MSc in Food Business and Innovation

Our MSc programme in Food Business and Innovation is offered by the College of Business & Law at University College Cork (UCC) in Ireland. It prepares students for a career in the dynamic world of food business and will set you up to play a lead role in the analysis of key sectoral issues and strategic management of the ever-evolving food industry.

The balance of modules on this programme reflects the global nature of the food industry. Students will expand their knowledge of food, the food consumer, innovation in food and the decision-making processes in companies that develop, brand, distribute, and sell food products. The practical application of learning in this course will equip you with analytical, communication, business and presentation skills, which are required and highly valued by the industry.

The skills learned in this course are highly transferable so our graduates pursue employment opportunities in both the food sector (international corporations, SMEs, start-ups and food agencies) and non-food sector (banks, market research firms and higher education).

Why Choose This Course

A central part of our MSc in Food Business and Innovation programme is the Food Industry Centred Research Project together with a work placement opportunity. This can take place in a food company, food agency, university, bank or related establishment. This placement allows students to gain valuable work experience and apply their theoretical skills, developed through lectures and capstone-style seminars, to the actual workplace.

Additional unique features of this innovative programme include an in-depth introduction to the national and international food sectors; a unique blend of relevant courses that are relevant to both established food firms and start-ups; and an introduction to leading-edge food research issues, innovative teaching methods (including boot-camps) and an exposure to digital marketing methods.

Connected Curriculum

Our learning approach also reflects our commitment to the Connected Curriculum where we emphasise the connection between students, learning, research and leadership through our vision for a Connected University. Our staff are at the forefront of this integrative approach to learning and will support you in making meaningful connections within and between disciplines such as food policy, food markets, global issues, business and marketing.

Modules

The MSc (Food Business and Innovation) programme comprises two parts:

• Part I consists of taught modules to the value of 60 credits detailed below.
• Part II consists of researching and writing an Applied Food Industry Centred Research Project (FE6127) to the value of 30 credits.

Part I

Core Modules (60 credits):

• FE6005 Strategic Food Marketing (5 credits)
• FE6505 Food Entrepreneurship and Innovation (10 credits)
• FE6506 Food Branding and Digital Media Marketing (5 credits)
• FE6507 Economics of Agri-Food Markets and Value Chain Analysis (5 credits)
• FE6511 Category Management and Food Retail Marketing (10 credits)
• FE6512 Sustainable Food Systems (5 credits)
• FE6902 Global Food Policy Issues (5 credits)
• MG6012 Consumer Culture and Consumer-Brand Relationships (10 credits)

Part II

• FE6127 Applied Food Industry Centred Research Project (30 credits)

Further details on the content and modules are available on the College Calendar.

Our Food and Innovation course is ideally suited to graduates who seek employment opportunities in a broad sector of food and non-food settings; these areas include market research, consumer research, food business management, product marketing, and brand management, new product development, food retail organizations, the financial sector as food analysts, research institutions and policy organizations, and organizations that support food firms nationally and internationally.

What are our graduates doing?

Graduates on sister programs have secured employment in international food and non-food firms (Glanbia, Ornua, Kerrygold Ireland, Britvic, Danone, Aldi, Dawn, AIB, LinkedIn), banks, food agencies (Bord Bia, UK Home-Grown Cereals Authority, Teagasc), brand management and marketing departments (Kerry Foods, Musgrave Group, Nestle), non-food agencies (Enterprise Ireland, IBEC, Bord Bia), market research firms (AC Nielsen, Spark Market Research, Dunhumby) and in Higher Education (Munster Technological University, Waterford Institute of Technology, University of Lancaster).