Food Safety

As the global population increases, creating a demand for even more food, producing safe food has never been as important. Many of us are in the lucky position that we can say we get to eat something everyday, and ideally, that food which we eat should not make us sick or cause us to feel unwell. Put simply: ‘If it isn’t safe, it isn’t food!’.



This programme, which is underpinned by current and ongoing research, will give students a detailed understanding of the issues affecting food safety both from the perspective of the food industry and regulatory authorities, as well as enabling students to develop the necessary analytical skills and theoretical understanding to manage food safety programmes within global food companies or within national and international food safety regulatory agencies. This programme is designed for and will appeal to Science or Technology graduates who currently don’t have a qualification in Food Safety, as well as professionals who are currently working in the Food Industry, that wish to upskill and further develop their expertise in food safety.



Delivered by leading international experts from the UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science and the UCD Institute of Food and Health the MSc Food Safety will develop committed and interdisciplinarily trained graduates skilled in the area of Food Safety in the context of the broader food industry.

Stage 1 Option

Chemistry of Nutrients FDSC40500

Food Microbiology & Safety FDSC40520

Principles of Biochemistry FDSC40530

Food Process Technology FDSC40540

Bioinformatics in Food Safety FDSC40710

Animal Foods FDSC40890

Food Microbiology FDSC40900

Plant Foods FDSC40920

Food Toxicology FDSC40940

Food Health and Diet FDSC40950

Food Safety Genomics FDSC40970

Sustainability in Diet FDSC40980

Food Safety Project FDSC40990

Food Security FDSC41020

Food Chain Integrity O/LFDSC41030

Environmental Food Processing FDSC41040

One Health O/LFDSC41050

Food Regulatory Affairs (O/L) HNUT40100

Food Quality and Safety (O/L) HNUT40110

Research Design and Statistics HNUT40130

The course is aimed at:

1) Individuals working full-time in the food industry charged with improving sustainability of food systems.

2) Recent graduates with a BSc. in areas such as Science, Agriculture, Nutrition and Environmental Sciences, as a means of differentiating themselves from other graduates in this area and thus increasing their employability.



Applicants must hold a minimum of a Second Class Honors degree (NFQ Level 8 or international equivalent) in a cognate subject (Science, Engineering or related discipline).



Applicants with other awards who hold substantial relevant work experience will also be considered.



Applicants who do not hold the requisite Science qualification (but who hold a Level 8 Honors degree or equivalent) have been admitted previously and are advised to submit an application for assessment by the Programme Director to determine eligibility

The following entry routes are available:



Grad Dip Food Safety PT (D089)

Duration 1/2 years

Attend Part Time

Deadline Rolling*



* Courses will remain open until such time as all places have been filled, therefore early application is advised

MSc - 1/2 Years Part Time

MODE OF DELIVERY: Online

NEXT INTAKE: 2024/2025 September.

Careers & Employability

The UCD MSc in Food Safety positions graduates for leadership roles in this critically important area for the Irish and Global economy.



There are excellent career opportunities for graduates in advisory, technical, and management roles both within the food industry, government organisations, and regulatory agencies.



Graduate Roles include:

Food Regulation

Food Safety and Risk Analysis

Food Safety Research

Policy Development

Scientific Analyst