Food Safety

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 inter-disciplinarily trained graduates skilled in the area of Food Safety in the context of the broader food industry



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.



This programme is delivered and assessed entirely online. The course is parttime and students can complete the course on a rolling basis. The online format of the programme enables students enrolled to combine studying while in employment.



What Will I Learn?

• Chemistry of Nutrients

• Food Microbiology & Safety

• Principles of Biochemistry

• Food Process Technology

• Bioinformatics in Food Safety

• Animal Foods

• Food Microbiology

• Plant Foods

• Food Toxicology

• Food Health and Diet

• Food Safety Genomics

• Sustainability in Diet

• Food Security

• Food Chain Integrity O/L

• Environmental Food Processing

• One Health O/L

• Food Regulatory Affairs (O/L)

• Food Quality and Safety (O/L)

• Research Design and Statistics

Module/Trimester/Credits



Stage 1 Options - A)20CR:

Students must take the following 20 credits of Core Modules over the course of their programme registration. If possible students should take the Core modules in Autumn of Year 1 as these modules are pre-requisites for several Spring modules. Please keep this in mind when planning your registration.

FDSC40500 Chemistry of Nutrients Autumn 5

FDSC40520 Food Microbiology & Safety Autumn 5

FDSC40530 Principles of Biochemistry Autumn 5

FDSC40950 Food Health and Diet Autumn 5



Stage 1 Options - B) Min 25CR:

Students must take a minimum of 25 credits and may take a maximum of 40 credits of option modules from the following list over their programme registration.

FDSC40710 Bioinformatics in Food Safety Autumn 5

FDSC40900 Food Microbiology Autumn 5

FDSC40970 Food Safety Genomics Autumn 5

FDSC41020 Food Security Autumn 5

HNUT40100 Food Regulatory Affairs (O/L) Autumn 5

HNUT40130 Research Design and Statistics Autumn 5

FDSC40540 Food Process Technology Spring 5

FDSC40890 Animal Foods Spring 5

FDSC40940 Food Toxicology Spring 5

FDSC41050 One Health O/L Spring 5



Stage 1 Options - C) Min 0CR:

Students may take up to 15 credits of option modules from the following list over the course of their programme.

FDSC40920 Plant Foods Autumn 5

FDSC40980 Sustainability in Diet Autumn 5

FDSC41030 Food Chain Integrity O/L Spring 5

FDSC41040 Environmental Food Processing Spring 5

HNUT40110 Food Quality and Safety (O/L) Spring 5

The course is aimed at:

1) Individuals working full-time in the food industry charged with improving sustainability of food systems.



2) Recent graduates with a BSc. in areas such as Science, Agriculture, Nutrition and Environmental Sciences, as a means of differentiating themselves from other graduates in this area and thus increasing their employability.



Applicants must hold a minimum of a Second Class Honours degree (NFQ Level 8 or international equivalent) in a cognate subject (Science, Engineering or related discipline).



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



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.



You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page for further information at: https://www.ucd.ie/registry/prospectivestudents/admissions/rpl/ Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

Online Application.



Who Should Apply?

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes

International (Non EEA) applicants: Yes

2 years part-time. Delivery: Online.

D089: Graduate Diploma in Food Safety Part-Time

Commencing September 2026

Graduate Taught

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

• Scientific Analyst