Food Science & Technology - BSc (Hons) Degree

Foundation Year (Year 0):​

This programme can incorporate a foundation year (year 0), for those students who aspire to enrol onto the first year of a science based honours degree programme within the Cardiff School of Health Sciences, who have not achieved the standard entry requirements, or who have not studied subjects that provide the necessary background within the scientific disciplines required to enter the first year of the chosen honours degree programme.

Students wishing to undertake the foundation year will apply for the degree programme they intend to progress to, using the relevant UCAS code listed on this course page and apply for entry point 0 on the UCAS website. As such, students following the foundation route will take an extra year to complete their honours degree.
Further information about the foundation year can be found by clicking here.

Degree:

Food technology is the application of food science to the processing of food materials into safe, wholesome, nutritious, tasty and attractive food products. Food technology draws upon and integrates the application of other technologies to food, such as packaging, materials science, engineering, instrumentation, electronics, agriculture and biotechnology.

All this activity is supported by food science, which covers the scientific understanding of the composition of food under various conditions. This involves the understanding of many disciplines including nutrition, enzymology, microbiology, pharmacology, toxicology and effects of manufacturing, processing and storage.

The university is home to the Zero2Five Food Industry Centre, a leading centre of excellence that provides food businesses with technical, operational and commercial support to enable them to compete more effectively. The Centre has an international reputation for food safety research and provides expertise, training and advice to the food industry, and students undertaking this degree will benefit from the close association and expertise from the Centre and staff.

Throughout the programme, module content is arranged into a number of themes. This allows students to clearly see links between modules and career aspirations and students can see which modules to take in order to specialise in one of three areas:

• Food Science
• New Product Development
• Nutrition
  

The themes and an indication of the modules studied within each theme studied throughout the programme are shown below.

Year 1/Level 4

You are introduced to the underpinning skills and knowledge required to progress into the food industry. You will be taught the general principles of law, technology and science that will provide the framework in which food scientists and technologists work. In addition you will undertake modules that will develop your communication and analytical skills.

Level 4 of BSc (Hons) Food Science and Technology is common with BSc (Hons) Nutrition. This means that students on both programmes can fully consider the nature of the modules studied and have the option to transfer to the other programme at the end of the academic year.

The modules you will study fall into a number of themes:

Core modules shown in bold

Year 2/Level 5

You will apply your knowledge of food science and technology directly to food manufacture and further develop your problem-solving skills through applied modules.

Core modules shown in bold

Placement Year

For those undertaking the ‘Sandwich’ pathway the Experiential Learning module is available and you are advised to gain first hand experience of the industry.

You are actively encouraged to consider work placement during your course of study as undertaking this can contribute towards your credit accumulation. A twelve week placement during the summer break between years two and three will and a twelve month placement between years two and three will accumulate credit points at Level 6. Help with placements and advice in gaining the best out of the placement is given by a designated Experiential Learning tutor.

Year 3/Level 6

You will develop high level skills to critically evaluate strategies in the key areas of food science and technology, which culminates in a research project. This utilises original thought to demonstrate problem-solving skills in an area that requires investigation. Students who have not taken a three or twelve month placement are encouraged to gain practical experience via working with the Zero2Five Food Industry Centre based at Cardiff Met , or via local food companies as part of the Experiential Learning module

Part-Time Provision

In order to facilitate the part-time provision of the BSc (Hons) Food Science and Technology programme, students studying on this route will be able to take advantage of work-based learning (WBL) modules equating to 40 credits at each level. These modules will be particularly appropriate for learners who are already working in the food industry and will be able to demonstrate learning outcomes through activities connected with their employment. At any level, learners will be permitted to take up to 40 credits of WBL modules in order to demonstrate the learning outcomes of core or optional modules via an alternative learning route. This can only be carried out with the permission of the Year Tutor or Programme Director, and learning outcomes and methods of study must be discussed as part of the negotiation for these modules. Where core modules are completed through this route, the learning outcomes of the WBL module must be specifically mapped to the learning outcomes on the core module in order to achieve to learning outcomes of the programme.

From September 2022, this programme will be replaced with a new and innovative degree programme combining BSc (Hons) Nutrition and BSc (Hons) Food Science and Technology. The new programme (provisionally entitled BSc (Hons) Food and Nutrition) will allow students to specialise in order to pursue careers in Health Improvement Nutrition, Food Manufacturing Technology or Food Innovation and Nutrition. Additionally, a Nutrition for Dietetics route can be followed which will be acceptable for progression on to postgraduate dietetics programmes in the UK. 

All students will follow a common first year during which they can establish which subjects they enjoy whilst giving the opportunity to find out more about career pathways before deciding which study route to follow. This will allow students to take more control of their studies and offer greater career choice. Subsequently students will be able to follow one of the routes outlined above. The course content descriptions for Food Science and Technology and Nutrition illustrate the types of modules that will be available on the routes within the new degree. 

We are really excited about this new development at Cardiff Met and further details regarding the new programme will be made available as soon as possible. If you have any questions about this please get in touch. We are very happy to discuss your needs with you and how the new programme will prepare you for work in this vibrant industry. Offer holders for either BSc Nutrition or BSc Food Science & Technology will automatically be offered places on the new programme.

Food Science & Technology is taught by a combination of lectures, practical classes, tutorials and seminars. All modules are supported by the use of the Moodle virtual learning environment.

The structured application of various teaching methods throughout the programme is intended to provide learning environments which are the most effective for the achievement of the course aims and objectives. Initially the emphasis will be placed upon the use of lectures coupled with seminars which will include group discussion and workshops. These methods will be supported by guided individual study and field visits.

As you progress through your degree a variety of teaching and learning strategies are employed, and a greater degree of practical work in laboratories and the in-house food processing pilot plant is introduced.

Personal tutors are nominated at the start of the programme and are maintained throughout the course of study. The academic team has a wealth of experience and many are experts in their fields with research and consultancy backgrounds.

Assessment consists of a variety of forms including, written examinations, coursework and practical assessments. In order to proceed to subsequent years of the course students must satisfactorily complete all modules.

Assessments have been written to closely resemble many day to day workplace situations. This provides students with hands on experience of what they will encounter before going into industry.

A career in the food industry will put you in the middle of the largest and most important economic activity in the world.

The health and welfare of people everywhere depends on good agricultural yields and on the reliable storage, successful processing and safe handling of all types of food. All these activities and many others create a demand for well-qualified and experienced specialists who can play their part in the complex and increasingly sophisticated food supply system.

The food and drink manufacturing industry is the single largest manufacturing sector in the UK. It employs some 470,000 people, representing 13% of the manufacturing workforce in the UK and has a turnover of £75bn accounting for 15% of the total manufacturing sector. Ours is the fourth largest food and drink manufacturing industry in the world. In addition, an estimated 1.2 million workers in ancillary activities depend on a successful food and drink industry for their jobs.

Independent food experts have stated that the long-term prosperity of our food industry depends upon a continuing supply of trained food scientists and technologists. The food industry today is in desperate need of these technically trained staff and this course is providing graduates to fill that gap. With an almost one hundred per cent employment rate, graduates can gain employment within many areas, including research and development, quality control, hygiene, packaging, food microbiology and food analysis​.

Foundation route:

Applicants should normally have five GCSEs including English Language (or Welsh First Language), Mathematics* and Science at grade C or above / grade 4 or above (for applicants holding newly reformed GCSEs in England) plus one of the following​:

• 56 points from at least 2 A level qualifications or their equivalent at an appropriate standard for entry into Higher Education at Year 1, but in subject areas which fail to meet the entry requirements for their intended undergraduate degree programme.
• 56 points from at least 2 A level qualifications or their equivalent in subject areas relevant for their intended undergraduate degree programme, but at a standard which fails to meet the entry requirements to Higher Education at Year 1.
• Prospective students who do not meet the above criteria may be considered on an individual basis and may be called for interview.

For specific information on entry requirements or if your qualification isn't listed, please either contact Admissions or refer to the UCAS Course Search.

Degree:

Applicants who wish to undertake this course without the foundation should have five GCSEs including English Language (or Welsh First Language), Mathematics* and Science at grade C or above / grade 4 or above (for applicants holding newly reformed GCSEs in England).

Typical offers may include:

• 96 - 112 points from at least 2 A levels to include grades CC, one to be in a Science / Food Technology subject; Welsh Baccalaureate – Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate considered as a third subject
• RQF BTEC National Extended Diploma / Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma MMM - DMM within Science / Food Technology
• 96 - 112 points from at least 2 Scottish Advanced Highers to include grades DD, one to be in a Science / Food Technology subject
• 96 - 112 points from the Irish Leaving Certificate at Highers with 2 x H2 grades, one to be in a Science / Food Technology related subject. Higher level subjects only considered with a minimum grade H4
• 96 - 112 points from the Access to Higher Education Diploma within a relevant subject​
• Or 'Foundation leading to BSc Health Sciences'​

*For Welsh applicants sitting the reformed Mathematics GCSE, we will accept either GCSE Mathematics or Mathematics – Numeracy.

If you do not meet the above entry requirements, the ‘Foundation leading to BSc Health Sciences’ is available one year full-time and will provide you with a relevant qualification that will allow you to progress to this degree upon successful completion. For further information about the Foundation course, please click here.

For applicants who are only undertaking 2 A levels or equivalent, this will be considered along with the rest of the academic profile and we may issue a graded offer in lieu of an offer using the UCAS Tariff.

If you are studying combinations of the above or if your qualification isn't listed, please either contact Admissions or refer to the UCAS Course Search for the entry requirements. Further information on our entry requirements, including qualifications from the EU can be found by clicking here.

Selection Procedure:

Selection is usually on the basis of a completed UCAS application and where relevant an interview.

International Applicants
Students whose first language is not English will need to provide evidence of fluency to at least an IELTS 6.0 standard or equivalent. For full details about how to apply and English Language qualifications please visit the International pages on the website.

How to Apply:
Applications to study this course full-time should be made online to UCAS at www.ucas.com. Part-time applications should be made direct to the University at www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/selfservice. For further information please visit our How to Apply pages at www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/howtoapply.

Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer into year 2 & 3

If you are interested in transferring credit from another institution to study at Cardiff Met for a course which accepts entry for year 2 and/or 3, you can find further information on this and information on how to apply on the RPL page. Please contact Admissions for any queries that you have on RPL.

Mature students

A mature applicant is anyone over the age of 21 who didn't go to university after school or college. Cardiff Met welcomes applications from mature applicants and further advice and information can be found here.

For general enquiries please contact the Admissions Team on 029 2041 6044 or email askadmissions@cardiffmet.ac.uk.

For course specific enquiries, please contact the programme leaders, James Blaxland and Ian Ashton
Email: jablaxland@cardiffmet.ac.uk  and  iashton@cardiffmet.ac.uk 
Tel: 029 2041 6446