PG Course Programmes

Home Science Education under the aegis of the ICAR has received tremendous importance towards broadening the scope of higher education in Home Science disciplines among the State Agricultural Universities of the country. The discipline of Home Science which is firmly embedded in agriculture, offers wide scope for teaching and research pursuits in the diverse specializations of Home science like Food Science and Nutrition. Thus higher education opportunities in Home Science would further strengthen the subject area leading to Human Resource Development committed national welfare. This would create the platform for concerted efforts towards academic, research and community development activities focusing on the holistic development of the community. Hence keeping in view the vision of Community Science College and Research Institute, Madurai, to provide scope for a comprehensive education program from the Under Graduate to the Doctoral level, the Post Graduate programs in Food Science and Nutrition would provide the right leverage to prepare students to face the challenges in their career choices and other diverse academic and research pursuits.

   The Post Graduate education aims to inculcate a strong sense of self learning capabilities and build up competence among students for the competitive food sector and work out solutions to address problems related to food and nutrition security. Also to withstand the competitive job market as well as the changing needs of the farming community, emerging nuclear families, more of women employed in jobs it is essential to offer the M.Sc. and Ph.D. program in Food Science and Nutrition which will widen the research undertaken and at the same time create more career opportunities in research oriented towards solving nutritional problems, planning and implementation of community development projects, conceptualizing and implementing innovative health promoting ideas, entrepreneurial ventures and the like.

       The Department of Food Technology was introduced at TNAU, Coimbatore in 1972 for offering Food Science and Technology related courses for the UG and PG programmes. Subsequently, the M.Sc., (FSN) programme was introduced at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during 1981 with aid from ICAR, FAO and UNICEF. The Food Technology unit was later renamed as Department of Food Science and Nutrition in 1982 and the PG program was shifted to AC&RI, MDU during 1984 to strengthen the existing B.Sc. (Home Science) degree program. With the establishment of the full fledged, Home Science College and Research Institute, Madurai in 2000, the M.Sc. (Food Science and Nutrition) degree program offered at AC&RI, Madurai was transferred to HSC&RI, Madurai from 2000 onwards. To further strengthen the Institute and to provide higher education opportunities for our graduates, the Doctoral degree programme in Food Science and Nutrition was introduced in 1988. The Post Graduate education aims to inculcate a strong sense of self learning capabilities and build up competence among students to face the challenges of the competitive food sector and work out solutions for addressing problems related to food and nutrition security.

• To impart advanced education to students to achieve academic excellence for higher education and research in the chosen field of study at National and International level.
• To synergise a new generation of post graduates with professional competence to face the challenges of the food processing sector.
• To provide advanced knowledge and skills in highly job-oriented courses in the areas of Food Processing, Quality Control, Food Safety, and Nutritional Sciences.
• To impart knowledge and skills necessary to work in R&D laboratories, food industries, health sectors and at the community level.