MSc Food Safety

This course is studied over a period of three to six years. If you have a relevant agricultural and/or food-related background and you'd like to gain in-depth knowledge about food safety, this is the course for you.

Location: Edinburgh
Study mode:
Subject area: Agriculture, Animal and Biological Sciences, Food
Start date: September 2025
Agency code: PE11

apply now

Course overview

This MSc course is designed to provide a holistic view of food safety as it applies to the human food supply chain.

Incorporating pre and post-harvest stages of food production, it examines crop safety, animal welfare and the economics of the supply chain.

The programme would be suitable for those who have an undergraduate degree in agricultural sciences, biological science, food systems, veterinary medicine and human medicine.

It's also suitable for professionals from agriculture, food or rural industries, as well as government officials, international organisations, researchers in food safety and the third sector.

Delivered part time through online learning, the course covers a period of three to six years.

Virtual Experience

Take a look around the SRUC Virtual Experience for lots of great student videos and examples of what it’s like to study our courses, along with campus and facility tours.

SRUC holds open days regularly. Visit our listings page for details of our up-coming events.

Entry requirements

Undergraduate Honours Degree (First, 2:1 or equivalent) in agricultural or biological science, veterinary or human medicine.

We may also consider applications from those with relevant work experience (in a related area of food safety or food related matters for three or more years).

What you'll learn

This MSc course is delivered by SRUC and the University of Edinburgh. It delivers critical identification, evaluation and assessment of the main theories, principles and concepts related to sources and pathways of foodborne hazards along the food chain. It also studies the formulation of bespoke intervention strategies to mitigate public health risks.

You'll learn to apply critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis to animal health and welfare and plant and environmental health as an integral part of food safety. You'll examine how this can help improve production efficiency and save resources.

Example modules include:

Food Supply Chain and Food Safety
Data Analysis for Food Safety
Food Safety Hazards and Food Safety Management Systems
Food Production Systems
Food Processing and Waste Management
Research Methods and Statistics