Is the Course Right for Me?
Breadth of Programme
The Food Quality, Safety and Nutrition programme is a multi-faceted course which appeals on many levels. Subjects studied in the programme include composition of foods, food hygiene and microbiology, food policy, food quality and safety, diet and health, human physiology, food product development, food marketing to the psychology of consumer behaviour and business innovation and entrepreneurship - there really is something for everyone.
Career Opportunities
Covering such a wide spectrum, graduates of the course will be able to enter directly into employment within the food industry into roles such as marketing managers, resource control, quality assurance managers, product development specialists, laboratory analysts and food technologists. Additionally, they may go on to pursue higher degrees, such as dietetics, sports nutrition, meat science, public health management, or to study for teaching qualifications.
The 3 year programme, Food Quality, Safety and Nutrition, includes a 16 week work placement as an integral component of Stage 2, equivalent to one module (1/6 of year) and counts as 4.16% towards the final degree award. It is intended that students will start their placement during second semester on a part-time basis. These students will do a project module in Stage 3, their final year, which may be started whilst on placement.
The 4 year programme, Food Quality, Safety and Nutrition with Professional Studies, includes a year long work placement with an integral project to be agreed between the placement provider, the School and the student. This placement will be assessed as the Stage 3 module ‘Professional Studies (FQSN)’ and counts as a module in final year (1/6 of year) 12.5% of final degree award. Students will not take a separate project module within their final year.
Students are responsible for attaining their own work placement. Those unsuccessful in attaining a 46 week placement may transfer to the BSc (Hons) Food Quality, Safety and Nutrition, 3 year programme.
Opportunities are available for students to undertake placement in companies and businesses within NI, ROI, and the UK but students will also be encouraged to undertake overseas placements.
Current students are undertaking placements in the bread and meat industries, in health promotion type positions in charities and fitness centres, in catering establishments for Education and Library Boards and for Sainsbury’s and Marks and Spencer in England. Other students have travelled to the US and are working in young people’s nutrition and health camps.
The Careers Development Programme is designed to give students a clearer picture of the industry and of the diversity of career paths open to them. It explores the comprehensiveness of the industry will better prepare and empower them for the future job market where they will be working in a wide range of roles, for large multinationals, for small local companies and everything in between.
The Careers Development Programme is delivered in all three stages of the programme. In year 1 it concentrates on stimulating the student’s thoughts on what careers are available through speakers from industry and the careers office. Stage 2 activities are linked to work placement preparation, and includes CV building, interview techniques, self reflection on the value of placement and external speakers. In stage 3 students explore key career opportunities including teaching and graduate recruitment and assessment centres.
