Sept 2024 Entry
4 years
At least 122 credits (depending on student’s academic attainment)
- Students will be awarded BSc (Hons) in Food Safety and Technology upon successful completion of all graduation requirements.
- Additional option of Secondary Major in Innovation and Entrepreneurship is available. Admission to the Secondary Major is on a competitive basis and subject to a different credit requirement for graduation. Please see “Secondary Major Details” section for more information.
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 in 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.
The curriculum consists of at least 122 credits including the General University Requirements (GUR) and Discipline Specific Requirements (DSR).
General University Requirements (30 credits)
(For the details of the GUR, please click here.)
DSR - Core Subjects (71 credits)
- Chinese Communication for Science Professionals
- English for Scientific Communication
- Basic Statistics
- Introduction to Calculus
- General Biology
- General Chemistry I
- General Laboratory Techniques & Safety
- 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 Chemistry
- 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
- Food Toxicology
- Principle of Nutrition
- Sensory Evaluation of Food
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.
Secondary Major in Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Studying a Secondary Major is not mandatory, but it will be beneficial for students who are keen to develop new products or technology start-ups or improve their business acumen. There are limited quotas for this Secondary Major, and selection will be made on a competitive basis.
Selection Criteria
Applications for Secondary Major will be opened to students with a cumulative GPA of 2.70 of above (i.e. average B- or higher for all the subjects taken) after Semester Two of Year One. Applicants will be interviewed. Successful applicants will be enrolled into the Secondary Major starting from Year Two. Students who successfully complete the curriculum will be awarded BSc (Hons) in Food Safety and Technology with a Secondary Major in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Credit Requirement
Students with the Secondary Major are required to complete 140-143 credits for graduation. Among the 36 credits required for the Secondary Major, students are required to take subjects from other departments such as Management and Marketing, and to complete credit bearing placements.
| Credit Requirements | FST | FST+IE | |
| General University Requirements (GUR) | 30 | 30 | |
| Major | Core | 74-77 | 74-77 |
| Elective | 15-18 | - | |
| Secondary Major | Core | - | 21 |
| Elective | - | 15 | |
| Total | 122 | 140-143* | |
* Three credits of the core subjects of the Major [i.e. Food Sanitation and Safety Management (FSN4422)] can be double counted as one of the elective subjects for the Secondary Major.
At least 122 credits (depending on student’s academic attainment)
Dr. Marcus Wong
BSc, MSc, PhD
Please click here to view the entrance requirements for non-JUPAS applicants.
Other Information
- Applicants attaining good results in science subjects (Biology / Chemistry) are preferred.
For further programme information, please contact us via email: fsn.programme@polyu.edu.hk
This programme provided me with all-round knowledge in food science and food processing. Apart from theoretical knowledge learnt from the lectures, I could also obtain hands-on lab experience and practice my lab skills in the laboratory sections that are included in most core subjects. Students can opt for a research project to substitute the final year project. All these educational experiences are invaluable for my development in the food safety professionalism.
PolyU values our all-round development. Every student is given an opportunity to serve the community in a Service-Learning subject. Local or overseas internships are also valuable in enhancing our professional competencies and paving our future career. All of the lecturers and tutors I have met at PolyU are very passionate and inspiring. They are always willing to provide guidance to us.
PolyU is the only institute in Hong Kong that offers a Bachelor's degree in Food Safety and Technology. As a student with a passion for food science, PolyU is the ideal choice for me. I have been trained with a strong science foundation, which helped me to handle advanced courses like food microbiology and food processing. Additionally, PolyU has partnerships with many leading food companies, providing students with ample internship opportunities. Last summer, I joined an internship programme at Swire Coca-Cola HK, where I gained invaluable experience and expanded my network.
In addition to my major study, PolyU offers diverse free complementary courses for students. During the last summer term, I took a beginner Spanish course through the Extra-Curricular Enrichment for Lifelong Learners (EXCELL) programme. This not only developed my language proficiency but also exposed me to Spanish culture. After that, I decided to take Spanish as my minor and delve deeper into Spain's culture. Furthermore, PolyU encourages students to contribute to the community at large. During the participation in a service-learning course, I shared my hospitality skills with underprivileged individuals in Hong Kong and Vietnam. It was an unforgettable and meaningful experience.
To assess the suitability of candidates for the Scheme
About 30 minutes
Only selected applicants will be invited for interview, and when necessary.
Required
To assess the suitability of candidates for the Scheme
About 30 minutes
Only selected applicants will be invited for interview, and when necessary.
Required
To assess the suitability of candidates for the Scheme
About 30 minutes
Only selected applicants will be invited for interview, and when necessary.
Online interviews will be arranged for selected overseas applicants.
