Food Business Management and Marketing BSc Honours

Through this programme, you will gain a thorough academic grounding in the social, economic, ethical, scientific and technological principles underlying the production of and access to consumer goods and services within the agri-food sector.

This degree has a primary focus on the production and consumption of food products and on the behaviour of people as consumers. It covers a range of social and natural science and business subjects applied to food businesses.

Key topics covered are:

• marketing and consumer behaviour
• global economics
• investigating agri-food systems from farm to folk
• agri-business management
• food science and technology

If you’re interested in pursuing a managerial career in the food processing, retail and food service sector, this degree is for you. You'll also be well placed for a wide range of careers in the global food supply chain management sector, with a solid understanding of the complexity of the global food chain system.

You will study the principles of management, economics, marketing and finance, as they apply to the management of sustainable food businesses and the global food sector.

Graduates will have the necessary skills to analyse problems and propose and criticise alternative solutions relevant to food businesses and the agri-food sector.

Study abroad

Experience life in another country by choosing to study abroad as part of your degree. You’ll be encouraged to embrace fun and challenging experiences, make connections with new communities and graduate as a globally aware professional, ready for your future.

You can choose to spend up to a year studying at a partner institution overseas. If you choose to study abroad, it will extend your degree by a year.

Work placement

Get career ready with work placement and leave as a confident professional in your field. You can apply to spend 9 to 12 months working in any organisation in the world, and receive University support from our dedicated team to secure your dream placement. Work placements take place between stages 2 and 3.

You'll gain first-hand experience of working in the sector, putting your learning into practice and developing your professional expertise.

If you choose to take a work placement, it will extend your degree by a year. Your degree title will show you have achieved the placement year. Placements are subject to availability.

• Global Top 125 University - QS World University Rankings 2023
• 65% increase in research power since 2014 – Research Excellence Framework 2021
• 42% of our research is classified as 4* world-leading research – Research Excellence Framework 2021
• 1st in the UK and 8th in the world for sustainable development – Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2022
• Global Top 140 University - Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023

Stage 1

Your first year provides a broad introduction to core areas of this sector, including business economics, Agri-Food business management, marketing and consumer behaviour, and nutrition, food science, and the food industry.

Compulsory Modules

• Introduction to Marketing and Consumer Behaviour 20
• Introductory Business Economics 10
• Introduction to Nutrition, Food Science and the Food Industry 20
• Academic and Professional Skills 20
• Agri-Food Supply Chains 20
• Introduction to Agri-Food Business Management 20
• Introductory Macroeconomics 10

Stage 2

During Stage 2, you'll be able to start tailoring your degree towards your specific interests or career goals, with a range of optional modules including, agricultural economics and policy, human resource management, social psychology, operations management and introduction to business law.

Compulsory Modules

• Marketing Digital Strategy 20
• Consumer and Business Economics 20
• Dissertation and Research Preparation 10
• Qualitative Research Methods 10
• New Food Product Development 20
• Optional Modules Credits
• Introduction to Non-Specialist Accounting and Finance 20
• Agricultural Economics and Policy 10
• Current Trends in Agricultural Markets 10
• Agribusiness & Management Simulation 20
• Human Resource Management 20
• Operations Management 20
• Introduction to Business Law 20
• Social Psychology 10

Stage 3

In Stage 3, you'll be required to produce a dissertation or complete a food innovation consultancy project, where you'll work in an interdisciplinary team on a real-world problem.

You'll also complete a number of compulsory modules, as well as choose between options such as interpreting global company accounts, animal product quality and marketing, consumer psychology, and developing enterprise, entrepreneurship and employability.

Modules

You take the following compulsory modules:

• Data and Marketing Analytics (10 credits)
• Food Business Economics (10 credits)
• Marketing and Public Policy (10 credits)
• Communication and Behaviour Change (10 credits)

You take one of the following modules:

• either Agri-food Business Management and Marketing Dissertation (30 credits)
• or Food Innovation Consultancy (30 credits)

You take 50 credits of optional modules normally selected from the following:

• Interpreting Company Accounts (20 credits)
• Globalisation: Patterns, Processes (20 credits)
• Advanced Agri-Business (20 credits)
• Animal Product Quality and Marketing (10 credits)
• Your Future –Occupational Awareness (10 credits)
• Enterprise and Entrepreneurship with Learn Innovation (20 credits)
• Career Development for Final Year Students (20 credits)
• Consumer Psychology (20 credits)
• To cheat or not to cheat: The Evolution of Cooperative Behaviour (10 credits)

With the approval of the Degree Programme Director alternative optional modules to those listed above may be selected.

This course equips you with the broad knowledge that comes with a management and marketing degree, as well as a niche set of skills specific to the food industry.

Graduates from this course are well-equipped for management roles within the food processing, retail, and food service sector, as well as a wide range of careers within the global food supply chain management sector.

The transferable analytic and problem-solving skills you will develop during your studies are sought after by a wide variety of employers around the world, opening up careers in finance, recruitment, management, marketing and communications, and consulting.

Industry links

Throughout your studies, you'll benefit from the University's strong links with key industry names.

Through a variety of industry visits, you'll develop a broad understanding of each part of the food chain and have the opportunity to make connections.

You'll also have the opportunity to complete a work placement, with many students being offered roles within their placement company upon graduation.