European Master’s in Food Studies

The European Master in Food studies programme is a separate specialisation of the MSc programme Food Technology. The programme exist of four main components: 

• Academic modules
• Meeting companies
• Combined Thesis project and Internship
• Team Project

The first year you will complete different courses and study in the Netherlands, Ireland, France and Sweden. A period of apprioxmately 8 weeks per university where you will complete the academic modules of the programme.

• September – December - Wageningen University & Research
  Food Structure and Functionality courses
• January – February -University College Cork, Ireland 
  Consumer Studies and Management courses
• March - April - AgroParisTech, Massy, France 
  Food Technology courses
• May - June - Lund University, Sweden 
  Product Development and Innovation courses

For more information about courses read the Food Studies Study Handbook.  

In the second year you will work on your Industrial Thesis, which combines the master's thesis and internship. Students will do applied research in collaboration with one of our multinational food companies' partners.  

Internship
The placement in a partner company is guaranteed for each student. The main restriction is: ‘’not in student’s home country’’ to improve the adaptability and cross-cultural communication capabilities of students. Legal restrictions can also apply. 

Thesis
A team of two supervisors will guide and evaluate the student during the thesis project: one from the company and one academic supervisor from Wageningen University. The academic quality of the thesis is examined by a full professor from Wageningen University, who will act as examiner.

Team Project
Large integrated assignment that is developed by students in teams over the entire course of the programme. It starts with the 1-week Team Building module at Wageningen University in the Netherlands to improve communication skills, practice effective teamwork and become oriented with the programmes’ students and resources. Several workshops on Entrepreneurship are included as well.

The programme is a specialisation within the Food Technology master. For more information about courses, read the Food Studies Study Handbook.

• Academic modules: lectures, lab practicals, study periods, tutorials, teamwork and communication training and social activities.
• Meeting companies: company visits, company presentations, meeting industrial representatives.
• Combined Thesis project and Internship: guaranteed 9-month placement at the R&D laboratory of an EMFS partner company.
• Team Project: large integrated assignment that is developed by students in teams over the entire course of the programme to improve communication skills, practice effective teamwork and become oriented with the programmes’ students and resources. 

During your studies, you will receive guidance from the EMFS coordinator and study advisors at Wageningen University, A specialised coach for the team project and from the partner company that you will be working with.

Moreover, The Student Service Centre (SSC) at Wageningen University provides information for students about admission, registration, housing and more. 

Accommodation in the different countries is arranged by the students themselves with the help of partner universities and companies. 

This master's is an exclusive specialisation in cooperation with the universities of Cork (Ireland), Lund (Sweden) and Agro-Paris Tech (France) and therefore has no comparison.

In its 20 years, the programme has delivered high-quality graduates that have found leading positions in the food industry worldwide. Positions that our alumni have acquired are among others:

• R&D positions in the food industry
• Quality assurance
• Management positions
• PhD at a university or research institute 

If you need help in your orientation towards your future career Student Career Services facilitates students towards the labour market. 

The European master's in Food studies programme is a separate specialisation of the MSc programme Food Technology. This specialisation is open for students that hold a BSc or equivalent in Food Technology, Food Science or related, and have been admitted to the MSc Food Technology. Besides the relevant background, also the academic level, relevant work or research experience and other activities or achievements are evaluated, due to the limited placements available in this specialisation (around 20 students each year).

How to apply? 

Step 1: Admission criteria at Wageningen University

Step 2: Application for the European master's in Food Studies. Read more about the Admission requirements and the application procedure at https://www.eurmscfood.nl/apply

Ready to start your application process? Find everything you need to know about Application & Admission before applying for a master's. 

Graduates of BSc Food Technology and BSc Biotechnology from Wageningen University can skip Step 1, as they are unconditionally accepted to MSc Food Technology – but not to the EMFS specialisation; they should still apply for the EMFS programme (Step 2).

Studying in the Netherlands costs money. Curious to see what you should expect? Explore more about Tuition fees and study finances.

During this master you’ll study in 4 different countries. Wageningen is one of the 4 universities where you will study. Wageningen offers a diverse, enjoyable, and amiable student community. Whether it's a sporting event, a party, or a laid-back evening with friends at one of the student associations, there's always something going on. Additionally, there are parks, forests, and a river nearby, so if you enjoy the outdoors, you're in the right area.

Explore more about Student life in Wageningen.