Education · 1 of 5

The path

A four-year science degree, then straight into industry or a funded master's.

1. 1

   High school diploma

   Grade 12

   Chemistry and biology are the two that matter. Take math as far as your school offers it.

2. 2

   Bachelor's degree in food science

   4 years

   Four years of chemistry, microbiology, engineering and nutrition applied to food. If your state university has no food science department, a chemistry or microbiology degree also works.

3. 3

   Internship in a food company

   Summers

   Summer placements at manufacturers are the standard route to a graduate job, and most departments run a placement office for exactly this.

4. 4

   First job

   After graduation

   Product development, quality assurance, food safety or sensory science. You will spend the first year learning how a factory actually behaves.

5. 5

   Master's degree, optional

   2 years

   Often funded by a research assistantship or paid for by an employer. It is the usual step toward leading a development team.