Joint Master degree in Food sciences for innovation and authenticity
Parma, Italy
Master degree
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2027
TUITION FEES
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
About: The Joint Master degree programme in Food sciences addresses food supply challenges from demographic shifts to climate impacts. It's a joint initiative of Free University of Bozen‑Bolzano, University of Parma and University of Udine, with University College Cork and Technical University of Munich. Partners such as Barilla and Consorzio Parmigiano Reggiano provide industry links in food science, technology, safety and authentication.
Career Outcomes: Graduates qualify for management roles in retail, regulatory agencies or research hubs, including Food Process and Supply Chain Manager, Food Quality Control and Safety Systems Manager, Research & Development Food Scientist, Food Authentication and Certification Auditor.
The program addresses complex emerging trends across the food supply chain, ranging from demographic shifts to climate impacts. It is uniquely structured as a joint initiative between the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (the administrative hub), the University of Parma, and the University of Udine, in close collaboration with University College Cork (Ireland) and the Technical University of Munich (Germany). Heavily backed by prominent industrial consortia and top-tier companies (such as Barilla and the Consorzio Parmigiano Reggiano), students benefit from direct industry integration and a highly collaborative international learning environment.
The program is structured over a 120 ECTS (CFU) framework across two years. It features a unique geographic and thematic rotation:
- First Year (Hosted at UNIBZ): All students complete foundational modules together at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, studying topics like Innovation and Authenticity in Food Processing, Insects as Novel Food, Food Value Chain Management, and The Food-Human Axis.
- Second Year (Specialized Paths): Students select one of five highly targeted profiles hosted by different partner institutions:
- Nutrition Sciences (hosted at the University of Parma)
- Food Quality Control and Management (hosted at the University of Udine)
- Applied Food Engineering (hosted at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano)
- Food Chemistry (hosted at University College Cork, Ireland)
- Innovation and Authenticity of Wines (hosted at UNIBZ)
- Fourth Semester: Fully dedicated to an original research thesis project, co-supervised by academic faculty and industrial partners.
Graduates develop multidisciplinary competencies to manage and lead operations across modern food networks. Key outcomes include master-level knowledge of innovative food processing, the capability to design and track food authentication systems, expertise in managing safety and quality regulatory processes, and the research skill set required to formulate novel foods while keeping environmental sustainability at the core.
The degree qualifies graduates to take on management and high-responsibility roles within large-scale retail, administrative agencies, or research hubs. Notable career trajectories include:
- Food Process and Supply Chain Manager
- Food Quality Control and Safety Systems Manager
- Research & Development (R&D) Food Scientist
- Food Authentication and Certification Auditor