Course summary
Our MSc Food Process Engineering provides you with an opportunity to develop your chemical, process engineering, food science, or biology knowledge to the specific requirements and context of the food and drink sector. You'll explore core theories and subjects across chemical engineering, process engineering, brewing, distilling, bioscience, and biology to set you up for a process engineering career in the food and beverage industry. During your studies, you'll apply engineering skills and knowledge to the specialist requirements of the food and drink sector and gain a broad spectrum of expertise. You'll assess sustainability issues involved in food production and learn to apply a variety of solutions to food and drink sustainability problems. You'll have the opportunity to learn from a comprehensive course structure, exploring topics in food and beverage biotechnology, processing, chemistry, toxicology, microbiology, nutrition, and biochemistry whilst also analysing emerging food products, and the life cycle of food production. During the Future Foods course and your summer Dissertation, you'll customise your learning by focusing in on a chosen subject as part of your individual research projects. Upon completion of the programme, you will have the breadth and depth of knowledge in the necessary subjects required by the food and drink industry. You'll understand the underlying principles, concepts, theories, methods, and current and emerging developments in the food industry, which will equip you for life after graduation. Our expertise Your learning will be informed by the expertise of our research-active chemical and process engineers and academics, and our brewing and distilling scientists and academics. You'll be taught by academics who have been employed within the Food Industry, with years of practical and professional experience in research and development. As part of the Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, our academics are involved in in food science research. You will learn directly from academics involved in world leading research focusing on the functional properties of food proteins, characterisation of beneficial food related phytochemicals, and nanomaterials in food. Your learning environment The MSc Food Process Engineering programme is taught though a combination of lectures, tutorials, and laboratory practicals, allowing you to get to know and build relationships with your teaching staff, academics, and peers. You will be evaluated by a variety of assessments, including coursework, exams, and your dissertation, and will receive support and feedback throughout the programme. During your studies, you'll have access to our specialist equipment, software and laboratories used by industry, including both Brewing and Distilling facilities, e.g. our on-site nano-brewery (2 HL), distillery, and rectification laboratory, and Chemical and Process Engineering facilities, e.g. condensation rig, continuous stirred tank reactor, absorption columns, reactant distribution reactors, heat exchangers, distillation columns, absorption column, and fermenters. Industry You will learn from a programme and course structure which has been specifically formed to respond to the global industry demand for graduates with science or engineering backgrounds, with knowledge of the Food and Drink industry. This will set you up well to gain employment as food process engineers upon graduation. We work closely with industry through our Industrial Advisory Boards for chemical engineering and brewing and distilling, which contain alumni and company representative. This helps us to ensure our course content is up-to-date and reflects the current and emerging needs of industry and employers. You'll gain the right blend of knowledge, practical skills, and soft skills to set you up for life after graduation.
Modules
Future foods; process engineering; food and beverage toxicology; beverage microbiology and biochemistry; food biotechnology; food processing; chemistry of food; research and professional practice.
Assessment method
Coursework, exams, dissertation.
How to apply
International applicants
If your first language is not English, or your first degree was not taught in English, we'll need to see evidence of your English language ability. The minimum English language requirement for entry to this programme is IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent) with no component lower than 6.0. If you do not have IELTS 6.5, we offer a range of English language courses to help you meet the English language requirement for this programme prior to commencing your studies: - 20 weeks English (for IELTS of 5.0 with no skill lower than 4.5) - 14 weeks English (for IELTS of 5.0 with minimum of 5.0 in writing and no skill lower than 4.5) - 10 weeks English (for IELTS of 5.5 with no skill lower than 5.0) - 6 weeks English (for IELTS 5.5 with no skill lower than 5.5)
Entry requirements
Graduates with a good first degree from a relevant subject area will be considered. Suitable backgrounds include: chemical engineering, chemistry, biosciences/technology or cognate disciplines.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
England | £10600 | Whole course |
Northern Ireland | £10600 | Whole course |
Scotland | £10600 | Whole course |
Wales | £10600 | Whole course |
EU | £24496 | Whole course |
International | £24496 | Whole course |
Channel Islands | £24496 | Whole course |
Republic of Ireland | £24496 | Whole course |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Sponsorship information
We aim to encourage well-qualified, ambitious students to study with us and we offer a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries to achieve this. Over £6 million worth of opportunities are available in fee and stipend scholarships, and more than 400 students benefit from this support. View our full range of postgraduate scholarships on our website.
Provider information
Heriot-Watt University
Riccarton
Edinburgh
EH14 4AS