Global Food Security and Nutrition (Online Learning) MSc, PgDip (ICL), PgCert (ICL), PgProfDev

The University of Edinburgh is currently ranked 15th in the World in the QS World University Rankings 2023.

This programme would be suitable for students with a background in agriculture, development, food systems or other food-related studies, as well as professionals within a broad range of disciplines such as food production, distribution, policy, or international development.

The aim of this programme is to train students in the breadth of issues relating to food security and give them key skills to understand and critically assess problems across food systems. At the end of the programme, students should have an understanding of the global context of food security and nutrition, identify and critically assess the main trade-offs between food security and nutrition and other goals in food systems. The programme aims to give students the ability to carry out independent research, produce reports to a professional standard, and be competent in constricting logically sound arguments.

By the end of the programme students will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of, and critical evaluation and assessment of the main theories, principles, and concepts related to agronomic, environmental, economic, nutritional, and socio-political factors that influence food security.
• Apply food security and nutrition practical methods to scientific information and methods in the analysis of complex.
• Develop critical analysis skills to review complex issues relating to food security and nutrition, and formulate an original research problem and independently carry out the research needed to produce an appropriate solution in a range of scientific or policy contexts.
• Apply and enhance a range of communication, ICT and numeracy skills applicable to food security and nutrition problems.
• Work individually or as part of a group, make informed judgments about the complex problems connected to global food security, and nutrition.

This programme is designed to equip graduates with the skills to go on to careers in government and international Non-Governmental Organisations working in a broad range of areas relating to food security.

There are increasing postgraduate research opportunities available in the food security arena, in the UK, EU and internationally.

There are also some positions in the private sector that will be attractive to graduates such as retail, food supply management, or even commodity trading.

The degree programme is structured to allow sequential progression from individual courses to Certificate, Diploma and MSc phases. Students may also exit the programme on completion of each phase.

The programme is designed to be taken part-time over three years at 20 hours per week, with the option to complete in up to six years if required.

The completion times are as follows:

• PgCert: 1-2 years
• PgDip: 2-4 years
• MSc: 3-6 years

The programme is composed of:

• 90 credits of compulsory courses
• 30 credits of elective courses (chosen from a range of options such as food policy, food safety, global health, conservation, and development)
• 60-credit Master’s dissertation

It is designed to be taken part-time over three years (20 hours per week), with an option to complete the course in up to six years if required.

20 credit courses (elsewhere often called ‘modules’) are delivered in 2 blocks of 5 weeks of study plus 1 week of independent study and reflection time in between.

10 credit courses are delivered over 5 weeks. The majority of the lecture material is pre-recorded so that it can be watched at any time.

Each 10 credits represents 100 hours of study time and a time commitment of 20 hours per week.

Year 1

• Nutrition for Food Security
• Frameworks to Assess Food Security
• Sustainable Food Production

Year 2

• Interrelationships in Food Systems
• Food Policy
• Innovation in Sustainable Food Systems
• Research Methods and Data Analysis*
• Elective courses - a selection

*The Research Methods & Data Analysis course is core for progressing to MSc

A selection of elective courses are available which allow students to follow their interests. Electives can also be taken from within other programmes by arrangement.

Years 3 - 6

Students must complete the Dissertation Element in a single academic year by the end of Year 6 of study.

Postgraduate Professional Development

Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD) is aimed at working professionals who want to advance their knowledge through a postgraduate-level course(s), without the time or financial commitment of a full Master's, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate.

You may take a maximum of 50 credits worth of courses over two years through our PPD scheme. These lead to a University of Edinburgh postgraduate award of academic credit.

Alternatively, after one year of taking courses, you can choose to transfer your credits and continue to study towards a higher award on a Master's, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme.

Although PPD courses have various start dates throughout the year you may only start a Master's, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme in September.

Any time spent studying PPD will be deducted from the amount of time you will have left to complete a Master's, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme.

Course availability

Although all courses are offered, we will not be able to guarantee that all courses will be available to all students, each year. This will be dependent upon number of students and the availability of places on non-programme-owned courses.