Sept 2025 Entry
2 years
60 (minimum)
The credit requirements of this programme are indicative only and subject to review.
The exact study duration and number of credits to be transferred will depend on the entry qualifications of individual AD/HD admittees.
Entry Scholarship
A departmental entry scholarship will be granted to students with high AD/HD achievements admitted via Senior Year Entry. The award criteria for the scholarship are listed on the Departmental webpage.
What's New
Programme Aims
We aim to foster graduates who are skilled food technologists, food innovators and vigilant food safety officers, enabling them to become leaders in the food industry and the government to promote better and safer food to benefit the community.
Our programme equips students with the scientific and engineering skills needed to understand, characterise and manipulate food for various applications. The diverse and intricate training develops students into all-round competitive graduates who lead international programmes with professional knowledge, communication skills, intellectual curiosity and social responsibility. The programme emphasises analytical and critical thinking abilities, creativity, problem-solving skills, teamwork and global outlook.
Programme Characteristics
The programme has an industry-oriented curriculum design. Students will be challenged with an active learning environment with engaging classes by a group of caring and supportive staff, supplemented with a wealth of outside classroom activities such as industrial visits (local and international), competitive internships, industrial and career seminars, research opportunities and academic exchanges. Students will also receive hands-on training on current techniques through extensive practical sessions.
Upon successful completion of the programme, students will be ready to take up careers in the food industry or enter postgraduate programmes. They will also be able to use the skills and knowledge that they gain from the programme for personal career development.
Professional Recognition
- This programme is accredited to the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) by its Higher Education Review Board, the largest food professional association in the USA, and undergraduate standard of the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST), the largest global food professional association.
- Students may attain the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Intermediate Certificate, and will be issued an additional ISO22000 certificate upon completion of the core subject Food Sanitation and Safety Management.
- Graduates are automatically recognised to be a Hygiene Manager by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.
- Graduates with 3 years of work experience in food or relevant industry are eligible to apply for the qualification “Certified Food Scientist” from the IFT. Please visit the IFT website for more information (https://www.ift.org/career-development/certification/get-your-cfs).
Career Prospects
There is a great need for competent and knowledgeable food scientists in the food industry worldwide and in the government. Graduates can pursue careers in the field of production management, quality assurance, food product research and development, hygiene management, food analysis and marketing in local food manufacturers and traders, chain restaurants, supermarkets, hotels and catering companies. They may also seek employment at government departments (including the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department) as Health Inspectors and Scientific Officers. Graduates who wish to further explore food science may choose to pursue postgraduate studies at local or overseas universities.
Students entering the 4-year programme through senior year places are considered for credit transfers based on their academic performance in AD/HD programmes. Depending on the number of credits transferred, students must obtain the remaining study credits to fulfil the General University Requirements (GUR) and Discipline Specific Requirements (DSR) for graduation. The GUR and the DSRs comprise Core Subjects and Elective Subjects, are listed below.
General University Requirements (9 credits)
- Cluster-Area Requirements (6 credits)
(also fulfilling the English and Chinese Language Reading and Writing Requirements) - Essential Components of General Education E-modules on (Non-credit-bearing):
1. Academic Integrity
2. Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics
3. Innovation and Entrepreneurship
4. National Education - Service-Learning (3 credits)
- Language and Communication Requirements (LCR)
[Students not meeting the equivalent standard of the Undergraduate Degree LCR (based on their previous studies in AD/HD programmes and their academic performance) will be required to take LCR subjects on top of their normal curriculum requirement]
DSR - Core Subjects (minimum 33 credits)
- Human Physiology
- Biochemistry
- Introduction to Food Science
- Lab Techniques in Biological Science
- Microbiology
- Organic Chemistry I
- Physics for Chemical and Biological Sciences
- Food Analysis
- Food Analysis Laboratory
- Food Engineering and Processing I
- Food Engineering and Processing II
- Food Engineering and Processing I Laboratory
- Food Engineering and Processing II Laboratory
- Food Laws & Regulations
- Food Microbiology
- Food Quality Assurance
- Food Sanitation and Safety Management, etc.
DSR - Project (3 credits) / Research Project (6 credits)
- The Project / Research Project is for Year Four students. It is a supervised project ranging from food product development, survey, desktop research or an experimental investigation. It requires students to integrate and apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired to identify and solve food safety or technology related problems in a real-world situation.
DSR - Elective Subjects (15-18 credits, i.e. 5-6 subjects)
- Analytical Chemistry I
- Analytical Chemistry II
- Cell Biology
- Environmental Health and Food Substantiality
- Environmental Science
- Food Biotechnology
- Food Product Development
- General Chemistry II
- Health Foods & Nutraceuticals
- Introduction to Economics
- Introduction to Foodservice Operations
- Introduction to Marketing
- Life Cycle Nutrition
- Management & Organization
Work-Integrated Education
All students must complete 120 hours (2 training credits) of Work-Integrated Education (WIE) before graduation. WIE can be block placements, internships, cooperative projects, research exchange programmes, community service, summer jobs and part-time employment. These experiences should be relevant to their future professions or to the development of generic skills that will be valuable in those professions.
60 (minimum)
Dr Marcus Wong
BSc, MSc, PhD
Entrance Requirements
-
An Associate Degree or a Higher Diploma in Food Science/Nutrition/Biology/Chemistry, or an equivalent qualification.
Selection Criteria
Applications are considered based on academic merit. Strong emphasis is placed on academic performance in the core subject areas (including Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology), as well as on English proficiency. Applicants are expected to have completed around 60 transferable credits in relevant subjects in their AD/HD studies. Applicants with excellent academic credentials but an inadequate number of transferable credits may be considered for non-JUPAS Year 1 admission to the programme.
For further programme information, please contact:
The General Office (Tel: 3400 8793; email: shin-ying-cynthia.lau@polyu.edu.hk).
To pursue a career in Food Science, I enrolled in the Food Safety and Technology programme at PolyU after completing my Higher Diploma in Food Science and Safety. The programme has provided me with an all-round profession-oriented training and has equipped me with a multitude of skills to work in the food industry. Through a series of lectures running in parallel with laboratory-based practicum, we had the opportunity to put theory into practice and demonstrate our understanding by conducting a variety of food analytical testing and industrial food processing. Apart from the academic training, the programme also emphasizes workplace learning experience. I’ve got an invaluable opportunity to work in the Food Tech Lab and the Sensory Evaluation Lab for my summer internship, in which my problem-solving skills in real-life circumstances have been enhanced.
I wholeheartedly enjoy and treasure my time studying at PolyU. With the skills and knowledge I gained from the programme, I am ready to take up new challenges in my future career!
Required
HKDSE / high school result is required.
To evaluate shortlisted applicants' potential for and interest in the programme, and to test their language and communication skills and their understanding of the food-related sector.
About 60 minutes
