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Full Time: 3 Years
Learn from world-leading authorities on food and discover how to tackle the exciting challenges facing Europe's largest industry on our BSc Food Science course.
Food science is the study of the quality, safety and nutritional purposes of foods. This course aims to give you the scientific skills and knowledge base needed to understand food processes and meet society's demands for safe and sustainable food products. The University of Reading is a world authority on human nutrition, food chemistry, chemical engineering, microbiology and food law. Our staff are actively engaged in world-class research and will tailor their teaching to reflect changing trends and emerging technologies within the sector.
You will study the fundamental science behind food and nutrition, the processes involved in production, and human physiology. You will also gain experience of using key technical skills through sensory evaluation, laboratory-based practicals and work in our pilot-scale food processing plant. During your final year you will have the chance to put these newly learned manufacturing skills to the test in our "Product development" module. You will be given a brief by industry and work as a team to produce an original product, which you will showcase at an end-of-term trade show.
Graduates of this course are recognised as professional food scientists by the Institute of Food Science and Technology. Additionally, their final year projects are often finalists in the National Science, Engineering and Technology awards.
For more information, please visit the Food and Nutritional Sciences website.
Typical offer A Level ABB | IB 32 points overall
What will you study?
How much will it cost?
New UK/EU students: £9,250* per year
New international students: £20,830 per year
* UK and EU fee changes
UK undergraduate fees are regulated by the government. These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK and EU** students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.
From 2020, the UK government may link tuition fees to the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
**EU students
For more information on fees, loans and grants for EU students, see fees and funding for home/EU students.
Additional costs
These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. 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
You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK and other EU countries may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.
* UK and EU Fee Changes
Subject to the Government passing legislation to raise the minimum fee cap, we will raise undergraduate tuition fees from £9,000 to £9,250 for new UK/EU students applying to start courses in the 2017/18 academic year. You will not be affected by this rise if you have deferred entry to the 2017/18 academic year. The Government will confirm future arrangements for EU students in due course.
The tuition fee will remain £9,000 per year for the full duration of this course if you start in the 2016/17 academic year or have accepted an offer but deferred your entry until the 2017/18 academic year. This is unlike other institutions who are planning to raise fees midway through courses.
For further information, please see our webpage on the Teaching Excellence Framework and future tuition fees.
Additional costs
These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. 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
You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK and other EU countries may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.
What career can you have?
Food is Europe's largest and most buoyant industry, and there is a constant demand for graduates with knowledge of technical skills and ways to tackle the latest consumer issues.
As a graduate of this course, you will be recognised as a professional food scientist by the Institute of Food Science and Technology. You can embark on a career within the food industry or a related sector, working for companies such as PepsiCo, Marks & Spencer, Mars, Unilever and McCormick.
Additionally, you may decide to move into another areas, such as teaching, accountancy and environmental health. Our degrees are also a stepping stone to MSc or PhD study.