Bachelor's Programme in Foodservice and Nutrition

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Uppsala University

Program Overview

Uppsala University’s Bachelor’s Programme in Foodservice and Nutrition combines nutrition, food science, sustainability, leadership and business studies, preparing students to manage and develop food- and meal-related services. It is well suited to students interested in how food affects human health, society and the environment, as well as those aiming for careers in foodservice management, product development, quality control or the food industry.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students build their scientific foundation through Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics A: Nutrition, covering chemistry, physiology, nutrients and the scientific basis of dietary recommendations. They then study Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics B: Food Science, exploring food safety, food production, food properties and the relationship between food systems, climate and environmental sustainability.

Year 2: Students apply their scientific knowledge through Food, Market and Leadership I, Sensory Evaluation and Product Development, and Nutrition and Public Health. They learn to assess food through sensory methods, develop sustainable products, understand public-health nutrition and strengthen their ability to plan and lead meal-related organisations; this year also includes workplace-based training in a food- or meal-related organisation.

Year 3: The programme develops students’ commercial and organisational understanding through Management Control 1, Introduction to Organising and Marketing, and Financial Accounting 1. In the final semester, students examine food habits through Sociological Perspectives on Food, develop research skills in Food and Nutrition C: Research Methods, and complete a Bachelor’s Thesis in Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics.

Focus areas: Nutrition, physiology, food science, food safety, sensory evaluation, sustainable product development, public-health nutrition, foodservice management, leadership, marketing, financial management, food culture and research.

Learning outcomes: Graduates learn to plan and evaluate food and meals for different populations, manage food-related organisations, interpret scientific evidence, balance nutritional, sensory, economic, environmental and cultural considerations, and communicate solutions to professional stakeholders.

Professional alignment: The programme awards a Bachelor of Social Science, 180 credits, with Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics as the 90-credit main field and Business Studies as a 30-credit minor field. It prepares students for managerial and developmental positions in foodservice and the food industry, but it is not a professional dietetics qualification and does not lead to registration as a clinical dietitian.

Reputation: Uppsala University is ranked 87th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, 93rd in the 2025 Academic Ranking of World Universities, and 32nd in the 2025 QS Sustainability ranking.

Official programme link: Bachelor’s Programme in Foodservice and Nutrition – Uppsala University

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The programme combines scientific theory with cooking, food laboratory work, sensory testing, workplace training and business-focused problem-solving. Students learn through lectures, laboratory activities, seminars, practical exercises, group projects, field studies, field trips and presentations, allowing them to understand food from nutritional, operational, commercial and sustainability perspectives.

A compulsory work placement provides direct exposure to food- and meal-related organisations. Students identify a suitable placement in consultation with the course leader, and the organisation must be approved by the department; official examples include food companies, the Swedish Food Agency and municipal meal-service departments.

Programme-specific practical resources and experiences include:

Workplace-based training: Students undertake professional training during Year 2 and may gain experience in food companies, government agencies or municipal foodservice operations.
Teaching kitchen: Students use the department’s teaching kitchen for practical cooking, food preparation and the evaluation of meals for different populations and production settings.
Research kitchen: A dedicated research kitchen supports controlled food preparation, practical investigations and food-related research activities.
Sensory and data room: Students have access to a specialist sensory/data room that supports sensory evaluation and the systematic analysis of food products.
Food and microbiology laboratories: Food-science teaching includes laboratory work, while microbiology activities follow formal food-safety, hygiene and protective-clothing procedures.
Product-development activities: Through Sensory Evaluation and Product Development, students learn to evaluate food through the senses and contribute to the development and quality improvement of food products.
Group projects: The teaching structure includes group exercises, discussions, collaborative assignments, reports and presentations, developing teamwork and professional communication skills.
Field studies and field trips: The official programme syllabus includes field studies and field trips among its teaching methods, helping students connect academic learning with professional food environments.
Digital learning tools: Studium is used for course communication, learning materials, announcements and group allocation, while TimeEdit provides course timetables.
BMC Library and study facilities: The department is based at Uppsala Biomedical Centre, where students can use the Bio-Medical Library, computer rooms and campus study areas.
Research environment: Students study within a department conducting applied research in food science, nutrition, dietetic communication, hospital foodservice, eating behaviour, healthy ageing and sustainable nutrition.

The university does not identify a specific commercial nutrition, menu-planning or sensory-analysis software package in the current programme information.

Official facilities link: Department of Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics – Facilities

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates are prepared for food- and meal-related roles across local government, schools, healthcare meal services, food manufacturers, retail organisations and consultancy businesses. Typical positions include Foodservice Manager, Meal Development Specialist, Food Product Developer and Sensory or Quality Coordinator, with additional opportunities in purchasing, procurement, public-health projects and food inspection.

The programme supports this career progression through the following opportunities:

UU Careers: Students can receive career counselling, feedback on CVs and cover letters, and guidance on preparing employment applications.
UU CareerGate: The university’s career portal provides access to graduate vacancies, internships, degree projects, employer information and career-planning resources.
CareerTuesday: Students can attend career-focused webinars and events designed to build practical job-search and professional-development skills.
International career support: Uppsala University provides access to GoinGlobal, which offers country-specific career information and guidance for students seeking work internationally.
Industry and public-sector experience: The programme maintains strong professional relevance through workplace training and cooperation with food companies, municipal foodservice organisations and public authorities such as the Swedish Food Agency.
Graduate examples: Uppsala University profiles graduates working as a Sensory Coordinator at Dagab, an Assistant Foodservice Manager and Meal Developer in municipal services, as well as professionals in product development, food inspection, purchasing and quality control.
Entrepreneurship: Graduates may establish consultancy or product-development businesses in food, nutrition, health and sustainable meal services. UU Innovation can also support students interested in developing business ideas.
Long-term qualification value: The combination of 90 credits in Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics and 30 credits in Business Studies provides a multidisciplinary qualification covering food science, sustainability, organisational leadership and commercial decision-making.
Graduation outcome: Successful students receive a Bachelor of Social Science, complete professional workplace training and produce an independent 15-credit bachelor’s thesis.
Employment and salary figures: Uppsala University does not publish a programme-specific employment rate or graduate salary figure for the Bachelor’s Programme in Foodservice and Nutrition. No verified percentage or salary should therefore be attributed to the programme.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates with the 180-credit bachelor’s degree can continue with advanced courses in areas such as Evidence-Based Nutrition, Food, Health and Communication, Research Methodology in Food Science, Nutrition and Healthy Ageing, and Children’s Food and Eating. These courses can contribute towards an individually structured one-year, 60-credit master’s degree or two-year, 120-credit master’s degree in Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics.

After completing an appropriate master’s qualification, graduates may apply for doctoral positions in Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics. Uppsala University’s doctoral programme normally involves 48 net months of study and research and leads to a doctoral degree.