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Full Time: 4 Years
Our BSc Food Science with Business with Industrial Training course offers a unique opportunity to develop your scientific and business skills, and gain valuable industry experience with a year-long paid training placement.
Run in conjunction with the award-winning Henley Business School and the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, this course combines expertise from across the University. It is ideal for anyone who wants to work in a managerial, commercial or technical position within the food sector. Furthermore, our department has strong links with industry, and you will gain valuable professional experience through a year-long paid training placement.
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 subjects such as the fundamental science behind food and nutrition, the processes involved in food production, human physiology, economics, marketing and financial management. You will also gain experience of using key technical skills through sensory evaluation and laboratory-based practicals, 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 the Henley Business School.
Graduates of this course are recognised as professional food scientists by the Institute of Food Science and Technology.
Placement
Between your second and final year you will carry out a paid industrial training placement lasting a year. Placements can be located anywhere in the UK, and occasionally take place abroad. You can expect to earn between £15,000 and £20,000.
In recent years, students have taken on a variety of roles, including quality assurance officers, food technologists, product development scientists and in consumer work. Some placements take place at large multinational organisations such as Kraft or Unilever, but you could also choose to work in a small independent manufacturing or research company.
You will be given advice and guidance on finding the ideal placement, writing a CV and interview skills by our dedicated placement coordinator.
For more information about securing and completing a placement for your placement year, please visit our Important Information page.
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.
Placement Year fees
If you spend a full year on placement – including professional and research placements and industrial experience – you’ll pay a discounted tuition fee for that year.
For Home/EU students, the discounted fee is subject to parliamentary approval and is currently capped at £1,385.
For International students, the discount is 15% of your normal tuition fee.
For more information, please contact placements@reading.ac.uk.
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 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.
Information on this page is based on 2019/20 figures and is likely to change slightly for 2020/21 entry. We will publish up-to-date information about 2020/21 entry as soon as it becomes available.
From 2020, the UK government may link tuition fees to the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
**EU students in 2019/20
EU home students starting in the academic year 2019/20 will pay the same fees and have the same eligibility for loans and grants as UK home students for the duration of their course. The situation for students starting in 2020/21 is not yet known and may be affected by UK Government policy following the outcome of any negotiations regarding the UK’s exit from the European Union. The UK Government will confirm future arrangements for EU students in due course.
What career can you have?
Food is Europe's largest and most buoyant industry, and there is a constant demand for graduates with a combination of technical skills and business knowledge.
As a graduate of this course, you will be recognised as a professional food scientist by the Institute of Food Science and Technology. Our graduates embark on careers within the food industry or a related sector, working for companies such as PepsiCo, Mondelēz, Nestlé, Marks & Spencer, Mars, Unilever and McCormick.
Additionally, you may decide to move into other areas, such as teaching, accountancy and environmental health. You will also be well placed to move on to further study.