Food Security (Taught)

In this century, food security and the need to develop sustainable agriculture will become dominant issues affecting the whole world. The global population is projected to increase dramatically from 7 to 9 billion in the next 30 years, causing an unprecedented demand for food and increased pressure on land. The aim of this Food Security Degree is to provide you with knowledge and skills relating to the broad topic of food security, incorporating socio-economic, animal and crop aspects.

WHY THIS PROGRAMME

Royal Society of Biology logoAccredited by the Royal Society of Biology for the purpose of meeting, in part, the academic and experience requirement for the Membership and Chartered Biologist (CBiol).

Taught through collaboration between academics with world class expertise in diverse aspects of food security.Food security

Discusses the demographic, social and economic issues, the challenges of achieving sustainable agriculture and presents the factors affecting food production from crops and animal sources.

Experience guest lectures on a range of topics and site visits.

Acquire knowledge of technology transfer and commercialisation.

Gain practical laboratory skills in molecular biology and in genetic modification.

Undertake a project that will develop your investigative skills

Learn the ability to critically appraise and integrate information from different sources.

Main Campus Location

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
We welcome students from diverse educational backgrounds and we anticipate that many will be unfamiliar with all the topics in this programme. We have therefore designed the programme so that it provides you with both a broad understanding of the major issues in food security and the opportunity to selectively focus on aspects of particular interest.
The programme is made up of courses totalling 180 credits. The programme starts with three compulsory courses (totalling 60 credits) that introduce fundamental issues in food security. You then choose from a range of optional courses (usually 10-credit) that expand on key topics, including production of food from animal sources and crop improvement. Some courses provide practical skills and there is an opportunity to learn about commercial issues relating to food production. Finally, you will undertake a 60-credit investigative project, which will allow you to focus on a selected topic.

The programme comprises the following courses:

Compulsory Courses (totalling 60 credits)
INTRODUCTION TO FOOD SECURITY
FOOD SECURITY FUNDAMENTALS - CROPS
FOOD SECURITY FUNDAMENTALS - FOOD OF ANIMAL ORIGIN

Optional Courses (totalling 60 credits)
ROLE OF INSECTS IN FOOD SECURITY
MOLECULAR LABORATORY SKILLS
GLOBAL ANIMAL PRODUCTION
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND COMMERCIALISATION OF BIOSCIENCE RESEARCH
CROP BIOTECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS
PLANT GENETIC ENGINEERING
FOOD SECURITY FUNDAMENTALS - CROPS
ANIMAL ETHICS
POLICIES FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT (FOOD SECURITY)
PRODUCTION OF FOOD FROM ANIMALS

*Most of the optional courses are 10 credit courses. The optional courses do tend to change most years depending on availability, the above were options for 2019/2020 and may alter from the finalised options offered in 2020-2021.

Food Security Project (60 credits)

Teaching Methods

Most courses are taught through lectures and tutorials, in which there will be discussion of key concepts, and training in the critical appraisal of published information. In addition, some courses include guest lectures and site visits. The course on Technology Transfer and Commercialisation of Bioscience Research will include workshop sessions. Two courses provide training in laboratory skills: Molecular Lab Skills and Plant Genetic Engineering. The project will involve an independent investigation of a selected topic in food security under supervision from an expert in the field.