Master's Degree Programme
| About the programme Language: English (See language requirements) | Place of study: Aarhus | Commencement: August / September and January / February |
As the media remind us on a daily basis, we are what we eat. The key message here – whether from health gurus or from medical advisors urging overweight people to tackle their problems by eating less and changing their diet – is that there is a link between the composition and quality of the food we eat and our health.
With the MSc in Molecular Nutrition and Food Technology, you can acquire the tools and knowledge required to develop nutritious foods – foods designed to reduce the risk of developing the lifestyle diseases of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, allergy and cancer.
The MSc in Molecular Nutrition and Food Technology is a collaborative effort between four main academic areas at Aarhus University. This broad foundation means that students are taught by experts in their fields and also that the programme is based on a holistic understanding of the importance of food for human health. As a student on the programme, you will gain insight into how new processing methods affect the functional characteristics of foods. The MSc degree provides knowledge of molecular biology and technical skills at the all-important juncture between food technology, nutrition and health.
The MSc in Molecular Nutrition and Food Technology is open to students with a BSc degree in the natural, technical or health sciences with a molecular biology content.
Students choose whether to specialise in molecular biology or food science, and may linked up with relevant research groups in one of the four main academic areas in connection with thesis and project work. Another option is for students to write their thesis at an R & D department in a private company in the food industry.
The MSc in Molecular Nutrition and Food Technology equips graduates for jobs in research and development and for advisory or administrative jobs in the food industry as well as in the public sector. The degree can also be the stepping-stone to a research career: students can apply for admission to the university’s PhD programme either after the first year of the MSc degree or following completion of the thesis.
The field of Food and Agricultural Sciences at Aarhus University belongs to the elite among agricultural science institutions worldwide and carries out cutting edge research. The core areas of research are: Climate and natural resources, environment and bioenergy, organic farming, food quality, farm animal production and plant production.
Sustainability is a fundamental principle. The goal is to seek solutions that contribute to environmentally and economically sustainable development of the agricultural and food industries.
In the 2022 Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities, Aarhus University (AU) is number 19 in the field of Agricultural Sciences, in the 2023 U.S. News Best Global Universities ranking, AU ranks 55 in the same field. In the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023, AU ranks 39 in the field of Agriculture and Forestry.
In this section you can learn more about the admission requirements relevant to the master's degree programme in Molecular Nutrition and Food Technology. Depending on your educational background and your qualifications, there are different ways to meet the admission requirements:
This section is relevant for you, if you have:
The two sections listed below are relevant only for students with a bachelor's degree from a Danish institution:
Below you will also be able to learn more about language requirements and find out whether or not this master's degree programme has a limited intake.
If you have an international educational background, you must meet both the general admission requirement and the specific admission requirements:
You must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent that is comparable to a Danish bachelor's degree in both level and duration (180 ECTS).
For more information about how your bachelor's degree is assessed, please see the national database.
If you meet the general admission requirement, the university will continue on to assess whether or not you meet the specific admission requirements.
You can be admitted to the master's programme if the university assesses that your education has a level, scope, and content that corresponds to the academic requirements specified below.
| Subject area | Number of ECTS |
| Biochemistry | 10 |
Courses within the subjects of chemistry, organic chemistry and analytical chemistry as well as molecular biology | 50 |
| Total | 60 |
We cannot assess in advance whether your specific degree will meet the above requirements. Therefore, we recommend that you apply for the programme if you believe that you meet the academic requirements. In this regard, it is a good idea to compare your degree with the programmes that provide direct admission.
There are no programmes with legal right of admission to the Master’s degree in Molecular Nutrition and Food Technology.
Certain Bachelor's degree programmes from Aarhus University and various other Danish Universities have been determined to meet the admission requirements to this Master's degree programme in Molecular Nutrition and Food Technology:
Bachelor’s degree programme in Molecular Biology from Aarhus University
Bachelor’s degree programme in Molecular Medicine from Aarhus University
Bachelor’s degree programme in Agrobiology with specialization in Food Science from Aarhus University
Bachelor of Engineering programme in Food Technology from Aarhus University
This master's degree programme has a limited intake.
Because of the limited intake all qualified applicants will be prioritised according to a set of selection critieria (see below).
Meeting the admission requirements does not automatically ensure your offer of admission. Only if you have a specific bachelor's degree from Aarhus University with a so-called 'legal right of admission' will you be guarenteed an offer of admission to this master's degree programme.
If there are more qualified applicants than available student places, the selection will be based on the following criteria (each criterion counts for 1/3):
Grades from the qualifying degree
Grades achieved in relevant subject fields:
Molecular biology
Biochemistry
Cell biology
Food chemistry
Organic chemistry
Analytical chemistry
Please note that grades achieved after the application deadline are not included in the grade point average (GPA).
Relevant subject fields (measured in ECTS). In this assessment, ECTS credits that are a part of the admission requirements described under ‘Other qualifying degrees’ are not included.
Molecular biology
Biochemistry
Cell biology
Food chemistry
Organic chemistry
Analytical chemistry
In criterion three, the score is based on the proportion of subjects on the bachelor’s degree diploma that fall within the relevant subject fields. In this assessment, ECTS credits that are a part of the admission requirements described under ‘Other qualifying degrees’ are not included.
In order to be admitted to this programme you must meet the university's english language requirements.
Students with bachelor's degree from Aarhus University with a so-called 'Legal right of admission' are exempt from the English language requirement.
Unfortunately, Aarhus University is not able to assess your qualifications beforehand. In order for your qualifications to be assessed you must apply for admission. To learn more, please go to Assessment of your qualifications.
Molecular Nutrition and Food Technology is a 2-year MSc programme.
Instead of a 60 ECTS master's thesis, the students can choose a 45 ECTS master's thesis and 15 ETCS elective courses.
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Jesper Malling Schmidt, Graduate, MSc in Molecular Nutrition and Food Technology and PhD student at Department of Food Science, Aarhus University
My project is studying protein from potatoes. The protein is a by-product that is left behind when the starch and fibres have been removed. I isolate the protein and it can subsequently be used in all types of food. In sausages, for example, the aim is to replace animal meat and fat with vegetable protein. This would be more environmentally sustainable and cheaper for both companies and consumers. You can do the same when you produce mayonnaise, or possibly even chocolate-coated marshmallows. Here you can use potato protein to partially or completely replace protein from eggs.
Anne Kathrine Larsen, MSc in Molecular Nutrition and Food Technology, working at Aalborg University Hospital
In my graduate program, I was particularly glad for the practical exercises in the lab and the execution visits to relevant food companies, which gave me great insights into food analysis, applicable job opportunities and emphasized the purpose of my education for me. However, today I am mostly glad for the deep and critical understanding I have got of executing scientific research and reading scientific papers as I use this every day in my work.
Since I graduated, I have worked in 'Kulinarium', which is a research and development unit in nutrition, food and mealtimes anchored in the kitchen department at Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark.
In 'Kulinarium' we focus on research aimed at patients who are suffering from malnutrition. This is a massive problem among patients and hospitals worldwide being a huge economic burden on society and decreasing the patients’ quality of life.
My work revolves around designing better hospital foods from evidence based approaches and innovative solutions based on patients’ individual needs. In my work, I use several skills and knowledge from my education, amongst others how to build strong scientist work and being critical in reading scientific articles. I also benefit from my knowledge about food systems and analysis when designing better foods, in particular my knowledge about proteins and food fortifications. Finally, the education has given me a solid foundation and understanding of molecular nutrition, which helps me in specializing the foods to specific patient groups and their individual needs.
The chart shows the five most common types of work for graduates 1-2 years after finishing their degree. The data is derived from a survey made by Epinion for the Ministry of Higher Education and Science and Aarhus University in 2020.
