Food Safety and Biosecurity

Emphasis in Food Safety and Biosecurity

The curriculum prepares professionals to identify and categorize risks, challenges, and solutions in the food system for food safety, biosecurity, and defense issues in the food production continuum. Courses emphasize the multidisciplinary and complex nature of food safety and biosecurity policies, globalization, and international trade – and their influence on public health.

“Core” requirements (15 credit hours)
Each student in the MPH Program must complete these required public health core courses:

  • Biostatistics: MPH 701 Fundamental Methods of Biostatistics (3 hrs)
  • Environmental health sciences: MPH 802 Environmental Health (3 hrs)
  • Epidemiology: MPH 754 Introduction to Epidemiology (3 hrs)
  • Health services administration: MPH 720 Admin. of Health Care Organizations (3 hrs)
  • Social and behavioral sciences: MPH 818 Social and Behavioral Bases of Public Health (3 hrs)

Specific Emphasis Area Requirements

Required Courses = 10 hours

Prerequisite courses: Students without an undergraduate degree in food science or closely related field may be required to complete undergraduate prerequisite courses before being allowed to take emphasis area courses. Prerequisite courses may include: biochemistry; organic chemistry; an introductory course in microbiology; a course in botany, zoology, or biology; mathematics courses (college algebra, calculus, and statistics); and a course in physics.

DMP 815 Multidisciplinary Thought & Presentation (3 hrs)
DMP 816 Trade & Agricultural Health (2 hrs) (online)
DMP 888 Globalization, Cooperation, and the Food Trade (1 hr) (online)
FDSCI 730 Multidisciplinary Overview of Food Safety and Security (2 hrs)
FDSCI 731 Food Protection and Defense – Essential Concepts (2 hrs)

Elective courses = 11 hours (list of courses)
Culminating experience - MPH 840 (6 credit hours)

Total hrs required for MPH Degree (42 hours)

All MPH graduate students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above in ALL graduate course work to remain in good standing in the program and to graduate with an MPH degree. Detailed information concerning this requirement may be found on the Graduate School website: http://www.k-state.edu/grad/

FSB Emphasis Area Competency

Description of Competency

1

Food safety and biosecurity

Evaluate solutions appropriate for different food safety, biosecurity, and defense issues in the food production continuum.

2

Threats to the food system

Examine specific threats to the food system and scientifically investigate how each can be prevented, controlled, and/or mitigated in the food production system.

3

Food safety laws and regulations

Differentiate key U.S. food safety regulatory bodies and their unique legislative authorities, missions, and jurisdictions.

4

Food safety policy and the global food system

Analyze and distinguish how food safety and governmental biosecurity policies, globalization, and international trade cooperation influence public health.

5

Multidisciplinary leadership

Contrast the food safety and biosecurity technical needs of different stakeholders and make judgements as to the appropriate methods of collaboration.

(PDF - Competencies Requirement)