DR232 - PhD (Food Science)

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Plan: DR232 - Doctor of Philosophy
Campus: City Campus

Overview

Program details
Purpose of the Program
Entrance requirements

Program details

Award title: Doctor of Philosophy
Award abbreviation: PhD
Career: RSCH
Duration: 3-4 years full-time, 6-8 years part-time
Location: RMIT City Campus
Owning school: Science (171H)
Owning school URL: www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/science
ASCED code: 019905
CRICOS code: 079685B

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Purpose of the Program

A Doctor of Philosophy degree in food science and nutrition at RMIT develops advanced research skills. Your degree will enable you contribute to the generation of new knowledge vital to the development of the disciplines of food science, food technology and innovation, and nutrition, as well as to society in general. Research programs can be designed for the complete range of commodity types including plant (e.g. cereals, legumes) and animal products (e.g. dairy, meat, insects). Graduates from this program work in senior roles in a wide range of areas, including academia, the food industry, clinical settings, government and many other settings where analytical and critical thinking skills are in high demand.

Throughout your degree you will be supported by top academics, technical staff and world-class facilities – including a state-of-the-art food pilot plant. Individually supervised research programs are available in the following broad areas of research; many with international collaboration opportunities. Note that this list is not exhaustive, and many projects are interdisciplinary. Whatever your interests, you are sure to fine a project to suit you at RMIT:

  • Nutrition and food choice across the human lifespan
  • Sensory and consumer science methodologies
  • Gut microflora, probiotics, prebiotics and health
  • Creating novel functional food ingredients from starches, and dairy and plant proteins and peptides
  • Encapsulation of biologically active compounds including micronutrients, enzymes, probiotics and essential fatty acids
  • Food structure design: nanoscale components, oleogels and bigels, extrusion texturization
  • Food innovation and emerging food processing technologies
  • Recovery and upgrading by-products from food processing
  • Food security and sustainability – insects, aquatic plants and other novel food sources
  • Digital technologies (including virtual reality) to understand food choice

Upon graduation you will be a highly trained specialist in your field. Your PhD program will also help you develop a range of interdisciplinary skills such as project design and management, presentation and communication skills, teamworking, knowledge of cultural diversity, global citizenship, innovation and more. You will have a wide range of skills to draw upon when you leave RMIT, whatever career path you take.

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Entrance requirements

Applicants for doctor of philosophy programs must have completed one of the following from a recognised higher education institution:

  • a masters by research degree or,
  • a masters by coursework degree which includes research courses or a research project with a duration of at least 25% of a full-time (or equivalent part-time) academic year and an overall distinction average or,
  • a four year bachelor honours degree (with a minimum H2A achieved across the four years) or,
  • a three year bachelor degree and a one year bachelor honours degree program (with a minimum H2A achieved in the honours year) or
  • another award deemed to be equivalent in character and standard to the above degrees.

Alternatively applicants may:

  • provide evidence of appropriate academic qualifications and experience that satisfies the Dean of the School of Graduate Research or nominee that the applicant has developed knowledge of the field of study or cognate field and the potential for research sufficient to undertake the proposed program or,
  • have current candidature for an RMIT master by research program approved for transfer to a doctor of philosophy program through the process prescribed in the RMIT Higher Degree by Research policies and procedures.

For information on international qualifications and corresponding entry requirements that are equivalent to Australian academic entry requirements, see the Country equivalents webpage.

English Language Requirements

A minimum IELTS (academic module) overall score of 6.5, with no band below 6.0; or equivalent. For equivalents to English entry requirements, see the English equivalents webpage.

Selection Tasks

These entrance requirements are the minimum academic standard you must meet in order to be eligible to apply for the program. You will need to complete a selection task as part of your application. For further information on the steps you need to take to apply for a research program see the How to apply – Research programs webpage.

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