Food Marketing & Entrepreneurship
BSc (Hons) Food Marketing & Entrepreneurship offers a unique combination of business and science, providing graduates with the skills to work in an exciting, fast-paced industry. The course is designed to consider the challenges faced by businesses and expose students to the concepts, theories and experience of practice that explain how the business world operates. Practical applications in the form of group and individual projects, along with placement and study abroad opportunities will be an integral part of your learning experience.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | National University of Ireland |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | National University of Ireland | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
4 Years full-time.
Specific Subjects or course requirements
Leaving Certificate entry requirements:
At Least six subjects must be presented. Minimum grade H5 in two subjects and minimum grade O6/H7 in four other subjects. English and Irish are requirements for all programmes unless the applicant is exempt from Irish. Applicants will need to meet the following minimum entry requirements:
English O6/H7
Irish O6/H7
Maths O6/H7
Other Language O6/H7
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
UCC awards the following points to the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme Link Modules:
Distinction 66 points
Merit 46 points
Pass 28 points
While Link Modules are counted for point scoring purposes they may not be counted as one of the six subjects to satisfy minimum entry requirements.
QQI FET Applicants General Information
Careers / Further progression
Skills and Careers Information
The skills acquired will ensure that our graduates can position themselves to find employment in the thriving indigenous food sector and exploit career opportunities within fast-moving consumer goods markets both here and abroad.
International growth will underpin demand for graduates in areas such as consumer research, product marketing, key account management, and supply-chain management not only in Ireland but worldwide. And with suitable experience, there is always the prospect of setting up your own business!
The most recent Graduate Employability Survey (UCC 2020 Graduate Outcome Survey) points to 96% of graduates being in full-time employment or pursuing further study within six months of completing this degree. Many of our graduates commence their careers on graduate programmes with companies such as Kerry, Musgrave, Aldi, Kepak, Bord Bia, and IBEC amongst others. Career prospects cover a wide range of functional areas including Brand Management (e.g. Kerry); Social Media Marketing (e.g. Tesco); Buying (e.g. Musgrave, Aldi, Dunnes); Key Account Management (e.g. General Mills); New Product Development (e.g. Musgrave, Kepak); Category Management (e.g. Danone); Digital Strategy (e.g. Google, Lidl); State Agencies (e.g. Bord Bia); and Supply Chain (e.g. Sodexo).
A variety of masters programmes in related disciplines are available to graduates of the programme.
Further information
Approximate Available Places 4
Find out about the mature entry requirements at https://www.ucc.ie/en/study/undergrad/entryreqs/matureapplicants/
Approximate Available Places Overall 44
Entry 2025
Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2025 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2025 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2025 CAO Handbook): Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1 May 2025 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2025 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2025 at 5pm
Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.
LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2025. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2025, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2025 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2025 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 applies.
Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2025 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:
General Restrictions
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices
Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course
Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants
Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR
Course Outline
BSc (Hons) Food Marketing & Entrepreneurship offers a unique combination of business and science, providing graduates with the skills to work in an exciting, fast-paced industry. During Years 1-3 you will study various modules across a range of disciplines including Food Business, Marketing, Food Policy, Management, Economics, Microbiology, Accounting, Law, and Nutrition.
This will provide you with a well-rounded education which will prepare you for a career in the dynamic food industry and other sectors, by nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship skills, by building knowledge of the food and nutrition sciences, by developing skills to assess business viability, and by promoting an understanding of consumer market trends and marketing strategies.
Year 3 will also offer opportunity to avail of a 6-month placement, to further develop practical skills. As an alternative to placement, you will also have the opportunity to apply to partake in the Erasmus programme, spending 6 months in either France (Rennes 1), Germany (Konstanz), Italy (Bologna) or the Netherlands (Utrecht) conducting your research project.
In final year, in addition to studying core modules across business disciplines, you will also have the opportunity to choose modules which most align with your interests and anticipated career path. All business and food science subjects will be taught at an introductory level at first, so do not be concerned if you have not taken science or business subjects at the Leaving Certificate. Graduates will learn skills in strategic decision-making, innovation, enterprise and knowledge management, delivered through an integrated range of subjects that support successful personal and entrepreneurial business development.
The course is designed to consider the challenges faced by businesses and expose students to the concepts, theories and experience of practice that explain how the business world operates. Practical applications in the form of group and individual projects, along with placement and study abroad opportunities will be an integral part of your learning experience. The programme is built on UCC’s international reputation in food education and research and taught by lecturers who are internationally recognised in their fields of expertise.
Placement or Study Abroad Information
An integral part of this programme is a six-month industrial placement during Year 3. The placement offers an excellent opportunity to draw on your knowledge and skills in performing tasks in specific work contexts. This will enhance your work capabilities and offers you a chance to reflect on and better understand these.
Placement opportunities are both national and international, and past placements have included:
Aldi (Buying Office)
Nestle
Cully & Sully
Dairygold
Dunnes Stores (Buying Office)
Glenilen
Glanbia (Supply Chain)
Kepak Group
Musgrave Group (Own Brand, Buying, Marketing)
Rich Dairies (USA)
Silver Pail
Alternatively, as part of the Erasmus programme, students can apply to spend the six-months studying abroad in either a German, Dutch, Italian or French university. As well as providing an engaging learning and social experience, studying abroad will provide insight into other markets and cultures, further boosting employability, particularly in organisations which rely heavily on export markets.
Modules
Year 1 Modules (all 5 credits):
FE1017 Introduction to Food Marketing; FE1016 Introduction to Food Business; FE1030 Introduction to International Food Policy; FE2200 Introduction to Food Supply Chain Management; EC1500 Ethics and Economic Decision Making for Food Business; EC1503 Economic Analysis for Food Business; FS1011 Introduction to Food Science and Technology; MB1901 Introduction to Food and Industrial Microbiology; AC1116 Financial Accounting; LW1108 Introduction to the Legal System; LW1109 Introduction to Business Law; MA1100 Introductory Mathematics for Business.
Year 2 Modules:
Digital Food Marketing and Branding; Placement Preparation plan; Quantitative Research for Food; Food Sustainability; Introduction to Management Accounting; Introduction to Information Systems; Information Systems for the Networked Enterprise; Principles of Food Science and Technology; Topics in Food Quality and Legislation; Fundamentals of Nutrition Part 1; Introduction to Business Statistics; Methods of Business Statistics.
Year 3 Modules:
Market-oriented New Food Product Innovation; Food Market Research Methods; Food Enterprise Management; Understanding Supply Chain Management; Science and Technology of Food Systems B; Fundamentals of Food Packaging; Food and Industrial Microbiology I; Enterprise and Innovation; Fundamentals of Nutrition Part 2; Sensory Evaluation for Food and Nutritional Sciences;
Electives
Transferrable skills - Food Business and Development research project; Work Placement
Year 4 Modules:
Core
Food Marketing and Entrepreneurship (FYP); Consumer Behaviour in Food Markets ; International Food Retail Marketing; Global Food Supply Chain Management; Global Food Policy; Strategic Marketing; Strategic Management; Accounting in Business Public Health Nutrition (5 credits)
Electives
Advanced Food Packaging; Cereals and Related Beverages B; Financial Reporting 1; Financial Reporting 2; Food Security and the Developing World; Co-operatives, Food and Rural Sustainability; International Marketing Management.
Having successfully completed this course you should be able to:
- comprehend and resolve a variety of marketing and business challenges within a fast-paced business environment
- communicate effectively to business and food science communities
- recognise the importance of good science in business success
- contribute, either in a leadership or supporting role, to the effective functioning of a team
Dr Alan Collins
FME@ucc.ie
+353 (0)21 490 2570
https://www.cubsucc.com/programmes/undergraduate/bsc--hons--food-marketing-and-entrepreneurship/