BSc in Food Science

One of the best things about studying Food Science at Reading is how much you’ll learn by actually doing. From your very first year, you’ll step into professional-grade facilities — not just classrooms — so you can test, taste, build, and create food products the same way it’s done in the industry. It’s a course where you’ll balance scientific theory with plenty of practical sessions, teamwork, and even the chance to spend time inside the food industry itself.

Here’s a snapshot of the hands-on opportunities you’ll get:

• Food Processing Centre – a huge 1,100 m² pilot plant with full-scale industrial equipment where you’ll practice real production processes.

• Flavour Centre – explore the fascinating chemistry behind taste and aroma, learning why foods smell and taste the way they do.

• Sensory Science Centre – work with expert sensory panels and consumer testing to measure texture, aroma, and flavour — just like food companies do.

• Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition – a specialist unit where diet and human health are studied in detail.

• Food Processing Centre labs – access cutting-edge tools such as rheometers, viscometers, texture analysers, infrared dairy analysers, particle size analysers, and more.

• Industry placements – chances to spend time with companies like Mars, Graze, Marks & Spencer, and Bakkavor, either during the summer or as part of your degree.

• Group product-development projects – you’ll team up with classmates to design and test new food products, tackling real industry-style challenges.

One of the strongest reasons students choose Food Science at Reading is where it takes them afterwards. With the mix of science, lab experience, and industry connections you’ll gain here, graduates step into careers such as food technologist, product or process development scientist, quality manager, or even into roles around nutrition and health. The food sector is huge and constantly changing, and this degree prepares you to be right at the centre of it.

Here’s how Reading makes sure you’re career-ready:

• Personalised support – The University’s Careers and Employability Service offers one-to-one guidance, from polishing your CV to practising interviews and helping you find placements.

• Impressive stats – Around 94–96% of Food & Nutritional Sciences graduates are working or in further study within 15 months of finishing.

• Competitive salaries – Starting pay averages £29,500, rising to around £36,000–£37,000 after five years, depending on your role.

• Industry links – Students regularly go on to work with companies such as Mars, Mondelez, Bakkavor, Lidl, and the NHS.

• Accredited degree – Because the course is recognised by the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST), employers know your training meets professional standards.

• Graduate outcomes – Many students who complete placements are offered permanent roles, while others move into further study or research. Either way, you’ll leave with strong lab, product development, and project management skills that employers value.

Further Academic Progression:

If you want to keep going academically, there are clear routes. Many graduates continue into an MSc (for example in food science, nutrition, food safety or flavour science), while others dive into PhD research in areas like food engineering or flavour chemistry. You could also pursue professional registration with IFST or other specialist certifications, helping you stand out in senior industry or government roles.