Food Science MSci, BSc

One of the best parts of studying Food Science at Leeds is how much you get to roll up your sleeves and actually do the science. From day one, you’ll be in modern teaching labs learning the basics, and as you progress you’ll move into specialist research spaces with the same equipment used by leading food companies and researchers. You won’t just learn theory in lectures—you’ll practice it in experiments, projects, and even group challenges where you create and test your own food products. By the time you graduate, you’ll have had hands-on experience with advanced tools, worked in professional-style teams, and carried out research that makes a real impact.

And here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Dedicated food labs including the Food Analytical Lab, Food Colloids Research Laboratory, and Food Technology Lab, where you’ll do everything from testing ingredients to analysing nutrient content.
• Specialist instruments like rheometers, spectroscopy tools, and surface analysis kits to explore texture, flavour, and food structure at both a microscopic and molecular level.
• Cutting-edge imaging facilities such as electron microscopy and laser-scanning confocal microscopy, letting you literally see inside food systems.
• Chemical and nutritional analysis using advanced techniques like HPLC and GC-MS, the same methods trusted by the food industry to guarantee safety and quality.
• High-performance computing resources, shared through the White Rose HPC initiative, so you can run data simulations and digital modelling projects.
• Group product development projects, where you’ll design and test your own food products as part of an interdisciplinary team—mimicking how the industry develops new foods.
• Research-focused final year project, giving you the chance to work independently on a major piece of food science research with expert guidance.
• 24-hour libraries and computing clusters like the Edward Boyle and Laidlaw libraries, providing spaces for both collaborative project work and individual study.

These facilities are purpose-built to prepare you for the real world of food science, blending lab skills, teamwork, and research independence with access to some of the UK’s best university resources.

When you graduate from this programme, you’ll be well placed for roles in product development, food safety and quality assurance, regulatory departments, or research & development: typical job titles include Food Technologist, Quality Assurance Manager, R&D Scientist, or positions in regulatory / public health food safety agencies.

Here’s how Leeds supports your transition into work, what graduates typically achieve, and what makes your degree valuable:

• University-employability services: Leeds Careers Centre offers tailored support for Food Science students — this includes CV / interview preparation, workshops on industry trends, networking events with food companies, and help finding placements.
• Employment statistics & salary figures: Graduates 15 months after finishing tend to earn around £27,000 (typical UK range ~£24,500-£30,000).  After 5 years, salaries rise (typically into the low to mid-thirty thousands).
• University-industry partnerships: Leeds has active collaborations via Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) and funded R&D projects — for example, a KTP associate role between the School of Food Science & Nutrition and a plant-meat company for developing & commercialising new products. 
• Long-term accreditation value: The programme is accredited by the Institution of Food Science & Technology (IFST), meaning your degree meets industry-recognized standards. That enhances your credentials particularly in roles tied to regulation, safety or quality assurance.