The agricultural sector is the largest industrial sector in Catalonia, and, therefore, plays a key role in the Catalan economy and in the future of our local industry.

This is a degree designed to provide professionals with competencies that enable them to develop their activity in the food section in a broad sense —”from farm to fork”, both in the food industry and in publicly managed and controlled bodies, as well as in the various strata dedicated to teaching, research, development and innovation, by attending to consumer demand, which is a priority included in the 7th EU Framework Programme.

The bachelor's degree has a training profile distinct from other studies in the field of food science and technology, and focuses on two aspects:

• Food safety, including the concepts concerning health (safety) and the concepts involving the right of citizens to healthy and sufficient food (security).
• Innovation in products and technology processes, in the production, processing and preservation of foodstuffs in general, including all ingredients, raw materials and additives, as well as the different ways to prepare, design and develop new food products aimed at different consumer segments or which can offer new flavours and textures.

Access requirements

Upper secondary school education

Access: university entrance examinations (PAU), general stage. Admission: weighting of subjects examined in university entrance exam (PAU) linked to the branch of knowledge of Engineering and Architecture.

Higher level training cycles (CFGS).

Access: all CFGS. Admission: weighting of subjects examined in university entrance exam (PAU) linked to the branch of knowledge of Engineering and Architecture.

Over 25 years old

Preferential option in successful entrance exam: Engineering and Architecture.

Over 40 years old

Assessment of professional experience relating to the bachelor's degree that the applicant wishes to be admitted to and sufficient interview outcome.

Over 45 years old

Entrance exam passed and favourable interview outcome.

Others

Special types of access recognised under current regulations.

Another information on access

Pre-enrolment code:

81058

Weightings

Weighting parameters of the subjects in the specific phase of the PAU

Recognised credit transfer

Validated subjects and credit transfers from higher level vocational training cycles

Manager or technician in food industries:

• R&D&I departments.
• Developing new products.
• Improvement of production systems, new processing technologies.
• New forms and presentations.
• Quality assurance departments.
• Development, management and application of security systems (APPCC, traceability).
• Application and management of quality assurance systems (ISO, BRC, IFS, SFQ).
• Physical-chemical and microbiological analysis of foods.

Technician in food safety institutions:

• Catalan Food Safety Agency (ACSA).
• Spanish Agency for Consumer Affairs, Food Safety and Nutrition (AECOSAN).
• European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
• Health departments and laboratories.

Food innovation and safety researcher (should be after attaining a master's degree) such as in:

• Food biotechnology.
• Functional and healthy foods.
• Emergent conservation and transformation technologies.
• Creation of new ingredients and foods for various population sectors.
• Improvement in safety for all types of food.

In national or foreign institutions such as:

• Universities.
• Public research centres (IRTA, CSIC).
• Private research centres (LEITAT, GAIKER).

Teaching in subjects relating to food, for secondary, university and ongoing-education institutes.

For students wishing to continue their studies, the UdG offers official, professionally oriented and/or research master's degrees that give access to specialist training for working in the sector or education in a doctoral degree.

More specifically, the University offers the Master in Food Biotechnology.

Through the following links you can access the calendars and timetables that correspond to this bachelor's degree.

The academic calendar marks the beginning and end of classes, non-teaching days, holidays, exam periods, and so on. The administrative calendar marks the periods to make the different formalities administrative.

A high percentage of the degree takes the form of practicals; accordingly, classes take place in specialised laboratories.

• Polytechnic School’s laboratories, practical-class allotment and technology plant.
• Polytechnic School's computer-science classroom.
• Agrifood Campus of Girona.
• Visits to companies.

Students can also take a minimum 300-hour work placement worth 15 credits.

In the final year of the course, the student prepares a bachelor's thesis, which can be a work of research, innovation or development. It can be carried out with the agri-food research groups of UdG or those of IRTA (Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology) or in a company.

After the experimental work has been carried out, the results need to be presented to an examination committee.

This work is worth 15 credits.

The Polytechnic School has agreements with foreign universities, permitting some subjects or the bachelor's thesis to be carried out in another university.

Online enrolment is the University of Girona's electronic enrolment system. It is done through the Internet and is available for the most of the studies.