Food Marketing and Entrepreneurship BSc | University College Cork | UCC | Ireland | Undergraduate Degree

UCC Undergraduate courses

Food Marketing & Entrepreneurship

Course Outline
Course Practicalities
Why Choose This Course
Requirements
Fees and Costs
How To Apply

Course Fact File
Code	CK213
Duration	4 years
Teaching Mode	Full-time
Qualifications	BSc (Hons)
NFQ Level	Level 8
Fees	Student Contribution + Capitation: €3,138 See Fees and Costs for full details.
CAO Points	2023: 452
CAO Points Range	2023: 452 - 589

Course Outline

BSc (Hons) Food Marketing & Entrepreneurship offers a unique combination of business and science, providing graduates with the skills to work in an exciting, fast-paced industry. During Years 1-3 you will study various modules across a range of disciplines including Food Business, Marketing, Food Policy, Management, Economics, Microbiology, Accounting, Law, and Nutrition.

This will provide you with a well-rounded education which will prepare you for a career in the dynamic food industry and other sectors, by nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship skills, by building knowledge of the food and nutrition sciences, by developing skills to assess business viability, and by promoting an understanding of consumer market trends and marketing strategies.

Year 3 will also offer opportunity to avail of a 6-month placement, to further develop practical skills. As an alternative to placement, you will also have the opportunity to apply to partake in the Erasmus programme, spending 6 months in either France (Rennes 1), Germany (Konstanz), Italy (Bologna) or the Netherlands (Utrecht) conducting your research project.

In final year, in addition to studying core modules across business disciplines, you will also have the opportunity to choose modules which most align with your interests and anticipated career path. All business and food science subjects will be taught at an introductory level at first, so do not be concerned if you have not taken science or business subjects at the Leaving Certificate. Graduates will learn skills in strategic decision-making, innovation, enterprise and knowledge management, delivered through an integrated range of subjects that support successful personal and entrepreneurial business development.

The course is designed to consider the challenges faced by businesses and expose students to the concepts, theories and experience of practice that explain how the business world operates. Practical applications in the form of group and individual projects, along with placement and study abroad opportunities will be an integral part of your learning experience. The programme is built on UCC’s international reputation in food education and research and taught by lecturers who are internationally recognised in their fields of expertise.

Modules

Year 1 Modules (all 5 credits):

FE1017 Introduction to Food Marketing; FE1016 Introduction to Food Business; FE1030 Introduction to International Food Policy; FE2200 Introduction to Food Supply Chain Management; EC1500 Ethics and Economic Decision Making for Food Business; EC1503 Economic Analysis for Food Business; FS1011 Introduction to Food Science and Technology; MB1901 Introduction to Food and Industrial Microbiology; AC1116 Financial Accounting; LW1108 Introduction to the Legal System; LW1109 Introduction to Business Law; MA1100 Introductory Mathematics for Business.

Year 2 Modules:

Digital Food Marketing and Branding; Placement Preparation plan; Quantitative Research for Food; Food Sustainability; Introduction to Management Accounting; Introduction to Information Systems; Information Systems for the Networked Enterprise; Principles of Food Science and Technology; Topics in Food Quality and Legislation; Fundamentals of Nutrition Part 1; Introduction to Business Statistics; Methods of Business Statistics.

Year 3 Modules:

Market-oriented New Food Product Innovation; Food Market Research Methods; Food Enterprise Management; Understanding Supply Chain Management; Science and Technology of Food Systems B; Fundamentals of Food Packaging; Food and Industrial Microbiology I; Enterprise and Innovation; Fundamentals of Nutrition Part 2; Sensory Evaluation for Food and Nutritional Sciences;

Electives

Transferrable skills - Food Business and Development research project; Work Placement

Year 4 Modules:

Core

Food Marketing and Entrepreneurship (FYP); Consumer Behaviour in Food Markets ; International Food Retail Marketing; Global Food Supply Chain Management; Global Food Policy; Strategic Marketing; Strategic Management;Accounting in Business Public Health Nutrition (5 credits)

Electives

Advanced Food Packaging; Cereals and Related Beverages B; Financial Reporting 1; Financial Reporting 2; Food Security and the Developing World; Co-operatives, Food and Rural Sustainability; International Marketing Management.

Having successfully completed this course you should be able to:

comprehend and resolve a variety of marketing and business challenges within a fast-paced business environment
communicate effectively to business and food science communities
recognise the importance of good science in business success
contribute, either in a leadership or supporting role, to the effective functioning of a team

Academic Programme Catalogue

See the Academic Programme Catalogue for the complete and up-to-date content for this course. Note that the modules for all courses are subject to change from year-to-year. For complete descriptions of individual modules, see the Book of Modules.

Course Practicalities

Expected lecture hours: In a typical week most students will have 12 hours of lectures.

Expected reading hours: Self-directed learning is an important aspect of University education and the student will need to supplement in-class learning with the study of relevant reading materials. Study time is also used to work in teams to prepare project reports and essays. As a general rule of thumb for every hour in class, the student should complete three hours of self-directed learning.

Expected lab/practical hours: In a typical week most students will have 3-6 hours of seminars, tutorials and practical classes.

Why Choose This Course

Placement Testimonials

Through relevant modules the course sufficiently prepared me to take on various roles during my placement with Hyde Whiskey

Reinier Offereins, Hyde Irish Whiskey, Sales representative
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Through relevant modules the course sufficiently prepared me to take on various roles during my placement with Hyde Whiskey. Beginning as a sales representative, I was involved in successfully acquiring listings across more than 50 stores that did not previously stock the brand, sourcing a new sales distributor, and attending various whiskey events both nationally and internationally to promote Hyde products. I then progressed to a sales management role where I was involved in managing sections of the daily running of the business, dealing with international clients, and assessing potential new markets and distributors.

I developed key negotiation, management and interpersonal skills vital for a role in sales

Peter Cunningham, Clonakilty Blackpudding, European Sales Developer
Find Out More

Working closely alongside marketing, production and logistics departments, I created and executed viable sales opportunities all across the continent, and also secured a relationship with a major meat supplier/wholesaler in The United Arab Emirates, further broadening the reach of the company in new markets. Throughout my time at Clonakilty Blackpudding I developed key negotiation, management and interpersonal skills vital for a role in sales, and had invaluable insight into the business operations of a large food producer, providing me with the confidence and motivation to pursue a career in the food industry.

Applying course learning in a real-life context provided a whole new level of understanding.

Matt Coffey, Richmond Marketing, Sales Developer
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I had the opportunity to work with some of the biggest brands in the world and also to develop smaller brands with great potential. The primary responsibilities of my role were building relationships with store management, marketing the key brands that Richmond represent, placing and processing orders and supporting stores with merchandising and display once the stock arrived to store. I was responsible for brand visualisation on the shop floor, and for negotiating with store management to secure shelf space for Richmond brands. Applying course learning in a real-life context provided a whole new level of understanding.

Completing my placement in a different country with colleagues from all across the world was a great networking experience

Marykate Moran, Vita Coco New York City, Operations Intern
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While working for Vita Coco in New York, I was responsible for supply chain data administration as well as process support across customer operations, supply planning, logistics, and warehousing. This involved tasks such as product pricing management, flagging important shipping containers, file management, and data visualization to assist decision making. Completing my placement in a different country with colleagues from all across the world was a great networking experience, and has had great benefits for my personal growth and for both my interpersonal and team skills.

Several modules were very applicable to my role with Lidl including Global Food Supply Chain and International Retail Marketing

Eimear Hurley, Lidl Dublin, Logistics Intern
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Working as a Logistics Intern I was a part of a management team that oversaw over 120 operatives. Daily duties included managing rotas, pick-plans, and absence, providing me with a hands-on insight into the behind-the-scenes workings of a successful food business. Several modules were very applicable to my role with Lidl including Global Food Supply Chain and International Retail Marketing. Following placement, I am returning to campus to complete my final year studies with a renewed enthusiasm for a future career in the food industry.

I had the opportunity to work on projects across the organisation with the HR, Marketing and Communications teams

Alison O’Mahony, Dairygold, Quality Intern
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My work with the Quality team involved technical work reviewing quality control manuals and ensuring they were up to date with current legislation. This was very interesting and I gained a greater understanding of how the cooperative works to produce high-quality feed for its members (the farmers). I also had opportunity to work on projects across the organisation with the HR, Marketing and Communications teams. The flexibility of my role gave me a great insight into what goes on behind the scenes in different departments and as I engaged with different people and teams at different levels within the organisation, I became more confident and adapted to changing dynamics quickly.

Read about our BSc student placement experiences here...

BSc Food Marketing & Entrepreneurship
Find Out More

**Anna McCarthy (FME 3, 2019)**

"I am completing my six-month placement in Valeo Foods, in Dublin. Valeo own several different Irish brands, such as Jacobs, Kelkin, Batchelors, Chef, Odlums and many more. I am working with the communications team, promoting new products and our existing brands across all forms of social media and in-store. I’m also spending time at the Virgin media studios, shooting videos and photography for our websites. It’s so interesting to see how much work goes on behind the scenes. It’s great to bring ideas and skills to the table from my modules in college such as food marketing, enterprise & innovation and food enterprise management!"

**Liam O’Connell (FME 3, 2017)**

*"Currently, I am spending a lot of time working with food developers & technologists improving current products and developing new food products for SuperValu & Centra stores across the country.*

To date, my placement has handed me experience in developing new food products, contacting and negotiating with suppliers and looking at products’ ingredients to see how they can be altered and improved."

**Oisin Conway (FME 3, 2019)**

“I’m working on four Brands in Musgrave’s “Future Brands” Department that are currently being launched across SuperValu and Centra stores. These include Caramico pizza, Green Kitchen salads, Moo’d Ice-cream and another exciting new brand yet to launch. My work involves supporting the Brand Support Managers, visiting retailers and doing mystery shops, while supporting the NPD team to create new products. This is a fascinating placement as I watch new brands launch and grow and learn about challenges associated with starting a new business.”

**Clíodhna O’Regan (FME3, 2019)**

"I’m on placement with Allfresh Wholesale Ltd, developing a new business initiative. I’ve been responsible for the creation of a new logo, brochures, a website and lots of social media posts! I am spending a lot of time presenting my new business to offices around Cork city and educating office workers on the benefits of fruit in the workplace. This project has really given me a taste of the entrepreneurial side of the course and it has handed me a vast amount of experience in the real world. Several modules have helped me tackle the obstacles I’ve come across such as market innovation, food enterprise management and food market research methods."

**Robyn Jones, FME 3, 2019**

I am completing my 6-month placement with Musgrave in fresh produce. I’ve been working on a number of exciting projects including rebranding the packaging on salads and helping to develop the new Supervalu range of dressings from tasting through to the creation of new packaging concepts.

*It was great to use what I learnt in my sensory, packaging and NPD modules but you can’t beat seeing your products on SuperValu shelves for the first time.*

**Marion Cantillon, FME 3, 2019**

Presently I am completing my Food Marketing and Entrepreneurship placement in Dunnes Stores Head Office, Dublin. My position for the last 4 months is as a buying administrator in the Seafood and Red Meat Department. Throughout my time here I have gained a deep understanding and experience in food buying and wastage management. I have been involved in regular supplier visits around the country and supplier meetings about range development & upgrading current products.

From attending these meetings I feel I have gained an understanding of the skills required to be a buyer and to negotiate efficiently with suppliers. During my time here I also had the opportunity to work closely with the New Product Development Team to trial and view new products. The experience and knowledge I have gained here will be invaluable for my final-year project next year.

**Lillian Coleman, FME 3, 2019**

I am completing my FME work placement in Dunne’s Stores Head Office, Dublin. My role for the 6 months is as a buying administrator & quality technical assistant in the Fresh Produce Department. During my time here I have gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in food buying through constant exposure to daily negotiations between buyers and suppliers, regular supplier visits around the country and working with New Product Development to create and trial exciting new seasonal products. I have gained a thorough understanding of the inner workings of food retail, knowledge that will be invaluable in my final year.

**Elizabeth Mohan & Caoimhe O'Callaghan, FME 3, 2019**

We are completing our placement in Aldi Corporate Buying. We have been given the opportunity to work on various projects such as supplier performance, case mix optimisation, packaging reduction and communications. Knowledge is confidence and the knowledge gained throughout this programme has allowed us to confidently undertake the wide variety of projects assigned to us.

In Food Marketing and Entrepreneurship, we are encouraged to express our thoughts, explore ideas and innovate. This creates open and dynamic relations with both lecturers and fellow students. We are surrounded by likeminded people who are diligent, adventurous and hard working. This creative environment is essential as our industry is constantly changing, which is both challenging yet extremely rewarding.

**Karen McCarthy, FME 3, 2019**

As part of my day-to-day work while on placement in Dunnes Store's buying office, I am involved in the analysis of sales, attending supplier meetings, and providing support to the buying team. So far, I’ve experienced product development, packaging design, factory visits and market analysis ensuring that we stay competitive and bring innovation to the market. In the programme, we’ve covered so many relevant modules including NPD, marketing, sensory analysis, packaging and accounting.

If you are interested in developing your passion for both business and food, this is the course for you. It will enable you to pursue your interests and ambitions in the most important home-grown sector in the Irish economy.

As a student in this course, we aim to develop your creative, analytical, communication and professional skills. You will learn how to gather market intelligence, interpret data from multiple sources, identify market opportunities and communicate with target markets via social media. This will support you in developing a skill set that fosters leadership and innovation.

You will get opportunities to test your technical knowledge (in both business and science) through projects and work placement. Skills such as working with and for others, responding to briefs, working to deadlines, using initiative, communicating and presenting in a professional manner will also be developed. These transferable skills will form an important part of your armoury when seeking employment and advancing your career in both the food and non-food sectors.

The programme offers a unique combination of business and the food and nutritional sciences. Our graduates are ideally positioned to take advances in food and nutritional sciences and translate them into real business opportunities by responding to market trends through the process of innovation. Furthermore, the programme is built on UCC’s international reputation in food education and research and includes many lecturers who are internationally recognised in their field of expertise.

Throughout the duration of the course, you will have various opportunities to engage directly with industry and work on projects that will provide you with real life experience and useful employability skills.

BSc Food Marketing and Entrepreneurship programme's recent partnership with the SuperValu Food Academy

Current students on the BSc Food Marketing and Entrepreneurship were delighted to participate in a recent partnership with the SuperValu Food Academy Food Producers programme.

The Food Academy is a longstanding Musgrave initiative that helps develop and support emerging food & drink brands by giving producers their first step into the retail sector. The SuperValu Food Academy promotes producers and their products in Supervalu stores across the country in a manner that is creative, local, committed to quality, and sustainable.

Throughout February and March, 1st and 2nd-year FME students, mentored by 3rd and 4th years, gained invaluable experience from working closely with Food Academy producers, providing expertise and creative input in the areas of social media, marketing, consumer & product market research and packaging redesign. Significant business benefits were realised by SuperValu Food Academy producers, with increased brand awareness and social media engagement, new packaging developments and better consumer insights allowing for more informed decision making.

Students learned what it means to be a food entrepreneur and experienced the passion, creativity, challenges and joys that entrepreneurship entails. In addition, the initiative provided students with the opportunity to develop their communication, interpersonal, creativity, and networking skills while applying in-class learning to real-life businesses. Our Food Business and Development Department and the BSc Food Marketing and Entrepreneurship degree is looking forward to a continued relationship with the Musgrave group and the Academy.

Placement or Study Abroad Information

An integral part of this programme is a six-month industrial placement during Year 3. The placement offers an excellent opportunity to draw on your knowledge and skills in performing tasks in specific work contexts. This will enhance your work capabilities and offers you a chance to reflect on and better understand these.

Placement opportunities are both national and international, and past placements have included:

Aldi (Buying Office)
Nestle
Cully & Sully
Dairygold
Dunnes Stores (Buying Office)
Glenilen
Glanbia (Supply Chain)
Kepak Group
Musgrave Group (Own Brand, Buying, Marketing)
Rich Dairies (USA)
Silver Pail

Alternatively, as part of the Erasmus programme, students can apply to spend the six-months studying abroad in either a German, Dutch, Italian or French university. As well as providing an engaging learning and social experience, studying abroad will provide insight into other markets and cultures, further boosting employability, particularly in organisations which rely heavily on export markets.

Skills and Careers Information

The skills acquired will ensure that our graduates can position themselves to find employment in the thriving indigenous food sector and exploit career opportunities within fast-moving consumer goods markets both here and abroad.

International growth will underpin demand for graduates in areas such as consumer research, product marketing, key account management, and supply-chain management not only in Ireland but worldwide. And with suitable experience, there is always the prospect of setting up your own business!

The most recent Graduate Employability Survey (UCC 2020 Graduate Outcome Survey) points to 96% of graduates being in full-time employment or pursuing further study within six months of completing this degree. Many of our graduates commence their careers on graduate programmes with companies such as Kerry, Musgrave, Aldi, Kepak, Bord Bia, and IBEC amongst others. Career prospects cover a wide range of functional areas including Brand Management (e.g. Kerry); Social Media Marketing (e.g. Tesco); Buying (e.g. Musgrave, Aldi, Dunnes); Key Account Management (e.g. General Mills); New Product Development (e.g. Musgrave, Kepak); Category Management (e.g. Danone); Digital Strategy (e.g. Google, Lidl); State Agencies (e.g. Bord Bia); and Supply Chain (e.g. Sodexo).

A variety of masters programmes in related disciplines are available to graduates of the programme.

Requirements

Leaving Certificate entry requirements:

At Least six subjects must be presented. Minimum grade H5 in two subjects and minimum grade O6/H7 in four other subjects. English and Irish are requirements for all programmes unless the applicant is exempt from Irish. Applicants will need to meet the following minimum entry requirements:

English	Irish	Other Language	Maths
O6/H7	O6/H7	O6/H7	O6/H7

*From 2021 entry, students must achieve a minimum O6/H7 in another language.

Mature students: Applicants should apply directly through the CAO, include a statement of interest and may be called for interview. Applicants are assessed on education, life and/or relevant experience as demonstrated in the CAO application and statement of interest. Approximately four places are available for mature students.

Find out about the mature entry requirements here.

Other qualifications: EU/EFTA/UK students presenting an alternative school-leaving qualification (e.g. A-levels or International Baccalaureate) or QQI/FE course should visit our EU/EFTA/UK Applicants pages for further information.

Non-EU Applicants

Non-EU applicants are expected to have educational qualifications of a standard equivalent to the Irish Leaving Certificate. In addition, where such applicants are non-native speakers of the English language they must satisfy the university of their competency in the English language.

To verify if you meet the minimum academic and language requirements visit our qualification comparison page and refer to our International Office page for more information.

Fees and Costs

Whether you are an EU or Non-EU student will affect the course fees applicable to you. See more information on EU Fees, Non-EU Fees, or Free Fees Status.
The State will pay the tuition fees for EU students who are eligible under the Free Fees Scheme. The annual student contribution and capitation fees are payable by the student.
See the Fee Schedule to find out the course fee.
Check out scholarships that may be available to you.
Explore our Nurturing Bright Futures free online course (Module 5) to learn about managing your money as a student and budgeting for university life.

How To Apply

Irish and European (EU/EFTA/UK) Applicants

Apply via the CAO. See the CAO Handbook for useful information on applying through the CAO.

Mature Applicants

Apply via the CAO by 1 February. To apply for a place as a mature student, you must be 23 years of age on or before 1 January of the year of entry.

QQI/FET Applicants

Apply via the CAO. See our QQI/FET Applicants page for information on the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) Further Education and Training (FET) application process.

Non-EU Applicants

If you are from outside the EU/EFTA/UK, apply online via the UCC Apply portal. See our International Office page for more information.

For queries regarding course content or timetables please contact

FME@ucc.ie

Admissions Office Iontrálacha

Food Marketing & Entrepreneurship

Course Outline

Modules

Academic Programme Catalogue

Course Practicalities

Why Choose This Course

Placement Testimonials

Reinier Offereins, Hyde Irish Whiskey, Sales representative

Peter Cunningham, Clonakilty Blackpudding, European Sales Developer

Matt Coffey, Richmond Marketing, Sales Developer

Marykate Moran, Vita Coco New York City, Operations Intern

Eimear Hurley, Lidl Dublin, Logistics Intern

Alison O’Mahony, Dairygold, Quality Intern

BSc Food Marketing & Entrepreneurship

Placement or Study Abroad Information

Skills and Careers Information

Requirements

Non-EU Applicants

Fees and Costs

How To Apply

Irish and European (EU/EFTA/UK) Applicants

Mature Applicants

QQI/FET Applicants

Non-EU Applicants

Contact Details For This Course

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