Programme Structure

In the Food Science and Technology programme, you choose between four specialisations: Plant Based Foods, Dairy Science and Technology, Brewing Science and Technology, or the Individual Specialisation where you focus on the subjects of your own interest. You can read about each specialisation at the bottom of the page.

The programme consists of compulsory courses, elective courses, and thematic courses building on the knowledge you have acquired on food issues and food production.

At a high academic level, you will learn about food chemistry, microbiology, food technology, nutrition, physiology, pharmacology, pathology, gastronomy, and consumer choices. The teaching is in the form of lectures, seminars, practical and theoretical exercises, and a good deal of project work. You work both independently and in project groups.

Do a Project in Practice or Study Abroad

There is a well-established collaboration between the students and the industry. For instance, you may choose to do a project in practice, providing you with a unique experience and a good network. The collaboration may give you relevant competences and an interesting network. (Please note: Project in practice cannot be included if you are doing a dairy internship).

You also have the possibility to follow courses at a foreign university as part of your education. Further information about studying abroad >>

Master's Thesis

You finish your MSc studies by writing a thesis, which is a large scientific project corresponding to 30 or 45 ECTS. The thesis is often based on a specific problem from a food company or a research project. You can write your thesis on your own or in a group. Upon graduation, you gain the title Master of Science (MSc) in Food Science and Technology (in Danish: cand.tech.al.).

Specialisations

 

Globally, there is increasing awareness of the need to produce foods in a more sustainable way as part of a sustainable food system. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by increasing our consumption of plant-based foods.

In addition, we need to reduce our use of resources and minimise raw material waste. To be successful, we must focus on producing plant-based foods that are nutritious, healthy, safe, and full of flavour.

Academic Focus

During the specialisation in plant-based foods you learn:

  • about the importance of foods derived from plants in a well-balanced human diet.
  • about the environmental sustainability of plant-based foods relative to other food sources.
  • to identify the composition of plant resources relevant for food and also about the processes that foods of plant origin undergo e.g., fractionation and separation.

Furthermore, you will gain a deep insight into the interplay between safe foods and sustainable food production.

Teaching

Teaching is done by leading researchers from the University of Copenhagen and from the food industry. Lectures are combined with laboratory work, which is sometimes scaled up to pilot plant production.

Many courses are compulsory, but there are also elective courses worth 15-30 ECTS in total, allowing you to customise your education by selecting e.g., courses in gastronomy, advanced spectroscopy, or physical/chemical changes during storage.

Master's Thesis

You can write your thesis in collaboration with a company. Graduates with a specialisation in plant-based foods are awarded an MSc in Food Science & Technology.

 

The specialisation in Plant Based Foods can be structured in four different ways, depending on the size of your thesis and whether you start in September or February.

Programme Overview, Study Start in September, Thesis 30 ECTS

Compulsory courses: 60 ECTS
Elective courses: 30 ECTS
Master's thesis: 30 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, Study Start in September, Thesis 45 ECTS

Compulsory courses: 60 ECTS
Elective courses: 15 ECTS
Master's thesis: 45 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, Study Start in February, Thesis 30 ECTS

Study start in February is only for students with a reserved access to the programme. Read about reserved access here >>

Compulsory courses: 60 ECTS
Elective courses: 30 ECTS
Master's thesis: 30 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, Study Start in February, Thesis 45 ECTS

Study start in February is only for students with a reserved access to the programme. Read about reserved access here >>

Compulsory courses: 60 ECTS
Elective courses: 15 ECTS
Master's thesis: 45 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

 

 

PLEASE NOTE: 

If you choose the Dairy Science and Technology specialisation, you will be admitted without dairy internship (120 ECTS). The option to choose the dairy internship (extending the programme by an additional 30 ECTS) is reserved for students who can independently secure an internship placement during the first year of the MSc programme.

Dairy products have a high nutritional value, and milk contains many unique chemical compounds, which can be used to add taste or structure to foods. Also, in the future dairy products will be important to a growing global population. The specialisation in Dairy Science and Technology will provide you with the opportunity to work in a key position in production, innovation, or technical consultancy.

Academic Focus

You learn about process technologies that convert raw milk into a variety of products. You'll get an understanding of the whole production chain and in-depth knowledge of how the individual processes in the dairy affect the product and quality of the product.

Biotechnology is another important teaching area within dairy technology. It focuses on the use of starter cultures and enzymes to create the right products with minimal use of resources. You will get an insight into the underlying chemistry and a deep understanding of the fermentation of foods. The programme also focuses on providing an in-depth insight into the formulation and production of dairy products, including the use of ingredients to achieve the right quality.

Teaching

You will be taught by leading scientists from the University of Copenhagen and from the industry. Lectures and laboratory work are supplemented by pilot-scale practical experiments. There are several excursions and company visits.

Danish dairies are very committed to the programme, and have, among other things, appointed a contact committee with industry representatives to ensure that the programme is solidly anchored in a practical, industrial reality and maintains a high academic level.

Most of the courses are compulsory, but you also follow elective courses. As you can choose elective courses worth 15 ECTS, you have the possibility of giving your education a personal touch by choosing courses in gastronomy, advanced spectroscopy, or physical/chemical changes during storage.

Master's Thesis

Almost all students carry out their thesis in close collaboration with a company, thereby ensuring that the cases you will be working on are relevant to the dairy industry.

Examples of theses:

  • New method for determining the fat content in whole milk powder
  • Graininess in low-fat yoghurt
  • Stability of acidified milk drinks
  • Taste in low-fat cheese

Dairy Internship

PLEASE NOTE: 

If you choose the Dairy Science and Technology specialisation, you will be admitted without dairy internship (120 ECTS). The option to choose the dairy internship (extending the programme by an additional 30 ECTS) is reserved for students who can independently secure an internship placement during the first year of the MSc programme.

 

Click here for a detailed description of the dairy internship. If you have any further questions, please contact us: dairy@food.ku.dk

Exemption from Internship

You are exempt from the internship if you already participated in the dairy internship as part of your BSc, or if you completed the education as a dairy manager, dairy technologist, or process technologist with a dairy specialisation. Exemption from internship requires that you send in documentation to Science Student Services in order to obtain the title Dairy Engineer (Mejeriingeniør).

Programme Overview

The specialisation can be structured in several ways, depending on the size of your thesis, whether the dairy internship will be a part of your MSc programme or not, and whether your study start is in September or February.

Programme Overview, Study Start September 120 ECTS (No Dairy Internship), Thesis 30 ECTS

Compulsory courses: 60 ECTS
Elective courses: 30 ECTS
Master's thesis: 30 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, Study Start September 120 ECTS (No Dairy Internship), Thesis 45 ECTS

Compulsory courses: 60 ECTS
Elective courses: 15 ECTS
Master's thesis: 45 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

*The course is not available in block 2 in 2024/25 as it runs in block 3, however it is possible to do a written assignment in the course in block 2 2024/2025, if students wish to write a thesis of 45 ECTS

Programme Overview, Study Start February 120 ECTS (No Dairy Internship), Thesis 30 ECTS

Study start in February is only for students with a reserved access to the programme. Read about reserved access here >>

Compulsory courses: 60 ECTS
Elective courses: 30 ECTS
Master's thesis: 30 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, Study Start February 120 ECTS (No Dairy Internship), Thesis 45 ECTS

Study start in February is only for students with a reserved access to the programme. Read about reserved access here >>

Compulsory courses: 60 ECTS
Elective courses: 15 ECTS
Master's thesis: 45 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, Study Start September 150 ECTS (With Dairy Internship), Thesis 30 ECTS

Compulsory courses: 60 ECTS
Elective courses: 30 ECTS
Master's thesis: 30 ECTS
Internship: 30 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, Study Start September 150 ECTS (With Dairy Internship), Thesis 45 ECTS

Compulsory courses: 60 ECTS
Elective courses: 15 ECTS
Master's thesis: 45 ECTS
Internship: 30 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, Study Start February 150 ECTS (With Dairy Internship), Thesis 30 ECTS

Study start in February is only for students with a reserved access to the programme.Read about reserved access here >>

Compulsory courses: 60 ECTS
Elective courses: 30 ECTS
Master's thesis: 30 ECTS
Internship: 30 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, Study Start February 150 ECTS (With Dairy Internship), Thesis 45 ECTS

Study start in February is only for students with a reserved access to the programme. Read about reserved access here >>

Compulsory courses: 60 ECTS
Elective courses: 15 ECTS
Master's thesis: 45 ECTS
Internship: 30 ECTS

*The Internship is normally running in block 1 and 2. Internship in Block 3 and 4 is ONLY possible if the student has a prior approval of an extraordinary internship in block 3+4.

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

 

 

Denmark has proud traditions in the field of beer production. For many years, we have exported our expert knowledge of this product to the rest of the world, and Danish master brewers have built many breweries abroad.

Basically, beer consists of relatively few raw materials and process steps. Still, we are nevertheless able to brew highly different types of beer, both in terms of alcohol content, colour, bitterness and taste.

Academic Focus

During the specialisation in Brewing Science and Technology:

  • you learn about the raw materials used in beer production and gain an insight into the factors which affect the quality of the raw materials.
  • you understand the technology behind the brewing process, from malthouse, brewhouse, fermenting, filtering, packaging, and on to energy supply, environmental conditions, and brewery project planning.
  • you gain a deep insight into how the single process affects the product and the product quality.

Globally there is an increasing focus on the production of sustainable foods. One of the most effective ways to obtain this is by reducing the use of resources and minimise raw material waste.

Through excursions, visits, and lectures by people working in the industry, you will get contacts and commercial insight as well as cutting-edge knowledge in the field.

Biotechnology is another important area within brewing technology, concerning the use of starter cultures and enzymes to create the desired products with a minimal use of resources. You will also gain insight into the underlying chemistry and a deeper understanding of the fermentation of foods.

Teaching

Teaching is done by leading researchers from the University of Copenhagen and from the industry. Lectures and laboratory work is supplemented by practical exercises in our own pilot brewery.

Most of the courses are compulsory, but you also have elective courses. As you can choose elective courses worth 15 ECTS, you have the possibility of giving your education a personal touch by selecting courses in gastronomy, advanced spectroscopy, or physical/chemical changes during storage.

Master's Thesis

You can write your thesis in collaboration with a company. Graduates with a specialisation in Brewing Science and Technology obtain the title MSc in Food Science & Technology.

After graduation from the University of Copenhagen, you have the possibility of an additional internship of at least six months, coordinated by the Scandinavian School of brewing (SSB). Having completed the internship you will obtain the additional title of Diploma Master Brewer (in Danish: Brygmester) from SSB.

 

The specialisation can be structured in two ways, depending on whether your study start is in September or February:

Programme Overview, Study Start in September

Compulsory courses: 75 ECTS
Elective courses: 15 ECTS
Master's thesis: 30 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, Study Start in February

Study start in February is only for students with a reserved access to the programme. Read about reserved access here >>

Compulsory courses: 75 ECTS
Elective courses: 15 ECTS
Master's thesis: 30 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

 

 

In the individual specialisation, you can compose the programme according to your own interests, for example within a discipline, such as technology, quality, microbiology, or chemistry.

You can also focus on product development or on a specific raw material e.g., fish, grain, fruit, or vegetables.

The food industry is continuously working to develop new products which adapt to consumer tastes and wishes. Currently, there is a great demand for flavourful dishes, the final preparation of which is easy to do at home and which are healthy at the same time.

Another focus area is the production of sustainable food, which can be achieved in several ways:

  • By using new plant-based raw materials
  • By using the waste product from food production for new products
  • By extending the storage life of existing products, thereby reducing food waste
  • By reducing the resource consumption by e.g., heating or cooling

You can focus on one or more of these strategies when you compose your specialisation.

Master's Thesis

You complete your MSc programme by writing a thesis, which is a large scientific project corresponding to 30 or 45 ECTS. The thesis must be written in the food science or food science technology area.

 

The individual specialisation can be structured in four different ways, depending on the size of your thesis and whether you start in September or February. You choose your restricted elective courses from the list at the bottom of this page.

When you have been accepted, you will be able to see more recommended course of studies from your Head of Studies, which is aimed at plant-based foods, process analytical technologies, ingredients, and enzymes etc.

Programme Overview, Study Start in September, Thesis 30 ECTS

Compulsory courses: 22.5 ECTS
Restricted elective courses: 37.5 ECTS
Elective courses: 30 ECTS
Master's thesis: 30 ECTS

Block 1 Block 2 Block 3 Block 4
Year 1

Food Quality Management and Control Restricted elective course Food Processing Sustainable Innovation in Food Science
Restricted elective course Elective course Elective course Elective course
Year 2 Restricted elective course Elective course Thesis
Restricted elective course Restricted elective course

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, Study Start in September, Thesis 45 ECTS

Compulsory courses: 22.5 ECTS
Restricted elective courses: 37.5 ECTS
Elective courses: 15 ECTS
Master's thesis: 45 ECTS

Block 1 Block 2 Block 3 Block 4
Year 1

Food Quality Management and Control Restricted elective course Food Processing Sustainable Innovation in Food Science
Restricted elective course Elective course Restricted elective course Elective course
Year 2 Restricted elective course Thesis
Restricted elective course

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, Study Start in February, Thesis 30 ECTS

Study start in February is only for students with a reserved access to the programme. Read about reserved access here >>

Compulsory courses: 22.5 ECTS
Restricted elective courses: 37.5 ECTS
Elective courses: 30 ECTS
Master's thesis: 30 ECTS

Block 3
Block 4
Block 1
Block 2
Year 1

Food Processing Restricted elective course Food Quality Management and Control Elective course
Restricted elective course Restricted elective course Restricted elective course Restricted elective course
Year 2 Elective course Sustainable Innovation in Food Science Thesis
Elective course Elective course

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, Study Start in February, Thesis 45 ECTS

Study start in February is only for students with a reserved access to the programme. Read about reserved access here >>

Compulsory courses: 22.5 ECTS
Restricted elective courses: 37.5 ECTS
Elective courses: 15 ECTS
Master's thesis: 45 ECTS

Block 3
Block 4
Block 1
Block 2
Year 1

Food Processing Restricted elective course Food Quality Management and Control Restricted elective course
Restricted elective course Sustainable Innovation in Food Science Restricted elective course Restricted elective course
Year 2

Elective course Thesis
Elective course

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Restricted Elective Courses

Choose your restricted elective courses from the list below. Click on each course for a detailed description. PLEASE NOTE: The course list is subject to revision. An updated version will be published in the beginning of March 2024.

* The course cannot be taken with the elective course Applied Cool Climate Viticulture