Key Info

Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Health

NFQ Level 8 major Award Honours Bachelor Degree
CAO points history
430
Course code
LM068
Duration
4 Years
Subject area
Science
Course Director
Dr Miryam Amigo Benavent
Email
Miryam.AmigoBenavent@ul.ie
Admissions:
Tel
+353 (0)61 233755

This B.Sc. programme in Food Science and Health prepares graduates for careers in Ireland’s largest industry. About 40,000 people are employed in the food industry which generates an annual gross output of approximately €15.6 billion. The Government has targeted the food sector as being of great strategic importance, capable of generating considerably more wealth and employment. Since there is a direct link between diet and health, consumers are becoming more health conscious and are demanding higher quality foods that maintain health and prevent disease.

This Food Science and Health degree programme has been developed to meet these needs among consumers, the food industry, academic and research organisations, and government agencies.

You will find the study of Food Science and Health challenging and rewarding. This degree programme will combine the study of nutrition, human physiology and diet-health relationships with classical food science and technology.

This broad-based degree programme covers such topics as:

  • food science and technology
  • food quality
  • food ingredients
  • food chemistry
  • food microbiology
  • diet and health
  • food processing
  • food safety
  • project management
  • human nutrition
  • public health nutrition
  • advanced nutrient metabolism
  • human physiology
  • food biotechnology

Outside of the food sector, non-food uses of existing and new raw materials are also considered.

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What you will study

The programme is four years in duration. The course starts with basic science, developing key areas such as chemistry, biochemistry and microbiology, human nutrition and physiology, together with introductory food science and health.

In the third and fourth years there is a series of modules dealing with:

  • Health and Food
  • Food Chemistry
  • Food Processing and Process Engineering
  • Food Quality and Food Microbiology
  • Food Ingredients
  • Food Biotechnology
  • Project Management

There are also elective modules in:

  • Business Consulting
  • Waste Management
  • Exercise and Health
  • Accounting

A project which is undertaken throughout the final year allows the in-depth analysis of a relevant topic that gives you the opportunity to carry out independent research.

During the Spring Semester of year three and the subsequent Summer, a period of Cooperative Education provides industrial work experience in a food enterprise.

Semester 1   Semester 2  

Code

Title

Code

Title

BY4001

Biology 1

BY4002

Biology 2

CH4701

General Chemistry 1

CH4102

Organic Chemistry 1

MA4601

Science Maths 1

BY4214

Principles of Human Nutrition

 

CS4001

Computer App for Scientists 1

PH4142

 

Physics for Environmental and Biosciences

FT4421

Introductory Food Science and Health

CH4031

 

General Chemistry 2 (Inorganic)

 

    CH4041 General Chemistry 2 (Physical)
Semester 3   Semester 4  

BC4903

Biomolecules

FT4204

Food Chemistry

BY4013

General Microbiology

 

FT4214

Public Health Nutrition

CH4103

Organic Chemistry 2

BC4904

Biochemistry 2

CH4303

Analytical Chemistry 1

CH4304

Analytical Chemistry 2

BY4204

Anatomy & Physiology

 

MA4704

Technology Maths 4

 

Semester 5   Semester 6  

BY4012

Microbes as Metabolic Factories

CO4320

Cooperative Education

CH4305

Analytical Chemistry 3

 

 

FT4305

Food Engineering Principles

 

 

FT4375

Food Processing Operations

 

 

FT4447

Food Quality

 

 

FT4457

Research Trends in Health & Food

 

 

  Semester 7   Semester 8

FT4407

Project 1

FT4408

Project 2

FT4437

Milk Proteins as Food Ingredients

FT4468

Food Biotechnology

MA4605

Chemometrics

FT4458

Food Production Systems

FT4355

Advanced Nutrient Metabolism & Health

FT4428

Advanced Food Chemistry

 

 

FT4438

Food Microbiology

 

Elective - Choose 1

 

Elective - Choose 1

ER4507

 

Effluent Control - Waste Management 1

 

EP4408

 

Small Business Consulting

SS4217 Exercise and Health 1 AC4214 Accounting for Financial Decision Making
FT4007 Functional Foods    

Entry requirements

CAO points history
430
Minimum grades

Applicants are required to hold at the time of enrolment the established Leaving Certificate (or an approved equivalent) with a minimum of six subjects which must include: Two H5 (Higher Level) grades and Four O6 (Ordinary Level) grades or four H7 (Higher Level) grades. Subjects must include Mathematics, Irish or another language, and English.

Subject requirements

In additionapplicants must hold a grade O3/H7 grade in Mathematics and a grade H4 in any one of the following: Applied Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Physics with Chemistry, Biology, Agricultural Science.

Additional considerations

A Special Mathematics Examination will be offered at UL following the Leaving Certificate results for those students who did not achieve the Mathematics requirement.

We welcome applications from mature students. Mature applicants must apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO) by 1 February.

Application information for mature student applicants (PDF)

Non-EU Entry Requirements

How to apply

Where are you applying from? How to Apply
Ireland Irish students must apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found here. 
The UK  Students who have completed their A-Levels can apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found on the Academic Registry website. 
The EU EU students can apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found on the Academic Registry website.
Non-EU country If you are outside of the EU, you can apply for this degree here.

Fees and funding

Student course fees are broken into three components - Student contribution, Student Levy and Tuition Fees.

A number of illustrative examples of fees for this course based on the current fee levels have been set out in the tables below.

An explanation of the components, how to determine status and the criteria involved is provided below the examples as is a list of possible scholarships and funding available.

EU Students with Free fees status in receipt of a SUSI grant

HEA pays Tuition Fees €4,262
SUSI pays Student contribution €3,000
Student pays Student Levy €100
€7,362

EU Students with Free fees status not in receipt of a grant

HEA pays Tuition Fees €4,262
Student pays Student contribution €3,000
Student pays Student Levy €100
€7,362

Students with EU fee status not in receipt of a grant

Student pays Tuition Fees €4,262
Student pays Student contribution €3,000
Student pays Student Levy €100
€7,362

Non-EU Students

Student pays Tuition Fees €20,900
Student pays Student Levy €100
€21,000

Student course fees are comprised of the following components:

Student Contribution

Annual charge set by the government for all full-time third level students. All students are liable unless they have been approved for a grant by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). Please refer to https://www.studentfinance.ie to determine your eligibility for a grant and for instructions on how to apply. The current student contribution is set at €3000.

Student Levy

All students are liable to pay the Student Levy of €100. Please note the Student Levy is not covered by the SUSI Grant.

Tuition Fees

These are based on Residency, Citizenship, Course requirements.

Review the three groups of criteria to determine your fee status as follows

  1. Residency
    • You must have been living in an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland for at least 3 of the 5 years before starting your course
  2. Citizenship
    • You must be a citizen of an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland or have official refugee status
  3. Course Requirements (all must be met)
    • You must be a first time full-time undergraduate (Exceptions are provided for students who hold a Level 6 or Level 7 qualification and are progressing to a Level 8 course in the same general area of study).
    • You must be undertaking a full-time undergraduate course of at least 2 year’s duration
    • You cannot be undertaking a repeat year of study at the same level unless evidence of exceptional circumstances eg serious illness is provided (in which case this condition may be waived)

Depending on how you meet these criteria your status will be one of the following -

  • Free Fee Status: You satisfy all three categories (1, 2 and 3) and therefore are eligible for the Higher Education Authority’s Free Fees scheme.
  • EU Fee Status: You satisfy the citizenship and/or residency criteria but fail to satisfy the course requirements and are liable to EU fees
  • Non EU Fee Status: You do not meet either the citizenship or residency criteria and are therefore liable to Non EU fees.

More information about fees can be found on the Finance website

These scholarships are available for this course

These scholarships are available for all courses

Your future career

Employability skills from this degree

  • Analysing, problem-solving and interpreting data
  • Conducting research
  • Conducting laboratory work and reporting
  • Attention to detail
  • Oral and written communication skills
  • IT skills
  • Numerical and statistical awareness
  • Time management
  • Culinary Technologist
  • Food Technologist
  • Laboratory Analyst
  • QA & Regulatory Technologist
  • Quality Analyst
  • Quality Technician
  • Sensory Analyst
  • Supervisor
  • Technical Sales Coordinator

Student profiles

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Rachel McCarthy

Rachel McCarthy

I decided to study the BSc in Food Science & Health because I had an interest in Food and Nutrition. I always wanted to work in that area and now know that the degree gave me excellent scientific knowledge to allow me to pursue my career.

In First Year: you learn the basics of all science subjects. As you proceed through the programme you cover areas in Food Science, for example, Food microbiology, food ingredients,food chemistry, food processing operations and food biotechnology. You also study Health, for example, research trends in diet and health, human nutrition, public health nutrition, advanced nutrient metabolism and exercise and health.

I undertook my Cooperative Placement in Abbot Nutrition, Co Cavan as a Quality Compliance Intern. The placement exposed me to responsibilities such as Updating Standard Operating Procedures, Preparation for internal and external audits (Compliance Walkdowns, CAPA's (Corrective and Preventative Actions), Following up on risk assessments as well as working with teams, communication and ICT skills.

My Final Year Project was an Evaluation of the Bioactivity of Selected Dietary Cereals. After graduation, I applied and was successful getting a place on the MSc. Human Nutrition & Dietetics programme in UL. My degree in Food Science & Health provided me with a great base knowledge base in the requirements of Biochemistry & Physiology.

In 2022, I graduated and am currently working a dietitian with the UL Hospital group.


 

​Lorraine Stone

A day in the Life of an R&D Technologist

The role of R&D technologist is very varied and involves project management, recipe formulation and product development right from the concept stage up to industrialisation and product launch. The role also involves dealing with stakeholders and global markets in the development of new products within safety, regulatory and market speci c requirements. Innovation and idea generation are key activities as well as keeping on top of industry trends including new launches. It is a challenging job, which requires both creativity and logic. My degree at UL prepared me for my career by providing me with a strong scienti c base, skills in independent project work and a fantastic opportunity to build real world experience through the Co-Operative Education work placement scheme.

Lorraine’s tip:

Make sure you enjoy and are passionate about the subject area you choose to study. Try to get relevant work experience wherever you can as it will strengthen the knowledge and understanding you are building up in your coursework. Enjoy the great facilities, clubs and societies that UL has to offer - they are second to none and you will make life-long friends.

Lorraine is currently employed as a Research & Development Technologist with Wyeth Nutrition (Nestlé Research).


 

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​Alannah Murphy

I’ve always had a passion for food, where it comes from and how it’s produced as well as nutrition and all kinds of cooking. The Food Science and Health course here at UL intrigued me with the range of modules that it covered from introductory chemistry and biology to food engineering and biotechnology, nutrition and public health. The opportunity to gain experience working with a company in the food industry and learn what happens in the real world sealed the decision for me and I put the course at the top of my CAO choices.

This degree offers a broad range of subjects with the first half of the 4-year programme focusing on the core science subjects. This has given me a great scientific background when studying topics like chemistry of foods, food processing, health, nutrition and biotechnology.

I organized my own Co-Op placement and worked with Goatsbridge Trout Farm in Co. Kilkenny. During my time there I was part of the New Product Development team and assisted in the development and launch of their Heavenly Hot Smoked Trout Pate. As it is a small business, I was involved in so many different aspects of the business and learned the real meaning of multitasking. This Co-Op opportunity gave me so much drive to one day work in such a motivated and hard-working company and possibly even set up my own one day. With the insight I gained through my Co- Op placement, I feel I am better prepared for the ‘real world’ as a food science graduate and have so much more to offer future employers.