Food Science and Nutrition MSci, BSc

Food science and nutrition is a multidisciplinary subject area that brings together the pure science subjects of chemistry, biology, physics and nutrition to the study of the nature, sustainability, properties, and composition of foods. It also focuses on the role that foods, nutrients and “diet” play in maintaining health and wellbeing and preventing diseases. Skilled food scientists and nutritionists play an important role in understanding how raw materials are transformed into finished food products whilst ensuring the food we eat is safe, good quality and meets our nutritional and dietary needs.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1
In your first year, you’ll build solid foundations: you’ll explore Food: Past, Present and Future, learning about food sourcing, production, and consumption trends; Introduction to Human Nutrition, which covers essential nutrients, their sources, and their roles in health; and Food Safety and Preservation, to understand how foods stay safe and high quality. Lab work, recipe development, sensory evaluation, and using tools like Nutritics or MyFood24 will all build your hands-on skills and scientific thinking.

Year 2
Moving into year two, the course digs deeper into how food behaves when processed, and how our bodies use what we eat. Modules like Advanced Food Biochemistry show you molecular interactions; Food Processing covers industrial methods, quality, and safety; and Nutrition Across the Lifespan explores nutritional needs from pre-conception through adulthood and older age. You’ll also sharpen research methods and understand professional competencies in Food Science & Nutrition, opening the door to real-world roles.

Year 3
In the third year, the course shifts toward specialisation, creative problem solving, and collaboration. You’ll work in teams in Food Product Development: Interdisciplinary Team Project, taking a food product from concept to marketing, including packaging and sensory evaluation. How Ingredients Interact in Foods helps you see how changes in formulation affect texture, flavour, colour and nutritional quality. Also included are modules like Nutrition and Health, and Food Industry Management, which develop your ability to connect science to public health, business, and consumer needs.

Year 4 (MSci / Integrated Master’s year)
Your final year gives you a chance to step up: you’ll do a major independent research project through Capstone Project: Research and Discovery (60 credits), investigate advanced ingredient functionality, and take specialist optional modules in areas like Food Systems & Sustainability, Policy, Sensory Science, or Biotechnology. This year is designed to consolidate your skills so you graduate ready for leadership in industry, research or public sectors.

Focus areas (in a string):

food composition & processing; nutrition across life stages; product development & innovation; sustainability & novel foods; research & industry-relevant skills

Learning outcomes (in a string):

you will understand how food’s chemical, physical and biological properties affect quality & health; analyse nutrition through the life cycle; design, process and evaluate food products; tackle real problems combining science and sustainability; communicate scientific evidence; work independently and in teams