We'll let our students speak for us:

Food industry

Some of the graduates from the Msc Food Safety Hygiene and Management programme find work in the food industry after completing the course. Graduates work in the UK and in many other countries.

Patricia, from Spain, feels ‘If you are interested in the food industry the course is definitely useful because you learn how it all works and realise how all the steps in the food chain are very important.’

Sandrine came from a microbiology background and works in the food industry in the UK. She writes: ‘I did use and still will be using most of the modules, especially the safety and HACCP because now we have to be proactive (in the food industry) and try to foresee what could go wrong before it happens.’

Food and Microbes was identified by Mohammed, a dietician, as a significant module. He says ‘it was very important and I think this module is the base of food hygiene.’

After graduation Amee started work as a Manager in Quality Assurance (Food Safety Management Systems) for Amul (the biggest dairy in India). She says ‘The course has helped me immensely to acquire in depth knowledge about food safety.’

Harry Zhang is employed by a  major manufacturer in China. He says ‘The four taught modules are very helpful for my current work at Heinz as a technical service specialist. You can learn everything from them that is practical to the actual food industry. The research course and major project are very good attempts for a student to challenge himself. You can improve a lot in ways of thinking, ways of organizing project during that time. This has proved useful in my actual work after graduation.’

He continues: ‘It is definitely of great value learning here. The teaching team of Food Safety, Hygiene and Management are no doubt one of the best teams I’ve ever met during my decades of academic career. They make every effort to make you better no matter what background you were in the past.’

在伯大的食品安全课程对我毕业后在亨氏的工作有着极大的帮助，课程设置很实用，毕业设计也非常锻炼自身的思维能力和组织能力，在教授的辅导和帮助下，可以出色得完成自己的项目研究。

在这里，不仅仅是知识上的增长，很多外校的教授，专家，甚至大企业的负责人都会被邀请至课堂，让我们从实践角度理解所学的知识，这种多样的教学方式使我受益很大，增长很多见识。 

食品安全的整个教学团队是我学习生涯中遇到的最优秀的团队之一，团队中所有的教授老师都非常愿意帮助我们，有任何疑惑和困难，他们都会尽最大可能帮我们解决。无论我们的学识背景如何，他们都会努力让我们更加优秀。

Food Control

The course emphasises legislative aspects of food control as well as technical and scientific matters. Andrew works as an Environmental Health Officer in a UK Local Authority and he comments: ‘I moved from being a general EHO to a specialist Food Safety Team during the course and have remained there since. I am now the team leader for 9 EHO/FSO and 4 EOs. The course content was very comprehensive and useful for the work which I am involved with at the moment.’

Elli originally studied Biotechnology in Greece. She wrote ‘My experience at Birmingham University, besides being very enjoyable both on a personal and academic level, has definitely provided me with the knowledge and the analytical way of thinking, which have been invaluable tools not only for job interviews but mainly for my everyday job. These valuable skills and of course the University's reputation played a role as a "door-opener”. Currently, I am working for the Food Standards Agency as a Scientific Officer.’

Eleni also originated from Greece. A qualified vet, she came to work in the UK in meat hygiene and says of the course: ‘On a number of occasions this MSc has been a plus for my professional development e.g.

• Being selected as a food safety expert in the European Commission, DG SANCO
• Acquiring a teaching job in a Food Technology College.

Now I’m a candidate student for a PhD in the University of Thessaly, Medicine Faculty.’

Past students can also be found working in food control outside the UK including Greece,  China (Hong Kong), Turkey, Korea, Brunei Daruusalam and Saudi Arabia.

Further Study

About 10% of graduates continue in higher education and acquire a doctorate. One graduate who has followed this route has the following remarks about the course:
"My name is Ihab Habib. I am an Egyptian, and I obtained the MSc degree over the academic year 2003/04 with merit grade. I am a veterinarian by education and choose to focus my work on food safety and microbiology. I find the MSc in food safety, hygiene and management in Birmingham a great opportunity for anyone who wants to study food safety with a great sense of practicality. The training modules cover all the aspects you need to be well equipped for starting or enhancing your career in food safety. Now I have almost finished my study in Belgium (Ghent University) for a PhD in Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety. Also I obtained a lecturer position in Alexandria University in my home country Egypt.”

Ding Luo, from Shanghai, completed her PhD in molecular microbiology. She says of the course: “it’s very useful in terms of introducing people to the food safety related matters regardless of what background they are from, and ideal for people having or seeking careers in industrial or governmental environment. Also, obtaining a HACCP certificate is very valuable.”

Other students have continued to study directly related fields and have embarked on PhD research on areas such as the implementation of HACCP or other aspects of food safety and control.

Other opportunities

Several students have decided to work advising businesses on food safety and HACCP. Some have joined existing companies and others have set up as independent consultants, offering training as well as advice. Other candidates have decided to use their knowledge working in food microbiology labs while some have remained in academic life as researchers. Three past students have acquired lectureships at Universities and are themselves teaching food safety while several more act as examiners or have visiting lectureships.

Summary

A final comment from Ihab sums up the opinion of many of the students: ‘My Birmingham experience was amazing; a high level of science, in a multicultural city and a world class university. So keep up the hard work and enjoy Birmingham.’

Course Structure

The course is modular in nature, comprising 180 credits. Of these, 120 credits are taught modules which are organized into 4 modules, each of thirty credits. The remaining 60 credits comprise a research component.

The MSc is available as a fulltime course (one year) or as a part time course. It is also possible to take only the taught elements, in which case either a Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits) or a Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits) will be awarded after successful completion of the relevant modules.

Part time candidates may register for as few as one or as many as four taught modules in any given academic year.

• Part-time Postgraduate Certificate – A candidate who successfully completes any two of the four taught modules may be awarded a  Postgraduate Certificate in Food Safety and Food Legislation .
• Part-time Postgraduate Diploma – A candidate who successfully completes all of the four taught modules may be awarded a  Postgraduate Diploma in Food Safety and Food Legislation
• Part-time MSc programme – the taught elements are completed first, over one or two years with the research element taken as the final year.
• Full-time MSc programme – both elements are undertaken concurrently (open to overseas students).

Module Description

Food and Microbes –  30 Credits.

This module considers the relationship between food-borne pathogens, spoilage organisms and food structure. Current knowledge regarding the microbiological characteristics, virulence and disease associations of the bacterial, viral, fungal and protozoan pathogens associated with food-borne illness will be reviewed, including techniques available for their detection and characterisation. Current food poisoning trends and epidemiological data will be considered, together with the role of individuals and organisations in the investigation of food poisoning.

Food Control – 30 Credits

A detailed examination of the main food legislation will be undertaken in this module, including general food safety and food hygiene legislation and also imported food legislation. It will include the application of EC legislation and UK requirements, evidence gathering and legal procedure as they relate to contraventions of food safety law, together with the relevant guidance on the subjects. Consideration will also be given to the sources of and influences on food legislation. The interaction of government agencies, enforcement authorities, the consumer and the industry will an underlying theme.

Food Hygiene Management – 30 Credits.

This module is an examination of the systems used to control food safety hazards, including pest control, recall procedures, risk assessment, HACCP and related safety systems and quality assurance systems. The module sets these systems within a practical context and considers the security of food at a premises, community and global level.

Food Manufacture and Technology – 30 Credits.

In this module the principles of food manufacture and technology will be explained in the context of food safety. Traditional and novel approaches to processing, packaging will be covered, including control of chemical and foreign object contamination.

Research Techniques – 10 Credits.

This module is designed to provide students with the underpinning skills to design, perform and complete a piece of independent research.

Major Project – 50 Credits.

This module allows a student to explore a particular area of food safety, hygiene or management in more depth. After research training is completed students will undertake a major research project consisting of approximately 12 weeks data gathering and analysis. This will be submitted as a dissertation.

Assessment

• Taught modules are assessed through either a combination of examination and coursework or by coursework alone
• The research project is assessed through a written research report and a viva.

Tuition fees for home/EU students (2013/2014)

Part-time programmes
Most part-time programmes run for two years and their fees are one half of the standard full-time programme fees.

Tuition fees for international students (2013/2014)

International student tuition fees are set at £16,200. For further information please view the fees for international students page.
Part-time programmes
UK student visa regulations mean that students classed as overseas for fees purposes may normally only register on a full-time basis.

Further funding information

Standard fees (including lab fees) apply
Learn more about fees and funding

Scholarships and studentships
Scholarships may be available. International students can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home government.

For further information contact the School directly or email sfo@contacts.bham.ac.uk

When clicking on the Apply Now button you will be directed to an application specifically designed for the programme you wish to apply for where you will create an account with the University application system and submit your application and supporting documents online. Further information regarding how to apply online can be found on the How to apply pages

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The Postgraduate Diploma and MSc are accredited by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health /Environmental Health Registration Board as a route to the Higher Certificate in Food Premises Inspection and therefore very appropriate for anyone wishing to work as a food premises officer in a food authority or competent authority. Past students have found work in a variety of areas, including NGOs, competent authorities in the UK and overseas, academic institutions and the food industry.