Current Online Students

In this section, current admitted degree-seeking students can find additional information specific to the Master of Science in Food Science program that is delivered online that may not be included in the Departmental Graduate Student Handbook. If you require additional information, please reach out to Bianca Xu, program Interim Director and Advisor, via gxu8@illinois.edu or 217-898-9705.

Policies Applying to All Graduate Students

The policies and procedures for all graduate students, including those enrolled in an online program, can be found in following Graduate College and University of Illinois publications:

The Graduate College Handbook for Students, Faculty and Staff  

Student Code

The policies and procedures described herein pertain to all students in the FSHN graduate program. They explain your privileges and responsibilities as a graduate student, describes many of the services provided to you by the University, and summarizes the Graduate College regulations that apply to all graduate students, both residential as well as students in our online community.

Minimum Requirements for the Non-Thesis Master’s Degree ***these are based on the proposed curriculum

In summary:

  1. Thirty-two (32) hours of coursework, with at least 12 hours of coursework at the 500 level
    1. Required courses
      1. FSHN 514– Advanced Food Chemistry
      2. FSHN 573 – Advanced Food Microbiology
      3. FSHN 595 – Advance Food Processing
      4. FSHN 595 – Nutrition for Food Scientists or Nutrition for Health and Fitness
      5. FSHN 595 – Program Final Seminar
    2. Up to 4 hours of FSHN 598 may be used to fulfill the coursework requirements
    3. Note: Students are encouraged to take new courses, rather than retake required courses they have already taken.  If you have already taken a required course at the University of Illinois, it is highly recommended that you do not retake it.  No petition is required.  If you have taken a very similar course at another university, you are strongly encouraged to petition for acceptance of that course in lieu of the required course.  Courses should be selected to expand and strengthen your knowledge in core and related disciplines.  Retaking a course does not meet that objective. 
  2. A GPA of at least 3.0 (4.0=A) for all graded courses taken during the student's enrollment in the M.S. degree program
  3. Pass a final examination that includes an oral evaluation by at least 2 FSHN faculty members after the completion of at least 31 hours of coursework, with at least 11 hours of coursework at the 500 level
    1. Preparation course must be completed during the semester the examination is planned
  4. Completion of all requirements within five (5) years of initial registration in the Graduate College.

Advising

Once admitted to the Food Science and Human Nutrition M.S. degree program, Bianca Xu, Interim Director of the program, will serve as your academic advisor while you are completing your coursework. As this is a graduate program, most advising in student led. Advising appointments should be initiated via an email message to gxu8@illinois.edu.

Tuition

Information about required credit hours, tuition and fee expenses per credit hour, and estimated cost for the program can be found here.

Technology Requirements

As this program is a synchronous, online program, all students are required to have a reliable video camera and noise-canceling microphone in order to participate effectively in the classroom and collaborative activities. It is also recommended that students utilize a personal computer (i.e., not a computer provided professionally) in order to best adhere to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign online security protocols, as well as your professional organization’s online security protocols.

Canvas - Course Learning Management System:

Most of the instructional materials for the program will be delivered to you via Canvas powered by Instructure, the primary course learning management system supported by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Technology Services group. You are expected to regularly check the Canvas site for all course materials, assignments, announcements, and other important class information. The Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for access to Canvas is: 

https://canvas.illinois.edu/ 

When you enter this URL into the Web browser a login box will appear. Follow the instructions on that page to login. You will need your Active Directory (AD) password to login to Canvas. Most courses open to students the week before the semester starts; however some faculty may postpone access to a course site until the first day of class.

Zoom – Course Synchronous Online Collaboration Platform:

Per their communication, Zoom is a "videotelephony and online chat service through a cloud-based peer-to-peer software platform and is used for teleconferencing, telecommuting, distance education, and social relations." Zoom is the plat form we will be using for our synchronous (i.e., live) interactive sessions. Links to the Zoom sessions can be found via the "Zoom Meetings" on the left-hand menu in Canvas. By clicking on the correct meeting day, the link will take you directly to the correct session meeting space. Please note that, per University of Illinois Security protocols, you must be signed in to Zoom in order to enter the Zoom meeting.

Canvas and Zoom Technology Services Help Desk:

If you are registered in a course and experience trouble accessing a course Canvas site or Zoom collaboration space, you should reach out to the Technology Services Help Desk. The Technology Services Help Desk Support team may be accessed Monday – Friday 8am – 9pm, and Saturday and Sunday 12pm – 5pm. For immediate assistance:

  • Call the Help Desk during business hours (see above) at 217-244-7000; Press 1 for classroom assistance.
  • Email the Help Desk during business hours (see above) via consult@illinois.edu

If you do not require immediate assistance, submit a Ticket via the following website: https://techservices.illinois.edu/get-help

Transfer of Credit:

Per the Graduate College, courses taken as a non-degree student and courses taken at other accredited institutions may be transferable, subject to Departmental and Graduate College approval. All transfer credits are handled by petition to the Graduate College. The Graduate College will not consider transfer of courses for credit if those courses were completed more than five calendar years prior to the date of transfer. Only those courses with grades of “B” or better will be considered.

Letter grades of courses transferred from another accredited institution do not enter into the computation of the grade point average (GPA). Letter grades of courses taken as a non-degree student, or courses taken at the University of Illinois at Chicago or the University of Illinois at Springfield, are included in your GPA. If you have completed graduate work at a recognized institution, but have not applied these courses to an advanced degree at that institution, you may petition to obtain credit toward the M.S. degree.

Additional information regarding transferable coursework, from the Graduate College Handbook for Faculty, Staff, and Students:

Generally, a maximum of 12 semester hours of graduate work completed outside the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as well as 12 hours of coursework as a non-degree student may be counted towards the master’s degree. Transferable coursework includes these types:

  1. Graduate level work taken at another accredited institution, but not used toward a degree,
  2. Graduate level work done while enrolled as a non-degree student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Available Resources for Degree-Seeking Students in the Master of Science in Food Science Program:

Available Resources for Degree-Seeking Students in the Master of Science in Food Science Program through the Grad College at UIUC