Degree type: BSc (Hons)
UCAS Code: DN69 BSc/FCS
Duration: 4 years (full-time)
BSc (Hons) Food & Consumer Science
BSc (Hons) Food, Nutrition & Health
BSc (Hons) Food Product Design
The importance of access to healthy food choices for all is high on the public health policy agenda, and the ability to make informed choices about what we eat and drink is central to our health and wellbeing. With this raised awareness of the relationship between diet, lifestyle choices and health there are many consumer concerns to be addressed - including issues of food safety, food quality, nutrition and ethical food production.
As a major contributor to the UK economy, the food and drink sector is a multi-billion pound industry operating in a highly competitive market and increasingly works with the health sector to respond to the challenges of ever-higher consumer expectations. To do so, there is a need for highly qualified graduates with a clear understanding of food, nutrition, health and their impact on the future of food industry.
We provide this multidisciplinary approach. Our food courses are vocationally relevant and we place emphasis throughout on development of practical skills as well as academic learning.
Topics include the nature and function of food commodities, recipe analysis, applied nutrition, food presentation techniques, health and lifestyle issues, research and communication skills, health and food safety, food choice, food processing techniques, food safety management, consumer trends and marketing.
The content of the first and second years is common to all courses. In the third and fourth years, students follow a prescribed set of specialist modules towards completion of their chosen course.
Year 1
Food and nutrition; research and communications; sociology; understanding health and wellbeing; physiology; hygiene and food safety.
Year 2
Food promotion and design; diet and food choice; nutrition through the lifespan; media and design; exploring the marketing mix; law; introduction to public health
Students select their chosen degree course at the end of year 2. Modules listed for years 3 and 4 reflect the range of modules offered in all 3 Food courses.
Year 3
Professional practice; food product design; food safety management; food processing techniques; public health nutrition; health promotion; marketing; nutrition for an active lifestyle.
Year 4
Research methods and dissertation; diet for exercise and weight loss; collaborative working in community settings; food and the consumer; food biotechnology; diet in prevention and management of disease; food and the media; project management; food microbiology; applied nutrition.
How you learn
A range of teaching methods is used to develop knowledge and skills. Lectures are supported appropriately by tutorials, seminars, labs and practical food workshops, studio sessions and input from a range of food and nutrition professionals. All are designed to equip you with a range of graduate attributes. You will spend around 12-15 hours per week attending classes, and in addition you are expected to spend at least an equal number of hours of self-study.
In year 4, the Honours dissertation is your opportunity to demonstrate enquiry-based learning skills developed throughout the course, by designing and presenting an individual research project.
How you are assessed
Assessment is carried out using a combination of coursework assignments (problem-solving exercises, essays, practical projects, student-led seminars and presentations), class tests and examinations. In the later years of the course, formal examinations are a feature of many modules.
Higher BBC; A Level CDD; ILC (H) B2B2C2; UCAS Tariff 168-200 points*
*See UCAS Tariff Guidance below
Essential subjects: None
Applicants with non-standard qualifications and experience will be considered on an individual basis.
Advanced entry (year 2)
Advanced entry is possible for applicants with suitable subjects at A Level or Advanced Higher and offering approximately 300 UCAS points (e.g. BBB at A Level or BBB at Advanced Higher) from these qualifications. Each application will be considered on its own merits. If you would like us to consider you for advanced entry please contact the admissions tutor in the first instance to discuss your qualifications.
UCAS Tariff Guidance
Although there is no limit to the number of points that you can accumulate, for entry to Abertay you must have qualifications at an appropriate level (SCQF 6/NQF 3); you cannot count the same or similar qualifications twice; Standard Grades, Intermediate 2s, GCSEs and key/core skills cannot be counted; and D grades at SQA Higher and Advanced Higher are not counted.
Applicants who have taken either SQA Highers or A Levels must offer at least three Highers or two A Levels for degree entry (or two Highers or one A Level for DipHE entry). If you have studied a subject at two different levels, the most advanced will be taken into consideration; e.g. if you studied both Higher Biology and Advanced Higher Biology, then only the Advanced Higher will be counted.
Overseas
All applicants are required to provide certified proof of competence in English Language. The University's minimum requirements are IELTS 6.0 (with no band lower than 5.0), TOEFL CBT 223, TOEFL 563, TOEFL IBT 85 or a suitable equivalent qualification.
Mature
In order to determine an applicant's ability to benefit from study or research at the University of Abertay Dundee, a range of standard and flexible criteria will be used in considering applications. In most circumstances applications will be considered in light of the following:
Applications from mature students are assessed on the same criteria used for school leavers, e.g. SQA Highers or GCE A Levels, where relevant school leaving qualifications exist. For those without standard entry qualifications, consideration is given to experience gained as well as professional qualifications and other forms of learning that could provide evidence of ability to benefit from a particular course.
The successful completion of approved access courses (such as those offered by Dundee College in association with the universities of Abertay, Dundee and St Andrews) provides significant evidence of ability to benefit from study at Abertay.
For further advice please use our Ask a Question section.
Career
Your degree will qualify you for many career opportunities in the food and health sector: the design of new food products, quality assurance, food safety, consumer advice, health promotion, community food and health projects, media and education.
Typical job titles include Recipe Development Officer, Food Technologist, Food Development Worker, Hygiene Officer, Food Stylist, Health Improvement Practitioner, Quality Assurance Officer, Home Economics Teacher, Consumer Advice Officer, Food Writer and Health Promotion Officer.
There are also a number of opportunities for postgraduate study, e.g. teacher training, Human Nutrition, Community Education and Health Promotion.
Professional accreditation
Our three degrees are approved by the General Teaching Council (GTC) for Scotland as suitable for entry to a PGDE (Secondary) Home Economics Course.
Specialist facilities
The University has invested heavily in state-of-the-art training facilities for our food & consumer sciences suite of courses. There are two training kitchens, a food testing laboratory, an anatomy and physiology laboratory as well as a food photography studio and a demonstration lecture theatre.
