MSc Programme in Food Science and Technology

Graduation confers the degree Master of Science (MSc) in Food Science and Technology. In Danish: Cand.techn.al. (candidatus/candidata technologiae alimentariae).

 

Food Science master’s graduates who have specialised within meat science and technology and passed the meat industry practical training, have the right to the additional title cand.techn.al./Meat Science and Technology - in Danish cand.techn.al/Kødindustriingeniør. 

 

Food Science master’s graduates who have specialised within dairy technology and passed the dairy industry practical training have the right to the additional title cand.techn.al./Dairy Technologist - in Danish cand.techn.al/Mejeriingeniør.

 

Chapter 1. The programme’s objective and competence profile

1.1 The programme’s objective

 

The main objectives of the programme are:

• to qualify students to undertake independent professional functions on the basis of their scientific and technical knowledge
• to provide an insight into theoretical and experimental scientific methods
• to qualify students to participate in scientific development work

1.2 The programme’s general profile

 

The programme is offered in partnership between the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and the Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE) University of Copenhagen. The specialisation in Proces Analytical Technology is offered in partnership between the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences (PHARMA) and the Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE) University of Copenhagen. The programme is taught in English in an international environment with foreign students.

 

The main supervisor for the thesis must be employed at Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE) or the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). For the specialisation in Proces Analytical Technology the main supervisor may also be employed at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences (PHARMA).

 

Within the M.Sc. programme at Faculty of Life Sciences the students follow one of several specialisations, namely

• General Specialisation
• Dairy Technology
• Meat Science & Technology
• Food Safety
• Process Analytical Technology

The specialisations with a specific title contain a selection of courses that ensures that specific competences will be obtained. These competences are described below. In contrast, the general specialisation allows you to influence your own specialisation by combining elective and core elements from several areas within the programme, but ensuring a broad knowledge within Food Science and Technology.

 

One additional specialisation can only be followed if the student is admitted to the international full-degree study programme “Sensory Science”. This programme leads to a degree from both LIFE and Wageningen University in The Netherlands. The degree issued from LIFE is M.Sc. in Food Science and Technology.

 

The Technical University of Denmark is also offering a programme in Food Science and Technology.

  

1.3 The programme’s employment prospects

 

The master’s programme in Food Science and Technology provides the competence required to undertake independent professional functions within the national and international food industries with respect to quality assurance and control, process control and product development. The programme also provides the competence required to undertake independent functions within public food control, administration and the provision of advice on questions of food policy, and to participate in scientific development work.

 

1.4 The programme’s competence profile

 

During the Master’s programme students must obtain the knowledge, skills and competences described below. These qualifications are obtained partly through participation in core modules, partly by following one of the specific lines of specialisations or by creating an individual competence profile by unique combinations of the core courses. Furthermore, students obtain a number of individual qualifications through the participation in elective courses and the preparation of a master’s thesis.

 

After completing the MSc programme in Food Science and Technology all graduates should be able to:

 

1.4.1 Knowledge

• Account for the treatment of raw materials as well as processing principles within one or several of the following foods: meat, dairy and/or cereals & vegetables.
• Describe advanced methodologies applied to food relevant problems
• Maintain an updated knowledge on international food legislation and quality control systems
• Give a detailed account of the principles and methods within the chosen subject areas. 

1.4.2 Skills

• Utilise and apply the knowledge obtained in core and elective courses

• Select and apply methods and theories that fit the programme whether it be interdisciplinary or highly specialised

• Execute independent practical experiments

• Assess possibilities and limitations in the application of theories and methods

• Use relevant IT-based tools to search for and retrieve scientific literature and other sources of knowledge

• Communicate effectively to specialist and non-specialist audience at a variety of levels, using modern and appropriate information and communication tools

1.4.3 Competences

• Critically evaluate current research and advanced scholarship in food science and propose new hypotheses
• Formulate an independent theory on the basis of own results and/or scientific literature from a national or international perspective
• Work independently and effectively on an individual basis, in teams as well as in cross-disciplinary environments
• Demonstrate capacity for independent thought, creativity and rigour in the application of knowledge and skills in work situations or in research
• Participate in public discussions of the impact of food research and food industry on the surrounding community
• Act autonomously in the management, planning and implementation of work tasks in complex and unpredictable work- and development situations within relevant employment areas
• Use lifelong learning as a principle to independently evaluate and structure learning processes and assume responsibility for continuous professional development

1.5 The specific specialisations competence profiles

As the specific specialisations have several mandatory courses for each student, it is possible to list a few additional competences that are unique for the specialisations. These additional competences are described in the following points. 

 

 

1.6.1 Knowledge

• Describe unit operations in the dairy industry and how these affect the properties and components of milk, including equipment, mass balances and energy requirements
• Describe the physical chemistry behind the stabilization of milk and milk products
• Give a detailed account of the physiology and genetics of lactic acid bacteria of relevance to their use in foods, as well as basic genetic manipulation of lactic acid bacteria
• Give a detailed account of important organisms and pathogens involved in the spoilage of dairy products, including techniques for detecting and quantifying bacteriophages
• Give a detailed account of the relevant aspects of chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, physics and technology in relation to the production of cheese
• Describe the basic economic principles of relevance to the production and processing of milk

1.6.1 Skills

• Apply and evaluate methods for assessing the quality of milk and processed milk products
• Apply principles of physical chemistry to the processing of liquid, fermented and concentrated dairy products
• Apply fundamental principles of predictive calculation to improve and extend the productivity

1.6.2 Competences

• Participate in public discussions of ethical problems concerning animal welfare in relation to the dairy industry
• Relate knowledge from all basic sciences to the entire production chain for dairy products
• Evaluate how the final product quality is affected by all stages in the chain from farm to table
• Participate in product development in dairy industries from initial concept to marketing of the final product, including knowledge of consumer trends and surveys

1.7 After completing the specialisation in Meat Science and Technology the graduate should furthermore be able to

 

1.7.1 Knowledge

• Specify the significance of feeding and the production system for meat quality
• Give a detailed account of muscle physiology, biology and structure in relation to meat quality
• Relate muscle growth to the composition of the carcass and hence meat quality
• Give a detailed account of how physical and chemical properties of fresh meat are changed during processing and storage, including fermentation, heat treatment and commonly used additives
• Relate microbiological principles to meat spoilage, keeping qualities, zoonoses, hygienic design and decontamination

1.7.2 Skills

• Apply and evaluate methods for assessing the quality of fresh meat and processed meat products
• Apply and evaluate materials and methods used in the packing of meat and meat products

1.7.3 Competences

• Participate in public discussions of ethical problems concerning animal welfare and meat production
• Relate all known principles of meat quality to predict how the final product quality is affected by all stages in the chain from farm to table
• Participate in product development in meat industries from initial concept to marketing of the final product, including knowledge of consumer trends and surveys

1.8 After completing the specialisation in Food Safety the graduate should furthermore be able to:

 

1.8.1 Knowledge

• Give a detailed account of food safety in the entire food production chain, including microbial and non-microbial hazards in relation to safety of fresh and processed foods
• Identify and describe the tools used for identification and problemsolving in relation to food safety,
• Describe common preservation principles and the microbiological response to different preservation stresses in detail
• Describe the principles and tools of predictive microbiology, and risk assessment

1.8.2 Skills

• Apply and evaluate methods to monitor hygienic measures
• Apply HACCP through microbiological knowledge
• Apply the principles behind hygienic factory layout and equipment design
• Communicate the role of hygiene in food safety and spoilage

1.8.3 Competences

• Participate in public discussions concerning the interplay between different stakeholders and decision makers regarding food safety
• React on food safety issues including recommendations for correcting actions and communication of these recommendations to decision makers at each step in the animal production chain.
• Reflect on and incorporate cultural, societal, ethical and economic elements in food safety management

1.9 After completing the specialisation in Process analytical technology, the graduate should also be able to:

 

1.9.1 Knowledge

• Describe sampling and instrumental issues in relation to common spectroscopic sensors
• Describe the necessary prerequisites for evaluating and choosing different sensor systems for measuring specific quality and process characteristics.
• Describe the possible approaches for mathematical and statistical modelling and validation of mathematical process or product monitoring model including their relevance for given problems
• Discuss and expand on process insight and chemical knowledge in relation to solving process deficiencies
• Critically evaluate and assess scientific literature in relation to production and process optimization and monitoring.
• Describe the consequences of different production designs in relation to process monitoring

1.9.2 Skills

 

• Plan and conduct experiments in food, feed, bio- and pharmaceutical production using advanced sensor systems, experimental design and chemometric modelling.
• Monitor, optimize and diagnose production, scale-up and quality control based on the above
• Automate and transfer laboratory analyses to near-process measurements

1.9.3 Competences

• Work in a highly cross-disciplinary team and constructively interact with and affect the work of chemists, engineers, process operators and decision makers
• Perform academic work at a high scientific level in process analytical technology and related areas

1.10 After completing the specialisation in Sensory Science, the graduate should furthermore be able to:

 

1.10.1 Knowledge

• Know the advantages and drawbacks of using humans as measuring instruments
• Understand relationships between chemical physical properties and sensory perceived properties
• Have an insight into the psychology and neurobiology of consumer preferences, choice, acceptance and habits
• Understand relationships between product characteristics, situational context and the human perception and emotion
• Be familiar with the methodology used within sensory, instrumental and consumer product testing
• Know about the statistical analyses applied to sensory and consumer data

1.10.2 Skills

• Critically assess scientific literature within sensory and consumer science and select sensory methods for specific purposes
• Design and conduct analyses and give interpretation to sensory and consumer experiments
• Cope with the ethical issues connected to the research
• Communicate in a constructive and effective manner with test subjects, experts and stakeholders about various disciplines

1.10.3 Competences  

• Place sensory science in the broader context of humanities and natural sciences and technology
• Analyse and interpret results of a sensory experiment in a correct manner and translate research findings into practical solutions
• Work in multidisciplinary project teams consisting of technologists, nutritionists, marketers, product developers, etc.

 

Chapter 2. Degree programme content

2.1 Content

 

The general specialisation

  

  

Year 1	Block 1
	Block 2
	Block 3
	Block 4

 

Year 2	Block 1
	Block 2
	Block 3	Thesis (30 or 45 credits)
	Block 4

 

 

	Compulsory courses and thesis
	Core courses (the suggested block placement of core courses above is not mandatory. The placement strictly depends on which core courses are chosen - see list below).
	Elective courses

 

 

Thesis, thematic course and core courses must comprise at least 90 credits

 

The programme is set at 120 credits and must include the following elements:

• thesis 30 or 45 credits
• thematic course 15 credits
• core courses 45 or 30 credits depending on the thesis
• elective courses 30 credits

Thesis:

The thesis must be 30 or 45 credits. The thesis must be in the area of food science or food technology.

 

Compulsory thematic courses (15 credits):

 

Students must follow one of the following thematic courses:

 

270037     Thematic Course: Beer Production - 15 credits

270039     Thematic Course: Meat as a Raw Material - 15 credits

270060     Thematic Course: Dairy Process and Equipment - 15 credits

270049     Thematic Course: Microbiological and chemical food safety - 15 credits

270058     Thematic Course: Process Analytical Technology - 15 credits

270090     Thematic Course: Integrated Sensory and Instrumental Flavour Research

270068     Thematic Course: Aroma and Instrumental Quality Analysis of Processed Plant

                Foods – 15 credits (if passed in study year 2009-10 or before)

  

Core courses:

 

Depending on the size of the thesis, the student must choose 30 or 45 credits from the following courses:

 

270001     Advanced Chemical Food Safety - 7,5 credits  (offered for the last time in 2009-10)

270003     Cheese Technology* - 7,5 credits

270004     Chemical Food Safety - 7,5 credits

270006     Exploratory Data Analysis / Chemometrics - 7,5 credits

270012     Food Enzymes and Applications - 7,5 credits

270013     Food Texture and Functionality - 7,5 credits

270064     International Food legislation and Quality Management - 7,5 credits

270017     Lactic Acid Bacteria Microbiology - 7,5 credits

270019     Mad og samfund - 7,5 credits

270021     Meat Production - 15 credits

270022     Milk Processing* - 7,5 credits

270025     Physical and Chemical Changes of Food Quality - 7,5 credits

270103     Quantitative Bio-spectroscopy - 7,5 credits (replaces 270028)

270030     Sensory and Consumer Science - 7,5 credits

270031     Starter and Non-starter Cultures for Dairy Products - 7,5 credits

270041     Yeasts in Fermented Foods - 7,5 credits

270051     Control of Foodborne Microorganism – 7,5 credits

270054     Hygiene and Sanitation – 7,5 credits

270059     Process Design of Experiments and Optimization - 7.5 credits

270078     Advanced Chemometrics - 7.5 credits

270089     Food choice and acceptance – 7.5 credits

270091     Advanced sensory methods and sensometrics - 7.5 credits

270098     Meat Processing* - 7,5 credits / 270055  Meat Processing and

                Packaging* (offered for the last time in 2009-10)

270075     Dairy Product Technology * - 7,5 credits

270100     Molecular Food Science - 7,5 credits / 270023 Packaging of Foods (offered for

                the last time in 2009-10) 

270042     Food Quality and Processing Technologies

270050     Consumer Economics and Policy

230001     Analytical Chemistry

250009     Cool Climate Viticulture and Enology

23271       Risk Analysis in Food Safety – 7,5 credits (DTU)

 

* Technical requirement: one of the courses must be passed. Students who have gained competences equivalent to 23711 Fødevareteknologi L (Food Technology) (DTU) in their qualifying degree program are exempt from this requirement.

 

The compulsory thematic courses may also be core courses. The courses which are approved at DTU as technological specialisations (the master’s degree programme in Food Science and Technology) are approved at Faculty of Life Sciences.

 

Thesis (30 or 45 credits), thematic course (15 credits) and core courses (min. 30 or 45 credits) comprise the core subjects in the programme (min. 90 credits).

 

Projects in Practice may not be included in the programme. Students may, however, submit a fact-specific application to the Food Science Study Board for permission to include a project in practice in their MSc programme and the study board will make a decision.

 

 

The specialisation in Dairy Technology

 

Year 1	Block 1	Introduction to Dairy Technology
	Block 2
	Block 3	Milk Processing	Thematic Course: Dairy Process and Equipment
	Block 4	Dairy Product Technology

 

Year 2	Block 1	International Legislation	Lactic Acid Bacteria Microbiology
	Block 2	Cheese Technology	Starter and Non-Starter Cultures
	Block 3	Thesis (30 or 45 credits)
	Block 4

 

 

	Compulsory courses and thesis
	Elective courses

The following courses are compulsory:

 

270003     Cheese Technology - 7.5 credits

270017     Lactic Acid Bacteria Microbiology - 7.5 credits

270022     Milk Processing - 7.5 credits

270031     Starter and Non-starter Cultures for Dairy Products - 7.5 credits

270060     Thematic Course: Dairy Process and Equipment - 15 credits

270064     International Legislation and Quality Management* - 7.5 credits

270075     Dairy Product Technology - 7.5 credits

270088     Introduction to Dairy Technology** - 7,5 credits

 

* Students who have followed the course 270064 International Legislation and Quality Management as a part of their bachelor degree are not required to take the course. The students must take elective courses instead.

 

** Students with practical experience equivalent to the dairy practical training are exempt from this course.

 

The thesis (30 or 45 credits) must be dairy-related.

 

Students admitted and following the international study programme “Lactitech” (a cooperation with Wageningen University in the Netherlands) will automatically fulfil the requirements to learning outcomes and core-courses and be associated with the specialisation in Dairy Technology.

 

Food Science master’s graduates who have specialised within dairy technology and passed the dairy industry practical training have the right to the additional title cand.techn.al./Dairy Technologist. Practical training cannot be a part of the master of science programme. 

 

Projects in Practice may not be included in the programme. Students may, however, submit a fact-specific application to the Food Study Board for permission to include a project in practice in their MSc programme and the study board will make a decision.

 

 

The specialisation in Meat Science and Technology

 

Year 1	Block 1
	Block 2
	Block 3	Meat Production
	Block 4	Thematic Course: Meat as a Raw Material

 

Year 2	Block 1	International Legislation and Quality Management	Meat Processing
	Block 2	Control of Foodborne Microorganisms
	Block 3	Thesis (30 or 45 credits)
	Block 4

 

 

	Compulsory courses and thesis
	Elective courses

 

The following courses are compulsory:

 

270021     Meat Production - 15 credits

270064     International Food Legislation and Quality Management * - 7.5 credits

270039     Thematic Course: Meat as a Raw Material - 15 credits

270098     Meat Processing - 7.5 credits

270051     Control of Food-borne Microorganisms - 7.5 credits

 

* Students who have followed the course 270064 International Legislation and Quality Management as a part of their bachelor degree are not required to take the course. The students must take elective courses instead. 

 

The thesis (30 or 45 credits) must be meat-related.

 

Food Science master’s graduates who have specialised within meat science and technology and passed the meat industry practical training have the right to the additional title cand.techn.al./Meat Science and Technology. Practical training cannot be a part of the master of science programme. 

 

Projects in Practice may not be included in the programme. Students may, however, submit a fact-specific application to the Food Study Board for permission to include a project in practice in their MSc programme and the study board will make a decision.

 

 

The specialisation in Food Safety

 

Year 1	Block 1	Hygiene and Sanitation	Int. Legislation and Quality Management
	Block 2	Control of Food Borne Microorganisms	Chemical Food Safety
	Block 3	Thematic Course: Microbiological and Chemical Food Safety
	Block 4

 

Year 2	Block 1
	Block 2	Risk Analysis in Food Safety (DTU
	Block 3	Thesis (30 or 45 credits)
	Block 4

 

	Compulsory courses and thesis
	Elective courses

The following courses are compulsory:

 

270064     International Food Legislation and Quality Management *- 7.5 credits

270051     Control of Food-borne Microorganisms - 7.5 credits

270049     Thematic Course: Microbiological and chemical food safety - 15 credits

270054     Hygiene and Sanitation – 7,5 credits

270004     Chemical Food Safety – 7,5 credits

23271       Risk Analysis in Food Safety – 7,5 credits (DTU)

 

* Students who have followed the course 270064 International Legislation and Quality Management as a part of their bachelor degree are not required to follow the course. The students must follow elective courses instead. 

 

The thesis (30 or 45 credits) must be related to food safety issues.

 

Projects in Practice may not be included in the programme. Students may, however, submit a fact-specific application to the Food Study Board for permission to include a project in practice in their MSc programme and the study board will make a decision.

 

  

The specialisation in Process Analytical Technology

 

Year 1	Block 1	Exploratory Data Analysis/Chemometrics	Process Design of Experiments and Optimation
	Block 2	Advanced Chemometrics	Quantitative Bio-spectroscopy
	Block 3	Thematic Course: Process Analytical Technology
	Block 4

 

Year 2	Block 1	Advanced Manufacturing of Pharmaceuticals (PHARMA)
	Block 2
	Block 3	Thesis (30 or 45 credits)
	Block 4

 

	Compulsory courses and thesis
	Elective courses

 

The following courses are compulsory:

 

270006 Exploratory Data Analysis / Chemometrics - 7.5 credits

270059 Process Design of Experiments and Optimization - 7.5 credits

270078 Advanced Chemometrics - 7.5 credits

270103 Quantitative Bio-spectroscopy - 7.5 credits (erstatter 270028)

270058 Thematic Course: Process Analytical Technology - 15 credits

A9051   Advanced Manufacturing of Pharmaceuticals (PHARMA) - 7.5 credits

 

The thesis (30 or 45 credits) must be related to process analytical technology issues.

If a thesis of 30 credits is selected, at least one additional course of 7,5 credits must be selected from the list of core courses described above under the general specialisation.

  

Projects in Practice may not be included in the programme. Students may, however, submit a fact-specific application to the Food Study Board for permission to include a project in practice in their MSc programme and the study board will make a decision.

 

 

The specialisation in Sensory Science

 

This specialisation can only be elected by students who are admitted to the international full-degree study programme “Sensory Science”, a joint programme offered in collaboration between Wageningen University (the Netherlands) and the Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE) of the University of Copenhagen.

 

Year 1 of this specialisation in Sensory Science consists exclusively of compulsory courses. As shown in the schedule below, the first two study blocks of year 1 are conducted at Wageningen University, whereas the last two study blocks of year 1 are conducted at LIFE. This study plan is common for all admitted students.

 

 

Year 1	Block 1	Conducted at Wageningen University (WU) - 30 credits The course package of 30 credits consists of 5 courses of each 6 credits
	Block 2
	Block 3	Advanced Sensory Methods and Sensometrics - 7.5 credits	Food Choice and Acceptance – 7.5 credits
	Block 4	Thematic course: Integrated Sensory and Flavour Research – 15 credits

 

Year 2 Year 2 has two different options focussing on research training either at WU or LIFE. Regardless of which option is chosen, a written assignment must be conducted at the opposite university, as shown below.

 

Option 1:

Year 2	Block 1	At LIFE: Written assignment, registered and assessed at WU– 15 credits Thesis – 45 credits
	Block 2
	Block 3
	Block 4

 

Option 2:

Year 2	Block 1	At Wageningen University (WU): Written assignment, registered and assessed at LIFE – 21 credits Thesis – 39 credits
	Block 2
	Block 3
	Block 4

 

 

The following courses are included in the specialisation line:

 

270089     Food choice and Acceptance – 7.5 credits

270090     Thematic course: Integrated Sensory and Flavour Research – 15 credits

270091     Advanced Sensory Methods and Sensometrics - 7.5 credits

A course package of 30 credits consisting of 5 courses of each 6 credits conducted at Wageningen University (WU)

 

Written assignment registered and assessed at LIFE – 21 credits or Written assignment registered and assessed at WU– 15 credits.

 

The thesis (39 or 45 credits) must be related to sensory science issues.

 

Projects in Practice may not be included in the programme. 

 

 

Chapter 3. Admission requirements and admission 

3.1 Admission requirements

 

The BSc Programme in Food Science (Fødevarevidenskab) with the core module Food, Quality, and Technology (Fødevarer, kvalitet og teknologi) qualifies graduates directly for admission to the MSc Programme in Food Science and Technology.

 

Students holding a BSc degree other than the BSc in Food Science (Fødevarevidenskab) with the core module Food, Quality, and Technology (Fødevarer, kvalitet og teknologi) are admitted provided that they have equivalent qualifications within the areas:

• Mathematics
• Statistics
• Chemistry
• Microbiology
• Biochemistry

Bachelors from other faculties under University of Copenhagen or from other national and international universities must have equivalent qualifications and their admission will be assessed on an individual basis.

 

3.2 Admission 

 

Students are admitted to the MSc in Food Science and Technology once a year (1 September).