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Graduate Certificate in Food Science and Technology

Overview

Expand your career prospects in a rapidly advancing industry and be part of the solution to global challenges like food security, nutrition and sustainability.

UQ is a key research provider in food science and technology — our teachers are active researchers who share the latest knowledge in food safety and quality management, food chemistry and microbiology, food processing and new food product development.

The Graduate Certificate in Food Science and Technology is an ideal program for professionals seeking to expand their career prospects into a wide range of government, commercial, community-based or research roles in the broad field of food science and technology.

This 6-month program will enable you to develop theoretical and practical knowledge and skills to meet the many global challenges associated with feeding the world, maintaining our environment, biosecurity concerns, and competition for limited resources. 

You'll have access to the Food Science Innovation Precinct – a world-class teaching, research, training and development unit – and the flexibility to tailor your studies to your interests and career goals, with specialised electives such as business, agriculture and biotechnology.

As a graduate, you'll be able to explain and demonstrate advanced theoretical and technical knowledge in food science and technology. You'll analyse critically, evaluate and transform information within the discipline, generate solutions to complex problems, and be able to communicate with professional and non-professional audiences.

Location
St Lucia
Duration
Half Year (or part time equivalent)
Start Semester
Semester 1 (24 Feb, 2025), Semester 2 (28 Jul, 2025)
Program Code
5566
AQF
Level 8
Location
St Lucia
Fees
A$26880
Duration
Half Year
Start Semester
Semester 1 (24 Feb, 2025), Semester 2 (28 Jul, 2025)
Semester dates for 2026 are yet to be confirmed
Program Code
5566
CRICOS Code
079378B
AQF
Level 8

Program highlights

Program highlights

  • Refine your laboratory skills during practicals and research courses, and access the Food Science Innovation Precinct.
  • Tailor your studies to your interests and career goals with specialised electives.
  • Enhance your professional standing in fields such as quality control, product development, research and innovation.

1 in Australia for food science and technology

Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2023

23 in the world for food science and technology

Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2023

How you'll learn

Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.

  • Lectures
  • Tutorials
  • Laboratory work

What you'll study

At UQ, degrees are called 'programs' and subjects are called 'courses'. Here's a sample of the courses you could study in this program:

  • Food Safety and Quality Management
  • Principles of Food Preservation
  • Food Chemistry and Analysis
  • Principles of Food Microbiology

Career possibilities

Postgraduate study can take you anywhere. Here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:

  • Food technologist
  • Food chemist
  • Food microbiologist
  • Laboratory supervisor
  • Process and product development manager
  • Quality control manager
  • Nutritionist
  • Agribusiness consultant
  • Food security adviser
  • Sustainable food production specialist

Average annual salary range

Food Technologist

$75K-$85K

seek.com.au

Average annual salary range

Quality Assurance Coordinator

$75K-$85K

seek.com.au

Next steps after graduation

The food industry is Australia’s largest manufacturing sector and has unmet demand for highly qualified graduates. Our science-based programs prepare you for a career as a food technologist, chemist, microbiologist, production manager, quality or safety control manager, new food product developer, and more.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

To be eligible for entry, you'll need:

  • a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in any discipline, with first-year, university-level chemistry or biology, or
  • 2 years full-time equivalent, relevant work experience in food science, food technology or food engineering.
You must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 on a 7-point scale in your previous qualification.
  • a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in any discipline, with first-year, university-level chemistry or biology, or
  • 2 years full-time equivalent, relevant work experience in food science, food technology or food engineering.
You must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 on a 7-point scale in your previous qualification.

Related programs

English language requirements

IELTS overall 6.5; reading 6; writing 6; speaking 6; listening 6. For other English Language Proficiency Tests and Scores approved for UQ

TOEFL iBT (including Paper Edition) - Overall 87, listening 19, reading 19, writing 21 and speaking 19.

PTE Academic - Overall Score of 64 and 60 in all sub bands.

BE - A minimum overall grade of 4 plus a minimum grade of C in all macro skills.

CES - Overall 176 and 169 in all sub bands.

OET is not accepted.

 

There are other ways to meet the English language requirements. For some programs, additional conditions apply.

Learn how to meet the English language requirements

Student visas

International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Graduate Certificate in Food Science and Technology are eligible to apply for an Australian student visa (subclass 500).

There are a number of requirements you must satisfy before a visa is granted, including the Genuine Student (GS) requirement.

Learn more about student visas

Fees and Scholarships

Indicative annual fee

Approximate yearly cost of tuition (8 units). Your fees will vary according to your selected courses and study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.

$4,475

2024

Fee information for 2025 is not yet available. Fee information displayed is for 2024.

$4,475

2025

Learn more about postgraduate fees

Approximate yearly cost of tuition (8 units). Your fees will vary according to your study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.

AUD $26,880

2024

Fee information for 2025 is not yet available. Fee information displayed is for 2024.

AUD $26,880

2025

Learn more about postgraduate fees

Government assistance

Financial aid

As an international student, you might be eligible for financial aid – either from your home country, or from the Australian Government.

Learn more about financial aid

HECS-HELP

Domestic places in the Graduate Certificate in Food Science and Technology are Commonwealth Supported. This means the cost of your education is shared between you and the Australian Government.

Instead of tuition fees, Commonwealth Supported students pay what are called student contribution amounts.

HECS-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students with the cost of their student contribution amounts.

Learn more about HECS-HELP

Centrelink support

Scholarships

You may be eligible for more than 100 scholarships, including:

How to apply

Important dates

The closing date for this program is:

  • To commence study in semester 2 - May 31 of the year of commencement.
  • To commence study in semester 1 - November 30 of the previous year.

To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.

Important dates

The closing date for this program is:

  • To commence study in Semester 1 - January 31 of the year of commencement.
  • To commence study in Semester 2 - June 30 of the year of commencement.

To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants

For support with applying – or if you have any questions about university life – get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.

Contact the ATSIS Unit

Explore other programs

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Master of Food Science and Technology

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Master of Biotechnology

St Lucia
Multiple durations availableMultiple durations available
Biotechnology

Graduate Certificate in Biotechnology

St Lucia
Half Year full-timeHalf Year full-time
(or part time equivalent)
Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation

St Lucia
Half Year full-timeHalf Year full-time
(or part time equivalent)

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