The globally important agri-food sector is intrinsically linked to challenges around land and water use, climate change, sustainability, health, and wellbeing. This industry-guided programme aims to equip students with the advanced skills, knowledge, and expertise needed to undertake technical and production management roles within this growing industry.
Students at Lincoln have the opportunity to study a variety of forward thinking topics such as principles of crop science, advanced food manufacturing, new product and process development, food safety and technical management, agri-robotics, as well as supply chain management.
Following the taught element of the programme, the course offers students a choice between a research project in industry or academia, where they will have the opportunity to make contacts and apply their knowledge in a real-life setting. During the programme, students have the chance to visit agri-food industries to see the practical applications of their knowledge and hear from a number of guest speakers.
Informed and guided by industry
Accredited by the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST)
Undertake a research project in industry or academia
Visit agri-food industries and hear from guest speakers
A holistic, all encompassing, farm-to-fork approach
Enrolling in the Agri-food Technology with Professional Practice course was a transformative experience. I learned so much about modern agricultural science with hands-on industry practice which has equipped me with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the agrifood sector. The course honed my research, and presentation skills, it also provided opportunities to attend conferences and networking events, which were incredibly valuable.
Mabel Adaeze Nwanojuo
MSc Agri-Food Technology Student
This MSc is intentionally wide-ranging and is designed to prepare students for opportunities across the broad and fast-moving agri-food sector. The programme takes a holistic, all encompassing, farm-to-fork approach, acknowledging the need to optimise performance and quality in the agriculture and food supply chain.
Following the taught element of the programme, students will undertake a Research Project, where they will have the opportunity to make contacts and apply their knowledge in a real-life setting.
Weekly contact hours on this programme may vary depending on the individual modules and the stage of study. Postgraduate level study involves a significant proportion of independent study, exploring the material covered in lectures and seminars. As a general guide, for every hour spent in class, students are expected to spend at least two to three hours in independent study.
This module typically covers the key fundamentals in advanced manufacturing within the food industry demanding strong operation skills coupled with an in-depth knowledge of food process unit operations, food preservation, food packaging systems, hygienic food machine design, food factory design, and food process engineering. Students are expected to gain understanding of the basis of advanced food manufacturing unit operations and their applications in the food industry incorporating how traditional processes are still prevalent with new designs and automation. The students may also gain an understanding of new and novel food production operations.
Agriculture and the food chain become more and more data-driven. Digitisation is the use of new and advanced technologies, integrated into one system, to enable farmers, wholesalers, food manufactures, and other stakeholders within the agri-food value chain. Digitalisation simulated by precision agriculture can be a key factor to solving problems in agriculture with regards to the environment, the working conditions, food security, and other public interests.
This module typically covers the key quality assurance and technical roles within the food industry with management skills coupled with knowledge of product safety, quality, and legality with a demonstration of attention to detail alongside good communication and interpersonal skills. Students are expected to consider how to define the 'technical standards' of a food manufacturing business, including a review of legislative requirements, necessary accreditation standards, customer expectations, and incorporation of a manufacturer’s own business requirements. Food industry enforcement bodies/government agencies and the business technical function interaction with such authorities will be considered, as will the role of product recall and crisis management systems during challenging circumstances.
This module examine global agri-food supply chain systems. Today's businesses operate in a global environment that requires agri-food enterprises to consider rest of the world in their competitive strategy analysis, despite of their market base or location. Businesses cannot isolate themselves or disregard external factors such as food safety, trends, competitive positions, or technology advancements in other countries. This change in trends, technologies, food safety, trade, and modernisation of transport infrastructures raised the importance of supply chain management to new levels. Agile management of supply chains is necessary to succeed in volatile demand situations experienced in many markets.
This module introduces students to the subject of agri-food engineering and, in particular, to the role of modern automation in developing sophisticated and efficient engineering systems to meet the ever increasing demand of the sector. After a brief introduction on industrial robotics and automation, a range of applications will be presented to investigate, analyse, and propose the use of robotics to automate pre-harvesting and post-harvesting operations in the agri-food sector. This might include the innovative Industry 4.0 model as an overall holistic framework to evaluate the impact of the proposed applications on the ‘Farm of the Future’.
The module content typically covers the aspects of food innovation, product and process development and investigates the impact of new technologies for the formulation of healthy nutritional foods. The student considers critique and appraise the way in which food manufacturers develop new products to reflect customer, consumer and other market driver demands. The module considers the new food product development areas linked to health, nutrition, sensory science and emerging technologies.
The module typically provides a review of current crop science and its contribution to large scale food production. This might include new technologies and their part in the future of sustainable crop production. The module considers key components of crop science as individual units through to interacting complexes. Throughout the module, the importance of the microbial interrelationship with plants is considered, covering both pathogens and beneficials. Students will be expected to independently evaluate the topics critically and develop skills leading to responsive and flexible use of crop science in the production of crops in a wide range of agronomic situations.
This module covers the fundamental skills and background knowledge that students need to undertake a research project, including: surveying literature; selecting and justifying a research topic; planning of research; academic writing, data collection, handling and analysis; and presentation and reporting of research.
Students undertake a research project from a broad spectrum of agri-food options, to address a scientific question. A wide range of industry and academic expertise exist across our Riseholme, Holbeach, and Brayford campuses, and students may be provided with an opportunity to develop the project guided by the members of staff. The module provides an opportunity to carry out research to expand students' knowledge and develop skills in an area in which students' have a particular interest. It also offers an opportunity to develop a student’s skills in academic writing and presentation. Further, it provides an experience of leading/managing a project in collaboration with key stakeholders. Students can hypothesise, implement, analyse, interpret, and write up a substantial piece of empirical work, developing research skills, such as methodological and analytical awareness and critical insight, in leading their own research through discussion of topics and publications.
† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.
We want you to have all the information you need to make an informed decision on where and what you want to study. In addition to the information provided on this course page, our What You Need to Know page offers explanations on key topics including programme validation/revalidation, additional costs, and contact hours.
This course is accredited by the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST). IFST is the UK’s leading professional body for food science and technology.
A variety of assessment methods are used during this course, including essays, examinations, oral presentations, and practicals. These assessments are designed to develop the skills that will be needed for a career in the sector.
As well as studying at the University’s Brayford Campus, students will also visit our Riseholme campus, situated just 5km north of Lincoln on a beautiful parkland campus and The National Centre for Food Manufacturing, located in Holbeach Lincolnshire. Students may also have the chance to visit agri-food companies, helping them to understand the practical applications of their knowledge, and hear from a series of guest speakers on sustainability in the food industry and agri-robotics.
Situated just 5km north of Lincoln in a beautiful semi-rural setting, the University's Riseholme Park Campus is home to the Lincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology, offering short courses in agriculture and agronomy alongside postgraduate and research programmes. It has specialist agri-tech research facilities and a friendly academic and research community.
The campus spans more than 200 hectares, incorporating woodlands, parkland, watercourses, and grasslands. It features a working farm and a variety of heritage features, centred around the historic Grade II listed Riseholme Hall.
The University's National Centre for Food Manufacturing (NCFM) is based in Holbeach, in south Lincolnshire. This food manufacturing technology hub provides specialist facilities and industry-standard equipment, including analytical laboratories with a test kitchen and sensory testing suite, a technician training centre and processing facilities. It supports industry innovation, productivity and growth within the sector working closely with industry partners.
The University of Lincoln has launched the world's first Centre for Doctoral Training in Agri-Food Robotics in collaboration with the University of Cambridge and the University of East Anglia. This new advanced training centre in agri-food robotics is creating the largest ever cohort of Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) specialists for the global food and farming sectors, thanks to a multi-million pound funding award the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
Awards
In November 2023, the University was one of just 22 institutions to be awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize. This award recognises the excellent work of the University's Lincoln Institute for Agri-food Technology in supporting the success and sustainability of the UK's food and farming industries.
Postgraduate Application Support
Applying for a postgraduate programme at Lincoln is easy. Find out more about the application process and what you'll need to complete on our How to Apply page. Here, you'll also be able to find out more about the entry requirements we accept and how to contact us for dedicated support during the process.
All applicants meeting the initial academic requirements for this course are required to undertake an interview with academic staff before a decision concerning the offer of a place can be made. It is expected that applicants will be able to demonstrate a keen interest in agriculture and all aspects of the farm-to-fork process. In order to make this process available to all applicants, we utilise Skype as the preferred medium for those applicants who are not able to travel to Lincoln prior to the start of the programme.
First or second class honours degree or equivalent overseas qualification. We will consider applicants from non-related degrees, with relevant experience.
If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages for information on equivalent qualifications.
https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/
Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page.
If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-session English and Academic Study Skills courses.
These specialist courses are designed to help students meet the English language requirements for their intended programme of study.
You will need to have funding in place for your studies before you arrive at the University. Our fees vary depending on the course, mode of study, and whether you are a UK or international student. You can view the breakdown of fees for this programme below.
The University offers a range of merit-based, subject-specific, and country-focused scholarships for UK and international students. To help support students from outside of the UK, we offer a number of international scholarships which range from £1,000 up to the value of 50 per cent of tuition fees. For full details and information about eligibility, visit our scholarships and bursaries pages.
Postgraduate Funding Options
Find out more about the optional available to support your postgraduate study, from Master's Loans to scholarship opportunities. You can also find out more about how to pay your fees and access support from our helpful advisors.
This programme is designed to prepare students for a career in one of the world’s largest industries, agri-food. Agriculture companies, food manufacturers, producers, and retailers are large employers, as are government departments that develop food policy.
Graduates may pursue careers in technical roles, marketing, distribution, plant supervision, and product development. They may also choose to form their own company, with the help of the University’s award-winning business support centre, Sparkhouse. Some may choose to pursue research and PhD pathways (particularly in the field of agri-robotics).
To get a real feel for what it is like to study at the University of Lincoln, we hold a number of dedicated postgraduate events and activities throughout the year for you to take part in.
