Fermentation Science, B.S.

School of Agribusiness and Agriscience
615-898-2421
Tony Johnston, program coordinator
Tony.Johnston@mtsu.edu

The program leading to a major in Fermentation Science is designed for students who are interested in the science and art of fermenting foods and beverages as well as developing practical research and outreach initiatives to answer questions facing the growing fermentation-related industries in Tennessee, the United States, and the world.

Academic Map

Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Fermentation Science, B.S.

Degree Requirements

General Education (41 hours)

General Education requirements (shown in curricular listings below) include courses in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences.

The following General Education courses are recommended for this major:

MATH 1730 (Math)
BIOL 1110/1111 (Nat Sci)
CHEM 1110/1111 (Nat Sci)

Major Requirements (57 hours)

FERM 1000 - Introduction to Fermentation Science 3 credit hours
FERM 3700 - Consumer Motivation and Sensory Evaluation of Fermented Foods 3 credit hours
Fermentation Science internship experience 3 credit hours
Fermentation Science research experience 3 credit hours
BIOL 1120 - General Biology II 4 credit hours AND
BIOL 1121 - General Biology II Lab 0 credit hours
BIOL 2230 - Microbiology 4 credit hours AND
BIOL 2231 - Microbiology Lab 0 credit hours
BIOL 4510 - Food and Industrial Microbiology 4 credit hours AND
BIOL 4511 - Food and Industrial Microbiology Lab 0 credit hours
CHEM 1120 - General Chemistry II 4 credit hours AND
CHEM 1121 - General Chemistry II Lab 0 credit hours
CHEM 2030 - Elements of Organic Chemistry 4 credit hours AND
CHEM 2031 - Elements of Organic Chemistry Lab 0 credit hours
CHEM 3530 - Principles of Biochemistry 4 credit hours AND
CHEM 3531 - Principles of Biochemistry Lab 0 credit hours

Specialized Track (21 hours)

Students will select 21 credit hours from the following areas of interest: wine industry, brewing or distillation, fermented dairy foods, fermented meat or baked foods

ABAS 2010 - World Food and Society 3 credit hours
AGBS 3160 - Value Added Agriculture 3 credit hours
AGBS 3810 - Milk Processing and Marketing 3 credit hours
AGBS 4820 - Principles of Food Processing 3 credit hours
AGBS 4830 - Food Quality Control 3 credit hours
AGBS 4850 - Food Safety Issues from Production to Consumption 3 credit hours
FERM 2500 - Wine Appreciation 3 credit hours
FERM 2900 - Legal Issues - Fermentation 2 credit hours
FERM 3710 - Brewing, Distilling, and Fermentation Safety and Sanitation 2 credit hours
FERM 3750 - Facility Design and Operation 2 credit hours
FERM 3850 - Wine Science and Industry 3 credit hours
FERM 4550 - Brewing, Distilling, and Fermentation Science and Analysis 2 credit hours
Applied Fermentation: Grains and Biofuels 2 credit hours
Applied Fermentation: Milk, Meats, and Baking Science 2 credit hours
Applied Fermentation: Fruits and Vegetables 2 credit hours
LSTS 4140 - Wine Tourism 3 credit hours
PLSO 4500 - Agroecology 3 credit hours
BIOL 4570 - Principles of Toxicology 3 credit hours AND
BIOL 4571 - Principles of Toxicology Lab 0 credit hours

Business Foundations (12 hours)

NOTE: Students may count business foundations courses toward the requirements for a minor in Business Administration or Entrepreneurship.

ACTG 3000 - Survey of Accounting for General Business 3 credit hours
BCED 3510 - Business Communication 3 credit hours
BLAW 3400 - Legal Environment of Business 3 credit hours
ENTR 2900 - Entrepreneurship 3 credit hours
FIN 3000 - Principles of Financial Management 3 credit hours
MGMT 3610 - Principles of Management 3 credit hours
MKT 3820 - Principles of Marketing 3 credit hours
ENTR 4920 - Small Business Management 3 credit hours OR
MGMT 4920 - Small Business Management 3 credit hours

Electives (10 hours)

Total hours in program: 120

Curriculum: Fermentation Science

Curricular listing includes General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Freshman

FERM 1000 - Introduction to Fermentation Science 3 credit hours
ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
Mathematics 3 credit hours (MATH 1730 recommended)
Social/Behavioral Sciences 6 credit hours
Natural Sciences 4 credit hours (CHEM 1110 /CHEM 1111 recommended)
CHEM 1120 - General Chemistry II 4 credit hours AND
CHEM 1121 - General Chemistry II Lab 0 credit hours
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 29 Hours

Sophomore

ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
HUM 2610 - Foreign Literature in Translation 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)
COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 credit hours (Comm)
FERM 3700 - Consumer Motivation and Sensory Evaluation of Fermented Foods 3 credit hours
FERM specialized course 3 credit hours
Humanities and/or Fine Arts 6 credit hours
Natural Sciences 4 credit hours (BIOL 1110 BIOL 1111 recommended)
BIOL 1120 - General Biology II 4 credit hours AND
BIOL 1121 - General Biology II Lab 0 credit hours
CHEM 2030 - Elements of Organic Chemistry 4 credit hours AND
CHEM 2031 - Elements of Organic Chemistry Lab 0 credit hours
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 33 Hours

Junior

BIOL 2230 - Microbiology 4 credit hours AND
BIOL 2231 - Microbiology Lab 0 credit hours
BIOL 4510 - Food and Industrial Microbiology 4 credit hours AND
BIOL 4511 - Food and Industrial Microbiology Lab 0 credit hours
CHEM 3530 - Principles of Biochemistry 4 credit hours AND
CHEM 3531 - Principles of Biochemistry Lab 0 credit hours
FERM specialized courses 9 credit hours
Business foundation courses 9 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

Business foundation courses 3 credit hours
FERM specialized courses 9 credit hours
Electives 10 credit hours
FERM research experience 3 credit hours
FERM internship experience 3 credit hours