University Diploma in Food Safety and Food Legislation Course Description:

Food Safety and Food Legislation and Diploma in Food Safety and Food Legislation provide specialist learning opportunities in foodsafety to practitioners in the food industry who are in supervisory, training or management positions and to Local Authority Inspectors. The programme will be of interest if you:

• Supervise a catering section or food production unit
• Are a head chef in a large catering kitchen
• Manage a housekeeping, catering or food production section
• Are responsible for writing or implementing food safety systems such as HACCP
• Provide advice or training on food safety, food hygiene or law
• Are a technical officer in a Local Authority with responsibility for food
• Have a particular interest in food safety and food law

The aims of the programme are:

• To increase your knowledge of common food legislation and the general framework in which it functions.
• To provide a fundamental understanding of the principles of Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment (HACCP) in relation to food safety
• To provide accurate and up to date information on the common food borne pathogens and their significance in terms of food safety.
• To provide sufficient background information for candidates to be able to critically assess with current issues in food safety.
• To cover the academic syllabus for the Higher Certificate in Food Premises Inspection.

Programme Structure

Both years are arranged as a combination of distance learning and blockrelease. Each year comprises 60 credits of study. This equates to approximately 600 hours (100 days) of student effort.

Some of this takes place at University of Birmingham (lectures, tutorials andlaboratory practicals), but a large proportion must take place in the students own time (distance learning and private study). Attendance at the university in the first year is concentrated mainly between January and May. In the second year attendance requirements consist typically of one, three-day block per month. Total contact time in each year is approximately 22 days.

 

Year two

Year Two (University Diploma in Food Safety & Food Legislation) developsthe principles of food safety further and concentrates on the application andunderstanding. The product specific legislation is dealt with in more depth.There is an emphasis on current trends and future issues. There are fivemodules.

Module One: Food Microbiology

The common microbes associated with food, including methods for sampling andenumeration and control of food-borne illness.

This module will consist of lectures, directed reading and self assessmentquestions, laboratory practicals, case studies and web based assignments.

Module Two: Food Legislation

The main food hygiene legislation, including sources of law, theinterpretation and application of food safety legislation, evidence gatheringand legal procedure as they relate to contraventions of food law. This modulewill comprise lectures, directed reading with self assessment questions, casestudies and some visits.

Module Three: Hygienic Management

Systems used to control food hazards, including cleaning, pest control,recall procedures, risk assessment systems and quality assurance.

This module will consist of lectures, directed reading and web basedassignments. There will be one laboratory practical.

Module Four: Food project

This module allows the candidate to explore a particular area of food safetyin more depth than is possible in other modules. A variety of projects may besuitable for this module, for example, an extended audit of a major premises, ashort discrete laboratory based project or an in depth literature review.

Assessment will be by means of an extended report and a viva

Module Five: Food Technology

Application of the principles of food preservation and manufacture, toinclude their importance in food safety and hygiene.

This module will comprise lectures, a laboratory practical, directed reading,a workbook and some visits. 

 

Further Study

On completion of the Higher Certificate in Food Premises Inspection,candidates may choose to undertake further specialist study. The followingoptions are also offered by the University of Birmingham

1. Food Standards endorsement
2. Food Inspection endorsement
3. Higher Certificate in Food Control

This information is prepared well in advance to provide information beforeyou apply, and therefore there may be alterations to courses or facilities. 

The year is arranged as a combination of distance learning and blockrelease. It comprises 60 credits of study. This equates to approximately 600 hours (100 days) of student effort.

Some of this takes place at University of Birmingham (lectures, tutorials andlaboratory practicals), but a large proportion must take place in the students own time (distance learning and private study). Attendance at the university in the first year is concentrated mainly between January and May. In the second year attendance requirements consist typically of one, three-day block per month. Total contact time in each year is approximately 22 days.

Food Safety and Food Legislation and Diploma in Food Safety and Food Legislation provide specialist learning opportunities in foodsafety to practitioners in the food industry who are in supervisory, training or management positions and to Local Authority Inspectors. The programme will be of interest if you:

• Supervise a catering section or food production unit
• Are a head chef in a large catering kitchen
• Manage a housekeeping, catering or food production section
• Are responsible for writing or implementing food safety systems such as HACCP
• Provide advice or training on food safety, food hygiene or law
• Are a technical officer in a Local Authority with responsibility for food
• Have a particular interest in food safety and food law