2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.

View Undergraduate Section View Graduate Section

Explore Programs

Explore programs to find a fit for you.

Search Courses

Explore courses by subject and keyword.

Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Technology

Food Science and Technology Major with Food Business Option

Program Curriculum

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Degree Core Requirements
ALS 1234	CALS First Year Seminar	1
BCHM 2024	Concepts of Biochemistry	3
BIOL 1105	Principles of Biology	3
BIOL 1106	Principles of Biology	3
BIOL 2604	General Microbiology	3
BIOL 2614	General Microbiology Laboratory	2
FST 2004	Exploring Food Science Careers	1
FST 2014	Introduction to Food Science	2
FST 3514	Food Analysis	4
FST/BIOL 3604	Food Microbiology	4
FST 3900	Bridge Experience	0
FST 4004	Food Science Experiential Learning Reflection	1
FST 4014	Concepts of Food Product Development	3
FST 4304	Food Processing	3
FST 4314	Food Processing Laboratory	1
FST 4504	Food Chemistry	3
FST 4534	Food Chemistry Lab	1
FST 4524	Food Safety and Quality Assurance	3
Subtotal		41
Option Required Courses
ACIS 2115	Principles of Accounting	3
ACIS 2116	Principles of Accounting	3
BIT 3414	Operations and Supply Chain Management	3
CHEM 2514	Survey of Organic Chemistry	3
FIN 3104	Introduction to Finance	3
or AAEC 3424	Value-Based Management in Agribusiness
MGT 3304	Management Theory and Leadership Practice	3
or AAEC 3454	Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship
MKTG 3104	Marketing Management	3
or AAEC 3504	Marketing Agricultural Products
Subtotal		21
Restricted Electives
Select seven credit hours of the following:		7
ACIS 1504	Introduction to Business Analytics and Business Intelligence
APSC/FST 3214	Principles of Meat Science
BIT 3464	Enterprise Planning and Control Systems
FIN 3054	Legal and Ethical Environment of Business
FST/IS/PSCI 2044	Food, War and Conflict
FST 2244	Topics in Food Science and Technology
FST/HNFE 2544	Functional Foods for Health
FST 3024	Principles of Sensory Evaluation
FST/HORT 3114	Wines and Vines
FST 3124	Brewing Science and Technology
FST 4104	Applied Brewing Science and Engineering
FST 4204	Advanced Topics in Food Science and Technology
FST 4634	Epidemiology Foodborne Disease
FST 4974	Independent Study ¹
FST 4994	Undergraduate Research ¹
HNFE 1004	Foods, Nutrition And Exercise
HNFE 3024	Science of Food Prep Lab
MGT 3324	Organization Behavior
MGT/PHIL 4324	Business and Professional Ethics
MKTG 4154	Marketing Research
MKTG 4204	Consumer Behavior
MKTG 4254	Product and Price Management
Study Abroad (As approved by FST department) ¹
Subtotal		7
Free Electives
Select three credits of free electives		3
Subtotal		3
Pathways to General Education
Pathways Concept 1 - Discourse
ENGL 1105	First-Year Writing (1F)	3
ENGL 1106	First-Year Writing (1F)	3
ENGL 3764	Technical Writing (1A)	3
Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities
Select six credits in Pathway 2		6
Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences
Select one of the following:		6
AAEC 1005 & AAEC 1006	Economics of the Food and Fiber System and Economics of the Food and Fiber System
ECON 2005 & ECON 2006	Principles of Economics and Principles of Economics
Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences
CHEM 1035	General Chemistry	3
CHEM 1036	General Chemistry	3
CHEM 1045	General Chemistry Laboratory	1
CHEM 1046	General Chemistry Laboratory	1
Pathways Concept 5 - Quantitative and Computational Thinking
MATH 1524	Business Calculus (5A)	4
BIT 2405	Introduction to Business Statistics, Analytics, and Modeling (5F)	3
BIT 2406	Introduction to Business Statistics, Analytics, and Modeling (5F)	3
Pathways Concept 6 - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts
Select six credits in Pathway 6d and Pathway 6a		6
Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States ²
Select three credits in Pathway 7		3
Subtotal		48
Total Credits		120

¹: Credits vary depending on course, maximum of three credits allowed for each item.
²: Pathways 7 may be completed with another Pathways requirement.

Eligibility for Continued Enrollment

After having attempted 36 semester credits (including transfer, advanced placement, advanced standing, credit by examination, and freshman rule hours), students must have passed at least 12 semester credits of Curriculum for Liberal Education requirements.
After having attempted 72 semester credits (including transfer, advanced placement, advanced standing, credit by examination, and freshman rule hours), students must:
1. have passed at least 24 semester credits of Curriculum for Liberal Education requirements.
2. have passed 9 semester credits in the Food Science and Technology requirements.
3. have passed 9 semester credits in the Food Business Option requirements.

Graduation Requirements

A minimum of 120 credit hours are required for graduation.
A minimum 2.0 overall GPA is required for graduation.
A minimum 2.0 in-major GPA is required for graduation (only FST courses will be used for in-major GPA calculation).
This check sheet contains no hidden prerequisites. Please refer to the Undergraduate Catalog or consult with your advisor for information about prerequisites.

Foreign Language Requirement

A sequence of 2 foreign languages courses is required for graduation unless 2 high school credits of the same foreign language or 6 transfer credits of foreign language have been earned. These credits do not count toward graduation.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall Semester		Credits
ALS 1234	CALS First Year Seminar	1
BIOL 1105	Principles of Biology	3
CHEM 1035	General Chemistry	3
CHEM 1045	General Chemistry Laboratory	1
ENGL 1105	First-Year Writing	3
MATH 1524	Business Calculus	4
	Credits	15
Spring Semester
BIOL 1106	Principles of Biology	3
CHEM 1036	General Chemistry	3
CHEM 1046	General Chemistry Laboratory	1
ECON 2005 or AAEC 1006	Principles of Economics or Economics of the Food and Fiber System	3
ENGL 1106	First-Year Writing	3
FST 2004	Exploring Food Science Careers	1
FST 2014	Introduction to Food Science	2
	Credits	16
Second Year
Fall Semester
BIT 2405	Introduction to Business Statistics, Analytics, and Modeling	3
BIOL 2604	General Microbiology	3
BIOL 2614	General Microbiology Laboratory	2
CHEM 2514	Survey of Organic Chemistry	3
ECON 2006 or AAEC 1005	Principles of Economics or Economics of the Food and Fiber System	3
	Credits	14
Spring Semester
ACIS 2115	Principles of Accounting	3
BCHM 2024	Concepts of Biochemistry	3
BIT 2406	Introduction to Business Statistics, Analytics, and Modeling	3
FST Food Business Restrictive Elective		3
Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities		3
	Credits	15
Third Year
Fall Semester
ACIS 2116	Principles of Accounting	3
FST 4504	Food Chemistry	3
FST 4534	Food Chemistry Lab	1
MGT 3304 or AAEC 3454	Management Theory and Leadership Practice or Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship	3
Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities		3
Pathways Concept 6 - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts		3
	Credits	16
Spring Semester
BIT 3414	Operations and Supply Chain Management	3
FIN 3104 or AAEC 3424	Introduction to Finance or Value-Based Management in Agribusiness	3
FST 3514	Food Analysis	4
FST 3604	Food Microbiology	4

	Credits	14
Summer Semester
FST 3900	Bridge Experience (taken any semester when the Bridge Experiential Learning requirement is being completed)	0
	Credits	0
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
ENGL 3764	Technical Writing	3
FST 4004	Food Science Experiential Learning Reflection (taken the semester after the completion of the Bridge Experiential Learning requirement)	1
FST 4304	Food Processing	3
FST 4314	Food Processing Laboratory	1
MKTG 3104 or AAEC 3504	Marketing Management or Marketing Agricultural Products	3
FST Food Business Restricted Elective		1
Pathways Concept 6 - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts		3
	Credits	15
Spring Semester
FST 4014	Concepts of Food Product Development	3
FST 4524	Food Safety and Quality Assurance	3
FST Food Business Restrictive Elective		3
Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States		3
Free Electives		3
	Credits	15
	Total Credits	120