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Gain a competitive edge in the food industry by combining specialist food science skills and business expertise, with our BSc Food Science with Business degree.
Taught by experts from the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences and Henley Business School, this three-year degree will prepare you for managerial, commercial or technical positions in the food sector.
Become a food science specialist at the University of Reading
- Top ten UK university for Food Science (joint 5th in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021).
- 85% of our research impact is rated outstanding (Research Excellence Framework 2014).
- Our food science graduates have the second-highest median salary of such graduates six months after graduation (The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019, based on analysis of 2017 graduate salaries).
Study with experts at Henley Business School
- Henley Business School is part of an elite group of business schools to hold triple-accredited status from the UK, European and US accrediting bodies (AMBA, EQUIS and AACSB).
- Ranked 5th in the UK for graduate prospects in Business, Management & Marketing, Guardian University Guide, 2021.
- Top ten UK university for research quality, Complete University Guide 2021.
You'll combine the essentials of business with the fundamental science underpinning food and nutrition, including:
- food processing and engineering
- food product development
- human physiology
- microbiology
- economics
- marketing
- financial management.
At Reading, you’ll also develop key technical skills through laboratory-based practicals, sensory evaluation, and work in our pilot-scale food processing plant.
During your final year you will carry out an original project as part of one of our existing research groups, and embark on a venture project within Henley Business School.
Professional accreditation
Our BSc Food Science with Business course is accredited by the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST), the industry’s leading professional body.
Accreditation provides an assurance that your degree meets the standards expected by the food industry, helping you to stand out in a competitive job market. You'll also be recognised as a professional food scientist by the Institute of Food Science and Technology.
Teaching and research facilities
The University of Reading has one of the UK's largest Food and Nutritional Sciences departments, with extensive facilities that enable us to engage in diverse teaching and research.
- The Food Processing Centre is one of the largest facilities of its kind in the UK, with a floor space of 1100 square metres. The Centre contains processing equipment for food product development work, allowing you to simulate and recreate industry conditions.
- The Flavour Centre analyses the chemistry of flavour, which is crucial to developing successful new products.
- The Sensory Science Centre provides high-quality sensory evaluation data, offering valuable insight into how we perceive flavour, taste and texture in food.
- The Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition explores the relationship between diet and the risk of chronic disease.
Our research expertise feeds directly into the topics you will study throughout your degree, giving you access to the latest developments in food science.
Depending on the modules you choose, you will also have the opportunity to use our versatile facilities in your studies.
Industrial placements
Enhance your employability and build your network by applying for work placements during your degree. Opportunities include year-long and summer placements.
Previous students from the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences have undertaken placements with:
- Mars Food
- Graze
- Marks & Spencer
- Bakkavor.
Learn more about professional placements with the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences.
Alternatively, you could opt for our four-year BSc Food Science with Business with Industrial Training degree, which includes an integrated professional placement between your second and third year.