Contribute to developing a more sustainable world
Food security and the sustainability of our food supply chains are major global challenges and are clearly highlighted in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Climate change, political and social changes around the world and new diet trends are some of the changing forces we are currently experiencing that put more pressure on our food system. How can we transform our food system to make it more resilient and sustainable while at the same time ensuring the supply of safe and nutritious food for everyone? The Future Food Sustainability MSc is the first of its kind in the UK to provide you with a balanced mix of technology, science, strategic foresight and management skills, enabling you to develop a successful career in the food sector and make a real difference in the world. Teaching is shared with our internationally-recognised School of Management and industry experts. Developed through intensive collaboration and consultation with industry, NGOs and government agencies, our graduates are highly valued, both nationally and internationally, in the area of sustainable food production. Our graduates are highly sought after by employers and we are ranked second in the UK for graduate employment (DLHE longitudinal survey, 2017).Overview
- Start dateFull-time: October, part-time: October
- DurationOne year full-time, two-three years part-time
- DeliveryTaught modules 40%, group project 20% (dissertation for part-time students), individual project 40%
- QualificationMSc, PgDip, PgCert
- Study typeFull-time / Part-time
- CampusCranfield campus
Who is it for?
This course is suitable for graduates from around the world, that are passionate about food production and the sustainability of our food system, and wish to pursue a career in the food sector, at a technical or strategic level. Due to the multidisciplinary nature of the course, we accept candidates from a wide range of educational and professional backgrounds. Whether you studied food science or agriculture, or you are simply looking for a career change, this course has something to offer for everyone that wants to make a difference in the way our food system currently works. If you are not sure if this course is right for you, get in touch with us and together we can explore all available options.
Your career
At Cranfield we have a very high employment rate of 94.5%* for our School, so successful graduates from this course are expected to move swiftly into positions within food businesses, government, NGOs and research companies/institutes to engage in roles involving research, management, governance, communication and social responsibility.
*(based on those for whom we hold data. Source: DLHE 2017 Collections).
Specific job roles may include: technical managers, sustainability managers, technical development managers, product technologists, resilience officers, supply chain/logistics analysts, commodity analysts, regulatory affairs advisers, and policy officers.
Previous students have gone on to work with:
Kellogg’s, Carlsberg, Sustainergies, the Swedish Farmers Federation, Deloitte and Food Experts SL.
Cranfield Careers Service
Our Careers Service can help you find the job you want after leaving Cranfield. We will work with you to identify suitable opportunities and support you in the job application process for up to three years after graduation. We have been providing master's-level training for over 20 years. Our strong reputation and links with potential employers provide you with outstanding opportunities to secure interesting jobs and develop successful careers. The increasing interest in sustainability and corporate and social responsibility has also enhanced the career prospects of our graduates.
Why this course?
This course does more than simply describe the fundamental challenges of the many problems of feeding a rapidly growing global population affected by finite resources, uncertainties of climate, political and social change, and a general acknowledgement that our current methods for producing food are not fit for purpose.
The Future Food Sustainability MSc integrates the diverse threads that could present pragmatic and practical answers to imminent global food problems and gives you the tools you need to be part of the solution.
- Study a course designed to respond to urgent industry, institutional and government needs for individuals who can meet the complex, multi-factorial issues of global future food supply.
- Develop your forward and lateral thinking, horizon scanning and strategic foresight techniques so that you can build and analyse future possible scenarios that could inform policy and decision-making globally.
- Learn from lecturers with extensive, industry relevant experience of solving real world challenges.
- Access the combined teaching, expertise and facilities of two Cranfield University Schools - the School of Water, Energy and Environment and the School of Management.
- Benefit from course accreditation by the Institution of Agricultural Engineers.
This MSc is supported by our team of professional thought leaders, including Professor Leon Terry who is influential in the field of Agrifood and an integral part of this MSc.
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This experience has been enriching and I am sure it will help me in my future career.
Ana Maria Moya Garcia, Current student
Informed by industry
The Future Food Sustainability MSc is closely aligned with industry to ensure that you are fully prepared for your new career.
- An industry advisory panel (with representatives from commercial and non-commercial organisations) scrutinises course content and its relevance to the needs of global employers. Helping to ensure the course maintains its real-world relevance to the marketplace and industry focus, making successful students highly sought after in the employment market.
- Many group and individual projects are supported by external organisations giving you direct access and insight into real companies and real working challenges.
Guest lecturers from business and industry regularly contribute to the taught aspect of the course and together with field trips and off-site visits make this course relevant to the real world.
Course details
The course comprises eight compulsory assessed modules, a group project and an individual research project. The modules include lectures, practical sessions and tutorials.
Course delivery
Taught modules 40%, group project 20% (dissertation for part-time students), individual project 40%
Group project
The group project experience is highly valued by both students and prospective employers. It provides you with the opportunity to take responsibility for a consultancy-type project, working within agreed objectives, deadlines and budgets. For part-time students a dissertation usually replaces the group project.
Individual project
The individual thesis project, usually in collaboration with an external organisation, gives you the opportunity to develop your research capability, depth of understanding and ability to provide solutions to real industry and institutional challenges in the wider area of future food supply.
Modules
Keeping our courses up-to-date and current requires constant innovation and change. The modules we offer reflect the needs of business and industry and the research interests of our staff and, as a result, may change or be withdrawn due to research developments, legislation changes or for a variety of other reasons. Changes may also be designed to improve the student learning experience or to respond to feedback from students, external examiners, accreditation bodies and industrial advisory panels.
To give you a taster, we have listed the compulsory and elective (where applicable) modules which are currently affiliated with this course. All modules are indicative only, and may be subject to change for your year of entry.
Course modules
Compulsory modules
All the modules in the following list need to be taken as part of this course.
Principles of Sustainability
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Aim |
Human population growth and increased resource use per capita is placing unsustainable demands on the global ecosystem. This module explores sustainability using three approaches. The “Ecosystem Service” approach provides a framework for society to address key environmental issues such as food production, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, and water use. The “Circular Economy” approach refers to the development of “restorative” industrial systems that are grounded on the lessons of non-linear, feedback-rich ecosystems. The third approach is to explore the nexus between renewable energy, food, and other ecosystem services using per capita energy and food consumption. This module introduces and critiques the three approaches and examines their application to resolve real-world problems and create commercial opportunities. |
Syllabus |
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Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
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Economic Valuation and Appraisal
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Aim |
Environmental accounting is being used by institutions and businesses to guide decision making regarding competing projects and programmes. It involves financial appraisal, environmental valuation, and economic appraisal (or social cost-benefit analysis). This module explores the economic concepts and techniques that can be used for the valuation of non-market social and environmental services. You will also gain practical experience in extending a financial analysis to allow an economic appraisal. |
Syllabus |
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Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
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Leading Corporate Sustainability
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Aim |
Global sustainability challenges are shaping the way business operates in the 21st century. Businesses are under increasing pressure from multiple stakeholders (for e.g. shareholders, customers, employees, society) to manage their positive and negative impacts with clear responsibility and strategic intent. Leading firms are choosing to respond to these challenges by generating sustainable value propositions to ultimately drive competitive advantage. For many this has meant re-engaging at the level of purpose and re-addressing their role in wider society and for human well-being. This module outlines the major sustainability challenges and explores the capabilities organisations require to respond positively to them. It will engage you in gaining a better understanding of how corporate action can be best configured to promote responsible and sustainable business strategies. In doing so, it will demand management students (as future business managers and leaders) to reflect on the long-standing debate about whether or not ‘the business of business, is still business? Watch video: An introduction to the Leading Corporate Sustainability module |
Syllabus |
The content is organised around the sustainability management ‘compass’ below: The course content is structured as follows: Part 1: Setting the context Context setting The role of business Exploring possible futures Part 2: Developing the capabilities |
Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
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Soil Systems
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Aim |
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Syllabus |
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Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
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Agricultural Informatics
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Aim |
The purpose of this module is to provide you with a set of practical applications and tools for developing, managing and analysing ‘Big Data’, to better deliver food security. A secure, reliable and sustainable food production system will increasingly rely on advanced technologies, such as real-time field sensing, model data fusion and advanced forecasting.
It will need to operate effectively within new and changing environmental constraints, and so will need to consider and be represented within (eco)systems goods and services models, to ensure food security that is both economic and environmentally sustainable.
The proposed course will introduce and develop core skills in data acquisition, data and information management, using numerical and statistical modelling approaches that form the basis of information driven sustainable agriculture. It will incorporate ground, aerial and space borne sensing and sensor techniques for predictive mapping within the context of modelling agricultural ecosystems goods and services. |
Syllabus |
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Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
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Plant-Based Technologies
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Aim |
This module provides a critical appraisal of the role of the main plant-based technologies which can be used to advance sustainable crop production and food security. This includes a consideration of the importance of crop breeding, seed technology and crop protection with particular emphasis on future needs. |
Syllabus |
Seed industry: Agrochemicals: |
Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
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Water and Sustainable Agrifood Systems
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Aim |
Water is an essential factor of production in agrifood systems; whether for growing crops, supporting livestock or food manufacture. Globally, 70% of freshwater withdrawals are used for agriculture, but increasing demand for food means that this figure is likely to increase dramatically in the future. At the same time climate change is affecting supply and other demands on water are increasing. Mismanagement of water for food production has led to social and environmental problems in many places. Water is therefore a significant global risk to sustainable food production. This module will consider the water requirements of crop and livestock systems; the evaluation of the water related impacts and risks in producing locations; and management and technological solutions to minimise water related impacts and risks in food supply chains. |
Syllabus |
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Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
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Strategic Foresight
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Aim |
Strategic foresight research refers to a range of methods that can be used to identify, analyse and communicate insights about the future. Standard methods include horizon scanning, trend research, and scenario planning. Outputs include emerging issues, trends, visions, scenarios, and wild cards. The methods employed and insights produced are used by both private and public sector organisations to inform a wide range of policy, risk, strategy and innovation processes. Foresight research is a truly inter-disciplinary ‘science’, covering and combining developments in society, technology, economy, ecology, politics, legislation and values. Crucially, foresight research is as much about analysing the past and present, as it is about looking to the future. Once we understand how a system has developed and works today, we can explore how it may evolve and what it may look like in the future. Strategic foresight techniques consider a wide range of possible, plausible futures so that planning can be put in place to adapt to and mitigate against various conditions. It is designed to add resilience, adaptability and flexibility to organisations in an increasingly complex and fast changing world. This module will explore how: Other foresight methodologies (e.g. scenario planning, visioning, back-casting) can be used to help us to use the trends identified from horizon scanning to identify how the future might develop |
Syllabus |
In exploring strategic foresight research in relation to its utility by environmental organisations, this module will combine formal lectures with interactive practical exercises that will cover: |
Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
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Teaching team
In addition to the Cranfield staff, students benefit from a programme of visiting lecturers from industry. The Admissions Tutor is Dr Zoltan Kevei and the Course Director is Dr Sofia Kourmpetli.
How to apply
Online application form. UK students are normally expected to attend an interview and financial support is best discussed at this time. Overseas and EU students may be interviewed by telephone.