Food Science First Year Engagement

Catalog description

This first year seminar course was designed to facilitate transition into college with a particular emphasis on food sciences. This course is structured into two main modules, (1) general academic requirements (such as expectations) and (2) the field of food science. Topics related to fulfilling academic requirements provides students with resources related to academic advising, time management, student support services, getting to know the college, and student affairs. In the first module, our aim is that (1) students will be able to identify and understand opportunities that exist within academic-related support services at Penn State and (2) become familiar with major requirements and understand as well as interpret degree audits. In the second module, our aim is that (1) students understand what food science is, (2) identify and understand extracurricular and curricular opportunities within food science, and (3) identify and understand career opportunities within the food science field. Specific examples of topics related to module two are faculty huddle assignments (series of faculty-driven guest speaker series), hands-on activities related to food microbiology and safety, food engineering, food chemistry, and food choice, and team building challenge tasks (e.g., Chef Microbe and The Food Waste Challenge).