The BSc (Hons) (Food Science) Degree is of four years' duration. The programme includes a 24-week period of Work Placement in the Third Year.

In order to be admitted to the First University Examination in Food Science a student must have satisfactorily attended the following modules amounting to 60 credits:

BC1001 Introduction to Biochemistry and the Biological Basis of Disease (5 credits)
BL1004 Physiology and Structure of Plants and Animals (5 credits)
CM1005 Introductory Chemistry for Food and Nutritional Sciences (15 credits)
FS1005 Food Technology, Culture and Ethics (5 credits)
FS1006 Success Skills for Food Scientists (5 credits)
MA1001 Calculus for Science Part 1 (5 credits)
MA1002 Calculus for Science Part 2 (5 credits)
MB1003 Microbiology in Society (5 credits)
PY1008 Physics for Biomedical, Environmental, Food and Nutritional Sciences (10 credits)

Examinations
Full details of regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2020/2021 Book, and for each module in the Book of Modules, 2020/2021.

Three Year Rule
Students must pass the First University Examination in Food Science within three academic years from the date of first registration for First Year Food Science. Failure to comply with this rule would mean that the student would be ineligible to proceed further with his/her studies. Exceptions to this rule may be granted by the College, only for very serious reasons.

No student may register for Second Year Food Science until the First University Examination in Food Science has been passed. To be admitted to the Second University Examination in Food Science a student must have satisfactorily attended the following modules, amounting to 60 credits:

BC2001 Biomolecules (5 credits)
BC2002 Principles of Metabolic Pathways (5 credits)
FS2001 Introductory Food Chemistry - Analytical Methods (5 credits)
FS2002 Introductory Food Chemistry: Food Constituents A (5 credits)
FS2003 Introductory Food Chemistry - Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry (5 credits)
FS2004 Topics in Food Quality and Legislation A (5 credits)
FS2006 Food Process Design and Optimisation (5 credits)
MB2005 Fundamental of Microbiology (5 credits)
MB2006 Principles of Microbiology (5 credits)
NT2004 Principles of Nutrition (5 credits)
PE2006 Process Engineering Principles (5 credits)
ST2001 Introduction to Biostatistics (5 credits)

Examinations
Full details of regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2020/2021 Book, and for each module in the Book of Modules, 2020/2021.

Three Year Rule
Students must pass the Second University Examination in Food Science within three academic years from the date of first registration for Second Year. Failure to comply with this rule would mean that the student would be ineligible to proceed further with his/her studies. Exceptions to this rule may be granted by the College, only for very serious reasons.

The Third Year Food Science programme consists of taught modules to the value of 50 credits and Work Placement to the value of 10 credits. No student may register for Third Year Food Science until the Second University Examination in Food Science has been passed. To be admitted to the Third University Examination in Food Science a student must have satisfactorily attended the following taught modules, amounting to 50 credits:

FS3008 Fundamentals of Food Packaging (5 credits)
FS3013 Proteins and Lipids in Food Systems (5 credits)
FS3014 Macromolecules, Emulsions and Food Structure (5 credits)
FS3015 Dairy Processing and Preservation (5 credits)
FS3016 Ingredient Recovery from Milk, Whey and their Co-Products (5 credits)
FS3020 Methods of Food Processing and Analysis (5 credits)
FS3021 Professional Skills for Food Scientists (5 credits)
FS3022 Sensory Evaluation for Food and Nutritional Sciences (5 credits)
MB3003 Food and Industrial Microbiology I (5 credits)
MB3014 Food and Industrial Microbiology II (5 credits)

Work Placement

Students must also undertake a 24-week period of Work Placement (FS3001 - 10 credits) after the Third University Examination. Students debarred from examination in any module in the Third Food Science Programme will not be permitted to undertake Work Placement (FS3001).

Students who do not secure a work placement position by April 30 each year, or who are debarred from examination in any module in Third Food Science Programme, will take module FS3100 (10 credits).

Examinations
Full details of regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2020/2021 Book, and for each module in the Book of Modules, 2020/2021.

Three Year Rule
Students must pass the Third University Examination in Food Science within three academic years from the date of first registration for Third Year. Failure to comply with this rule would mean that the student would be ineligible to proceed further with his/her studies. Exceptions to this rule may be granted by the College, only for very serious reasons.

No student may register for Fourth Year Food Science until the Third University Examination in Food Science has been passed, and the Work Placement module (FS3001 or FS3100) has been undertaken. To be admitted to the BSc (Hons) (Food Science) Degree Examination a student must have satisfactorily attended the following modules from either the Food Chemistry and Processing Technology Option or the Food Microbiology Option*, amounting to 60 credits:

Food Chemistry and Processing Technology (Option)
Students take 60 credits as follows:
FS4002 Team Research and Development Project (10 credits)
FS4014 Food Product Development and Innovation (5 credits)
FS4006 Cereals and Related Beverages (5 credits)
FS4010 Food Shelf Life Control (5 credits)
FS4011 Advanced Food Packaging (5 credits)
FS4020 Dairy Science and Technology (5 credits)
FS4021 Meat Science and Technology (5 credits)
FS4022 Topics in Food Science (5 credits)
FS4023 Food Biopolymer Ingredients and Mixtures (5 credits)
MB4011 Microbial Food Safety (5 credits)
NT4010 Topics in Nutrition and Food Toxicology (5 credits)

Food Microbiology (Option)* (for students entering 4th year in/prior to 2021/22)
Students take 35 credits as follows:
FS4001 Research Project (10 credits)
MB4001 Methods in Microbiology (5 credits)
MB4010 Food Fermentation and Mycology (5 credits)
MB4011 Microbial Food Safety (5 credits)
MB4013 Food Biotechnology (5 credits)
MB4114 Hygienic Production of Food (5 credits)

Plus 25 credits from the following:
FS4006 Cereals and Related Beverages (5 credits)
FS4010 Food Shelf-Life Control (5 credits)
FS4011 Advanced Food Packaging (5 credits)
FS4020 Dairy Science and Technology (5 credits)
FS4021 Meat Science and Technology (5 credits)
FS4022 Topics in Food Science (5 credits)

*Food Microbiology (option)
The Food Microbiology Option is being phased out and will not be available for students entering Fourth Year from 2022/23 onwards.

Examinations
Full details of regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2020/2021 Book, and for each module in the Book of Modules, 2020/2021.

Three Year Rule
Students must pass the BSc (Hons) (Food Science) Degree Examination within three academic years from the date of first registration for Fourth Year. Failure to comply with this rule would mean that the student would be ineligible to proceed further with his/her studies. Exceptions to this rule may be granted by the College, only for very serious reasons.

Programme Learning Outcomes for BSc (Hons) (Food Science) (NFQ Level 8, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Identify, analyse and solve problems in food science using knowledge of biological and physical sciences and technology;
• Describe the chemistry of the major constituents of food systems, and relate the presence of these constituents to food properties;
• Explain the principles behind microbial processes in food systems, including adaptation and environmental factors, fermentation, spoilage and pathogenicity, and relate these to processes for production of safe, stable food systems;
• Describe unit operations used in food processing and the effects of processing parameters on product quality;
• Explain the principles of, and apply in practice, techniques in food analysis;
• Plan, conduct, evaluate and report research in food science;
• Work effectively as an individual, in teams and in multi-disciplinary settings, in particular in the context of research or food product/process development, and with an appreciation of the structure and operation of the modern food industry;
• Develop the capacity to undertake lifelong learning;
• Communicate effectively with the food industry and with society at large.