Food Quality and Innovation MSc
Leeds, United Kingdom
DURATION
12 Months
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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EARLIEST START DATE
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TUITION FEES
GBP 29,000 **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* international applicants: 30 July 2023 – UK applicants: 10 September 2023
** UK: £12,750 – international: £29,000
Scholarships
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Introduction
Never before has the quality of food been more important in our society. Governments across the world are putting pressure on the food industry to ensure products are safe and made to a high standard. That’s why the demand for qualified experts in this field is ever-growing — and the career opportunities are vast.
The Food Quality and Innovation MSc is designed around the entire process of food product development — from concept to launch. We focus on consumer-led product development, where consumers play a key role during the whole development process. You’ll develop the in-depth specialist knowledge needed to ensure that newly developed food products meet the necessary processing requirements for ensuring the quality and safety of food. Alongside this, you’ll gain a broad understanding of legislation and how this impacts the industry.
It’s this combination of scientific acumen, awareness of international requirements and the industry-relevant skill set in areas, like sensory evaluation and product design, that’ll attract employers in the industry.
Studying an MSc in the School of Food Science and Nutrition at Leeds will also give you access to specialist facilities that’ll prepare you for working in the field and a programme team consisting of academics and researchers who work within the School’s research institutes and groups.
Accreditation
This degree is accredited by the Institute of Food Science and Technology.
This accreditation signifies that Leeds offers the best possible food-related education, giving students the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to enter into employment in the food industry, research, education and the public sector.
Learning and teaching
Teaching is through a combination of lectures, practical classes, tutorials, seminars and supervised research projects. Extensive use is made of IT and a wide range of materials are available to enable you to study at your own pace and in your own time, to enhance and extend the material taught formally.
Specialist facilities
You’ll have access to excellent teaching and laboratory facilities, supplemented by extensive computing equipment. Our specialist facilities have the latest instrumental equipment for the characterisation of food components, including HPLC and GC-MS and a sensory testing facility.
Our Virtual Learning Environment will help to support your studies: it’s a central place where you can find all the information and resources for the School, your programme and modules.
You can also benefit from support to develop your academic skills, within the curriculum and through online resources, workshops, one-to-one appointments and drop-in sessions.
Programme team
Dr Peter Ho is Programme Leader for Food Quality and Innovation. His primary research interests are in sensory science, food choice and measurement. He is interested in the application of statistical modelling, experimental design and multivariate analysis techniques in food product development, product quality design, process and product optimisation and process monitoring.
The wider programme team is made up of academics and researchers from across the School of Food Science and Nutrition who work within the School’s research institutes and groups.
In this course, you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.
Program Outcome
Why study at Leeds:
- Graduate with an IFST-accredited MSc from a university that ranks in the top ten in the UK for Nutrition and Food Science, Guardian University Guide 2023, and in the top 50 in the world for Food Science and Technology, ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2022.
- Learn the latest food science innovations, linked directly to our impactful, 'real world' research, conducted right here in our School.
- Advance your knowledge and skills in critical areas sought after in the industry, including food processing, food product development, sensory science and food quality assurance and control.
- Work as a team, develop interpersonal skills and understand practical issues of communicating scientific results to a wider non-scientific audience.
- Experience excellent practical and theoretical teaching delivered by internationally renowned expert academics working at the forefront of their fields with strong industrial links.
- Enhance your career prospects and join our successful alumni who have pursued careers in big companies in the industry including Kerry Foods, Wharfe Bank Brewery and Arla Foods.
- Master the most up-to-date practices and techniques recognised in the industry on a course that has been directly informed and advised by the Industrial Advisory Board.
- Make the most of your time at Leeds by joining our Food Science society, where you can widen your interest in food studies and get to know people on your course outside of lectures through trips and socials such as a Summer BBQ.
Curriculum
Throughout the course, you’ll develop an understanding of the underpinning scientific techniques in chemistry, biochemistry, physics, mathematics and biology relevant to applications of food science and the food industry.
You’ll examine different aspects of the product development process from product conception through to product launch. Throughout the process, you’ll apply principles of product concept design, industrial experimental design, quality design techniques and sensory science in developing new food products and production processes that integrate consumer needs and expectations, while at the same time conforming to food legislation, food quality and safety requirements.
The study of the principles of quality assurance, management and improvement and its application through design, measurement and monitoring will also be examined, covering aspects such as quality control and HACCP experimental design and statistical analysis.
The course will provide you with a learning environment that immerses you in real-world situations in food product development, through group-based learning activities that require you to use your knowledge and skills attained through multi-disciplinary learning modules in various scientific fields.
From the start of your course, you’ll have the chance to put theory into practice with a group product development project. This will be your opportunity to build on the skills and knowledge you’ve learnt throughout the course and investigate an exciting real-world problem, mirroring the type of work you’ll be conducting in your professional career.
Course structure
The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time.
Year 1
Compulsory modules
- Microbiological and Chemical Food Safety 20 credits
- Food Processing 20 credits
- Nutrient & Food Biochemical Structure and Function 20 credits
- Food Analysis 10 credits
- Food Product Development 80 credits
- Sensory Science 20 credits
- Food Quality Assurance and Control 10 credits
Admissions
Career Opportunities
The food industry is one of the largest in the world — with a vast amount of career opportunities available to qualified specialists in the field.
From enhancing food quality and improving food safety, to developing brand new products that’ll take the market by storm — global companies in the industry need the skill set you’ll learn on this MSc to ensure they have quality products that adhere to regulations and stay ahead of the competition.
Here at Leeds, we rank in the top ten in the UK for Nutrition and Food Science and our Food Science MSc has been accredited by the Institute of Food Science and Technology, meaning many of our alumni have been sought after by large corporations worldwide and have gone on to hold key positions in the food industry and government agencies.
Plus, the University of Leeds is in the top five most targeted universities in the UK by graduate recruiters, according to High Fliers’ The Graduate Market in 2022 report.
Our graduates from this course have secured positions at companies such as:
- Innovation Technologist, Kerry Foods
- NPD Technologist, Scheff Foods Ltd
- R&D Food Technologist, Shanghai 21Cake Food Co
- NPD & Quality Control Executive, ID Fresh Food (India)
- Quality Control Analyst, Mundipharma Pte Ltd
- QA Technician, Newsholmes Food
- Sampling Officer, Food Experts S.L.
- Quality Assurance Support, Wharfe Bank Brewery
- Food Technologist, CK Foods Processings Ltd
- Lab Technician, Arla Foods
Student Testimonials
Gallery
Program Admission Requirements
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