MSc Food and Nutrition Sciences
Sheffield, United Kingdom
MSc
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Jan 2027
TUITION FEES
GBP 19,225 *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* £19,225 for international/EU students | £12,120 for UK students
Key Summary
About: MSc Food and Nutrition Sciences builds practical expertise in food science, processing and technology, safety and nutrition. You’ll study sustainability, corporate social responsibility, legislation and ethics, and develop academic, research, managerial, technical and analytical skills in facilities. The programme is accredited by the Institute of Food Science and Technology and includes a 12-month placement for September starters.
Career Outcomes: You’ll get academic supervision, workshops and career support to prepare for roles in product development, regulation, policy, procurement and quality management. Graduates work for retailers like Morrisons, manufacturers Finsbury Food Group and Greencore, NHS Trusts, local councils and voluntary organisations.
Develop your knowledge and experience of food science and nutrition in state-of-the-art specialist facilities - applying your skills to real-world food development, manufacturing and retail challenges.
- Gain specialist knowledge in food science, processing, technology and safety.
- Explore theory in nutrition science, biochemistry, physiology and consumer choice.
- Address sustainability, corporate social responsibility, legislative issues and ethics.
- Develop your academic, research, managerial, technical and analytical skills.
- Apply masters-level abilities to real-world challenges in the dynamic food industry.
Our MSc in Food and Nutrition Sciences is accredited by the Institute of Food Science and Technology – preparing you for a range of food technical, safety, product development and nutrition roles within the global food sector. You’ll gain the knowledge and skills to prepare for your future career, plus a valuable work experience opportunity – a 12-month placement for September starters.
This course is delivered on-campus over three trimesters, with teaching scheduled based on the length of your course and the academic calendar.
You learn through:
- lectures, seminars and workshops
- practical sessions
- real-world projects
- case studies
- academic research
- coursework
- regular feedback
- a final project
Key themes
On this course, you’ll delve into global food systems, exploring the critical issues of quality, safety, and sustainability that underpin them. You’ll learn the key concepts of nutrition, physiology and biochemistry whilst developing your practical and analytical skills.
As you progress into semester 2, you'll further your knowledge of nutrition and its role in health and disease, while also developing your own food product – applying your expertise to ensure it is both safe and commercially viable. In semester 3, you'll either complete a dissertation, developing your critical research skills, or complete a consultancy project to investigate a relevant organisational issue.
Assessments include a variety of written, verbal, digital and practical formats. We’ll support your success with formative feedback and student supervision. And where appropriate we’ll build flexibility and personalisation into the assessment design to allow you to tailor your own learning.
Course support
- You’ll have an academic adviser, an employability adviser and a student support adviser.
- Our teaching is digitally enriched, with opportunities to engage online with peers and tutors.
- You’ll have in-person workshops to welcome you onto campus.
- Supported independent study builds confidence and resilience, shaping individual creative practice.
- Collaboration with external partners gives vital experience of the professional world.
Applied learning
Work placements
The 12-month placement option (for September starters only) is an extra opportunity to develop your practical skills, either in the UK or abroad. We run employability workshops to help you gain a placement and we have a dedicated placement team to support you.
Previous placements have included Unilever Greencore, The Bakewell Bakery Ltd and Oscar Mayer.
Live projects
You’ll learn in state-of-the-art facilities while applying theoretical knowledge in practical ways – aligned to the real-world challenges facing the food and nutrition sector. Our kitchens, laboratories and sensory suite mimic those found in the food industry. You’ll also develop and apply key skills including gap analysis, benchmarking, sensory testing techniques, anthropometry, and food and dietary analysis.
Through case studies you’ll learn about real-world problems and how they were solved, helping you develop your problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
You’ll then apply your practical skills to commercially relevant briefs aligned to the needs of our industrial partners. Previously these have included Morrisons and Cranswick PLC.
Networking opportunities
You’ll have opportunities to meet or network with professionals in the industry through guest lectures from visiting academics, researchers and other professionals. You’ll explore real-world case studies and/or take part in field visits to further enhance your knowledge and understanding of the sector – and to gain valuable experience to advance your career.
With strong and established industry and alumni connections, this course provides significant opportunities for networking.
Previous students have attended the Career Launchpad, organised by our professional body, the Institute of Food Science and Technology, where they explored future career possibilities in food and had the chance to meet industry professionals.
To help you prepare for your future career, you’ll be supported by an academic member of staff, workshops and support sessions.
This course prepares you for a career in:
- food product development
- food regulation and labelling
- food industry policy
- procurement and food supplier management
- food quality management
Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for:
- retailers e.g. Morrisons
- food manufacturers e.g. Finsbury Food Group, Greencore
- NHS Trusts
- local council
- voluntary, community and social enterprises