Sept 2021 Entry
Programme code: JS33494 years
At least 120 credits (depending on the student's academic attainment)
Dr Marcus Wong
BSc, MSc, PhD
Programme Aims & Learning Outcomes
This programme aims to provide a unique and profession-oriented educational opportunity for HKDSE holders and to produce well-trained food technologists and food safety officers to meet the needs of and benefit the community.
The objective is to develop students into all-round preferred graduates whose intellectual abilities, professional knowledge and skills are on a par with the international standards for a Bachelor's degree in food-related subjects. The programme also emphasises the enhancement of students' language abilities, social responsibilities, analytical and critical thinking abilities, creativity, problem-solving skills, teamwork and global outlook. The ultimate goal is to contribute to the well-being of Hong Kong society at large, particularly to its economy, and to the assurance of food safety for the community.
Programme Characteristics
This programme meets the international undergraduate degree standards of both the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST). It is an applied and practical programme. Balancing the development of core competency and broadness, the programme emphasises the professional, intellectual and all-round abilities of students. It is achieved through a specially designed curriculum, modern learning/teaching methodologies, multiple assessment tools, workplace learning experience, a caring and supportive learning environment and extra-curricular activities. Moreover, our department has very experienced academic staff and modern equipment and instruments.
Upon successful completion of the programme, students should be ready to take up careers in the food industry or enter into postgraduate programmes. They can also utilise the skills and knowledge that they gain from the programme for personal career development as well as for the benefit of the community.
Professional Recognition
This programme is accredited the undergraduate degree standards for both IFT and IUFoST. Graduates with 3 years of work experience in the food safety/technology area can apply for the qualification of certified food scientists under IFT.
Career Prospects
Cases of food poisoning and food unsafe for human consumption have been making headlines recently, and the government has been urged to tighten the laws and regulations concerned. A Centre for Food Safety has been founded to ensure better control and the prevention of food hazards. Nutrition labelling has been mandatory for pre-packaged foods since 2010. The CEPA policy has also attracted many local manufacturers to invest in food production for export to the Chinese mainland. For these reasons, there is growing demand for food safety officers and food technologists in Hong Kong. Graduates of this programme should be able to find employment in the local food industry, commercial testing laboratories/centres, the government sector (including the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the Government Laboratory and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department), catering companies, chain restaurants, supermarkets, hotels, food importers/exporters, education/research institutions, etc. Students with outstanding academic performance may also be admitted to postgraduate studies in local or overseas universities.
This is a full-time programme for HKDSE graduates and has a normal duration of four years. The nature of the programme is credit-based, and students are required to complete at least 120 credits. Like all undergraduate programmes in PolyU, students are required to complete 30 credits of General University Requirements which include language & communication subjects, broadening subjects, leadership training, service learning and freshman seminar, etc. The remaining 90 credits are for discipline specific requirements which include Compulsory and Elective Subjects. The curriculum offers a lot of flexibility and choices. Students are allowed to take the Compulsory and Elective Subjects in accordance with their own pace of study to enhance students' all-roundedness and competitiveness. The programme curriculum can be summarised as follows:
The Project in Year Four is a supervised project that could be an experimental investigation or a survey, in which students are required to integrate and apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired to identify and solve a food safety- or technology-related problem in a real-world situation. In addition to the curriculum above, the programme will also provide language-enhancement courses, attachment and exchange programmes, field trips/plant visits, Work-Integrated Education (WIE) and co-curricular activities to enrich students' learning experiences. The purpose is to enable them to be all-round preferred graduates. After graduating from the programme, students should be competitive enough to begin careers or enter into postgraduate studies in food-related areas.
Satisfy the University's General Entrance Requirements.
There is no compulsory subject requirement. Preferred subject(s) with the highest weighting for admission score calculation include(s):
Relevant Applied Learning subject(s) that can be considered for meeting the University entrance requirement and admission score calculation is/are:
For further programme information, please contact:
The General Office (tel: 3400 8692; email: eva.wy.ng@polyu.edu.hk).
Food safety is a great concern in our society, but food safety incidents still frequently occur. The consumption of healthy and natural food is at the same time becoming a trend. I was curious to learn about food in a more scientific manner, so I applied for the degree programme in food safety and technology (FST).
Studying FST is very enjoyable and enormously inspiring. I am encouraged to think more deeply about things that are easily overlooked in daily life. Over the past four years this programme has offered me a comprehensive insight into food and the operation of a food company, including the processing of food to quality standards, hygiene management, hazard analysis, laws and regulations, science, engineering, nutrition and toxicology. My summer internship in a testing laboratory also allowed me to apply the learning of theory in the classroom to the workplace, and has enriched my understanding of food surveillance.
Unlike secondary education, studying in a university offers more freedom. However, more self-discipline is required to balance study, life and work. In my spare time, I like taking interest classes and participating in volunteer services, through which I can socialise with different people and make new friends with different expertise and backgrounds. Ching Kai Yan |  |
 | 轉眼間我即將畢業了。回顧這幾年的大學生活，我雖然在生活上和學習上均曾碰到困難及挫折，但同學、朋友和應用生物及化學科技學系的教職員卻能幫助我一一面對和克服，讓我經歷人生中重要的褪變。我驚訝於自己的成長和變化，也為此感到高興。記得剛剛高中畢業時，我總是蜷縮在自己的舒適圈裡；如今，我會盡情探索我感興趣的課題，並與來自各地的朋友一起發掘和體會香港的可愛與美好。我更會自信地將我修讀“食品安全與科技”時所學的知識與家人和朋友分享。感謝我永遠熱愛的香港理工大學！ 張涵嫣 |
PolyU encourages its students to broaden their horizons through numerous opportunities to take part in mainland and overseas programmes. During the summer of Year Two, I joined one such trip organised by ‘Heartfire’, one of PolyU’s student groups, to teach at a secondary school in Hainan, China. Through this voluntary work experience scheme, I gained some insightful perspectives on life as a teacher. During Year Three, I was granted scholarships to study at prestigious universities overseas, including the National University of Singapore and the University of California, Berkeley. These study experiences equipped me with a new attitude to studying and increased my cultural awareness.
Through studying at PolyU, I have become a better person, ready to dedicate myself to serving our society. Ngan Man Ching, Chace |  |
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