Study Food Science - Bachelor of Science
The Food Science major in the Bachelor of Science introduces you to the science behind the food we eat. It can open the door to a wide range of careers in food science.
Food innovation is driven by trends like reducing sugar, sodium and fat; using more natural flavourings and colourings, and improving the shelf-life of foods. Food scientists are critical in the production of food. They develop new food products, improve sensory attributes and nutritional content of foods, and find new ways to preserve, process, package and distribute food.
Study food science and become familiar with food chemistry, food microbiology, sensory science, food product development and food processing and technology. You learn to analyse the characteristics of food, discover new food sources, and research how to make processed foods safe and healthy.
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This is part of the Bachelor of Science.
The Food Science major covers the physical, chemical, biological and structural elements of food, and the concepts and practices underlying food processing, food sensory evaluation and food packaging.
Apart from the courses below you also need to complete courses from your second major, your chosen minor(s) or electives.*
*Depending on your chosen combination of majors and minors it may take you longer than three years to complete your degree.
Core courses
All Bachelor of Science students need to complete core courses that help you develop transferable skills and support your work in all other courses in the degree.
Choose one of:
- DIGD507 Mahitahi | Collaborative Practices
- SCIE504 Science and Society
And choose one natural sciences course
- ASTR500 Introductory Astronomy
- BIOL500 Foundations of Life
- BMED500 Introduction to Biomedical Science
- CHEM500 Chemistry in Our World
- CHEM501 Principles of Chemistry
- CHEM502 Biological and Solution Chemistry
- CONS500 Biodiversity
- EASC500 Our Dynamic Earth
- ENVS502 Environmental Science Skills
- ENVS503 Our Total Environment
- FOOD502 Food Science
- FOOD503 Food Technology
- GESC500 Mapping Our Environment
- HEAL505 Human Anatomy and Physiology
- HEAL507 Health and Environment
- MAOH501 Hauora Māori and Environment
- MASC500 Introduction to Marine Science
- MASC501 Marine Science Techniques
- MELS501 Histology and Cytology^
- MICR501 Microbial Life
- PHYS501 Physics for Scientists and Engineers
- SOSC585 Climate Action
And one mathematical and computer sciences course
- COMP500 Programming Concepts and Techniques*
- COMP503 Object Oriented Programming*
- MATH502 Algebra and Discrete Mathematics
- MATH504 Introductory Mathematics for Science
- MATH505 Algebra and Calculus I
- STAT500 Applied Statistics
- STAT502 Introductory Probability and Statistics
^Not offered in 2025
*Only available to students in the Analytics and Mathematical Modelling and Computation majors
And one course from either the natural sciences or mathematical and computer science courses above.
Complete the following course:
- SCIE606 Vision Mātauranga: Science Practice in Aotearoa
And one of:
- CHEM604 Instrumental Analysis
- SCIE600 Scientific Inquiry
In Year 3, you complete a project in an area related to your major. This project gives you an important competitive edge for your career, and is good preparation for postgraduate study.
Courses you complete for this project:
- SCIE707 Science Capstone Project A
- SCIE708 Science Capstone Project B
Food science courses
If you're majoring in food science, this is the main subject area you specialise in. It makes up one third of your degree and consists of eight food science-related courses you study throughout your degree.
Year 1 courses
- FOOD502 Food Science
- FOOD503 Food Technology
Year 2 courses
- FOOD601 Food Chemistry
- FOOD602 Food Microbiology
- FOOD604 Food Process Engineering
Year 3 courses
- FOOD702 Food Design and Packaging
- FOOD704 Food Systems
- FOOD705 Sensory Evaluation
Ready to enrol in your courses?
Find out how you can enrol in the courses and classes for your programme, whether you’ve just joined AUT as a new student or you’re already studying with us. If you’re looking for more info on a specific course use our course search.
Build your degree
Use our online tool to build your own degree and see what your three years of study could look like.
https://www.aut.ac.nz/courses/bachelor-of-science/food-science-major
Students who started at AUT before 2023
If you started your studies at AUT before 2023, the courses you need to study to complete the requirements for your programme are a little different. Find out more about what courses you should take.
Career opportunities if you study food science
- Food technologist
- Product/process development scientist
- Food quality assurance coordinator
- Regulatory affairs officer
- Food production and scientific laboratory technician
- Packaging, and sensory technologist
Food science graduates find rewarding roles across many sectors and industries including dairy, meat, horticulture, viticulture, aquaculture, brewing and food manufacturing.
Find out more about industry trends, job descriptions and what employers may be looking for.
Other majors in the Bachelor of Science
- Analytics
- Biological Science
- Biomedical Science
- Chemistry
- Environmental Science
- Marine Science
- Mathematical Modelling and Computation
Postgraduate study options
- A wide range of careers within the food sector
- Focuses on the science behind the food we eat
- Flexibility: tailor your degree with a second major, minor or electives of your choice
- Complete an industry-related project in your final year
- Knowledgeable about a range of sciences and their applications to food
- Meticulous particularly with regards to health, safety and hygiene
- A creative problem-solver
The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.