Program Overview

Program Overview

The Online MS in Food Safety program at Michigan State University provides working professionals with a core curriculum featuring multi-disciplinary sciences, including food law components. The program offers elective choices, allowing students to tailor their program to meet their interests and career goals. Additionally, students complete a non-thesis applied project that connects to their current work.

Program Details

• The program consists of ten 3-credit courses, totaling 30 credits.
• The average time to complete the degree is 3 years.
• The program is a non-thesis professional science master's, featuring a Plan-B applied food safety project.
• The program is accredited by Michigan State University, Higher Learning Commission-North Central Association, AVMA Council on Education (COE) through the College of Veterinary Medicine, and Affiliate of the Professional Science Masters.

Program Outcomes

After completing the program, students will be able to:

• Work collaboratively with experts in their field.
• Evaluate and manage a broad range of food safety information.
• Understand and evaluate new and emerging technologies.
• Utilize a deeper understanding of core sciences, including foodborne microbiology, toxicology, and epidemiology.
• Lead food safety efforts to address new concerns, such as allergens, preventive controls, and food safety culture.
• Demonstrate critical thinking, organizational, and leadership skills.
• Solve food safety problems by identifying effective and efficient processes.

Career Outlook

Graduates of the program typically move up or on in their respective field, with many alumni receiving promotional opportunities within the first year after completing the degree. Alumni represent over 300 organizations and work in 41 US states and 20+ countries. Some titles of MS in Food Safety alumni include:

• Quality Manager
• Director of Food Safety
• Research Microbiologist
• Regulatory Affairs Specialist
• USDA or FDA Inspector

Course Information

Core Courses

• VM 810 - Intro to Food Safety Professional Development (3 Credits)
• VM 811 - Evolution and Ecology of Foodborne Pathogens (3 Credits)
• VM 812 - Food Safety Toxicology (3 Credits)
• VM 815 - Applied Project in Food Safety (3 Credits)
• VM 830 - Food Safety Research Methods (3 Credits)
• VM 831 - Foodborne Disease Epidemiology (3 Credits)
• Choose one of the following FSC courses:
  • FSC 810 - International Food Laws & Regulations (3 Credits)
  • FSC 811 - U.S. Food Laws & Regulations (3 Credits)

Electives

Choose nine credits from the following:

• VM 814 - Packaging for Food Safety (3 Credits)
• VM 821 - Food Protection & Defense (3 Credits)
• VM 825 - Quantifying Food Risk (3 Credits)
• VM 826 - Creating a Food Safety Culture (3 credits)
• VM 827 - FSMA/HACCP (3 Credits)
• VM 834 - Current Issues in Food Safety (1-9 Credits)
• VM 840 - Anti-Counterfeit Strategy (3 Credits)

Admission Requirements

To be accepted into the program, applicants must have:

• A bachelor's degree or equivalent from an accredited and recognized college or university.
• A 3.0 GPA or above on a 4.0 scale.
• Completed coursework, including at least six credits of college-level biological sciences, with three credits in microbiology (a 300-level course or higher is recommended).
• Two years of work experience in a food-related field.
• Taken the TOEFL (if English is not the native language).
• Three letters of recommendation.
• Official transcripts from all previous schools.

Tuition & Fees

The tuition fee is $991 per credit hour. The total cost of attendance includes tuition, fees, and other expenses associated with being a graduate student.

Key Dates

• Fall application deadline: April 15th
• Spring application deadline: September 15th

University Rankings

Michigan State University is ranked:

• 29th among Best Public Universities in America (U.S. News & World Report, 2025)
• Veteran-Friendly 'Gold Status' 10 Years in a Row (Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, 2025)
• #8 Best Online Master's in Business Programs (U.S. News & World Report, 2025)