Course Structure

Classes will be held online, on a video conference platform, with 6 hours per week (on Monday and Wednesday). 

The course lasts for 24 months, being offered in the distance mode with synchronous classes, in a live classroom with interaction and student participation. 

Information about the classes shown in the table below.

Application deadline: February 2023
Prerequisite: Graduation Level – Your CV and diploma will be pre-evaluated by the collegiate of the course
Beginning of classes: March 2023
End: March 2025

Live Classes

Where Video conference platform
Time Tuesday and Thursday: 7 to 10 pm (Brazilian Time Zone).
Notes
Classes will be recorded and can be watched at other times.

The course is organized in 9 modules, see summary in the table on the side.

Curricular activities are exercises that contemplate the content of the modules and develop knowledge and skills in the student outside the classroom. They provide students with scientific and cultural enrichment, in addition to greater autonomy.

The course offers the license to use the XLSTAT software so that students can carry out curricular activities and develop technical skills in the statistical processing of data. Other possibilities for curricular activities are technical visits, presentation of seminars and participation in lectures or scientific events.

9 modules = 360 hours

Course Completion work (TCC) = 80 hours

Total program load = 440 hours

PROGRAM AT-A-GLANCE

The course is organized in 9 modules, see summary in the table on the side.

Curricular activities are exercises that contemplate the content of the modules and develop knowledge and skills in the student outside the classroom. They provide students with scientific and cultural enrichment, in addition to greater autonomy.

The course offers the license to use the XLSTAT software so that students can carry out curricular activities and develop technical skills in the statistical processing of data. Other possibilities for curricular activities are technical visits, presentation of seminars and participation in lectures or scientific events.

9 modules = 360 hours

Course Completion work (TCC) = 80 hours

Total program load = 440 hours

Module   Curriculum Unity Workload
I Foundations of Sensory Science 30
II Sensometric Step 1 and 2 80
III Sensory Evaluation Methods 70
IV Consumer Testing Methods 50
V Consumer Science 50
VI Scientific Methodology 25
VII Sensory Marketing 20
VIII Neuroscience Applied to Sensory Analysis 20
IX Sensory Claims Substantiation for Advertising and Labeling 15
TCC Post-graduation work 80

Module Menu

Module I – Foundations of Sensory Science:

Perception and physiology of the senses. Learn how the mind processes sensory information and how we are instruments for sensory testing. Physiological and psychological bases for sensory evaluation and tests with consumers. Conditions, Standards and Procedures ISO, ASTM and ABNT for sensory evaluation: laboratory, recruitment, selection and training of sensory panel. Performance monitoring of the sensory panel.

Module II – Sensometric Step 1:

Statistics applied to sensory measurements. Central tendency and dispersion measures; Binomial distribution; Student’s t test; Chi-square; Correlation and regression; analysis of variance; Multiple comparisons of means. Experimental Statistics. Hypothesis testing. Inference. Types of experimental errors.

Module II – Sensometric Step 2:

Multivariate statistical analysis. Factor analysis methods: Principal Component Analysis (ACP), Correspondence Analysis (AC) and Generalized Procrustes Analysis (APG). Cluster Analysis. Multiple regression analysis. Design of experiments. Response Surface Methodology, optimization of products and processes.

Module III – Sensory Evaluation Methods:

Discriminative Methods. Signal detection theory, R-Index and Thurstonian modeling. Descriptive Methods. Conventional descriptive profile and its variations. Descriptive methods with consumers. Time and intensity measures. Temporal Dominance of Sensations (DTS). Classical Olfactory Evaluation of Perfumery. Instrumental methods and relations with sensory evaluation. Understand when instrumental measurements of sensory properties are warranted. 

Module IV – Consumer Testing Methods:

Qualitative methods. Quantitative affective methods of preference and acceptability, descriptive, among others. Population sampling, recruitment, central location testing, home use and virtual environments. Segmentation studies. Preference maps and the relationship with the sensory characteristics of the products. Projective Maps. Perception Maps. Expectation and context studies and their relationships. Study of Emotions. Methods applied to children. Market research methods associated with sensory research. Consumer data and sensory evaluation data to optimize product sensory, quality and marketing opportunities.

Module V – Consumer Science:

Conjoint Analysis: Definition and Applications in Consumer Research using full factorial designs and data analysis. Emotions and their effects on the choice and consumption of products: explicit methods of data collection, advantages and disadvantages. Expectation and its influence on the perception of sensory attributes, acceptance and emotions. Conducting studies with children: specifics, scales and care in the development of protocols. Quali-Quantitative Methods: definitions, conduction and analysis of data.

Module VI – Scientific Methodology:

Methodology for design of experiments. Elements of an experiment. Classifications of experiments. Basis and monitoring of the stages of development of the Course Conclusion Work (TCC). Qualification criteria for the stages of the work: bibliographic survey, information planning and survey, detailed design, experimental development, data treatment and interpretation of results, qualification and final defense.

Module VII – Sensory Marketing:

Traditional versus experimental marketing. Consumer experience. Memorization. How and where to apply the sensory MKT. The use of multisensory characteristics. Sensory branding.

Module VIII – Neuroscience Applied to Sensory Analysis:

Principles of Neuromarketing. Introduction to Neuroscience. Basic emotions. Objective and psychometric methodologies for measuring emotional impact. Evaluation of the emotional impact and memory on the consumption experience.

Module IX – Sensory Claims Substantiation for Advertising and Labeling

Proof and support of sensory claims. Importance of Briefing and design of the experiment. Brazilian regulatory standards and bodies for substantiating claims (ABNT, ANVISA, CONAR). International procedures and standards. Types of claims. Tests used to support the allegations. Data collection and analysis. Data treatment and interpretation of results.