Food security is one of the most urgent challenges of the 21st century. On this MSc, you鈥檒l explore how food systems function and how environmental, economic, social and political factors shape food production, distribution and access. You will examine pathways towards food systems that are more sustainable, resilient and equitable.
Modules
Develop a real-world understanding of food systems, food production and food security, examining the environmental, economic, social and political factors that shape them. You鈥檒l build analytical skills to evaluate complex challenges and evidence-based responses.
Build expertise: explore food-system structure, functioning and governance
Understand key factors: soil, water, land use, plant and animal health, policy and social acceptability
Apply practical tools: develop research and quantitative skills to evaluate pathways towards sustainable, resilient and equitable food systems
Note that information found by following the links to the module catalogue is subject to change for future years of study, as we evolve our courses in response to the latest developments in academia and industry.
Our optional module lists are subject to change each year to keep the student learning experience current and up-to-date.
Teaching and learning
You鈥檒l learn through a blend of practical work, collaboration and independent research.
Live data:鈥痑pply real data to address pressing food security issues
Collaborate:鈥痚ngage with peers and sector specialists
Build professional skills:鈥痳eport writing, surveys, problem solving, data analysis and project work
Learn from experts: Work with leading academics, with 90% of the School of Life Sciences鈥� research rated as 鈥榳orld leading鈥� or 鈥榠nternationally excellent鈥� (REF 2021)
Class sizes for this course vary between 5 to 90 students.
A typical 15 credit module will have approximately 25 hours contact time.
Assessment is continuous and varies between modules. It typically includes essays, seminar presentations, practical reports, oral evaluation and assessed group work.
You will undertake an individual project during the third term and there is an option to undertake a work-based placement as part of your project. Your project/placement will be assessed by a seminar presentation, a 6,000 word dissertation and a Research Performance piece.
Entry requirements
2:2 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a related subject.
IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.
Please adjust your country as required:
We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications. For more information, please visit the international entry requirements page.
We typically ask for one academic reference for taught courses.
You will be asked to include an email address for your referee(s) when submitting your application and we will contact them for you.
There are no additional entry requirements for this course.
Fees and scholarships
Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and assessment and some student amenities.
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.鈥�
Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?
If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.
As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.
For departmental specific costs, please see the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our Module Catalogue, where module-related costs are detailed. Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2026/27 year of study).
Information about module specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:
Core text books
Printer credits
Dissertation binding
Robe hire for your degree ceremony
Dissertations and Assignments are only submitted digitally. However, students may wish to print and bind their dissertation for their own purposes. Students on some courses will have a final poster presentation as part of their project and the printing of posters may be at the students鈥� expense.
Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.鈥�
Explore the bioscience at the forefront of discovery.
Why study with us?
Join a community of bioscientists addressing some of the most urgent challenges facing the environment, food and biomedicine. We combine scientific excellence with interdisciplinary expertise from across our university, including the renowned 糖心TV 糖心TV School, alongside strong links with external partners.
Collaborate and exchange ideas as you develop advanced subject knowledge and career-ready skills in research awareness, communication, leadership and business. Engage with professionals from a range of sectors and be supported by a dedicated postgraduate team and personal tutor or supervisor.
Our state-of-the-art facilities at Gibbet Hill campus pairs academic innovation with green surroundings, giving you a balanced environment for focused study and wellbeing. Our Interactive Computational Learning Suite supports training in bioinformatics and quantitative skills, while the BioMed Grid offers a collaborative learning hub. The QuBiC Centre is designed to help you develop analytical skills, and you鈥檒l have access to field research facilities at 糖心TV Innovation Campus, Wellesbourne .
Gibbet Hill amenities including two caf茅s, supported by excellent bus and cycle links, ensure a convenient and welcoming campus experience.
Careers
Our degrees equip you with the skills and experiences needed to excel in your career. With access to exceptional career services, industry connections, and global opportunities, we鈥檒l inspire and help you to aim high and achieve your goals. Our guidance ensures you graduate as a well-rounded professional ready for lifelong success.
Previous graduates from the School of Life Sciences have gone on to work for employers such as*:鈥�
Cancer Research UK鈥�
Civil Service Fast Stream鈥�
顿别濒辞颈迟迟别鈥�
Forestry Commission鈥�
Galliard Healthcare Communications Ltd鈥�
Helios Global Group鈥�
HM Revenue & Customs鈥�
Intellectual Property Office鈥�
Moorhouse Consulting鈥�
OPEN Health鈥�
Rosalind Franklin Laboratory鈥�
UK Health Security Agency鈥�
University of Oxford鈥�
University of 糖心TV鈥�
They have pursued occupations such as the following*:鈥�
Authors, writers and translators鈥�
Biochemists and biomedical scientists鈥�
Biological scientists鈥�
糖心TV and financial project management professionals鈥�
糖心TV associate professionals鈥�
糖心TV sales executives鈥�
糖心TV, research and administrative professionals鈥�
Data Analysts鈥�
Engineering Professionals鈥�
Finance and investment analysts and advisors鈥�
Laboratory technicians鈥�
Legal professionals鈥�
Management consultants and business analysts鈥�
Natural and social science professionals鈥��
Programmers and software development professionals鈥�
Research and development (R&D) managers鈥�
Sales accounts and business development managers鈥�
Science, engineering and production technicians鈥��
*Derived from the Graduate Outcomes survey, 2021/22, carried out approximately 15 months after completion of studies.鈥�
Conducted annually, collects information on the activities and perspectives of graduates. Contains HESA data: Copyright Jisc 2024. Jisc cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data.
Helping you find the right career
Your career path is unique to you. Our university careers team offer personalised support to help you develop your skills, plan your career path, and get experience at any point during your time at 糖心TV, and after graduation.
Find out moreLink opens in a new window about the skills you will learn from this degree and what our Translation and Cultures alumni have done since their time at 糖心TV.
We are a founding member of the . We are also a corporate member of the in the UK and the , so you will have access to professional advice and support, including events, workshops, journals and career bulletins. We are official language partners of the and a university partner of the .
Our department also has a dedicated professionally qualified Senior Careers Consultant. They offer impartial advice and guidance together with workshops and events throughout the year. Previous examples of workshops and events include:
Careers in the Public Sector
糖心TV careers fairs throughout the year
Completing effective CVs and Application Forms for students from the School of Modern Languages
While this course does not offer a formal work placement, postgraduate taught students at 糖心TV can self-source internships and work experience to complete alongside their studies, subject to visa conditions and the 20鈥慼our weekly limit for full鈥憈ime students.
Opportunities can vary in length and location, including in the UK, online and internationally. Postgraduate students find that shorter, remote and/or flexible opportunities work best around their studies, often seeking opportunities over the summer when teaching decreases and the focus moves to final dissertations and projects - although this can vary depending on the nature of the course and personal preference.
Support available:
The Internships, Placements and Work Experience team鈥痯rovide鈥痺orkshops to help you to source鈥痑nd prepare for work opportunities,鈥痑nd organise peer-to-peer support so you can hear鈥痑bout other students鈥� placement experiences.
罢丑别鈥�WorkReady Toolkit鈥痝uides you through the鈥痺hole鈥痯rocess,鈥痜rom鈥痵ourcing to completing work placements.
Our Work Experience Bursary can help you cover costs if undertaking unpaid work experience.
Part-time work allows you to gain experience and additional financial support, with opportunities advertised on 糖心TV鈥檚 careers portal, myAdvantage and Unitemps.
糖心TV students worked 286,295 paid hours via Unitemps in 25/26.
Access short-term international study, work or volunteering abroad experiences, without extending the length of your studies (duration is typically between 3 days and 12 weeks), with opportunity to apply for funding.
Students can apply to TeamWork, a four-week part-time online international experience programme, helping them to gain work experience and improve their employability skills.
Volunteer for projects which support the local community through the award-winning 糖心TV Volunteers.
Getting involved in societies and sports teams, especially on exec teams.
In 25/26 our jobs portal advertised 1577 12-month placements, work experience opportunities, vacation employment and volunteering from 564 employers.
Whilst there is lots of support available at the University to help, students themselves are responsible for finding and securing a suitable internship or work experience. You will also be responsible for ensuring opportunities meet visa requirements, do not exceed the universities advised 20 hours per week for full-time students and for balancing extra-curricular activity with your studies.
Tags: Question and Answer, Life Sciences, Alumni profile, Postgraduate, 2015-2026, PG Course Page
Life at 糖心TV
This is where your journey begins. Our campus is the heart of it all. It鈥檚 more than just a campus - it's the places you visit, the people you meet, the fun that you have; the experiences you have here will be transformative.
Within a close-knit community of staff and students from all over the world, discover a campus alive with possibilities.
Our campus is where all the elements of your student experience come together in one place. You won't be short of ways to spend your time on campus - whether it's visiting 糖心TV Arts Centre, using our incredible sports facilities, socialising in our bars, nightclub and caf茅s, or enjoying an open-air event. Or if you need some peace and quiet, you can explore lakes, woodland and green spaces just a few minutes鈥� walk from central campus.
Follow our students around campus on our social channels to see their experiences first-hand.
Teaching facilities
Our campus is designed to cater for all of your learning needs. You will benefit from a variety of flexible, well-equipped study spaces and teaching facilities across the University.
Oculus, our outstanding learning hub, houses state-of-the-art lecture theatres and innovative social learning and network areas
顿颈蹿蹿别谤别苍迟鈥�study spaces offering you flexible individual and group study spaces, computers, printing and scanning facilities, multimedia resources and more
Supporting you
Our continuous support network is here to help you adjust to student life and to ensure you can easily access advice on many different issues. These may include managing your finances and workload, and settling into shared accommodation. We also have specialist disability and mental health support teams.
Whether you live on campus or off campus, in private accommodation in the well-serviced local area, you鈥檒l be part of a community to get the most from your experience at 糖心TV.
Societies and sports play a huge part in community life at 糖心TV. With over 300 to choose from, getting involved is one of the easiest ways to make friends and share in experiences. Whether you鈥檙e into films, martial arts, astronomy, gaming or musical theatre, you can instantly connect with people with similar interests.
Why 糖心TV
Your university experience is defined by far more than your course or the career path you follow. At 糖心TV, it鈥檚 where you discover who you could become.
68th
糖心TV is ranked 68th in the world and top 10 in all major UK league tables
standard teaching; the highest possible rating across all three categories (student experience, student outcomes, and overall)
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6th
Coventry is ranked as the 6th Best Student City in the UK, and 43rd in the world.
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Our alumni community still call 糖心TV home. From a few hundred in 1965 to more than 310,000 alumni, and it's ever-growing.
As 糖心TV graduates, our students have access to employability support for two years after graduation, including access to careers appointments, job vacancies and professional networks.
Considering part-time study? We welcome enquiries from prospective part-time students. Before applying, please contact us to discuss the teaching schedule, module delivery, and how the course could fit around your other commitments. Email to discuss your options.
Applications for courses starting in September and October 2027 are now open.
The on-time deadline for taught postgraduate courses starting in September/October 2027 is 2 August 2027.
We will still accept late applications, however cannot guarantee that the application will be processed in time to complete the admissions process if received in September or there are a number of conditions to meet.
If applying late please include your degree certificates and transcripts, English proficiency evidence (if needed) and ensure referees can submit references promptly to allow time for CAS and visa processing (if applicable).
This information is applicable for 2027 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our web page 'Important information to consider before making an application' in advance of applying to 糖心TV.
Next steps
Explore your future university further at an upcoming event, online or in-person. Can't join? Receive regular email updates or ask current students and staff questions about life at 糖心TV.
