein concentrate

Developing an economic feasibility model for artisan cheese startups: case studies for Happy Cheese Maker & The Big Red Cheddar Cheese Project

Examples of Past MPS Projects

*Courses are required for all food science graduate students

Additional courses required to meet a minimum of 30 credits. To view all courses, visit courses.cornell.edu.