Queen's University of Belfast - Medical Faculty
BSc in Food Science and Nutrition with Professional Studies
Belfast, United Kingdom
BSc
DURATION
4 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
GBP 25,300 *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* EU and international student
Key Summary
About: This BSc covers food production and consumption, linking food science and nutrition. Food science examines fitness for purpose–appearance (color, texture, flavor, odor), quality and physical, microbiological and chemical hazards. Nutrition covers nutrient supply across life stages. The degree emphasizes their interrelationship and includes professional studies, accreditations and career development.
Career Outcomes: Graduates enter the food industry in product development, production or quality roles, retail (buying, supply chain), health promotion, assistant dietitian, teaching, consultancy, research or PhD study. The programme builds employability through placements, voluntary work and the Degree Plus/Future Ready Award, boosting career opportunities in health, education and industry.
This degree program is about gaining knowledge and understanding of key areas in relation to food production and consumption.
Food Science concerns the ‘fitness for purpose’ of our food in terms of appearance (e.g. color and surface qualities, texture, flavor, and odor) and how these can be improved, alongside the physical, microbiological, and chemical aspects of our food, which may be harmful to human health and how these can be minimized.
Nutrition concerns the nutrient supply from foods necessary to support the human body in health and during ill health throughout all life stages.
This degree emphasizes the inter-relationship between these areas and their equal importance in food production.
Food Science and Nutrition with Professional Studies highlights
- Professional Accreditations
- Career Development
- Further Study Opportunities
We offer prestigious, competitive scholarships of up to 50% off tuition fees to new international students. You must have an offer to study a full-time course with us in 2024 to apply for a scholarship.
Contact Teaching Hours
Personal Study
- 22 (hours maximum)
- Includes own private study related to topics and coursework.
Medium Group Teaching
- 3 (hours maximum)
- Typically 3 tutorials of 1 hour duration each week.
Large Group Teaching
- 15 (hours maximum)
- Typical values for Stage 1. Includes up to 6 hours practical each week.
Year 1
- Chemistry for Food Scientists (20 credits)
- Sustainable Food Systems (20 credits)
- Microbiology for Food Scientists (20 credits)
- Composition of Foods (20 credits)
- Fundamentals of Nutrition and Physiology (40 credits)
Year 2
- Food Commodities, Processing, and Hygiene (40 credits)
- Industrial Food Analysis (20 credits)
- Principles of Food Quality (20 credits)
- Food Innovation, Diet & Health (40 credits)
Year 3
- Professional Studies (120 credits)
Year 4
- Research Project (40 credits)
- Nutrition Pathways in Health and Disease (20 credits)
- Food Supply Chain Safety and Security (40 credits)
- Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship (20 credits)
Assessment
The way in which you are assessed will vary according to the learning outcomes of each module and we design our assessment strategies to appeal to a variety of student learning styles. It is our aim to develop our students not just in terms of technical/scientific ability, but also to provide you with opportunities to develop the essential “soft” skills highly valued by employers. These skills include creativity, problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, communication, resilience, flexibility, entrepreneurship, and time management. Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Student Handbook which is provided to all students during their first year induction.
Some modules are assessed solely through project work or written assignments.
Others are assessed through a combination of coursework and end-of-semester examinations. Examples of coursework include real-life food industry case studies, "Dragon's Den" style video pitches, practical reports, essays, online quizzes, debates, presentation of a business plan to a panel of industry experts, and development of an innovative food product based on a technical brief. Some assessments are completed on an individual student basis and others involve you working with classmates in a team.
Queen’s University Belfast is ranked 174th in the QS World University Rankings 2027
Studying for a Food Science and Nutrition with Professional Studies degree at Queen's will assist you in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organizations, and academic institutions.
Although the majority of our graduates are interested in pursuing careers in the food industry or health promotion, some develop careers in a wide range of other sectors. The following is a list of the major career sectors that have attracted our graduates in recent years:
- Food industry - graduate recruitment schemes
- Food industry - new product development
- Food industry - production management roles
- Food industry - quality management
- Food Retailers - food technology, food security, marketing, buying, supply chain management, and logistics
- Charities - health promotion
- Nutrition - assistant dietician in a hospital trust
- Teaching - Nutrition and Food Science
- Lecturing
- Consultancy - training and technical advice to the food industry
- Research - industry research association
- Research - Ph.D. studies
Degree Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Degree Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.
Contact Teaching Hours
Personal Study
- 22 (hours maximum)
- Includes own private study related to topics and coursework.
Medium Group Teaching
- 3 (hours maximum)
- Typically 3 tutorials of 1 hour duration each week.
Large Group Teaching
- 15 (hours maximum)
- Typical values for Stage 1. Includes up to 6 hours practical each week.
Learning and Teaching
Students on the BSc in Food Science and Nutrition with Professional Studies will be exposed to a range of learning experiences that enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society, and make use of innovative technologies and a world-class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners. Examples of the opportunities provided for learning in this course are:
- Advisor of Studies
- Certificates/awards
- Learning Technologies
- Lectures
- Peer Mentor
- Personal Tutor
- Practicals
- Self-directed study
- Seminars/tutorials
- Supervised projects
- Work placements
- Work-Related Learning/Field Trips/Study Tours