Food Marketing & Entrepreneurship
BSc (Hons) Food Marketing & Entrepreneurship offers a unique combination of business and food science, providing graduates with the skills to work in various roles across the food and non-food sectors. During Years 1-3 you will study modules across a range of disciplines including Food Business, Marketing, Food Policy, Management, Economics, Microbiology, Accounting, Law, and Nutrition.
| 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
Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme LCVP
Distinction 66 points
Merit 46 points
Pass 28 points
QQI FET Applicants General Information
Careers / Further progression
Skills and Careers Information
The transferable skills acquired will ensure that our graduates will be well positioned to find employment in the food and non-food sectors, locally or internationally.
Having successfully completed this course you should be able to:
-communicate and work effectively to a high professional standard;
-demonstrate advanced analytical and problem-solving skills associated with effective practice;
-apply ethical and sustainability principles to help address business issues;
-integrate knowledge of food and nutritional sciences into product development
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, Kepa and Bord Bia. Career prospects cover a wide range of functional areas including Brand Management; Social Media Marketing; Buying; Key Account Management; New Product Development; Category Management; Digital Strategy; and Supply Chain.
A variety of Masters programmes in related disciplines are available to graduates of the programme who wish to specialise in a particular area, and some graduates apply their entrepreneurship learning during the programme and go on to set up their own business.
Further information
September 2026
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 2026
Early online application (discounted): Fee €35 Closing Date: 20 January 2026 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €50 Closing Date: 1 February 2026 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2026 CAO Handbook): Fee: €65 Closing Date: 1 May 2026 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2026 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2026 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 2026. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2026, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2026 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2026 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €65 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 2026 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. All business and food science subjects will be taught at from an introductory level.
Modules
Year 1 Modules:
Students take 60 credits as follows:
AC1116 Financial Accounting
FE1000 Introduction to Food Business and Marketing
EC1500 Ethics and Economic Decision Making in Food Business
FE1030 Introduction to International Food Policy
FE1200 Introduction to Sustainable Food Marketing Channels and Supply Chains
FE1201 Preparing for Entrepreneurship and Placement in Food
FS1011 Introduction to Food Science and Technology
LW1108 Introduction to the Legal System
LW1109 Introduction to Business Law
MB1001 Introduction to Food and Industrial Microbiology
MA1100 Introductory Mathematics for Business I
Year 2 Modules:
Students take 60 credits as follows:
Core Modules
AC2200 Introduction to Management Accounting
FE2014 Digital Food Marketing and Branding
FE2204 Quantitative Research for Food
FE2205 Food Business Sustainability
FS2005 Principles of Food Science and Technology
FE2206 Food Enterprise Management
FS2007 Topics in Food Quality, Hygiene and Legislation
IS1106 Introduction to Information Systems
IS1107 Information Systems for the Networked Enterprise
NT2013 Fundamentals of Nutrition Part 1
ST1023 Introduction to Business Statistics
ST2200 Methods of Business Statistics
Year 3 Modules:
Students take 60 credits as follows – all listed taught modules (45 credits) and a 15 credit Transferable Skills module (Placement or Research Module):
FE3020 Understanding Supply Chain Management
FE3201 Market-oriented New Food Product Innovation
FE3208 Transferrable Skills - Food Business and Development - Work Placement
or FE3209 Transferable Skills - Food Business and Development - Research Project
FE3000 Food Market Insight and Problem Solving
FS3011 Science and Technology of Food Systems B
FS3018 Fundamentals of Food Packaging
FS3022 Sensory Evaluation for Food and Nutritional Sciences
MB3993 Food and Industrial Microbiology I
MG3012 Enterprise and Innovation
NT2014 Fundamentals of Nutrition Part 2
Year 4 Modules:
Students take 60 credits as follows: all listed core modules (50 credits) and 10 credits of elective modules:
Core Modules
AC4406 Accounting in Business
NT4021 Public Health Nutrition
FE4002 Global Food Policy
FE4205 Consumer Behaviour in Food Markets
FE4207 Global Food Supply Chain Management and Circular Economy
FE4208 Grocery Shopper Behaviour and Food Retail Marketing
FE4475 Food Marketing and Entrepreneurship
MG4035 Strategic Marketing
MG4036 Strategic Management
Elective Modules
Students take modules to the value of 10 credits from the following:
AC4407 Financial Reporting 1 (5)
AC4408 Financial Reporting 2 (5)
FE4008 Food Security and the Developing World (5)
FE4009 Co-operatives, Food and Rural Sustainability (5)
FS4906 Cereals and Related Beverages B (5)
FS4011 Advanced Food Packaging (5)
MG4043 International Marketing Management (5)
Dr Emma Beacom
FME@ucc.ie
+353214902574
https://www.cubsucc.com/programmes/undergraduate/bsc--hons--food-marketing-and-entrepreneurship/