About the Programme
The gap in food availability between high-income and low-income countries is widening. While the global hunger index published by Welthungerhilfe, IFPRI and Concern Worldwide indicates alarming levels of hunger in many countries, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and young people is rising worldwide. To understand this “double burden of malnutrition”, a comprehensive interdisciplinary perspective is necessary that takes into account the adverse effects of climate change as well as the complex political, social, and cultural dimensions of food, nutrition and health.
The master’s programme in “Global Food, Nutrition and Health” teaches students the interdisciplinary skills that are necessary to develop and implement solutions to these truly global challenges at the intersection of food, nutrition and health.
Profile of the master's programme
The core competencies taught in the programme enable our graduates to understand and solve problems in the field of global food, nutrition and health from an interdisciplinary perspective. To this end, the programme combines insights from health and nutritional sciences with an interdisciplinary social science perspective that draws on political science, law, sociology and public health.
GFNH is ideal for graduates of nutrition and health sciences, medicine or ecotrophology who want to upskill and prepare themselves for careers in international organizations, NGOs or development cooperation. GFNH is also a great fit for social science graduates, e.g., in political science, sociology or anthropology, who want to develop or deepen a thematic focus on food, nutrition and health.
The programme expects students to be committed to developing an interdisciplinary social science perspective, given that courses in political science, sociology, law, business and public health are at the core of the GFNH curriculum."
Note that the M.Sc. "Global Food, Nutrition and Health" is not a clinical nutrition programme and will not prepare you to practice as a dietician or nutritionist.
If you are interested in a programme with a stronger focus on natural sciences and laboratory work, check out our faculty’s master’s programmes “Food Quality and Safety” and "Food System Sciences".
Career opportunities
After graduation, you become an expert on the world food system and its implications for nutrition and health. As a global expert and changemaker, you will be able to apply your new knowledge and skills in a variety of sectors. Potential employers include:
- international organizations, e.g., FAO, WFP, WHO, or World Bank
- national and subnational ministries, e.g., ministries of health or agriculture
- development aid agencies, e.g., GIZ
- non-governmental organizations (NGOs), e.g., Bread for the World
- political and policy advice institutions
- international food companies
- research institutions
Quality management
The quality of our study programmes is particularly important to us. We strive to educate our students at the highest level in an application-oriented and research-based manner. With this approach we ensure that our students are prepared in the best possible manner for both their professional and personal future. Our students are therefore at the centre of our quality management. We have a clear objective to not only ensure that our study programmes are of the highest quality, but also their future systematic development.
Our master’s programme “Global Food, Nutrition and Health” has been evaluated and successfully accredited by an external group of experts as part of the University of Bayreuth’s own quality management system. This study programme thus bears the seal of the German Accreditation Council and meets national and international quality standards in the field of teaching and learning.
Bayreuth spirit on the Kulmbach Campus
The University’s Faculty of Life Sciences is located in the nearby town of Kulmbach. It is home not only to several internationally operating food companies, but also to the Max Rubner Institute, the Bavarian Control Authority for Food Safety and Veterinary Medicine, the State Technical College for Food Technology, the Competence Centre for Nutrition, and the Kulmbach Clinical Centre. All these bodies are involved in various research projects and in the Faculty's teaching activities. Be part of it and apply for the master's programme! We are looking forward to welcoming you in Kulmbach!
Interested in our master's programme? - Taste it!
Are you hungry for an interdisciplinary and international study programme in life sciences? You would like to get to know our lecturers and typical study contents? Here you can taste it!