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This programme is for students who wish to work in the area of food production, quality assurance, nutrition, and product development, with a focus on future foods and the role of food in the health of people, in Ireland and globally.

The Food sector is Ireland's largest industry with a turnover in excess of 25 billion, sustaining over 230,000 jobs. It consists of a range of companies from major multinational to niche food suppliers, with a reputation internationally for quality, sustainability, and innovation.

MH222 provides students with a broad science-based education, with specialist content on the future of food development, human nutrition, and the role of food and healthy living, and also explores the social and global challenges around food security.

In your third year, you will have an opportunity to undertake a work placement (subject to availability) which will allow you to apply what you have learned. Given the diversity of businesses in this sector, ranging from food production to assurance to development, there are opportunities to suit all interests.

Why choose this degree

Flexible Opportunities. Maynooth University offers you a broad science-based programme that allows you a lot of choice while giving you a strong grounding in food production, safety, and food chemistry as well as the role of food in our health, how we sense and perceive food, and the future of food in a diverse society.
Work Placement: The opportunity to undertake a 6-month work placement (subject to availability), in Ireland or abroad, as an integral part of your degree which gives you a chance to put your learning into practice and significantly improves your employability upon graduation.
Future of Food: This programme explores the future of food, from superfoods that address particular health concerns, to the challenges around obesity, allergies, food security and sustainability. This will give a unique perspective to anyone interested in future food product development.
Employability: This programme is designed to support careers in both large multinational companies and small custom businesses, as well as exploring the social policy aspects. It will support roles as diverse as product development, public health, food quality assurance and safety. As one of Irelands largest sectors, graduates are in high demand in all of these areas.

Career Options:

Options after graduation

The global food industry is currently facing unprecedented challenges - with changing dietary habits, food security with dispersed supply chains, demands for low-carbon production, as well as functional foods. In Ireland, the food sector is increasingly moving from raw ingredients to value-added food product development. This is driving the need for a more skilled workforce in all aspects of food production, handling, and product development.

Graduates of this programme will be able to take up roles in production management, nutrition, food quality and safety, new product development and research, and sales and marketing.

There are also opportunities for employment in the public sector such as in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Teagasc or working for charities on health promotion.

This programme is excellent preparation for you to progress to accredited postgraduate programmes in the area of Dietetics, as well as other postgraduate opportunities in the area of public health and social policy.

There are opportunities for students to undertake research degrees, at Masters and PhD level in a variety of topics in the area of food science and nutrition.