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Our courses offer different pathways into the food sector, allowing you to tailor your degree to the career of your choice.

You will learn from world-leading experts in a supportive environment. You'll develop essential knowledge and skills for a career in food science through a combination of:

  • lectures
  • problem-based learning
  • group project work
  • hands-on practical work in laboratories, test kitchens and pilot plant.

Watch our previous students at their New Product Development showcase

Discover how our students learn to create successful food products in their final year.

A structured approach to learning

Our courses are structured to build knowledge and skills in interlinked themes over the duration of your studies.

You'll gain a solid grounding in the fundamentals of food science and graduate as an expert in this diverse subject. With typical contact time of 25 hours per week, you will have time to master the different aspects of food and nutritional sciences, preparing you for your career in the food sector.

Core knowledge of food sciences

Your first year at Reading will give you an impressive understanding of the principles, science, research and practical skills which will be invaluable through your degree and beyond.

You will embark on field trips in the food production sector and gain experience with industry grade equipment on campus. Our pilot plant uses the same industrial food processing equipment you’d see in large food production facilities, but on a smaller scale.

Students will do practicals like ice cream making, bread making, sausage production, and spray drying of coffee, so usually by the end of it they've made a product that they can take away and eat. It really puts a bit of context in for them.

Professor Colette Fagan

Associate Professor in Food Processing

Skills for the food industry

The world of food and nutrition requires broad expertise that you will grow to understand, including:

  • the principles of food microbiology and how these dictate the processes we use to ensure food safety
  • how the chemical and physical properties of different foods lead to their varied flavours, textures and colours
  • how food processing operations are designed and new products developed.

Experiencing the food industry

Our aim is that you will leave the University as a qualified expert in food science. A big part of that is getting to know the industry.

During your degree, you will have the option to complete a year-long placement with the food industry. Placements are a great way for you to gain work experience in an area that is directly related to your potential career path.

Placements can also help enhance your employability and build your network.

It was when I started working, doing the placements and seeing how food is made on an industrial scale, that it really struck a chord with me and really interested me, even more than I thought it would.

Ben Hills

BSc Food Techology

Becoming an expert

In your final year, you will have the opportunity to make your mark in the world of food and nutritional sciences by completing your own project, either a literature-based review or a practical research project. Working as part of a lab team alongside peers, PhD students and postdocs, you will come away with the valuable experience of working in a scientific environment.

Alongside your final-year project, you will also take our New Product Development module. Working with fellow food scientists and nutritional science students you will develop innovative food products using the same processes as used in industry and present them to industry professionals.

When you graduate at the end of the year, you will have all the skills and experience to begin a rewarding career.

Student and staff stories

Our inspiring students, alumni and academics share their experiences of studying and carrying out research in the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences. 

Why study food science

Study in a world-class institution on a course accredited by the IFST. Gain real-world experience with a summer placement or choose to spend a year in industry.

Our facilities

We have a large range of specialist food teaching facilities, including a pilot plant, our Flavour Centre, and the Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition.