BSc (Hons) in Food Science and Innovation at Waterford Institute of Technology

The rationale for this honours degree is based on an analysis of the importance of the Food and Drinks industry in Ireland. To support the development of the course extensive consultation was carried out with stakeholders in industry. In order to offer a course with a unique and innovative approach, cross departmental co-operation has been a major feature in it’s development.

Unique Features of this Course

• The modules in this course bring together science,business, enterprise and the culinary arts responding to the needs of the food industry.  It also includes real industrial type tasks such as market research, business plan development, product innovation and manufacture, sensory analysis and show casing of new products.

• The sector faces a challenging environment to maintain competitiveness in export markets.Energy costs, currency costs, consumer demand,labour costs and regulatory issues all have an effect on competitiveness. These issues will be addressed by the skills and knowledge acquired by graduates to take up the challenges that lie ahead for the Irish food industry.

• This one year add on Honours degree responds to the current needs of industry in an innovative and imaginative way. The graduates from this course will have the necessary skills based on science, business and enterprise to face these challenges.

Our industry stakeholders have had a very active role in developing this course. Each company agreed that it was important that the students need to develop more skills that will benefit themselves, their employability and in turn the sector as a whole. This is achieved by offering the BSc (Hons) in Food Science and Innovation. Industrial partners to date include, the Dawn Group,(Dawn Meats, Dawn Pork and Bacon, Convenience Foods, Glenpatrick Spring Water), Glanbia, Diageo, Dunhill Cuisine, Flahavans, Iverk Fruit and Vegetable, Paganini Foods and Wexford Creameries.