Food Programmes at the University of Pretoria

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The Department of Consumer and Food Sciences at the University of Pretoria provides relevant, world-class education and training for future leaders in Consumer Sciences, Food Sciences and Nutrition.

The standards of our programmes are benchmarked internationally and prepare students for economically satisfying careers. We offer five unique food specialisation programmes: BConSci (Food Retail Management), BConSci (Hospitality Management), BSc (Culinary Science), BSc (Food Science), and BSc (Nutrition).

BConSci (Food Retail Management) – 4 years

Admission requirements: APS 28, Mathematics

Food Retail Management covers the entire food supply chain in one programme – from farm to fork. The food retail programme focuses on incorporating not only the fundamentals of food preparation, food service management, nutrition, food safety and hygiene but also recipe development and standardisation, consumer aspects of foods and sustainable food retail logistics. An emphasis is placed on future retail trends such as omnichannel retailing, blockchain and the creation of immersive customer experiences. The programme is also well equipped with various marketing and business modules.

Food Retail graduates pursue managerial positions as brand or sales managers, store managers, food and beverage buyers and planners, food stylists, food product marketers, food product category managers, visual merchandisers and entrepreneurs.

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BConSci (Hospitality Management) – 4 years

Admission requirements: APS 28, Mathematics

Hospitality Management seeks to prepare students for employment with leading food companies, master chefs working in top kitchens and other experts in the food and hospitality industry. Graduates will not only learn to create exceptional dishes, but will also be involved in culinary art, food product development, recipe development, food styling, large-scale food production, restaurant management and events management. Various marketing and business modules are also included in the programme. In South Africa, this programme is one of only a few hospitality degrees that is still being offered in a traditional university setting.

Hospitality Management graduates pursue managerial positions: accommodation managers, catering managers, conference centre managers, events managers, hotel managers, fast-food managers, game and lodge managers and restaurant managers (both back- and front-of-house).

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BSc (Culinary Science) – 4 years

Admission requirements: APS 32, Mathematics, Physical Science

Culinary Science is a broad-based discipline that combines food chemistry, microbiology, culinary art and food product development, and lends itself to innovation and entrepreneurship. The practical training includes the characterisation of various food ingredients and their utilisation in recipe development. The research component focuses on understanding the functional properties of various food and their application in the food service industry. It is the only degree of its kind in South Africa. This degree is for those who are not only interested in creating food that tastes and looks great but also wants to understand why food tastes and looks the way it does.

Career opportunities for graduates in Culinary Science exist in food service and retail environments where they are employed as culinary scientists, culinologists, sensory analysts, food researchers, food product developers, food service managers, safety and quality assurers, food production managers, entrepreneurs and food legislation experts.

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BSc (Food Science) – 3 years

Admission requirements: APS 32, Mathematics, Physical Science

This programme focuses on the chemical composition, structure and nutritional value of food. The interaction of food components during processing, preservation and storage is studied by making use of chemistry, physics, biological and mathematical principles. Candidates study a product that is used daily by all people and therefore preparing themselves to play a role in feeding the nation. A graduate with a BSc (Food Science) degree is eligible for registration as a natural scientist with the South African Council of Natural Scientific Professions.

Typical positions for food scientists are food and nutrition analysts, food risk investigators, quality and safety assurance managers, food chemists, food microbiologists and biotechnologists, packaging and shelf-life specialists, safety auditors, structure designing of food, and sensory scientists or food bio-scientists (for example brewers or flavourists).

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BSc (Nutrition) – 4 years

Admission requirements: APS 32, Mathematics, Physical Science

This is an interfaculty programme presented jointly by the Departments of Consumer and Food Sciences (Natural and Agricultural Sciences) and Human Nutrition (Health Sciences). This unique programme involves the study of concepts from various disciplines including food chemistry and food composition, biochemistry, physiology and human nutrition. BSc (Nutrition) graduates will become nutritional scientists eligible for registration as natural scientists with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions and the Nutrition Society of South Africa.

Nutritional scientists can contribute in alleviating malnutrition in collaboration with food scientists, consumer scientists and health professionals. Their involvement in research, food product development, food fortification, feeding programmes or implementation of nutrition labelling legislation can contribute to the development, promotion and distribution of nutritious foods. Career opportunities exist in food or related industries (such as pharmaceutical and food manufacturing companies), research institutes, NGO’s or government departments.

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