B.S. in Fermentation Science

Program Overview

Launching Fall 2023

The University of Maryland College Park’s (UMD) Bachelor of Science degree in Fermentation Science at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) is designed specifically for third- and fourth-year undergraduate students who have completed their first two years of study at a community college, or other university.

The Fermentation Science program is brought to you through a collaboration between the Department of Nutrition and Food Science and the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture at UMD. This major will prepare students for workforce demand of the broadly defined fermentation industries that include beverages (beer, wine, distilled spirits and kombucha), vegetable foods (kimchi, tempeh and miso), dairy foods (cheese and yogurt) and biotechnology industries (biofuels and pharmaceuticals). In addition to general education courses, students will take core required courses on fermentation science and participate in industrial internships for practical experiences and experiential learning with fermentation industries, with and possible placement in those companies.

Admission Criteria

To be considered for admission to the Fermentation Science program at Shady Grove, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Have a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA (preferred)
• Have completed all University of Maryland, College Park General Education requirements, with the exception of Fundamental Studies Professional Writing
  • General Education requirements could be fulfilled either by:
    • Completing a two-year Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree or related field (recommended), OR
    • Completing 60 college credits that meet all General Education requirements
•  Successful completion (“C-” or better) of the following fermentation science benchmark courses, or their equivalents:
  • BSCI170/171 - Principles of Molecular & Cellular Biology and Lab
  • CHEM231/232 - Organic Chemistry I and Lab
  • CHEM271/272- General Chemistry and Energetics and Lab
  • BSCI223 - General Microbiology

Application Deadlines, How to Apply and Required Documents

The following are the deadlines for fall enrollment beginning in September 2023:

To apply, prospective students must complete an online application and pay a non-refundable application fee of $75. In the application, you will also be asked to provide the following documents:

1. An official copy of your college transcripts. You should request your college to submit an official copy of your transcript listing all courses you have completed. A final official transcript must be sent to us upon your completion of any courses in-progress using the address provided below. College transcripts can also be submitted electronically through The Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success or via Naviance, Parchment or eSCRIP-SAFE.
2. Any letters of recommendation (optional). If you choose to submit a letter of recommendation with your application (not required), all letters must be sent directly to us by your recommenders. Recommendations can also be submitted by your recommenders electronically via The Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success or through Naviance. If you designate who will be completing your recommendations on the online application, your recommender will receive an email with instructions on how to submit your recommendation electronically through the application portal.
3. A transfer essay statement (approximately 300 words). Describe your past academic experiences and your reasons for wishing to enroll at UMD at this point in your academic career. Students who have been out of school for several years, or who have a personal circumstance that affected performance, may wish to address that situation in their essay. 
4. A resume (optional). Student’s co-curricular activities, leadership and volunteer experiences, honors and awards will also be considered in the admission decision. Students are strongly encouraged to submit their most recent resume along with the application for admission, highlighting their accomplishments and experience.

Please note, international applicants may have additional admission requirements to fulfull.

Applications are considered complete when the online application and all required application materials have been submitted. All materials must be received by the appropriate deadline for consideration. Please note that it may take up to five days after submission for you to be able to view the status of your application and any submitted documents online. It is the applicant’s responsibility to confirm receipt of all application materials. 

If you are mailing any of the above application materials, please send them to:

University of Maryland
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Attention: Shady Grove Admissions
Mitchell Building, 7999 Regents Drive
College Park, MD 20742 USA

Application Review Process and Decisions

Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis once a completed application is received. Once an admission decision has been determined, applicants will be notified in writing. Admission offers may specify full admission or provisional admission as pertains to each individual applicant. All students offered provisional admission may later be offered full admission contingent upon their forwarding additional information, or by fulfilling additional requirements as requested.