Gastronomy & Food Studies - Conversion Course - Grangegorman

What is Gastronomy & Food Studies?

This pioneering Masters course in unique in both Ireland and globally in offering graduates a solid underpinning in the three pillars of Gastronomy & Food Studies: History, Society, and Practice. The food landscape in Ireland and indeed globally is under ever-increasing scrutiny from a wide range of commentators and this course will satisfy the growing interest in Food Studies.



By amalgamating shared learning with focused networking opportunities, the course develops transferrable, interpersonal communication skills whilst encouraging creative and critical thinkers who will become life-long learners and advocates for Irish food and international food culture.



The course examines the key forces and policies that influence the modern food system by investigating the impact of history on contemporary foodways. It also explores the social dynamics of food and drink culture, food tourism, contemporary approaches to food education, as well as food writing, media, publishing and sustainable food practices. This Masters course runs as a full-time programme (TU237) over one year, or as a part-time programme (TU233) over two years. The full-time option satisfies student visa requirements for non-EU applicants.

Module listing

Year One

Semester 1

Food Writing & Media [Mandatory]

Global Cultural History of Food [Mandatory]

History of Irish Food: Applying the Past [Mandatory]

Introduction to Gastronomy and Food Studies [Mandatory]

Consumer Culture and Branding [Elective]

Food Pedagogy: Exploring Culinary Education [Elective]

International Trends in Gastronomic Research and Publishing [Elective]

Reading Historic Cookbooks [Elective]



Semester 2

The Politics of the Global Food System [Mandatory]

Dissertation Research (Masters Degree) [Mandatory]

Post Graduate Research Methodology [Mandatory]

Social Approaches to Wine and Beverage Culture [Elective]

Food Tourism [Elective]

Minimum Entry Requirements?

Successful completion of an undergraduate (level 8) degree or equivalent at honours classification (2.1 or higher).



OR



Successful completion of an undergraduate degree (Ordinary or Bachelor) or equivalent (level 7), together with significant industrial or academic experience (Significant industrial experience comprises a minimum of 3 years in a supervisory role/ senior position in a related industry).



In addition, all shortlisted candidates will be required to attend an interview; or in the case of overseas candidates unable to travel, interviews can be conducted online. Applicants are required to produce evidence of the minimum English language proficiency requirement for overseas applicants i.e. a minimum score of 7.0 in IELTS or equivalent.

Applications for full-time and some part-time postgraduate programmes commencing in September 2026 are now open. Applications for the remaining part-time programmes will open in February 2026. Please check individual course pages for application details.

1 year full-time, on-campus, 2 years part-time, on-campus delivery.



Schedule

The full-time version of the Masters in Gastronomy and Food Studies involves two full days in college and at least a further three days of independent learning, reading, research and project writing or field research.



Contact Hours: Tuesdays 9am-6pm, Wednesdays 9am- 6pm.

Commencement Date: September 2026

What are my career opportunities?

Graduates of this MA Gastronomy and Food Studies course will be uniquely positioned and equipped to seek employment opportunities in an ever-expanding range of disciplines and to pursue a multitude of career paths. The strength of the graduate will lie in their diversity of knowledge and exposure to a range of subject areas.



Successful graduates will be able to contribute to the arenas of Food Policy (government agencies, NGOs, advocacy, non-profit and philanthropic organisations), Art and Media, Food Writing and Communications, Teaching and Academia, Food and Beverage Consultancy, Food Tourism or as Brand Ambassadors. In addition, graduates may move into creative and entrepreneurial leadership roles within the broader culinary and food industries.