PhD Food Science and Nutrition at Illinois Institute of Technology

Programme overview

On-campus doctoral degree awarded for mastery of food science and nutrition and for substantial creative contributions to knowledge in food safety, food science or nutrition. Students can take part in a collaborative research programme with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Illinois Tech's Moffett Campus.

Faculty: School of Engineering, Applied Science, and Health | Department: Food Science and Nutrition | Study mode: full-time | Location: Chicago, IL, United States

What you will study

Research-focused doctoral study in food safety, food science and nutrition, including collaborative research with the FDA at the Moffett Campus.

Career pathways

Food-related businesses, pharmaceutical businesses, academia and government agencies.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

An applicant must hold a master of science degree in microbiology; chemistry; biology; food science; nutrition; chemical, agricultural, food, or environmental engineering; or a related field. The applicant should meet all entrance requirements of the university's Graduate College, plus minimum cumulative undergraduate and graduate GPAs of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; a GRE score of at least 304 (combined quantitative and verbal); and a TOEFL score of at least 80/515 (internet/paper-based) for international applicants. Please note that meeting the minimum GPA and test score requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Studying Gut Microbiomes to Understand Prediabetes Alumna Xuhuiqun “Sissi” Zhang (Ph.D. FDSN ’20), who now works as research scientist at Illinois Tech’s Center for Nutrition Research, has discovered an altered gut microbiome in adults with prediabetes.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Entry terms: Fall and Spring.

Fall term: regular deadline January 31. Spring term: October 1, extended to October 15. GRE is required for PhD applicants.

Chicago-Kent J.D.: no application fee for 2026 J.D. applicants; first-year entry is Fall, with transfer entry in Fall or Spring.

Apply through the official page: https://www.iit.edu/admissions-aid/apply

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