Food Security

Entry requirements

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in an agricultural, ecological, biological or environmental science, engineering, social science, economics, politics or other relevant subject. Students with other backgrounds are also welcome to apply if the personal statement shows understanding and interest on the topic.

We may also consider a UK 2:2 honours degree, or its international equivalent, with relevant work experience.

This programme is not suitable for applicants pursuing a career in food safety/hygiene or related areas. Your personal statement must demonstrate an understanding of the programme.

Months of entry

September

Course content

This MSc programme explores important issues related to food security. It is designed to specifically address the social, economic, environmental and production aspects of food security, such as the intersection of:

• food production
• distribution
• consumption
• agriculture
• environment
• nutrition-related policies
• human behaviour

Food insecurity has been rising globally since 2019 due to changes in the global landscape. What is responsible for this trend of instability?

Some of the food security challenges we face include:

• food access and affordability
• food availability and utilisation
• climate shocks
• finite resources
• political crises
• globalisation
• global shocks
• cost of living crisis
• urbanisation
• global food shortages
• increasing food prices

Our interdisciplinary MSc will provide you with knowledge and problem-solving skills on the broad topic of food security. You will receive training in quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques to help you understand and measure the effect of the drivers of food insecurity, and provide solutions.

You will explore how food security has become a critically important issue for societies around the globe. It concerns not only food production systems and supply chains but also development issues such as land tenure and the exchange value of commodities.

You will also learn about the role of genetics in addressing sustainable food production and consumption, the importance of underutilised crops and superfoods, and the increasing pressures on resources such as water and soil, among other topics.

In addition, you will learn how to design effective policies to improve people's food security in developed and developing countries.

There is an increasing demand for qualified experts in this field to contribute to policy creation and legislation in food production. Furthermore, companies need food security experts to assess the agri-industry by tracing their development strategy to improve food production and distribution sustainably.

Programme benefits

• Study alongside students from a wide range of backgrounds, from agricultural and environmental science to economic or political science, and benefit from a diverse set of insights and perspectives.
• Develop a broad range of skills, including analytical tools, to deal with food security data and be empowered to generate solutions to make the food system more sustainable.
• The programme strongly aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 2, "End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture".