Food Safety

As the global population increases, creating a demand for even more food, producing safe food has never been as important. Many of us are in the lucky position that we can say we get to eat something everyday, and ideally, that food which we eat should not make us sick or cause us to feel unwell. Put simply: 'If it isn't safe, it isn't food!'.

This programme, which is underpinned by current and ongoing research, will give students a detailed understanding of the issues affecting food safety both from the perspective of the food industry and regulatory authorities, as well as enabling students to develop the necessary analytical skills and theoretical understanding to manage food safety programmes within global food companies or within national and international food safety regulatory agencies. This programme is designed for and will appeal to Science or Technology graduates who currently don't have a qualification in Food Safety, as well as professionals who are currently working in the Food Industry, that wish to upskill and further develop their expertise in food safety.

Delivered by leading international experts from the UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science and the UCD Institute of Food and Health the MSc Food Safety will develop committed and interdisciplinarily trained graduates skilled in the area of Food Safety in the context of the broader food industry.

Who should apply?
Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. Yes

This programme is suitable for individuals working full-time in the food industry charged with improving the safety and security of food systems as well as recent graduates of Science and Technology from areas such as Agriculture, Bioinformatics, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology who are interested in enhancing their knowledge in the area of Food Safety.

Modules include a mixture of autonomous student learning, course work, and lectures. The course is assessed by a combination of assignments, in-trimester continuous assessment exercises, and end-of-trimester examinations.

Modules for students enrolling in this programme include: • Advanced Food Safety and Security • Bioinformatics in Food Safety • Food Chain Integrity • Food Microbiology and Safety • Food Preservation • Food Safety Project • Food Security: Food Access and Availability • Microbiology • One Health • Precision Food Safety in the Genomics Era • Quantitative Risk Assessment for Human and Animal Health • Research Design and Statistics • Risk Analysis in Food Safety • Traceability and Authenticity in Food Supply

This programme is delivered and assessed entirely online. The minimum registration to the MSc is two years, however, students have four years in which to complete the programme thereby affording ?exibility. The online format of the programme enables students enrolled to combine studying while in employment.

Stage 1 Option

Chemistry of Nutrients FDSC40500
Food Microbiology & Safety FDSC40520
Physiology & Metabolism FDSC40530
Food Process Technology FDSC40540
Bioinformatics in Food Safety FDSC40710
Animal Foods FDSC40890
Food Microbiology FDSC40900
Plant Foods FDSC40920
Food Toxicology FDSC40940
Food Health and Diet FDSC40950
Food Safety Genomics FDSC40970
Sustainability in Diet FDSC40980
Food Safety Project FDSC40990
Food Security FDSC41020
Food Chain Integrity O/L FDSC41030
Environmental Food Processing FDSC41040
One Health O/L FDSC41050
Food Regulatory Affairs (O/L) HNUT40100
Food Quality and Safety (O/L) HNUT40110
Research Design and Statistics HNUT40130

Applicants must hold a minimum of an upper second-class level 8 degree, or international equivalent, in a cognate subject (Science, Engineering, or related discipline) and/or have considerable relevant work experience in the Agri-Food industry.

Applicants who do not hold the requisite Science qualification (but who hold a Level 8 Honours degree or equivalent) have been admitted previously and are advised to submit an application for assessment by the Programme Director to determine eligibility.

Applicants with other awards who hold substantial relevant work experience will be considered.

Applicants whose ?rst language is not English must also demonstrate English language pro?ciency of IELTS 6.5 (no band less than 6.0 in each element), or equivalent.

The following entry routes are available:

MSc Food Safety PT (D079)
Duration 2 Years
Attend Part Time
Deadline Rolling*

* Courses will remain open until such time as all places have been filled, therefore early application is advised

2 Years Part Time

Careers & Employability
The UCD MSc in Food Safety positions graduates for leadership roles in this critically important area for the Irish and Global economy.

There are excellent career opportunities for graduates in advisory, technical, and management roles both within the food industry, government organisations, and regulatory agencies.

Graduate Roles include:

Food Regulation
Food Safety and Risk Analysis
Food Safety Research
Policy Development
Scienti?c Analyst