Qualification Regulations
Part I
These regulations are to be read in conjunction with all other Statutes and Regulations of the University including General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas, and Postgraduate Certificates.
Part II
Admission
1. Admission to the Degree of Master of Food Safety and Quality requires that the candidate will:
(a) meet the University admission requirements as specified; and
(b) have been awarded or qualified for a Bachelors with Honours degree in food engineering, food science or food technology, or equivalent; or
(c) have been awarded a Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, technology, or equivalent and completed at least 36 months relevant professional experience in the food or biological products industry.
Qualification requirements
2. Candidates for the Degree of Master of Food Safety and Quality shall follow a parts-based programme of study, which shall consist of courses totalling at least 180 credits, comprising:
(a) completion of Part One and Part Two as defined by the Schedule of the Degree;
(b) courses selected from the Schedule of the Degree;
and including:
(c) any compulsory courses listed in Part One of the Schedule for the Qualification;
(d) attending field trips, studios, workshops, tutorials and laboratories as required.
Specialisations
3. The Degree of Master of Food Safety and Quality is awarded without specialisation.
Student progression
4. For progression to Part Two of the Degree of Master of Food Safety and Quality, candidates must have maintained a minimum of a B Grade Average over the Part One courses.
5. In cases of sufficient merit, the Degree of Master of Food Safety and Quality may be awarded with Distinction or Merit.
Completion requirements
6. The timeframes for completion as outlined in the General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas, and Postgraduate Certificates will apply.
7. Candidates may be graduated when they meet the Admission, Qualification and Academic requirements within the prescribed timeframes.
Unsatisfactory academic progress
8. The general Unsatisfactory Academic Progress regulations will apply.
Transitional provisions
9. Subject to any Maximum Time to Completion and Abandonment of Studies provisions specified in the Part I qualification regulations, candidates enrolled in the Master of Food Safety and Quality prior to January 2023 may be permitted to substitute a course or courses already successfully completed for a course or courses of the same value in order to fulfil the qualification requirements, until 31 December 2026.
Schedule for the Master of Food Safety and Quality
Course planning key
- Prerequisites
- Courses that need to be completed before moving onto a course at the next level. For example, a lot of 200-level courses have 100-level prerequisite courses.
- Corequisites
- Courses that must be completed at the same time as another course are known as corequisite courses.
- Restrictions
- Some courses are restricted against each other because their content is similar. This means you can only choose one of the offered courses to study and credit to your qualification.
Key terms for course planning
- Courses
- Each qualification has its own specific set of courses. Some universities call these papers. You enrol in courses after you get accepted into Massey.
- Course code
- Each course is numbered using 6 digits. The fourth number shows the level of the course. For example, in course 219206, the fourth number is a 2, so it is a 200-level course (usually studied in the second year of full-time study).
- Credits
- Each course is worth a number of credits. You combine courses (credits) to meet the total number of credits needed for your qualification.
- Specialisations
- Some qualifications let you choose what subject you'd like to specialise in. Your major or endorsement is what you will take the majority of your courses in.
Part One (Choose 120 credits from)
Compulsory courses (Choose 60 credits from)
Course code: 141708 Food Packaging, Preservation and Storage 15 credits
Application of a multi-disciplinary approach drawing from microbiology, chemistry, reaction kinetics, process engineering and packaging technology to the development, evaluation and optimisation of preservation processes, packaging technologies, and storage and supply chain systems for fresh and manufactured food products.
View full course detailsCourse code: 141709 Emerging Technologies for the Food Industry 15 credits
In depth case-studies of the principles and modelling of novel food processes, including an appraisal of the advantages and disadvantages compared with established processes. New developments in the preservation of foods, the structuring of foods, the separation of food materials and packaging, storage and handling of foods can be studied.
View full course detailsCourse code: 141720 Advanced Food Quality 30 credits
Critical reviews, case studies, advanced study and/or research into selected aspects of food quality.
View full course detailsCourse code: 141710 Food Packaging Engineering and Legislation 15 credits
The properties of packaging materials and requirements of labelling/legislation and the implications of choice on product shelf life, integration with processing, transport, traceability and information systems, and impact on consumer interaction with the product, sustainability and product cost are explored as part of this course.
View full course detailsCourse code: 141712 Strategic Food Product Development 15 credits
This course provides a strategic overview of the food product development process from the initial new product strategy and its influence on identification of product opportunities through to the actual launch of the finished food product and its influence on the launch strategies and tactics adopted by a company.
View full course detailsCourse code: 141724 Food Quality Safety and Innovation 15 credits
This course will cover risk assessment and management techniques that can be applied to any sector of the food industry, important in the development of a new food product to ensure the development of safe foods of high quality and appropriate cost. The legal and commercial justification for ingredients, preservation, processing, packaging and distribution technologies will be taught.
View full course detailsCourse code: 141794 Special Topic 15 credits
Course code: 231727 Epidemiology and Biostatistics 30 credits
An exploration of the core principles and practice of epidemiology and biostatistics in assessing and responding to population health need. Students will learn the skills necessary to analyse and interpret data, disseminate information, and critically appraise quantitative literature. The focus of the course is on the application of epidemiology and biostatistics for policy development and decision-making across the health system.
View full course detailsCourse code: 231733 Big Public Health Issues 15 credits
This course critically examines the big public health issues globally using an analytical framework and case study approach that considers burden of disease, epidemiology, determinant analysis, health and other system responses and evidence of intervention effectiveness. Issues and case studies covered include major infectious diseases, obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, injury prevention and mental health.
View full course detailsCourse code: 285742 Topics in Advanced Plant Protection 30 credits
Selected topics in Advanced Plant Protection, including host defence and disease resistance mechanisms, weed control and herbicide activity, as well as principles and methods of integrated arthropod pest (insect and mite) management.
View full course detailsCourse code: 287741 Quality System Development and Management 15 credits
All organisations are required to effectively manage the quality of their goods and services, and that of the processes and systems that produce or deliver them. This course introduces the key principles of quality systems and their control and management. This includes core definitions, key theories, relevant standards, documentation requirements, and associated tools, methods and principles for managing and controlling quality.
View full course detailsCourse code: 119729 Research Methods 15 credits
Research methods for students whose research focuses on the human-science interface and human applications of science. The course includes foundations of science, ethics, the scientific method, and systems approaches to problem-solving and research; selection of appropriate research methods, including survey methods, case studies, enterprise/project analysis, and modelling; analysis and presentation of research results and communication skills.
View full course detailsCourse code: 228797 Research Methods in Engineering and Technology 15 credits
Research methods for students in engineering and technology. Topics include: statistical design of research experiments; hypothesis testing; use of statistical models to test engineering questions; data analysis; literature searches; development of research proposals; critical assessment of scientific literature.
View full course detailsPart Two (Choose 60 credits from)
Course code: 141803 Research Report: Food 60 credits
Research in a defined area of Food Science, Technology or Engineering.
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