The world is facing a widening divide in food security: many low-income countries continue to experience severe hunger while simultaneously rates of overweight and obesity among children and young people are rising globally. This “double burden of malnutrition” is compounded by climate change and shaped by complex political, social and cultural forces. Addressing these problems therefore requires broad, cross-disciplinary thinking that links biological and health sciences with social science perspectives.
This MSc trains students to develop and implement evidence-based, interdisciplinary solutions at the nexus of food, nutrition and health. The curriculum integrates health and nutritional science knowledge with insights from political science, law, management, sociology and public health so graduates can analyse problems from multiple angles and design practical interventions. Teaching emphasizes both conceptual understanding and applied skills for working on global nutrition challenges.
The programme suits students from nutrition and health-related backgrounds (including medicine and ecotrophology) who want to broaden their expertise for international careers, as well as social science graduates (for example in political science, sociology or anthropology) who wish to specialise in food and nutrition issues. Graduates are prepared for roles in international organisations, NGOs and development cooperation that require interdisciplinary competency and the ability to work across scientific, policy and programmatic domains.
Requirements and key points
This full-time master's runs over four semesters and awards 120 ECTS (30 ECTS per semester). The curriculum is modular and begins with foundational courses in the first and second semesters that examine food, nutrition and health from a global perspective. In parallel, students are trained in research strategies and methodological approaches used in both scientific inquiry and practical applications.
In the third semester, you tailor your studies through elective modules and complete a compulsory internship to develop subject-specific skills and applied experience. The fourth semester is dedicated to writing the Master’s thesis, which integrates the program’s theoretical and practical elements. The course uses an interdisciplinary teaching model and a variety of assessment formats to strengthen cross-cutting knowledge and problem-solving abilities.
Teaching and research take place at the Faculty of Life Sciences: Food, Nutrition and Health in Kulmbach (about 25 km from the university’s main campus). The faculty collaborates with regional and national partners involved in research and teaching, including internationally recognised companies, the Max Rubner Institute, the Bavarian Control Authority for Food Safety and Veterinary Medicine, KErn (Competence Centre for Nutrition), the State Technical College for Food Technology and the Kulmbach Clinical Centre. To get an early insight into the faculty’s work, you can join the University’s MOOC “Conscious Grocery Shopping: Sustainability, Nutrition, Health and Law” (free audit track; paid verified track provides a certificate after passing an exam).
You must hold a relevant Bachelor's degree and meet a minimum grade threshold to be considered for this MSc. Degrees in nutrition or health-related disciplines are expected; applicants with comparable backgrounds may also be eligible. An aptitude test is part of the selection process.
If you earned your degree outside the EU, your application documents must be submitted via uni-assist and will be processed through a fee-based, special document-check procedure. Detailed instructions and deadlines are available on the programme’s website and in the uni-assist information pages.
Admission requirements (quick reference)
Winter Semester (International)
15 June 2026
Winter Semester (EU/EEA)
15 June 2026
Graduates are prepared for roles that require interdisciplinary analysis of food, nutrition and health challenges — for example, policy advisor or programme manager in international organisations, NGOs and development agencies; public‑health nutrition specialist in governmental or regulatory bodies; researcher in academic or applied institutes; or positions in private‑sector food and nutrition companies with a regulatory or sustainability focus. The programme’s emphasis on research methods, policy and management equips students to design, evaluate and scale interventions in diverse settings.
Because the curriculum bridges technical nutrition knowledge and social‑science approaches (political, legal and managerial), alumni are also well suited to careers in advocacy, monitoring and evaluation, and consultancy where translating evidence into policy and practice is essential.