The Fermentation Science and Technology concentration blends a strong science base with courses in organic chemistry, microbiology, physics, biochemistry, food chemistry, and food safety with applied courses in brewing science. The curriculum prepares students for employment in the fermented food and beverage industry. The concentration provides a strong background for pursuing a graduate program.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion, students will be able to:

  1. Integrate and apply information from basic nutrition, food sciences, and biological and chemical concepts/processes to understand the production and quality of foods; and comprehend approaches used to analyze the relationships among production of foods, nutrition, and food safety.
  2. Demonstrate discipline-specific knowledge of the skills and competencies needed in food science and fermentation science and technology, including food microbiology, sensory evaluation, food chemistry, quality assessment, food production management, and the role of food in the promotion of health.
  3. Analyze the production, service, and consumption of foods and beverages, including financial aspects, functional skills, and efficient management of resources with emphasis on safe service training and management.
  4. Assess and apply the science, history, culture, safety, health, and nutrition dimensions of foods and beverages to the food industry.

Learn more about the Fermentation Science and Technology concentration on the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition website

Effective Fall 2025

Freshman
AUCCCredits
CO 150College Composition (GT-CO2)1A3
FTEC 155Introduction to Food Science (GT-SC2)3A3
MATH 117College Algebra in Context I (GT-MA1)1B1
MATH 118College Algebra in Context II (GT-MA1)1B1
MATH 124Logarithmic and Exponential Functions (GT-MA1)1B1
SOC 100Introduction to Sociology (GT-SS3)3C3
Select one group from the following: 4
Group A:
  
Principles of Animal Biology (GT-SC2)3A 
Animal Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1)3A 
Group B:
  
Attributes of Living Systems (GT-SC1)3A 
Select one group from the following: 5-8
Group A:
  
Fundamentals of Chemistry (GT-SC2)3A 
Fundamentals of Chemistry Laboratory (GT-SC1)3A 
Group B:
  
General Chemistry I (GT-SC2)3A 
General Chemistry Lab I (GT-SC1)3A 
General Chemistry II  
1C1C3
Arts and Humanities3B3
 Total Credits 27-30
Sophomore
 
CHEM 245Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry 4
CHEM 246Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry Laboratory 1
FTEC 210Science of Food Fermentation 3
FTEC 292Careers in Fermentation and Food Science 1
SPCM 200Public Speaking 3
Select one group from the following: 5
Group A:
  
Microbial Biology  
Microbial Biology Laboratory  
Group B:
  
General Microbiology  
General Microbiology Laboratory  
Arts and Humanities3B3
Historical Perspectives3D3
Electives (see list below)1 6
 Total Credits 29
Junior
 
BC 351Principles of Biochemistry 4
FTEC 350Fermentation Microbiology4B3
FTEC 360Brewing Processes4A4
FTEC 447Food Chemistry 3
MIP 334Food Microbiology 3
RRM 330Alcohol Beverage Control and Management 2
Select one course from the following: 3
Writing Arguments (GT-CO3)2 
Writing in the Disciplines: Sciences (GT-CO3)2 
Writing in the Disciplines: Social Sciences (GT-CO3)2 
Strategic Writing and Communication (GT-CO3)2 
Select one course from the following: 3
General Statistics (GT-MA1)1B 
Statistics With Business Applications (GT-MA1)1B 
Elective (See list below)1 3
 Total Credits 28
Senior
 
FTEC 400Food Safety 3
FTEC 422Brewing Science I 5
FTEC 460Brewing Science II 5
FTEC 465Food Production Operations 3
FTEC 4922Senior Seminar Fermentation and Food Science4C4
Electives (See list below)1 13-16
 Total Credits 33-36
 Program Total Credits: 120

Department Electives

Code Title AUCC Credits
ANEQ 360 Principles of Meat Science 3
FTEC 110 Food-From Farm to Table 3
FTEC 115 Cultural Aspects of Fermented Foods (GT-SS3) 1C 3
FTEC 205 Beer Styles and Tasting 2
FTEC 351 Fermentation Microbiology Laboratory 2
FTEC 375 Introduction to Fermentation Unit Operations 4
FTEC 430 Sensory Evaluation of Food Products 2
FTEC 487 Internship 3
FTEC 495 Independent Study 1-6
MATH 126 Analytic Trigonometry (GT-MA1) 1B 1
MATH 141 Calculus in Management Sciences (GT-MA1) 1B 3-4
or MATH 155 Calculus for Biological Scientists I (GT-MA1)
MGT 305 Fundamentals of Management 3
MGT 430 Leadership and Social Responsibility 3
MIP 335 Food Microbiology Laboratory 2
RRM 335/FSHN 335 Food, Society and Social Media 3
1

Students may select from the Department Electives course list, or they may select any course as a free elective. Select enough elective credits to bring the program total to 120 credits, of which at least 42 must be upper-division (300- to 400-level).

2

FTEC 492 should be taken in both semesters of Senior year.

Freshman
Semester 1CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
FTEC 155Introduction to Food Science (GT-SC2)X 3A3
MATH 117College Algebra in Context I (GT-MA1)X 1B1
MATH 118College Algebra in Context II (GT-MA1)X 1B1
MATH 124Logarithmic and Exponential Functions (GT-MA1)X 1B1
Select one group from the following:X  4
Group A:
    
Principles of Animal Biology (GT-SC2)X 3A 
Animal Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1)X 3A 
Group B:
    
Attributes of Living Systems (GT-SC1)X 3A 
Select one group from the following:X  5
Group A:    
Fundamentals of Chemistry (GT-SC2)X 3A 
Fundamentals of Chemistry Laboratory (GT-SC1)X 3A 
Group B:    
General Chemistry I (GT-SC2)X 3A 
General Chemistry Lab I (GT-SC1)X 3A 
 Total Credits   15
Semester 2CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
CO 150College Composition (GT-CO2)X 1A3
SOC 100Introduction to Sociology (GT-SS3)X 3C3
Select Group B if Group B was selected in the first semester.X  0-3
Group B:
    
General Chemistry IIX   
1C X1C3
Arts and Humanities X3B3
 Total Credits   12-15
Sophomore
Semester 3CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
CHEM 245Fundamentals of Organic ChemistryX  4
CHEM 246Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry LaboratoryX  1
FTEC 210Science of Food FermentationX  3
Arts and Humanities X3B3
Historical Perspectives X3D3
 Total Credits   14
Semester 4CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
FTEC 292Careers in Fermentation and Food ScienceX  1
SPCM 200Public SpeakingX  3
Select one group from the following:X  5
Group A:
    
Microbial Biology    
Microbial Biology Laboratory    
Group B:
    
General Microbiology    
General Microbiology Laboratory    
Electives (see list on Program Requirements tab) X 6
 Total Credits   15
Junior
Semester 5CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
BC 351Principles of BiochemistryX  4
FTEC 350Fermentation MicrobiologyX 4B3
FTEC 447Food ChemistryX  3
RRM 330Alcohol Beverage Control and ManagementX  2
Select one course from the following:X  3
Writing Arguments (GT-CO3)  2 
Writing in the Disciplines: Sciences (GT-CO3)  2 
Writing in the Disciplines: Social Sciences (GT-CO3)  2 
Strategic Writing and Communication (GT-CO3)  2 
 Total Credits   15
Semester 6CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
FTEC 360Brewing ProcessesX 4A4
MIP 334Food MicrobiologyX  3
Select one course from the following:X  3
General Statistics (GT-MA1)  1B 
Statistics With Business Applications (GT-MA1)  1B 
Elective (See list on Program Requirements tab) X 3
 Total Credits   13
Senior
Semester 7CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
FTEC 422Brewing Science IX  5
FTEC 465Food Production OperationsX  3
FTEC 492Senior Seminar Fermentation and Food ScienceX 4C2
Elective (See list on Program Requirements tab) X 6
 Total Credits   16
Semester 8CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
FTEC 400Food Safety   3
FTEC 460Brewing Science IIX  5
FTEC 492Senior Seminar Fermentation and Food ScienceX 4C2
Electives (See list on Program Requirements tab) X 7-10
The benchmark courses for the 8th semester are the remaining courses in the entire program of studyX   
 Total Credits   17-20
 Program Total Credits:   120