In this century, food security and the need to develop sustainable agriculture will become dominant issues affecting the whole world. The global population is projected to increase dramatically from 7 to 9 billion in the next 30 years, causing an unprecedented demand for food and increased pressure on land. The aim of this Food Security Degree is to provide you with knowledge and skills relating to the broad topic of food security, incorporating socio-economic, animal and crop aspects.
We welcome students from diverse educational backgrounds and we anticipate that many will be unfamiliar with all the topics in this programme. We have therefore designed the programme so that it provides you with both a broad understanding of the major issues in food security and the opportunity to selectively focus on aspects of particular interest.
The programme is made up of courses totalling 180 credits. The programme starts with three compulsory courses (totalling 60 credits) that introduce fundamental issues in food security. You then choose from a range of optional courses (usually 10-credit) that expand on key topics, including production of food from animal sources and crop improvement. Some courses provide practical skills and there is an opportunity to learn about commercial issues relating to food production. Finally, you will undertake a 60-credit investigative project, which will allow you to focus on a selected topic.
The programme comprises the following courses:
*Most of the optional courses are 10 credit courses
Most courses are taught through lectures and tutorials, in which there will be discussion of key concepts, and training in the critical appraisal of published information. In addition, some courses include guest lectures and site visits. The course on Technology Transfer and Commercialisation of Bioscience Research will include workshop sessions. Two courses provide training in laboratory skills: Molecular Lab Skills and Plant Genetic Engineering. The project will involve an independent investigation of a selected topic in food security under supervision from an expert in the field.
Food security is a major challenge of this century and hence there will be opportunities to develop careers in several areas. Career prospects include working in Agri-industry, research institutes, government advisory, international advisory, media and research positions.
The breadth of knowledge, understanding and skills you will acquire in this Masters programme will help you obtain employment or undertake research in the food security sector.
Food security is concerned with the availability, access, and utilisation of safe, nutritious and sustainable food to all, especially vulnerable groups within society. The challenges related to food are not only the existence of approximately 795 million undernourished people in the world (Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)) but also the increasing presence of diet related non-communicable diseases (e.g. diabetes and heart disease); the contribution of agriculture to greenhouse gas emissions and land use change. Understanding the interconnection of food, health and the environment, as well as their trade-offs is vital to formulate policies that enable us to achieve food security in a sustainable manner.
The MSc in Global Food Security and Nutrition recognises that food security concerns not only food policy and food production issues but other aspects such as land tenure, immigration, demographics, diet and nutrition, technology, natural resources (e.g., pressures on water and soil) and climate change. UoE and SRUC offer expertise and research on these topics, and the team have good working relationships with international organisations that are at the cutti g edge of addressing food security issues, such as FAO, World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Federation of Red Cross/Crescent.
Suitable participants include students with a background in agriculture, development, food systems or other food related studies, as well as professionals within a broad range of disciplines such as food production, distribution, policy, or international development. However, experience of a broad range of food and nutrition related topics will also be considered when applying.
This programme is delivered part time through online learning, over a period of between three and six years.
This MSc programme is modular in structure, offering a flexible student-centred approach to the choice of courses studied. You can exit with the award of post-graduate (PG) Certificate (60 credits), PG Diploma (120 credits) or MSc (180 credits). The programme is composed of 180 credits . For the MSc you will complete a (60 credit) dissertation project.
Flexible learning
You may undertake the programme by Intermittent Study (flexible progression route), accruing credits within a maximum time limit of six years for the MSc which will include a maximum period of 12 months from the start of your dissertation to it being completed. If you wish to study for the PG Diploma by intermittent study, the maximum time period for this is 4 years and for the PG Certificate only, the maximum time period is 2 years.
In summary, times for completion are as follows:
Food security exists when everybody has access to sufficient, nutritious and safe food at all times. However, various predictable and unpredictable challenges around the globe, including changes in climate (i.e. rising/falling temperatures, droughts and floods, diseases and pests), market tendencies, insufficient access to food for households, unequal distribution of resources and opportunities and inadequate food distribution channels, prevent the realisation of this idealistic and often oversimplified term.
Despite a growing number of large-scale, high-external input farms and enough food production to feed the world, post-harvest losses result in less optimal yields and (locally) produced foods are often used for other purposes, such as animal feed or biofuel. Consequentially, 795 million1 undernourished people around the globe do not have access to this lost and wasted food.
Ensuring access to food for everyone is the key to ending hunger, which will require improved collaboration between various stakeholders - producer (organisations), the private sector, governments, traders and development organisations. Structures, policies and programmes must be continuously adapted to a variety of external factors, such as the economy, environment and current social structures. Rethinking of informal rules and habits is another essential step in attaining food security, considering even members of the same household are not guaranteed equal access to food. In light of these external factors and challenges, this specialisation presents various interventions needed to combat hunger and ensure food security for everyone.
At graduation, you will have the ability to:
• define the economic, commercial and marketing needs, constraints and opportunities of those in rural communities who produce for local and regional markets
• analyse food security at a local and global level
• apply tools for diagnosing food security
• analyse the livelihoods of farmers who produce for local and regional markets and understand farmers' coping strategies
• select, explain and design an appropriate development intervention leading to food security
• develop support programmes for farmers, producers and other groups
• mainstream food security within Agricultural and rural development programmes
• define the economic, commercoal and marketing needs, constraints and oppertunities for small-scale producers in rural communities
• formulate and recommend any organisational adjustments that are needed within service-delivery organisations.
Rural Development and Food Security specialists explore effective responses to mal- and undernourishment, by defining needs, constraints, coping strategies and opportunities for small-scale producers in rural communities. In selecting appropriate context-specific interventions, which reflect understanding of the local context in its wider context, they consider stakeholder relationships and how collaboration could be organised to each stakeholder’s benefit while helping farmers to safeguard their ability to ensure local food security. In the face of globalisation, slow economic growth and political instability, specialists may design and implement responses for (non-)governmental organisations or partners in the private sector, in the form of projects, programmes, market structures or policies.
Our Master programmes are eligible for the Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP), formerly the Netherlands Fellowship Programme. The Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) is targeted at professionals from selected developing countries who, after their studies in the Netherlands, will be able to further develop and strengthen the organisations at which they work.
The Master's programme Management of Development received 78 out of 100 points for its agriculture and food programme in the information guide 'Keuzegids Masters 2018' and was consequently awarded top programme status (the information guide is based on the outcome of the National Student Survey of 2017)!
There has never been a more urgent need to train food security researchers who are equipped with skills in agronomy, plant pathology, plant disease and plant genetics, and knowledge of modern agricultural systems and agricultural policy. As outlined in The Royal Society’s 2009 report Reaping the Benefits: science and the sustainable intensification of global agriculture, it is of vital importance that we increase crop yields significantly over the next 50 years, while also decreasing our dependency on chemical intervention and fertilizers.
This interdisciplinary programme was developed in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders, including: the agricultural industry, government agencies (including Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (defra) and The Food and Environment Research Agency (fera)), and farmers and food manufacturers. Research-led teaching in molecular plant pathology, plant sciences, and microbiology is strongly supplemented by Rothamsted Research, North Wyke expertise in grassland management, soil science, and sustainable farming systems. The combination of expertise in both arable and pastureland systems ensures a truly rounded learning experience. Leading social scientists also provide valuable input on land use and economic practices in rural areas.
The curriculum is designed to address critical shortages of experts capable of working in government agencies, agriculture, and the food industry as researchers, advisers, policy developers, and managers. The programme provides opportunities to gain industrial and practical experience and observe food security issues first-hand during field trips.
Teaching is enriched by expert contributions from a broad cross-section of the industry. Scientific staff from Fera provide specialist lectures as part of the Crop Security module, members of the Plant Health Inspectorate cover field aspects of plant pathology, and a LEAF1 farmer addresses agricultural systems and the realities of food production using integrated farm management. In addition, teaching staff from the University and BBSRC Rothamsted-North Wyke will draw on material and experiences from their academic research and scientific links with industry.
All students will have opportunities to gain industrial and practical experiences. Teaching visits will be made to the Plant Health Inspectorate in Cornwall to see quarantine management of Phytophthora, and to a local LEAF farm to review the challenges and approaches to food production in integrated farm management systems. You will gain specialised experience in practical science or policy making through a dissertation or project placement with external agencies. Defra and Fera, for example, are offering five dissertation and/or project placements annually.
The programme is made up of modules. The list of modules may include the following;
The modules listed here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Please see the website for an up to date list (http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/biosciences/foodsecurity/#Programme-structure)
The MSc Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture curriculum has been designed in collaboration with the agricultural industry to tackle the skills shortage that exists in this vital interdisciplinary area. This programme will provide the highly skilled individuals required in government agencies, agriculture and food industries for critical roles in scientific research, advice, evaluation, policy development and implementation tackling the challenges of food security.
With food security and sustainable agriculture a global concern, opportunities for specialists in the areas of agronomy, plant pathology, plant disease and plant improvement will be worldwide. By combining expertise across the natural, social and political sciences, this programme provides valuable interdisciplinary knowledge and skills in both arable and pastureland systems. Graduates will be prepared to take on the global challenges of food security and sustainable agriculture, being able to adapt to farming systems across the world and identify cross-disciplinary solutions to local agricultural problems.
The programme is enriched by expert contributions from a broad cross-section of the industry, with specialist lectures, teaching visits to observe the practical application of techniques, and industrial placement opportunities for project work or dissertations in practical science or policy making.
Graduates will be equipped with the analytical and communication skills to contribute to humanity’s efforts to achieve and sustain food security during the 21st century.
This programme is not suitable for applicants pursuing a career in food science or food safety/hygiene or related areas. Please read the programme description and ensure you understand the nature of the programme before you apply. Applicants who do not show a clear understanding of the programme will not be accepted.
Food security has become a critically important issue for societies around the globe. Interactions between demographics, changes in diet, trade liberalisation, an increased focus on conservation, technological innovations including GM crops, the impact of climate change and new responses to climate change resource limitations (particularly in terms of energy, water and nutrients) all affect food security.
With such a rapid growth in this area, there is an increasing demand for qualified experts to contribute to policy creation and legislation in food production and the supply chain.
This unique MSc offers students the scope and multidisciplinary approach to address all of these issues, as well as an understanding of the technical, agronomic, environmental, economic and socio-political factors that influence food security.
This programme is run in collaboration with Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC).
This MSc programme consists of six taught courses over two semesters, and an individual dissertation project of about 12,000 words.
Compulsory courses typically will be:
Option courses:
In consultation with the Programme Director, you will choose from a range of option courses.
Field trip
The programme typically includes a field trip providing an opportunity to apply some of the principles of food security to real world scenarios. In previous years, the tour has taken place in locations such as Italy, Morocco and Kenya.
Students will be able to:
Graduates of this programme typically go on to work in government and non-governmental agencies as well as international bodies and businesses where they can utilise the invaluable, and highly prized, skills they have acquired on the programme, such as food security assessment.
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This online Global Food Security (Food Safety) postgraduate programme will be delivered by leading research active staff within the internationally recognised Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) based at Queen’s University Belfast.
This unique food safety course will comprise specialist modules such as chemical and microbiological feed and food safety, health, global food legislation, food fraud and advanced analytical methods for detecting food safety issues. The course is particularly suitable for those working in the agri-food industry, regulatory agencies and analytical communities who wish to develop their knowledge to a higher level.
Awards will be available at Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) and Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) level, and to Masters level following completion of a dissertation-based module.
On-line module delivery is currently planned to be 15 weeks long, with required estimated student time per week of between 15-20 hours.
Each module is available for a specified 20 week period each academic year. On-line material will be released over a 15 week content delivery period with a further 5 weeks for completion and submission of the final assessment element.
Module content will be opened up on a block-by-block basis every 3 weeks and students will work at their own pace through content completing continuous assessment tasks to agreed schedules.
Start dates for next DL modules are:
For further information email [email protected] or send us a message on WhatsApp
Students can study the Masters part-time over a period of 3 years, the Postgraduate Diploma part-time over a period of 2 years and the Postgraduate Certificate part-time over a period of 1 year. You can also enrol initially for a 1 year Postgraduate Certificate and if successful continue to the Postgraduate Diploma and /or Masters.
Students aiming for MSc qualification will study 60CATS each year, normally the two Postgraduate Certificate modules [60CATS] in the first year, the additional two modules for the Postgraduate Diploma [60CATS; total 120CATS] in second year, and the Dissertation [60CATS; total 180CATS] in third year as described below:
Food Safety and Health
The contents of this module will centre on the exploration of various chemical and microbiological risks associated with animal feed and human food safety, and an examination of the reported links to health defects/disease progression.
Food Integrity, Fraud and Traceability
This module will investigate examples of highly varied, internationally relevant and difficult to detect incidences of food fraud and compromised food traceability. The range and types of food fraud will be discussed and the means of detecting such incidences to ensure that food is safe, wholesome and authentic demonstrated. The economic consequences of food product recall due to food contamination incidents will be assessed highlighting the need for traceability across the whole food supply chain, together with an exploration of consumer willingness to pay for improvements to aspects of food safety and traceability.
Advanced Analytical Tools for Food Security
This module will review the principles behind current and emerging monitoring technologies for rapid/early detection of feed/food contamination incidents and disease. Overviews and applications of various screening and confirmatory test platforms for food security analysis will be covered in this module.
Global Food Standards and Legislation
This module introduces international food standard setting, with a focus on the Codex Alimentarius Commission standard setting process and its impacts on international trade and World Trade Organisation agreements related to food in addition to trends of modernisation of food safety legislation internationally.
Dissertation
This module (60CATS) consists of research work and a written dissertation carried out around a hypothesis, case study, critical incident or other significant activity relevant to the programme. Students will prepare a project proposal for approval before registering on the module and develop a full project proposal upon which they are interviewed before carrying out the project work. Interim reports and a draft introduction will be submitted at required intervals in addition to regular contact with an assigned IGFS academic supervisor and submission of a completed thesis by an agreed deadline. Online teaching delivery will relate to project management skills, plagiarism, researching and writing techniques.
For further information email [email protected] or send us a message on WhatsApp
Almost one in eight people around the world are chronically undernourished. Recurrent food price spikes and socio-political unrest, climate change, land degradation and scarcity of natural resources – coupled with decline in rural communities and livelihoods – have placed food security high on the development agenda. This course is designed to meet the growing demands for professionals equipped with the knowledge, understanding, skills and attitude needed to deal with these challenges.
This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to studying food security, using insights from agroecological sciences, geography, social and political sciences, and innovation studies. The course will use research-informed teaching to explore and analyse global food security issues, the factors that affect food security outcomes, the solutions to food security problems, and the planning and execution of food security interventions.
Your study is designed to be practice-oriented and aims to enhance your employability within development organisations working on food security. This means that you will not only explore the status, drivers and solutions of global food insecurity, but also focus on how these aspects could be systematically analysed and acted upon in a real world setting. You’ll draw on examples from both developing and developed countries.
NTU has links with various universities and international development institutions such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The course pulls together staff expertise in various relevant disciplines from within the School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, and also from other schools across NTU, including the School of Arts and Humanities, the School of Social Sciences, and Nottingham Business School.
You’ll be taught through a mixture of interactive lectures, detailed case studies, tutorials, workshops, seminars, study visits, and placements. You’ll also have opportunities to present your work to peers and academic staff. Independent learning is required, and you’ll undertake high- quality research. You’ll research your chosen topic in depth, then design and implement a relevant research project, before communicating the findings to an informed audience in a comprehensive scientific report.
Teaching is supported by our Brackenhurst Campus – a 200-hectare country estate and working farm. The campus is part of the DEFRA Environmental Stewardship scheme, which supports the effective environmental management of farm land and countryside estates. The farm includes sheep, a poultry unit, and a herd of Lincoln red beef cattle, as well as arable and protected crop production. The farm promotes sustainable land use and management, demonstrating modern farming techniques whilst achieving high conservation value.
You’ll also have access to modern, bespoke scientific facilities, teaching resources, and accommodation.
Find out more about our Brackenhurst Campus on our website
Want to find out more about studying with us? Find out more at one of our upcoming open days. Reserve your place.
For more information on our courses, please visit our website.
Almost one in eight people around the world are chronically undernourished. Recurrent food price spikes and socio-political unrest, climate change, land degradation and scarcity of natural resources – coupled with decline in rural communities and livelihoods – have placed food security high on the development agenda. This course is designed to meet the growing demands for professionals equipped with the knowledge, understanding, skills and attitude needed to deal with these challenges.
This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to studying food security, using insights from agroecological sciences, geography, social and political sciences, and innovation studies. The course will use research-informed teaching to explore and analyse global food security issues, the factors that affect food security outcomes, the solutions to food security problems, and the planning and execution of food security interventions.
Your study is designed to be practice-oriented and aims to enhance your employability within development organisations working on food security. This means that you will not only explore the status, drivers and solutions of global food insecurity, but also focus on how these aspects could be systematically analysed and acted upon in a real world setting. You’ll draw on examples from both developing and developed countries.
NTU has links with various universities and international development institutions such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The course pulls together staff expertise in various relevant disciplines from within the School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, and also from other schools across NTU, including the School of Arts and Humanities, the School of Social Sciences, and Nottingham Business School.
You’ll be taught through a mixture of interactive lectures, detailed case studies, tutorials, workshops, seminars, study visits, and placements. You’ll also have opportunities to present your work to peers and academic staff. Independent learning is required, and you’ll undertake high- quality research. You’ll research your chosen topic in depth, then design and implement a relevant research project, before communicating the findings to an informed audience in a comprehensive scientific report.
Teaching is supported by our Brackenhurst Campus – a 200-hectare country estate and working farm. The campus is part of the DEFRA Environmental Stewardship scheme, which supports the effective environmental management of farm land and countryside estates. The farm includes sheep, a poultry unit, and a herd of Lincoln red beef cattle, as well as arable and protected crop production. The farm promotes sustainable land use and management, demonstrating modern farming techniques whilst achieving high conservation value.
You’ll also have access to modern, bespoke scientific facilities, teaching resources, and accommodation.
Find out more about our Brackenhurst Campus on our website
Want to find out more about studying with us? Find out more at one of our upcoming open days. Reserve your place.
For more information on our courses, please visit our website.
Our Masters programme will equip you with the specialist skills and knowledge to engage with one of the most significant challenges currently facing a growing human population: making and supplying enough food for all to sustain an active healthy lifestyle.
Our Masters in Food Security is a distance learning programme designed for people with an interest in the global food system and for professionals in the food supply industry. This exciting course explores important issues related to food security, focusing on production, distribution, and waste.
The course is highly flexible so that you can fit study around your day job. Teaching is done largely online; all materials are supplied and you can work through them at your own pace. You will also have the opportunity to meet tutors and fellow students at short workshops during the year.
To gain an MSc you need to complete eight modules, and a significant dissertation project. The programme starts with an introductory module every February, which covers a broad range of issues related to food security. After that, you will develop a breadth of knowledge and depth of expertise by studying an additional seven modules. These modules cover a range of topics and will allow you to develop specialist knowledge of the factors impacting upon food security and environmental effects on food production.
Alongside topics such as crop production science and ethical food systems, you will take study skills modules such as a literature review. These will introduce you to a higher level of research skills which are essential to your dissertation project and when exploring new opportunities within your career.
Finally, you will cement your learning and put theory into practice in a major research project. Your dissertation will be guided by a supervisor from Lancaster and will normally be undertaken with an industry partner. This module will develop a range of transferable, highly employable skills. You will enhance your planning and written presentation skills, learn to concisely and effectively communicate complex concepts and ideas, as well as learn to handle and present quantitative and qualitative information and data.
Undertaking these modules and research project will ensure you have the breadth and depth of knowledge required to support your career. Upon graduation, you will have a range of specialist skills, advanced knowledge, and experience, allowing you to engage with and tackle the food challenges of the 21st century. By completing the programme, you will be equipped to make informed decisions, progress in your career, affect change in culture and best practice, or continue into PhD study and research.
If you enrol at MSc level you may exit early with an interim award at PGCert or PGDip level.
Applications for a February start must be completed before the end of December.
You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.
Core
Optional
Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research.
