COVID-19 update
If you are interested in a commercial career with a connection to food, then this BSc Food Marketing and Business Economics with Placement Year is the degree for you.
It develops skills in business management, marketing and economics designed to address key food industry challenges. You will have the chance to apply these skills to live food business problems. For example, working as part of a team, you will develop a research proposal to address a real food business brief, carry out the research and present your findings to the company. If you're thinking of starting your own food business, this course also offers opportunities to gain entrepreneurial skills and insight.
An exciting part of the course is a marketing research project, which enables you to work as a consultant for a real food business. Working as part of a team, you will develop a research proposal to address the client’s brief, carry out the research and present your findings to the company. Past projects have included a review of the pre-packed chilled deserts category for Waitrose and fairtrade awareness for the Day Chocolate Company. Other clients have included Sainsbury's, Hotel Chocolat, Procter & Gamble, Mars and United Biscuits.
During your final year, you will complete an independent project on a food-related topic that covers at least one of the three major disciplines of the course (business management, marketing and economics). In the past, these have covered topics as varied as food insecurity in The Gambia and the importance of corporate ownership in consumer choice.
Accreditation
This course is recognised by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) as an Accredited Degree, enabling graduates to receive exemptions from all but one module of the Certificate in Professional Marketing or Certificate in Professional Digital Marketing qualification, or exemptions from all but two CIM modules for the Diploma in Professional Marketing qualification or Diploma in Professional Digital Marketing.
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 could work within a wide variety of areas include food product development, account management, category management, brand development and business administration. Recently students have worked at major companies such as Unilever, Warburtons, Mornflake and Waitrose.
You will be given advice and support for finding the ideal placement, writing a CV and interview skills, by our dedicated placements officer. They will continue to support you throughout your placement year.
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 Marketing website.