Mar 28, 2024  
University of Alberta Calendar 2021-2022 
    
University of Alberta Calendar 2021-2022 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

The Degree of MSc (Agricultural, Food, and Nutritional Science) [Graduate]


Program Requirements


The Department offers a thesis-based MSc and a course-based MSc.

Thesis-based MSc


Students are required to complete a minimum of ★10 in graduate-level coursework, including ★9 in required courses, a ★1 seminar course and a non-credit lab course. Completion of a thesis is also required.

All thesis-based MSc students must declare a specialization.

Outstanding thesis-based MSc candidates can request a change of program category to a PhD program, subject to approval by the Department.

Required Courses


  • Three ★3 graduate-level courses that will be recommended by the supervisor and supervisory committee.
  • Course requirements are based on the student’s previous training and anticipated needs in the student’s field of specialization.

Seminar Course


  • AFNS 601  – Seminar. Students are required to present one seminar and maintain at least 75% attendance

Required Lab course


  • Students are required to complete Lab Skills 101 in the first term of their program.
  • Exemption may be requested with support of the supervisor based on evidence of previous lab training.

Thesis


  • Registration in 900-level THES. Students are required to prepare an acceptable thesis presenting results of the research conducted. They must present a thesis seminar and successfully pass the oral exam.

Academic Standing Requirement


Students in the thesis-based MSc program are required to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 throughout the course of the program.

Failure to maintain the required cumulative GPA will normally result in a recommendation by the Associate Chair – Graduate Program to FGSR that the student be placed on academic probation  or required to withdraw.

Course-based MSc


Students are required to complete a minimum of ★28 in graduate-level coursework, including ★24 in required courses, a ★1 seminar course, and a ★3 capping project.

Required Courses


  • Courses will be recommended by the supervisor and supervisory committee.
  • Course requirements are based on the student’s previous training and anticipated needs in the student’s area of focus.

Seminar Course


  • AFNS 601  – Seminar. Students are required to present one seminar and maintain at least 75% attendance.

Capping Project


  • AFNS 900  – Directed Research Project. Course-based MSc students are required to present a formal public seminar (outlining their project paper) and successfully complete an oral examination by the Supervisor plus one additional faculty member.

Residence Requirement


For the thesis-based MSc the minimum period of residence is two, four-month terms of full-time attendance at the University of Alberta. There is no residence requirement for the course-based MSc.

Length of Program


For the thesis-based MSc, the time required to complete the program will vary according to the previous training of the applicant and the nature of the research undertaken. Normally two years of study and research are needed to complete the degree program.

The time required to complete the course-based MSc will vary; the program can be completed in two years.

The maximum time to complete the thesis-based MSc program as set by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research is four years.

The maximum time to complete the course-based MSc program as set by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research is six years.