Food Technology

In the Master's program in Food Technology, you will deepen the analytical and methodological skills from your bachelor's program, based on your scientific and engineering foundation. You will deal with process engineering, product-specific and technological processes of food production as well as with the requirements and quality criteria of food. You will learn to design modern, environmentally friendly, and industrial manufacturing processes, design production plants, control product properties from analytical and sensory points of view, develop innovative products and find new strategies for preserving food. In addition to the focal points of process engineering, process automation and food technology, you will find a wide range of elective modules. This allows you to specialize in a particular field and to learn and consolidate your independent scientific work in research-oriented topics. You will apply this knowledge to your Master's thesis at the end of your studies.

After completing your Master’s program, a job market with excellent career prospects is open to you. You will find interesting jobs primarily in the food industry, but also in the beverage, chemical and pharmaceutical industries as well as plant engineering. Thanks to their broad-based education, graduates can be employed in a wide variety of fields. The following fields of activity are possible for you:

• Development of new, innovative, sustainable products and processes
• Planning and development of new production facilities and manufacturing processes
• The organization, monitoring, and optimization of production processes
• Quality assurance during ongoing production operations
• Monitoring of food production processes
• Operational control, production management or technical management in food processing plants
• University or industrial research and development
• Purchase and evaluation of raw materials
• Logistics and warehouse management

At the end of your studies, you also have the option of continuing your academic career with a doctorate.

The master's degree program in food technology combines engineering and natural sciences - so you are prepared for the modern production of innovative foods. Compulsory modules in the field of engineering sciences include automation and control technology, process engineering and scientific computing. In the subject-specific, scientific specialization, the focus is on food process engineering and in-depth chapters in food technology, for example. Here, the combination of process engineering and food technology content crystallizes.

You can take 50 of your 120 credits through elective modules and thus develop your individual interests. You can collect these credits not only through lectures, but also by choosing from a wide range of laboratory practicals and industrial and research internships, thus gaining a practical connection to the theory.

We are also happy to support you in the selection and supervision of research topics for a research internship that contributes to your individual profile. You can also organize your studies flexibly and, for example, gain additional experience and skills by spending a semester abroad.

At the end of your studies, you will write your Master's thesis on a topic of your own choice. You show that you can scientifically work on complex food technology issues, evaluate and present the results. Here, too, you will be supervised by our internationally recognized lecturers and professors. You can also work on and write your thesis in English.

Interested? Just take a look at an exemplary curriculum!

As a graduate in the field of food technology, you will have acquired broad knowledge in the areas of process engineering and food technology in addition to a sound education in the natural sciences and engineering. You will be able to combine your acquired specialist knowledge from all areas and apply it in a solution-focused manner. After completing your studies, you will be familiar with the biological-chemical properties of foods, their ingredients, and the process and process engineering requirements of production.

You will be able to plan the production of food, develop new production processes and plants, optimize existing production methods, produce food by fermentation, design food packaging, develop innovative products, ensure the quality of food and assess it microbially, chemically-technically and through sensory analysis.

The TUM website on the application process provides a general overview. The following sections contain information specific to this degree program.

Application Requirements and Eligibility

Qualifying Degree
To apply for this Master’s program, you need to provide a qualifying Bachelor's degree of at least six semesters or an equivalent degree. Your degree can be obtained from either a domestic or a foreign university. It must belong to the field of food technology, pharmaceutical bioprocess engineering, brewing and beverage technology, or a comparable degree program.
 

Minimum Credits
At the time of application, you don’t need a fully completed qualifying Bachelor's degree. For a Bachelor's degree program with six semesters of regular study duration, you are required to submit a transcript of records with modules of at least 120 credits with your application; for a seven-semester Bachelor's degree program, modules of at least 150 credits, and for an eight-semester Bachelor's degree program of at least 180 credits.

Verification of Language Skills

The language of instruction in this degree program is German. Therefore, it is necessary to prove sufficient German language skills with your application. Please check whether you need a language certificate and which types are accepted.

Preliminary Documentation (VPD)

For applications for studies starting from winter semester 2025/26, all applicants with a entrance qualification for Master’s degree programs that was not obtained at a German university must apply for a preliminary Documentation (VPD); this also applies to entrance qualifications obtained in EU/EEA countries. The VPD must at first be applied for at uni-assist e.V. before it is uploaded together with the application at TUM. 

Application Period and Start of Program

The application period is from 1 April to 31 May each year for the following winter semester. We strongly recommend that international students apply as early as possible. You can start this program only in the winter semester. Please find the semester dates on the TUM website.

Semester fees and tuition fees at TUM

All students pay a semester fee for the Studierendenwerk.

Online Application

You can only apply online via our application portal in TUMonline. There, you set up an applicant account (manual). Please upload all required documents to your applicant account by the end of the application period. Documents issued in languages other than German or English must be translated into German or English by a sworn translator. Both the original document and its translation must be uploaded as one PDF file. 

Aptitude Assessment

As part of the aptitude assessment, the Aptitude Assessment Commission checks whether you have acquired the relevant skills and abilities for the degree program.

In the first stage of the aptitude assessment, your professional qualifications are examined. In the so-called curricular analysis, the modules of your Bachelor's degree are compared with the corresponding modules of the B.Sc. in Food Technology of TUM. A maximum of 30 points are awarded for the professional competencies. Another 30 points can be achieved via the grade of the relevant modules.

The following areas are included in the curricular analysis:

• Chemistry (comprises organic, inorganic and biological chemistry)
• Calculus incl. statistics
• Microbiology
• Physics
• Hygienic Design and Hygienic Processing
• Fluid mechanics
• Engineering mechanics
• Thermodynamics
• Food Analytics
• Food Chemistry
• Food Microbiology

For this stage, please enter the modules completed in your Bachelor's program into the Curricular Analysis Portal and generate a PDF file from it, which you then upload to your applicant account in TUMonline. You will find the link to the Curricular Analysis Portal and the required application number (1-00xxxxxx) in your TUMonline account. At the portal entrance, you will receive detailed instructions on completing the curricular analysis.
The overall evaluation of the first stage results from the sum of the calculated score of the curricular analysis: 

• If you achieve 35 points or more, you will pass the aptitude test and receive admission to the degree program.
• If you achieve less than 25 points, you will not pass the aptitude test and be rejected.

Applicants who have received between 25 and 34 points in the first stage of the aptitude test will be admitted to the second stage. The Assessment Commission will invite the applicants to an aptitude assessment interview, which will last 30 minutes and take place online. Applicants will receive the date for the interview by e-mail at least one week prior.
The entire application procedure is described in detail in Appendix 2 of the Academic and Examination Regulations for the degree program (in the menu “Examination matters” towards the bottom of this website; only available in German).

Enrollment

As soon as you have received a letter of admission for this degree program, you accept your study place in your applicant account. You then upload the remaining documents for enrollment and pay the semester fees. All relevant steps will be displayed in your TUMonline account. Additionally, you can learn the details of the enrollment procedure.

Questions

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact the student advisor (see end of this page).

• Curriculum
  • Curriculum 20221
  • Curriculum 20191 – (expiring)
    The degree chart gives you an overview and recommendation, which modules you should take in which semester according to academic and examination regulations (FPSO).
     
• Timetable (TUM ID required for login):
  This timetable is intended to give you an overview of the planned compulsory and elective modules of a semester. It is for orientation purposes only and will not be updated during the semester! 
  
  Via TUMonline you can have a timetable created for each semester according to FSPO.
  
  You can also create your own individual timetable, which can contain not only the dates of the selected courses, but also your personal appointments.
  
  First steps with TUMonline

• General Academic and Examination Regulations at TUM (APSO)
• Academic and Examination Regulations (FPSO)
  • Academic and Examination Regulations 20221 (from start of degree program WS 22/23)
  • Academic and Examination Regulations 20191 (from start of degree program WS 19/20)

• Examination dates & registration via TUMonline

  Important: You can only take most of the exams if you have actively registered yourself via TUMonline within the registration period. The registration and deregistration period will be displayed at the exam date.

• Further examination matters
  • Academic progress check
  • Examinations
  • Recognitions
  • Theses
• Board of Examination

The board of examination is a committee consisting of university professors and lecturers of the degree program. The chairperson of the board of examination of your degree program is Prof. Dr. Ing. Heiko Briesen. Applications to the board of examination are received by the secretary and submitted to the board of examination for decision. You can reach the secretary by sending an email to examination.co(at)ls.tum.de.