Applied Biology (Food Science)
Course Description
The food and drink industry in Ireland is a very important indigenous industry, providing interesting and well paid employment. Consumers require attractive, convenient and safe food products that also offer health promoting benefits and skilled scientists are required to manufacture and develop these products.
Skills and knowledge in areas such as science and technology, food safety and nutrition are the focus of this course. Throughout the course you will gain insights into the manufacture and the nutritional content of current food products, and how to develop new exciting innovative products.
This Industry requires trained skilled personnel and this course will provide you a stepping stone to progress to third level education and/or gain employment. Over the past years the majority of our past graduates have progressed to third level education in Ireland and the UK.
QQI Level 5
Food Science: 5M5267
Laboratory Techniques: 5M3807
This is a full time one year course
Leaving Certificate or equivalent (mathematics desirable). All applicants are interviewed and places are awarded on suitability. Mature students without formal qualifications are most welcome to apply.
The following subjects may be offered:
-
Biology
5N2746
Designed to develop an understanding of biology and an ability to perform practical tasks in biology. -
Microbiology
5N0738
Outlines the fundamentals of microbiology and basic microbiological skills used in a laboratory setting. -
Chemistry
5N2747
Designed to develop an understanding of the industrial and practical applications of chemistry. -
Food Chemistry
5N2748
Designed to develop an understanding of basic and analytical chemistry and the fundamentals of food chemistry. -
Food Processing
5N5245
Describes the processes used in the food industry to produce selected food products and explains the scientific principles underpinning these processes. -
Laboratory Skills
5N2751
Outlines basic laboratory techniques and safety measures important in an analytical laboratory. -
Mathematics
5N1833
Applies a broad range of mathematical skills and tools to a wide variety of contexts, with theoretical understanding. -
Nutrition
5N2006
The study of the nutritional composition of food and the effects of food and nutrition on an individual’s health and personal well being. -
Communications
5N0690
Equips students for presentations, report writing and interviews. -
Work Experience
5N1356
The purpose of this subject is to equip the learner with the relevant knowledge, skill and competence to participate in the workplace for a limited time, carrying out work-related tasks independently while under general direction.
The food and pharmaceutical industries are among Ireland’s largest employers and have a large potential for employment.
Job opportunities for students who complete this course include:
- Laboratory assistants.
- Operators in food and pharmaceutical industries.
- Supervisor/manager in food retail outlets.
- Worker/supervisor in food preparation.
- Small food business operators.
For full details on progression opportunities see these links:
Cork Colleges Progression Scheme
QQI Requirements
Students who study this course are eligible to apply for many courses in the Applied Science areas in Irish Third Level Institutes. As this course is part of the “Links Scheme” for entry into third level colleges, students thus gain entry to these linked courses based on their QQI-FETAC rather than their Leaving Certificate results.
Students who wish to use the links to further studies will need to attain a certain level of achievement in their QQI-FETAC award.
Some examples of these linked courses include:
University College Cork:
- Food Science (CK505)
- Nutritional Science (CK504)
- Food Marketing & Entrepreneurship (CK502)
- Public Health and Health Promotion (CK706)
- Biological and Chemical Sciences (CK402)
- Chemical Sciences (CK406)
- Environmental & Earth System Sciences (CK404)
Institutes of Technology:
- Nutrition and Health Science (CR333)
- Applied Biosciences (CR006)
- Analytical and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (CR007)
- Science Courses (CR300)
- Herbal Science (CR330)
Course participants are also eligible to apply to UK Universities to study Dietetic and other Science courses.
Special Features
This one year course is an excellent foundation in the Science subjects for students wishing to pursue higher level courses /careers in the Science area.
There is a strong emphasis on the development of practical and laboratory skills.
Work experience in the food/ pharmaceutical/health care, or related industries and services is an important feature of this course.
Microscope
Lab work
Applied science
In This Section
prospectus
Fees
Student Services: €250
QQI exam fees: €50*
Materials: €100
Field Trip: €40
Total: €440
Please note that only debit cards/visa/mastercard payments are acceptable for payment. The College cannot accept cash/cheque.
* Note: Students with medical cards are exempt from paying the QQI exam fee.
Course Director
Mary Grufferty
Phone: 021-4961020
Email: mary.grufferty@csn.ie
testimonials
My time in CSN was a tremendous experience. When I applied for Applied Biology- Food Health and Nutrition I did so with the goal of some day working within the food health industry which in the long run worked out to be a success.
I am currently working as an assistant manager for Here's Health, a local Cork based health food store and without the background in nutrition that I received while studying in CSN, I would not have succeeded in getting my position here. The tutors and all staff that I met during my time there were all very friendly and more than helpful
I really enjoyed my time in CSN and would recommend this course to anyone who has an interest in the field of science and nutrition.
David O'Leary
Doing the Food, Health and Nutrition course in CSN facilitated my goal of pursuing a degree in Food Science that the leaving cert did not permit. After graduating from CSN in 2016 I went on to study Food Science in UCC that same year. I had quickly realised within the first few weeks of my degree that I had a strong foundation on many of the modules covered, thanks to the knowledge I had gained at my time in CSN. However, it wasn’t only the first year of study at UCC that what I learned in CSN came to use. Throughout my four years of study in Food Science in UCC each year we would cover a number of topics that I had covered previously in CSN. While the topics are covered in greater detail in UCC, having learned what I did in CSN made understanding and conceptualising the content in UCC far easier than it would have been without it. My studies in Food Science in UCC concluded in the summer of 2020 when I graduated with a second class honours.Currently I am doing a PhD in Dairy Chemistry and technology with UCC and Teagasc, based in Teagasc Moorepark. I’ve been very fortunate through my studies to get to where I am today, and none of it would have been possible without the expertise and guidance I have received throughout my academic career, all of which started with Food Health and Nutrition in CSN.Liam Kelly
When I decided to go back to education my goal was to study Nutritional Sciences in UCC. I knew I would need to obtain a better grounding in science before I would be able to gain entrance to the course and succeed in it, so I enrolled in the Applied Biology, Food Health & Nutrition course in CSN.
My experience in CSN was amazing. The subjects were tough but there was no shortage of help or encouragement from the staff to help me succeed within the course.
There could be no better platform to help people on to third level education and set them up for what is required of them in third level. I am currently in my third year of Nutritional Science in UCC and that was made possible by CSN.
Siobhan Reidy