2025 - 2026 Graduate Catalog
Food and Animal Sciences, M.S.
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 Return to: College of Agriculture
Program Overview
Mission of the College
The College of Agriculture carries out the Land Grant mandates of the University in teaching, research, and service. The major goal of the College is to satisfy the educational needs and aspirations of both traditional and non-traditional students enrolled in its academic programs.
Department Goals and Objectives
The primary goal of the Department is to (1) Keep the academic programs/curriculum current and relevant to current and future workforce needs, and (2)) Prepare students for high skill, wage, and demand career opportunities through teaching, mentoring, providing hands-on research and service experiential learning and internships. The graduate programs are designed to provide students with a solid and the most relevant up-to-date curriculum that blends 21st-century leadership skills and scientific knowledge to solve problems in food, animal sciences, and related areas. Students will develop the necessary set of skills and competency, and expand their knowledge, creativity, and scholastic activities through classroom, experiential hands-on learning, and networking opportunities that prepare them for today’s ever-demanding job market.
Program Description
The Master of Science in Food and Animal Sciences degree is offered with two options, thesis or non-thesis. The program focuses on advanced studies in food science, animal production, and related biotechnologies.
Program Outcomes
- Graduates will be prepared for specialized roles in food and animal health-related industries, food engineering, food safety and quality, product development, animal nutrition, and genetics.
- Develop professionals and research scholars with in-depth knowledge and skills in food and animal sciences.
- Prepare scholars for rewarding careers in government, industry, international organizations, and higher education related to food and animal sciences.
- Develop scholars to take leadership roles in professional food, agricultural, and environmental sciences, with an emphasis on food and animal sectors.
- Equip professionals to evaluate and define diverse problems and develop solutions in food and animal production and processing.
- Enable experts to analyze data, and develop, implement, and evaluate solutions to real-world problems in the food and animal industries.
- Foster scholars capable of communicating effectively to diverse audiences on food and animal science topics.
- Prepare scholars for further doctoral and/or post-doctoral training (primarily through the thesis option).
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year degree granting college or university with a major in one of the Food, Agricultural, or related sciences.
- Minimum GPA of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale.
- Minimum GRE score of 290 (Verbal + Quantitative).
- A sliding scale for GPA and GRE may be used for minor deficiencies for degrees from U.S. institutions.
- International Students:
- TOEFL minimum score: Internet-based Test (iBT) - 71 (Computer-based Test (CBT) - 197; Paper-based Test (PBT) - 530) OR IELTS minimum score of 6.0. Test scores are valid for five years.
- Non-US transcripts must be evaluated by a foreign educational credential agency (e.g., WES).
- Required Application Materials (submitted via GradCAS): Official transcripts, GRE scores, personal statement of purpose, contact details for three professional/academic references, CV/Resume.
Important Dates
(Refer to the official 2025-2026 Graduate School Calendar when available):
- Fall Admission Application Deadline (Domestic): July 1 (Confirm with official calendar for 2025-2026)
- Fall Admission Application Deadline (International Students Abroad): April 1 (Confirm with official calendar for 2025-2026)
- Spring Admission Application Deadline (Domestic): December 1 (Confirm with official calendar for 2025-2026)
- Spring Admission Application Deadline (International Students Abroad): October 1 (Confirm with official calendar for 2025-2026)
Program Duration
- M.S. with thesis is typically 2 years.
- M.S. non-thesis is typically 2 years.
- GRA for MS level is standard for 18 months, with a research mode extension for 6 months (total 24 months).
Transfer of Credits
Up to 12 credit hours from another accredited institution may be transferred, subject to approval by the student’s advisory committee, graduate coordinator, department chair, and graduate school dean.
Degree Requirements
- Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.
- Thesis Option: Successful completion of coursework, appointment of thesis advising committee, advancement to candidacy, submission and successful oral defense of an approved thesis. Must pass AGSC 5110 and AGSC 5060 before enrolling in AGSC 5120.
- Non-Thesis Option: Students choosing the non-thesis option will be required to take a minimum of 35 hours of course work. After successful completion of coursework including AGSC 5350 (Independent Study of Contemporary Issues and Problems), student need to pass comprehensive written and oral examinations administered by the student’s advisory committee and other faculty members representing appropriate subject matter areas. The student’s major advisor will serve as chairperson of the committee conducting the examination. If a student fails the comprehensive examination, one retake will be allowed. Should the student again fail, a third and final examination may be taken upon completion of additional course work (minimum of 6 hours) to be selected by the student’s advisory committee.
- File program of study after completion of 9 to 15 credit hours of coursework.
Accreditation Information
Tennessee State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Career Opportunities
Graduates will be absorbed into the food industries, such as food engineering, food safety and food quality, and product development. Graduates in the animal science will work with animal industries, in areas of production, management, and health. Similarly, graduates will find employment opportunities in marketing organizations, teaching, agricultural extension services, various state and federal government agencies, and pursue Ph.D. degree in the Food and Animal Sciences.
Faculty
- Dr. Samuel Nahashon, Ph.D. (Poultry Science, Animal Biotechnology)
- Dr. Fur-Chi Chen, Ph.D. (Food Science and Technology)
- Dr. Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge, Ph.D. (Food Microbiology and Safety)
- Dr. Richard Browning, Jr., Ph.D. (Animal Breeding and Genetics)
- Dr. Hongwei Si, Ph.D. (Animal Nutrition/Health)
- Dr. Yongming (Simon) Sang, Ph.D. (Animal Genomics and Immunology)
- Dr. Aliyar Fouladkhah, Ph.D., MPH (Food Safety Microbiology)
- Dr. Ankit Patras, Ph.D. (Food Process Engineering)
- Dr. Ying Wu, Ph.D. (Food Product development)
- Dr. Brahmaiah Pendyala, Ph.D. (Microbiology and biotechnology)
- Dr. Gajender Aleti, Ph.D. (Gut Microbiome)
- Dr. Chetan Sharma, Ph.D. (Food Science and Sensory Analysis)
- Dr. Kimberly Reuscher, Ph.D. (Dairy Science)
- Dr. Pramir Maharjan, Ph.D. (Poultry Science, water quality)
Program Website
 Program Coordinator/Contact Information
- Department Chair: Dr. Samuel Nahashon (Professor, Office: 108B Lawson Hall, Phone: (615) 963-5829, Email: snahashon@tnstate.edu)
- Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Ying Wu (Professor, Office: 114 Agricultural Biotechnology Building, Phone: (615) 963-6006, Email: ywu@tnstate.edu)
- College Dean: Dr. Chandra Reddy (Office: 213 Agricultural Biotechnology Building, Phone: (615) 963-7561, Email: creddy@tnstate.edu)
Program of Study and Credit Hours Required
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