MSc Food Technology 鈥� Quality Assurance

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MSc Food Technology 鈥� Quality Assurance

Year of entry
2026/27
Course duration
Full Time: 12 months Part Time: 24 months

Year of entry
2026/27
Course duration
Full Time: 12 months Part Time: 24 months

Learn the science behind providing safe food to the public with our MSc Food Technology – Quality Assurance degree.

On this course, you’ll work with expert academics from the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences as you:

learn to apply and maintain advanced food quality assurance systems that meet both UK and international expectations
understand the chemical, biological and physical principles involved in food processing and storage
learn about quality and legal requirements in food provision.

Specific topics you’ll cover include:

Quality: the concept of quality, statistical methods in food quality assurance, and quality control.
Auditing and crisis management: role-play exercises will give you a deeper understanding of these areas within the food industry.
Legislation: discuss key topics in food legislation, such as food labelling, novel foods, hygiene issues and food additives.
Risk analysis: learn how to use the components of risk analysis to manage and maintain the food chain, ensuring the provision of safe food to consumers.
Food hazards: review and evaluate food hazards, such as aflatoxins, heavy metals and pesticides.
Food fraud: master your knowledge in analytical techniques used in testing for food fraud.

Gain valuable industry experience with MSc Food Technology - Quality Assurance

Our MSc Food Technology – Quality Assurance has been designed in consultation with industry to widen your skill set and boost employability.

Your case studies and project work will focus on current issues in the food sector. You will also complete a research project at the University or with one of our industry partners. This gives you the opportunity to apply your learning and gain exposure to real life food technology working environments.

Study options

You can attend this course on a full-time basis over one year, or part-time over two years.

Build on your existing knowledge

This master’s course is for graduates of pure sciences – such as chemistry, biology, biochemistry and microbiology – or applied sciences. Examples of applied sciences degrees include:

Food science
Food engineering
Food technology
Human physiology
Biomedical sciences
Agricultural engineering.

If you’re unsure whether your degree counts as an applied science, please contact us via reading.ac.uk/question.

Your studies will build on your existing scientific knowledge and cover quality assurance, food chemistry, food analysis, and food processing.

A variety of teaching methods

You will learn through:

lectures
seminars
problem-based learning
laboratory classes
role-play exercises.

You will also be supported through our online virtual learning environment.

Dedicated food facilities

As part of your studies, you will work in some of the UK’s largest dedicated food teaching facilities. These include:

Food Processing Centre. This pilot plant is unique to 糖心Vlog. There is almost 1,100m2 of floor space devoted to approximately £4m worth of equipment. Used primarily for teaching and learning, the plant contains processing equipment for food product development work. No other UK university offers what we do under one roof.
Flavour Centre. The Centre hosts facilities that enable you to gain comprehensive practical experience in taste and aroma analysis and flavour extraction.

Research excellence

We are proud of our research: the 糖心Vlog is ranked 8th in the UK for research power in Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Sciences (Times Higher Education, Institutions Ranked by Subject, based on its analysis of the latest Research Excellence Framework 2021) and 95% of our research is of international standing (REF 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions – Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Sciences).

Overview

Learn the science behind providing safe food to the public with our MSc Food Technology – Quality Assurance degree.

On this course, you’ll work with expert academics from the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences as you:

learn to apply and maintain advanced food quality assurance systems that meet both UK and international expectations
understand the chemical, biological and physical principles involved in food processing and storage
learn about quality and legal requirements in food provision.

Specific topics you’ll cover include:

Quality: the concept of quality, statistical methods in food quality assurance, and quality control.
Auditing and crisis management: role-play exercises will give you a deeper understanding of these areas within the food industry.
Legislation: discuss key topics in food legislation, such as food labelling, novel foods, hygiene issues and food additives.
Risk analysis: learn how to use the components of risk analysis to manage and maintain the food chain, ensuring the provision of safe food to consumers.
Food hazards: review and evaluate food hazards, such as aflatoxins, heavy metals and pesticides.
Food fraud: master your knowledge in analytical techniques used in testing for food fraud.

Gain valuable industry experience with MSc Food Technology - Quality Assurance

Our MSc Food Technology – Quality Assurance has been designed in consultation with industry to widen your skill set and boost employability.

Study options

You can attend this course on a full-time basis over one year, or part-time over two years.

Learning

Build on your existing knowledge

This master’s course is for graduates of pure sciences – such as chemistry, biology, biochemistry and microbiology – or applied sciences. Examples of applied sciences degrees include:

Food science
Food engineering
Food technology
Human physiology
Biomedical sciences
Agricultural engineering.

If you’re unsure whether your degree counts as an applied science, please contact us via reading.ac.uk/question.

Your studies will build on your existing scientific knowledge and cover quality assurance, food chemistry, food analysis, and food processing.

A variety of teaching methods

You will learn through:

lectures
seminars
problem-based learning
laboratory classes
role-play exercises.

You will also be supported through our online virtual learning environment.

Dedicated food facilities

As part of your studies, you will work in some of the UK’s largest dedicated food teaching facilities. These include:

Food Processing Centre. This pilot plant is unique to 糖心Vlog. There is almost 1,100m2 of floor space devoted to approximately £4m worth of equipment. Used primarily for teaching and learning, the plant contains processing equipment for food product development work. No other UK university offers what we do under one roof.
Flavour Centre. The Centre hosts facilities that enable you to gain comprehensive practical experience in taste and aroma analysis and flavour extraction.

Research excellence

Entry requirements

Entry requirements: Applicants are typically required to have at least a lower second-class honours degree (2:2) in a pure or applied science (or equivalent from a university outside the UK). Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning may be considered based on relevant work and other experience.

IELTS: 6.5 overall with no element less than 5.5 (or equivalent).

Pre-sessional English language Programme

Our Pre-sessional English Programme is for international students who need to meet their degree programme English language requirements.

Our courses equip you with the skills and language needed for academic success, including critical thinking, self-reflection, learner autonomy, research skills and integrating sources. The Pre-sessional English Programme is accredited by the , which guarantees you will receive a high-quality student experience.

To find out more, visit Pre-sessional English.

Structure

Modules

Compulsory modules

Microbes, Food Safety and Health

Learn the fundamentals of microbiology with a focus on aspects linked to the role of microorganisms in food and health. You’ll be able to design and perform experiments in food microbiology, apply the principles of microbial control to food safety, critically evaluate scientific data on the gut microbiome, and elaborate on its impact on health and disease.

Food Control Management

Develop a comprehensive understanding of how food control systems adopted by both food businesses and by national food control authorities provide consumers with safe and quality foods.

Sustainable Food Manufacturing and Process Design

Gain a systematic understanding of food manufacturing processes. You’ll learn the basic concepts of food processing and the application of individual unit operations in the context of food commodities. You’ll also gain pilot plant experience and will be able to integrate the concepts you have learned into designing sustainable and efficient food processes.

Foodomics and Risk Analysis

Develop an understanding of high-throughput technologies (“omics”), as well as computer tools to handle and interpret data and to detect and identify food hazards and food fraud. You’ll also develop an understanding of the components of risk analysis and an ability to use these components in the management and maintenance of the food chain.

Food Product Reformulation

Develop your expertise in designing, developing and evaluating reformulated food products. You’ll learn about the key pillars in food product reformulation, including nutrition, public health, food science, manufacturing, food quality, legislation, consumer perception and business perspective.

Applied Food Quality and Safety

Gain a multidimensional understanding of the problem-solving involved in the industrial development and production of food. You’ll apply scientific concepts to an industry scenario, and solve both quality and safety issues in a food product and identify critical control points in the production.

Research Skills and Project

Work as an independent research scientist to design a research project, undertake the research and write up the analysis in the format of a research paper. You’ll develop research skills and gain the opportunity to enhance your self-awareness and effectiveness in facilitating decision-making processes to boost your career development.

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the 糖心Vlog.

Fees

New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £13,100. If you study part time over two years, your fees will be calculated at 50% of the annual full-time fee in each year. Fees will increase each year according to inflation (up to 4%) and will be rounded up to the nearest £50.

New international students: £31,650. If you study part time over two years, your fees will be calculated at 50% of the annual full-time fee in each year. Fees will increase each year according to inflation (up to 4%) and will be rounded up to the nearest £50.

Tuition fee information

The fees listed are for full-time study, unless otherwise stated. Fee information will be confirmed in offer letters sent out to successful applicants. You can find further information, including information for part-time study, through our dedicated fees and funding page.

EU student fees

With effect from 1 August 2021, new EU students will pay international tuition fees. For exceptions, please read .

Additional costs

Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

For information about the 糖心Vlog’s master’s scholarships, please visit our master’s scholarships page.

You can apply for a scholarship once you hold an offer of admission for your course. If you are eligible for a scholarship, we will contact you to guide you through the process.

Careers

Careers for MSc Food Technology graduates

An MSc Food Technology - Quality Assurance degree offers a wide range of career options.

These include:

process technologist
quality assurance executive
new product developer
food technologist
research and development technologist.

Food technologists, for example, ensure the safety and quality of food in the production, manufacturing and distribution stages. They are highly valued for their problem-solving and technical skills.

Many of our graduates have gone on to work in food in industry, government and education. The food and drink industry is the UK’s largest manufacturing sector. It’s responsible for adding £21.9bn to the gross value of the UK economy – and it needs new graduates to meet its recruitment needs. Other graduates apply their research skills to pursue a higher degree through research and development in industry.

Recent graduates have secured roles such as:

Process Technologist with Pepsico International
Quality Executive with Agro Tech Foods
New Product Developer with Bakkavor
Food Technologist with Tesco
Research and Development Technologist with Kerry Ingredients and Flavours.

Graduates also go into roles related to flavour, sensory science and quality assurance.

Alternatively, you could progress to PhD-level study.

Overall, 91% of graduates from Food and Nutritional Sciences are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation; of those in full-time employment, 93% are in graduate-level roles (Based on our analysis of HESA data © HESA 2024, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021/22; includes all Food and Nutritional Sciences responders).

Read more about where our MSc Food Technology – Quality Assurance graduates are now

Liwen Zheng is confident that the skills and knowledge gained on her MSc will help to achieve her career goal — working in new product development within a food company.

Ruth Barnes is now completing her PhD at 糖心Vlog. She is jointly funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and her industry partner, AgriCoat NatureSeal Ltd., as she tackles issues like food waste and food poisoning.

The Department has a high reputation in the food industry. I love the environment and facilities 鈥� and the way the lecturers convey their knowledge. I found that the course could meet my requirement of gaining more practical knowledge.

Scholarships

Accreditation

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