Graduate Program Description

The Master of Science Degree in FCSC, allows students to choose courses in foods and nutrition, family studies, and other areas within the field. Workshops and travel/study tours, along with daytime and weekend classes are available.

Degree Requirements. All graduate students in the Department are required to complete FCSC 5300 and a graduate statistics course, which deal with research methods and data analysis and interpretation. The remainder of each student's program of study is developed according to the student's professional goals and interests.

Thesis route: This option consists of 30 credit hours. The thesis counts for 6 credit hours and course work comprises 24 credit hours. While all course work may be taken within the Department, students may elect to enroll in a maximum of 6 credit hours of supporting courses in other departments.

Non-thesis route: A student electing this option will complete 36 hours course work; 12 credit hours may be taken in other departments. Students not completing a thesis are required to pass a comprehensive written and oral exam covering course work completed during the graduate program.

Admission Requirements. The Department of FCSC has adopted the admission requirements of the Lamar University College of Graduate Studies. Refer to the Lamar University Graduate Catalog for details. In addition, an applicant must score a minimum of 350 on the verbal section of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

Prerequisites. If a student's undergraduate degree is in a discipline other than FCSC or one of its subject matter areas, the student is required to complete undergraduate course work. The graduate advisor works closely with the student to determine any undergraduate deficiencies.

Transfer Credit. With the approval of the Department Chair students may transfer up to six credit hours graduate work from another institution.