MSc in Food Science and Technology
Food, quality and safety are much debated topics in our society and are important issues for the individual consumer.
The rapid development which has taken place in recent decades within technology and biological science has created completely new ways of producing and processing foods. And large parts of the world are looking to Denmark when it comes to the development of foods. Food should offer experiences, eliminate lifestyle diseases, be sustainable and be produced under safe conditions.
With a degree from the MSc programme in Food Science and Technology, you are an expert on developing the foods of the future.
The language of the study programme is English.
Read an interview with the student Louise Bjerrum.
Content:
Admission requirements
Profile
Career opportunities
Structure
Teaching
Student life
Application
Contact
To get admitted to the MSc programme, you must have a degree from a relevant BSc programme.
The BSc programme in Food Science gives direct access to the MSc programme in Food Science and Technology:
Students with other BSc degrees in natural science and health science can also apply for admission. In order to qualify for admission to the programme, a special combination of elective subjects is required, corresponding to the BSc degree in Food Science: Mathematics (7.5 ECTS), statistics (7.5 ECTS), chemistry (15 ECTS), microbiology (15 ECTS) and biochemistry (7.5 ECTS).
Among LIFE’s own BScs, BScs in Natural Resources and Biology-Biotechnology, among others, qualify for admission to the programme.
Read more about the specific admission requirements here.
If you are interested in how foods are developed, what they consist of and how you can manage a production process from raw materials to finished product, the MSc programme in Food Science and Technology is what you are looking for.
A degree in food science and technology enables you to work on the challenges associated with food production, food safety, food quality and health. And you are able to develop foods based on gastronomic know-how and consumer knowledge.
Increasing technologicalisation has made food production extremely complex, and there is a growing need for highly qualified food science graduates who can grasp and apply the new technologies.
As a graduate from the MSc programme in Food Science and Technology, you are, among other things, also able to:
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Account for the handling of raw materials and the processing principles behind one or more of the foods meat, dairy products, grain products and vegetables.
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Maintain up-to-date knowledge on international food legislation and quality control systems.
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Participate in public debates on food research and the importance of the food industry for society in general.
The MSc programme in Food Science and Technology has been selected as one of the University of Copenhagen’s COME (Copenhagen Master of Excellence) programmes.
The food industry is one of Denmark’s most important sectors, and many opportunities exist for food science graduates.
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You can, for example, work with product development, quality management and company management in food companies.
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You can become involved in developing new and healthy foods or working to prevent undesirable bacteria from entering the products.
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As the programme is taught in English and the food industry is globally oriented, the programme gives you a solid foundation for an international career.
Here, you can see examples of where you may end up after graduation:
• Read an interview with Tina Salomonsen, Research Scientist, Novozymes.
• Read an interview with Gitte Nomanni Holm, Application Specialist, Umetrics.
• Read an interview with Pernille Schrøder Andersen, Quality Coordinator, OSCAR A/S.
Structure
The MSc programme in Food Science and Technology consists of compulsory courses, elective courses and thematic courses building on the knowledge you have acquired on food issues and food production.
At a high academic level, you learn about, for example, food chemistry, microbiology, food technology, nutrition, physiology, pharmacology, pathology, gastronomy and consumer choices.
You can either follow a general track or choose a number of specialisations:
- Dairy Technology
- Brewing Science and Technology
- Food Safety
- Process Analytical Technology
- Sensory Science
- Individual Specialisation
You can also specialise within:
Thesis
You finish your MSc studies by writing a thesis, which is a large scientific project corresponding to six or nine months of teaching. You can write your thesis on your own or in a group. You gain the title Master of Science (MSc) in Food Science and Technology (in Danish: cand.techn.al.).
The thesis is often based on a specific problem from a food company or a research project.
Examples of theses:
- Quick method for determining salmonella
- New methodology for determining the fat content in whole milk powder
- What constitutes good eating quality in pork, and how do consumers perceive this?
- Addition of antioxidants to packaging
Food, quality and safety are much debated in our society. The advances that have taken place in recent decades within technology and biological science have created completely new ways of producing and processing foods. Increasing technologicalisation has made food production extremely complex, and there is a growing need for highly qualified graduates who can grasp and apply the new technologies.
Instruction is in the form of lectures, seminars, practical and theoretical exercises, and there will be a good deal of project work. You will be working both independently and in project groups.
You will be in contact with the real world as you will be working with the challenges that are also important outside the University’s walls.
There is a well-established collaboration between the students and the business community that ensures excellent prospects for internships or project collaborations, providing you with a unique experience and a good network.
The programme will give you ample opportunity to strengthen your international competences, e.g. through study trips abroad.
Student life at LIFE is absolutely unique – both with regard to the physical and the academic environment. The Gardens, which are part of the Frederiksberg Campus, are popular among both students and locals. In the summer months, you can drop by Café Væksthuset located in an old greenhouse for a cup of freshly brewed coffee and a delicious sandwich.
As a student, you can join student clubs and societies of a more or less academic nature. Regardless of whether you are interested in choral singing, sports, the theatre or a special academic subject, there is a club for you.
The faculty has a large number of international students who contribute to the dynamic and exciting student life. You will also have plenty of opportunity to travel abroad in connection with your studies.
Would you like to hear from a student what it is like to study on the MSc programme in Food Science and Technology at LIFE? Then you can read an interview with the student Louise Bjerrum.
Applicants with a BSc degree from Denmark must apply before 1 April to start the programme the following September.
Applicants from Scandinavia, the EU and Lichtenstein must apply before 1 April to start the programme the following September.
Applicants from countries outside Scandinavia and the EU must apply by 1 January to start the programme the following September.
Tuition Fees
Read more about application processes, tuition fees and scholarships.
You are always welcome to contact the faculty’s student counselling service, LIFE Student Services, if you have any questions about the programme, student life etc.
You can contact Student Services on tel. +45 3533 3533 or by email to .
Each spring, the faculty’s MSc programmes host open house events. At these events, you have the chance to meet directors of studies and students, who can tell you more about the programme.
Kirsten Jenlev , - last update:13 April 2012