Food science is a multidisciplinary subject that brings together the pure science subjects of chemistry, biology, physics and nutrition to the study of nature, sustainability, properties and composition of foods and the changes they undergo during storage and processing. Food scientists play an important role in understanding how raw materials are transformed into finished food products, ensuring that the food we eat is safe, good quality and meets our nutritional and dietary needs. Our food science degree will give you a solid understanding of the importance of food in human society – from challenging current issues in food production to applying scientific concepts to grasp the complex characteristics of food. Throughout the course, you will benefit from our cutting-edge research, strong collaborations and partnerships with industry, the commercial sector and the professional body Institute for Food Science and Technology (IFST).
Throughout the course, you’ll learn a combination of core food science topics, alongside a range of optional and skills development modules to give you the technical skills, specialist knowledge and professional experience you’ll need for your future career. At the start of the course, you’ll gain solid foundations in food and nutrition, you’ll also cover aspects key to providing a safe and healthy diet, including food preservation and sensory evaluation. Throughout the course, you will develop your knowledge of the science underpinning the relationships between food processing, nutritional analysis, food formation, sustainability, quality, health, well-being and safety, investigating the operations used to preserve foods and the procedures used to produce everyday commodities.
By the final year of your programme, you will explore more specific and specialised areas of current thinking in food science and reflect on how these can be applied to solve real-world local and global food challenges, this is reinforced by your new product development and capstone research projects.
In addition to subject-specific modules, we also offer a range of skills development modules that’ll give you an insight into possible careers, the variety of professional roles that our food science graduates go into and how to enhance your employability.
Discovery modules are available throughout your degree, as long as you’re taking enough credits (120) of your own subject for that year.
Year 1
You will develop a grounding in the core concepts in the field of food science, exploring different food sourcing and production within a sustainable food system, key food nutrients, food preparation and food safety, sensory aspects of food and human nutrition, respectively.
You'll also develop your laboratory and experimentation skills, alongside transferable skills that are crucial for your success throughout the programme which will set the foundation for your studies in subsequent years.
Year 2
Building on core knowledge from year 1, you will deepen your knowledge of food science with a focus on understanding the scientific basis of food such as food texture, flavour, processing, formulation, safety, composition and taste by examining physical, chemical and nutritional properties of foods.
During this year, we will introduce problem-solving activities that relate to actual research or industrial situations which underpin current thinking s in food science research and innovation.
Year 3
In your final year, you'll think creatively working with your peers on an interdisciplinary food new product development project from concept through to formulation including processing, sensory evaluation, packaging and marketing, ends with a pitch to industry and nutritional experts.
A major part of our food science degree is your final year project work where you'll undertake a real-life, independent capstone research study, in which we offer a wide choice of topics, guided by our experienced academics. The
experience will develop your research and transferable skills, which are key to all graduate roles and career paths.
One-year optional work placement or study abroad (total course length – 4 years)
During your course, you have the opportunity to advance your skill set and experience further by undertaking a one-year work placement working in industry or studying food science at one of our partner universities worldwide.
Studying an accredited degree programme (IFST) signifies that Leeds offers students the best possible opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to enter into employment in the food industry, research, education and the public sector.
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FOOD1011 | Food: Past, Present and Future | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| FOOD1028 | Biochemistry of Food and Nutrients | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | PFP |
| FOOD1041 | Food Safety and Preservation | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | PFP |
| FOOD1061 | Understanding Data | 10 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| FOOD1146 | Academic and Professional Skills | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | PFP |
| FOOD1151 | Introduction to Human Nutrition | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
Candidates will be required to study 10 credits of discovery modules.
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FOOD2033 | Advanced Food Biochemistry | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| FOOD2041 | Advanced Food Safety and Quality Assurance | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| FOOD2047 | Food Processing | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| FOOD2101 | Colloids in Food Products | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| FOOD2141 | Food Analysis | 10 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| FOOD2146 | Professional Development and Research Methods | 10 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | PFP |
| FOOD2193 | Introduction to Food Product Development | 10 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
Candidates will be required to study 10 credits of discovery modules.
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FOOD3012 | Computational Modelling of Food Processing | 10 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| FOOD3042 | How Ingredients Interact in Foods | 10 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| FOOD3051 | Capstone Project: Research and Discovery | 40 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
| FOOD3372 | New Product Development: Interdisciplinary Team Project | 30 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
Candidates will be required to study 20 credits from the following optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FOOD3075 | Nutrition and Health | 10 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| FOOD3101 | Food Biotechnology | 10 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| FOOD3133 | Food Science and Nutrition: Recent Revelations | 10 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| FOOD3331 | Functional Foods | 10 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| FOOD3382 | Nutrition Policy and Public Health | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
Candidates will be required to study 10 credits of Discovery modules:
Candidates will be required to study 10 credits of discovery modules.
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
Last updated: 20/05/2026 15:06:12
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team