Food Research and Development
(Master of Science)

You can see food, a person working in a laboratory, drawings from chemistry and a microscope. © Foto: Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät/LUH
© Foto: Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät/LUH

Profile

Course type
Postgraduate studies (Master)
Standard Course Duration
4 semesters
Course Start
Winter semester
Language of Instruction
German
Language Requirements

German HZB: none
International application: German C1
Find out more

Admission
Restricted admission
International

Stay abroad possible, but not obligatory.

Short Description

From winter semester 2023/24 onwards, this programme is closed. An application is no longer possible.

Students on the master’s degree programme in Food Research and Development at Leibniz Universität Hannover gain extensive knowledge and skills in the development, quality assurance and marketing of traditional and novel food. In the process, consideration must be taken of food chemical, technological, nutritional, toxicological, food law and economic aspects. The degree programme is generally research-based, such as in the areas of process engineering, human nutrition and molecular food science. At the same time, the degree programme also puts a strong emphasis on practical applications, a typical element of this subject, e.g. in the areas of food system analysis, product development and food marketing. The wide range of compulsory elective modules available enables students to gear their area of specialisation towards their chosen career path. The practice-oriented nature of the degree programme, reflected in research-oriented practical training for instance, qualifies students to operate in the key areas of research, development, quality assurance and marketing in the food industry.

Course Content

  • Active ingredient research
  • Food law
  • Food marketing
  • Food process engineering
  • Food safety
  • Food science
  • Human nutrition
  • Nutrition physiology
  • Product development
  • Quality management
Course Structure

The degree programme comprises ten compulsory modules and three compulsory elective modules, practical training and the master’s thesis. The compulsory modules enable students to gain a profound technical and methodological understanding of food technology, human nutrition and nutrition physiology, food quality and safety, bioeconomy and consumer research, and the production, processing and development of food. By taking their chosen compulsory elective modules, students are able to specialise in line with their interests. Students enhance and expand on their expertise and skills by learning key transferable skills and a foreign language, or by addressing ethical and scientific-philosophical issues. They gain insights into the principal methods applied in the professional field, and gain skills in a technical aspect of that field. By completing six weeks of research-based practical training, students expand on the skills gained, enabling them to apply the knowledge learned and develop their knowledge base. Upon completion of the master’s thesis, students are able to demonstrate their ability to tackle a topic related to the professional field independently, using scientific methods.

 

Semester 1 2 3 4
Core modules

Food Processing Technology (8 CP)

  • Industrial Food Processing

 

Quality Management and Food Safety (5 CP)

  • Quality Management Systems in Food Industry
  • Monitoring
  • Pharmacology and Toxicology

Nutrition Epidemiology (6 CP)

  • Principles of Epidemiology
  • Interpretation and Evaluation of Epidemiological Studies

Food Processing Technology (8 CP)

  • Laboratory Exercise in Food Processing Technology

Specific Human Nutrition (5 CP)

  • Nutrition-associated Diseases
  • Current Aspects of Human Nutrition

Active Substances in Foodstuffs (6 CP)

  • Active Substances in Foodstuffs
  • Analysis and Application of Functional Food Ingredients

Food Law for Product Development and Marketing (6 CP)

  • Advanced Food and Consumer Law
  • Current Aspects of Food Law

Molecular Food Research (6 CP)

  • Techniques of Molecular Biology and Genetics
  • Molecular Detection Methods / Nutrigenomics

Food System Analysis (6 CP)

  • Foodchains, Sustainability and Bioeconomy
  • Interaction with Other Systems

Product Development (6 CP)

  • Product Development Processes
  • Product Development in Practice

Master’s thesis (30 CP)

 

Food Marketing and Consumer Behaviour (6 CP)
  • Consumer Behaviour and Market Acceptance
  • Specific Food Marketing

Core elective module skill area core skills

 

modules to be selected so that a total of 6 CPs are attained:
  • Foreign language selected from the programme of the Language Centre (2-4 CP)
  • Soft skills selected from the programme of the Centre for Soft Skills (2-4 CP)
  • The Ethics of Agricultural Biotechnology and Food (4 CP)
 
Core elective module skill area selected foundation courses one module to be selected from (6 CP):
  • Introduction to Biostatistics
  • How to Publish Data and Statistical Analyses
  • Food Analysis
  • Foundation Module Bio-process Engineering
  • Fundamentals in business administration: strategic corporate management
  • Fundamentals in business administration: resources and organization
 
Core elective module skill area specialised extension subject one module to be selected from (6 CP):
  • Food Quality Management
  • Food Toxicology
  • International Strategic Marketing
  • Fungi and Mycotoxins: Isolation of bioactive links from food- and feedstuffs and their chemical and biological characterisation
  • Technology and Engineering – cereals, baked goods and confectionery technology
  • Technology and Engineering – meat technology
  • Technology and Engineering – gastronomy and communal catering
 

Research-oriented internship

6 weeks min. (12 CP)  
Recommended Abilities
  • Students should have the ability to work and think in a scientific, structured manner; they should also be enthusiastic about scientific methodologies and principles. It is important that students have an interest in describing and analysing technical issues, as well as drawing their own conclusions and addressing solution-oriented problems.
  • English is the language of food science, in the literature and in international communication. Selected modules are therefore offered in English language, so that sufficient knowledge of English is required and will be applied.
Career Opportunities
  • Basic research on food and nutrition science at research institutions
  • Research and development in life science companies
  • Product development
  • Marketing/communication
  • Science journalism
  • Nutrition economics
  • Food technology
  • Food safety and hygiene
  • Food analysis
  • Consumer protection
  • Quality management and control
  • Health management
  • Food chain management
  • Authorisation of food, additives and novel food
  • Public relations
  • Marketing
  • Consulting and coordination in the health sector
Admission requirements and application

Admission Requirements

For master's degree programmes with restricted admission, places shall be allocated according to the university’s own selection procedure, if there are more applicants fulfilling the admission requirements than there are places available. The exact admission requirements can be found in the admission regulations: 

Application Deadlines

From winter semester 2023/24 onwards, this programme is closed. An application is no longer possible.

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Zentrale Studienberatung
Address
Welfengarten 1
30167 Hannover
Building
Zentrale Studienberatung
Address
Welfengarten 1
30167 Hannover
Building