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Graduate Certificate Food Safety

GradCert (NFQ Level 9)

This course is available through the following application route(s)

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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.

Modules include:

  • Chemistry of Nutrients
  • Food Microbiology & Safety
  • Principles of Biochemistry
  • Food Process Technology
  • Bioinformatics in Food Safety
  • Animal Foods
  • Food Microbiology
  • Plant Foods
  • Food Toxicology
  • Food Health and Diet
  • Food Safety Genomics
  • Sustainability in Diet
  • Food Security
  • Food Chain Integrity O/L
  • Environmental Food Processing
  • One Health O/L
  • Food Regulatory Affairs (O/L)
  • Food Quality and Safety (O/L)
  • Research Design and Statistics

About This Course

Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 1 Options - A)20CR:
Students must take the following 20 credits of Core Modules over the course of their registration. Core modules are pre-requisites for several Spring modules so please keep this in mind when planning your registration.
 FDSC40500 Chemistry of Nutrients Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A)20CR:
Students must take the following 20 credits of Core Modules over the course of their registration. Core modules are pre-requisites for several Spring modules so please keep this in mind when planning your registration.
 FDSC40520 Food Microbiology & Safety Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A)20CR:
Students must take the following 20 credits of Core Modules over the course of their registration. Core modules are pre-requisites for several Spring modules so please keep this in mind when planning your registration.
 FDSC40530 Principles of Biochemistry Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A)20CR:
Students must take the following 20 credits of Core Modules over the course of their registration. Core modules are pre-requisites for several Spring modules so please keep this in mind when planning your registration.
 FDSC40950 Food Health and Diet Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - B)10CR:
Students must take 10 credits of option modules from the following list over their programme registration.
 FDSC40900 Food Microbiology Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - B)10CR:
Students must take 10 credits of option modules from the following list over their programme registration.
 FDSC40920 Plant Foods Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - B)10CR:
Students must take 10 credits of option modules from the following list over their programme registration.
 FDSC40970 Food Safety Genomics Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - B)10CR:
Students must take 10 credits of option modules from the following list over their programme registration.
 FDSC40980 Sustainability in Diet Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - B)10CR:
Students must take 10 credits of option modules from the following list over their programme registration.
 FDSC41020 Food Security Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - B)10CR:
Students must take 10 credits of option modules from the following list over their programme registration.
 HNUT40100 Food Regulatory Affairs (O/L) Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - B)10CR:
Students must take 10 credits of option modules from the following list over their programme registration.
 HNUT40130 Research Design and Statistics Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - B)10CR:
Students must take 10 credits of option modules from the following list over their programme registration.
 FDSC40540 Food Process Technology Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B)10CR:
Students must take 10 credits of option modules from the following list over their programme registration.
 FDSC40710 Bioinformatics in Food Safety Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B)10CR:
Students must take 10 credits of option modules from the following list over their programme registration.
 FDSC40890 Animal Foods Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B)10CR:
Students must take 10 credits of option modules from the following list over their programme registration.
 FDSC40940 Food Toxicology Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B)10CR:
Students must take 10 credits of option modules from the following list over their programme registration.
 FDSC41030 Food Chain Integrity O/L Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B)10CR:
Students must take 10 credits of option modules from the following list over their programme registration.
 FDSC41040 Environmental Food Processing Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B)10CR:
Students must take 10 credits of option modules from the following list over their programme registration.
 FDSC41050 One Health O/L Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B)10CR:
Students must take 10 credits of option modules from the following list over their programme registration.
 HNUT40110 Food Quality and Safety (O/L) Spring  5

Laura Kelly

I chose the MSc Food Safety course to further my career and build upon my background in Quality Assurance and my current role as a Quality Manager in the food industry. Having worked in Quality Assurance since completing my BSc, I aimed to deepen my understanding of food safety principles to enhance my professional capabilities and advance my career prospects. The part-time structure of the MSc Food Safety program allows me to balance my full-time job while advancing my education. I am finding the course excellent, with a diverse range of modules to choose from, catering to various interests and specialisations within the field. The lecturers are highly supportive and understanding of other life commitments, helping to accommodate assignment deadlines and workloads. The course content is highly relevant to my work, providing valuable insights and practical skills that I can directly apply to ensure the highest standards of food safety in my organisation.

Graduate Certificate Food Safety (D088) Part Time
EU/NONEU    fee per credit - € 125.1

***Fees are subject to change

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

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. Yes


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General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Graduate Certificate Food Safety:

ROWCLASS Apply to   Application Type  
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt D088
Graduate Certificate Food Safety
Graduate Certificate		 Part-Time
Commencing 2024/2025 September		 Graduate Taught Apply
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