Food Safety, M.Sc. Full-time
Charakter Fresenius Hochschule · Idstein, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
The Food Safety (M.Sc.) program provides in-depth, application-oriented knowledge to help you contribute to the safety of food and feed, with a clear focus on leadership roles in the food industry.
You develop the ability to analyze technical, scientific, and legal questions in a holistic way, and you can complete your Master’s thesis flexibly in different settings, including institutions and companies.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Build subject knowledge for food safety with modules covering current aspects of food safety.
- Focus on topics such as food-related toxicology and relevant product safety topics.
- Develop analytical approaches for food safety-related chemical substances.
- Start legal foundations for food and related consumer protection topics.
- Use more than 10 elective modules to tailor the Master to your interests within food safety and related consumer protection areas.
- Deepen specialist focus options such as crisis communication and special food law and product liability topics.
- Complete the Master thesis flexibly at Hochschulen Fresenius in Idstein and/or Geisenheim, at other universities in Germany/internationally, or in companies.
Curriculum
120 ECTS master with compulsory modules, elective pools, and the Master-Thesis including colloquium.
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | ECTS / CP | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Studienjahr (1. + 2. Semester) | Compulsory modules and elective compulsory modules (1st study year) | Angewandte Bioanalytik | ||
| Angewandtes Qualitätsmanagement | ||||
| Sensorische Analyse | ||||
| Spezielle Lebensmittelanalytik | ||||
| Spezielles Lebensmittelrecht und Produkthaftungsrecht | ||||
| Technologie und Chemie ausgewählter neuartiger Lebensmittel | ||||
| Bioprozesstechnik | ||||
| BWL für Naturwissenschaftler | ||||
| Kaffee | ||||
| Krisenkommunikation | ||||
| Mikrobiologie der Getränke | ||||
| Persönlichkeitsentwicklung und Zeitmanagement | ||||
| Systemische Unternehmenskommunikation und Konfliktmanagement | ||||
| Tee, Kräuter- und Früchtetee | ||||
| Verpackung von Lebensmitteln | ||||
| Wertstoffgewinnung aus Früchten und Gemüsen | ||||
| 2. Studienjahr (3. + 4. Semester) | Compulsory modules, elective pools, and Master-Thesis (2nd study year) | Aktuelle Aspekte der Lebensmittelsicherheit | ||
| Bedarfsgegenstände und Kosmetika | ||||
| Lebensmitteltoxikologie | ||||
| Master-Thesis inkl. Kolloquium | ||||
| Anlagenplanung und Prozesstechnik | ||||
| Getränkeentwicklung | ||||
| Kakao und Schokolade | ||||
| Lebensmitteltechnologie und Verfahrenstechnik von Fruchtprodukten | ||||
| Prozessoptimierung | ||||
| Die Biene | ||||
| Exkursion | ||||
| Total | 1st study year (compulsory modules + elective compulsory modules) and 2nd study year (compulsory modules + elective modules + Master-Thesis incl. colloquium) | 120 CP | ||
Career outcomes
- You gain job-ready food safety expertise that prepares you for quality, safety, and compliance roles across food and related industries in Germany.
- You develop the ability to analyze complex food-safety issues holistically, which directly supports decision-making in regulated environments.
- You build leadership capabilities alongside technical knowledge, helping you move toward management and responsibility roles in food safety and consumer protection.
- You strengthen practical, industry-relevant skills through the program’s high practical focus and your choice of multiple elective modules.
- You expand your professional direction with special focus areas such as crisis communication and product liability-oriented food law topics.
Employability rate
Food safety and related food technology graduates in Germany typically see an employability rate of around 86% and an unemployment rate of about 14%, reflecting stable demand for qualified compliance, quality, and safety specialists.
Together, these figures point to a dependable career outlook where employers continuously need graduates who can combine food-safety expertise with practical, leadership-ready skills.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree (foreign qualification) and subject fit | International applicants must have a relevant qualifying bachelor’s degree in Food Safety, Food Chemistry, Food Technology, or an equivalent program with at least 180 CP. If your bachelor’s degree is not sufficiently comparable, an additional entrance examination might be required in individual cases. |
| Equivalent fields and possible additional entrance exam | Equivalent degree backgrounds can include areas such as Food Chain Management, Food Economics, Beverage Technology, Nutritional Science, or Veterinary Medicine, if they are deemed comparable. Depending on the applicant’s specific bachelor’s degree, the university may require an additional entrance examination in individual cases. |
Module matching by study area
| Study area | Match possible? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Food Safety | Direct match | A bachelor’s degree in Food Safety, Food Chemistry, Food Technology, or an equivalent program with at least 180 CP is the standard entry requirement for this Master. |
Language requirements
This M.Sc. program is taught in German. International applicants with foreign certificates must provide proof of German language skills at C1 level (CEFR) when applying.
Other accepted proofs
Exam / assessment
| Component | Required? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Additional entrance examination (if required for your bachelor’s degree) | conditional | If the subject comparability of your bachelor’s degree is not sufficient, the university may require an additional entrance examination in individual cases for Food Safety (M.Sc.). |
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | EUR 0 / per year | The program page states a completely free option and shows semester contribution as 0,- EUR monthly. |
| Semester fee | EUR 0 / per semester | Semester contribution shown on the program page as 0,- EUR (monthly). |
Proof of financial resources
International applicants applying from abroad should be prepared to demonstrate sufficient funds for living costs and travel, in line with Germany’s student visa/residence permit requirements. You should also budget for health insurance and other personal expenses while your application is being processed.
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | August - Winter intake | February - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application portal opens | June 01, 2026 | January 01, 2026 |
| Application deadline (final submit) | August 01, 2026 | February 15, 2027 |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | N/A | N/A |
| Semester begins | October 01, 2026 | April 01, 2027 |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | August - Winter intake | February - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| VPD request - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| VPD result expected | N/A | N/A |
| APS - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| Start eligibility check | N/A | N/A |
Document submission deadlines
| Milestone | August - Winter intake | February - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Language certificate deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Official transcripts deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Certified translations deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Postal / hard-copy documents deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Missing documents (if requested) | N/A | N/A |
📝 How to Apply
Apply through the required application route for international applicants
International applicants educated abroad generally apply via the university application process described for international students. The university explains that the application process differs depending on how your higher education entrance qualification was obtained, and it provides the appropriate route for applicants with foreign qualifications.
Prepare your German language proof and your bachelor’s documents
When you apply, you must include proof of German language skills at C1 level (CEFR). You also need your bachelor’s degree documents and transcripts so the university can assess whether your qualification is sufficiently comparable for Food Safety (M.Sc.).
Submit your application before the program deadlines
Submit your application for the relevant intake season before the program-specific deadline. If the university identifies gaps in comparability, applicants may be asked to complete an additional entrance examination in individual cases.
Follow instructions after formal assessment
After the formal evaluation of your certificates, the program-specific academic admission requirements are reviewed. If you receive an admission decision, you will proceed to the next steps for enrollment according to the instructions from the admissions office.