Food Technology - Quality Assurance

Entry requirements

Please note that entry requirements for 2024/25 have not yet been confirmed. The entry requirements for 2023/24 were:

IELTS: 6.5 overall with no element less than 5.5 (or equivalent).

Applicants are typically required to have at least a lower second-class honours degree (2:2) in a pure or applied science (or equivalent from a university outside the UK). Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning may be considered based on relevant work and other experience.

Pre-sessional English language programme

If you need to improve your English language score, you can take a pre-sessional English course prior to entry onto your degree.

• Find out the English language requirements for our courses and our pre-sessional English programme

Months of entry

September

Course content

Learn the science behind providing safe food to the public with our MSc Food Technology - Quality Assurance degree.

On this course, you’ll work with expert academics from the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences as you:

• learn to apply and maintain advanced food quality assurance systems that meet both UK and international expectations
• understand the chemical, biological and physical principles involved in food processing and storage
• learn about quality and legal requirements in food provision.

As part of your studies, you will work in some of the UK’s largest dedicated food teaching facilities. These include:

• Food Processing Centre. This pilot plant is unique to Reading. There is almost 1100m2 of floor space devoted to approximately £4m worth of equipment. Used primarily for teaching and learning, the plant contains processing equipment for food product development work. No other UK university offers what we do under one roof.
• Flavour Centre. The Centre hosts facilities that enable you to gain comprehensive practical experience in taste and aroma analysis and flavour extraction.

We are proud of our research: the University of Reading is ranked 8th in the UK for research power in Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Sciences (Times Higher Education, Institutions Ranked by Subject, based on its analysis of the latest Research Excellence Framework 2021) and 95% of our research is of international standing (REF 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions – Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Sciences).

Gain valuable industry experience with MSc Food Technology - Quality Assurance

Our MSc Food Technology – Quality Assurance is industry relevant, and the curriculum has been designed in consultation with industry. Designed to widen your skill set and boost employability, your case studies and project work will focus on current issues in the food sector. You will also complete a research project at the University or with one of our industry partners. This gives you the opportunity to embed your learning within, and gain exposure to, real life food technology working environments.

Build on your existing knowledge

This master’s course is for graduates of pure sciences – such as chemistry, biology, biochemistry and microbiology – or applied sciences. Examples of applied sciences degrees include:

• Food science
• Food engineering
• Food technology
• Human physiology
• Biomedical sciences
• Agricultural engineering

If you’re unsure whether your degree counts as an applied science, please contact us via reading.ac.uk/question.

Your studies will build on your existing scientific knowledge and cover quality assurance, food chemistry, food analysis, and food processing.

You will learn through a variety of teaching methods, including:

• lectures
• seminars
• problem-based learning
• laboratory classes

You will also be supported through our online virtual learning environment.

You can attend this course on a full-time basis over one year, or part-time over two years.

Fees and funding