Food Technology

In the Master's program Food Technology, you will expand your knowledge of the natural sciences and engineering while further developing the analytical and methodological skills you acquired in your Bachelor's program. You will study engineering, process engineering, and technological processes in food production, as well as the requirements and quality criteria of modern foods.

You will learn to design environmentally friendly manufacturing processes and plan production facilities. You will also learn to control product properties from analytical and sensory perspectives and develop innovative products. You will also explore new food preservation strategies. Along with the main areas of process engineering, process automation, and food technology, you will find a wide range of elective modules that allow you to specialize. Finally, you will apply your knowledge in your Master's thesis, which can also be written in English.

With a Master's degree in Food Technology, you will have excellent career opportunities. You can find exciting jobs in the food and beverage industries, as well as in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, and in plant engineering and construction. Typical fields of activity include:

• Development of innovative and sustainable products
• Planning and project management of production facilities
• Organization and optimization of production processes
• Quality assurance and process control
• Management positions in food companies
• Research and development in industry or higher education
• Purchasing and evaluating raw materials
• Logistics and warehouse management

If you want to continue your scientific career, a doctorate is the next logical step.

The Master's program in Food Technology combines engineering and natural sciences to prepare you for developing innovative foods. Compulsory modules include automation and control engineering, process engineering, and scientific computing. In the natural sciences specialization, you will study food process engineering and advanced topics in food technology.

You can customize 50 out of the 120 credits through elective modules, including lectures, laboratory internships, and industry and research internships. You can also complete a semester abroad and further your scientific career by conducting a research project. Finally, you will write your Master's thesis on a topic of your choice — in English, if you wish.

After graduation, you will be an expert in all aspects of food production. You will understand the biological and chemical properties of food, as well as the process engineering requirements of production. You will be able to:

• Plan and optimize production processes
• Develop new equipment and processes
• Produce food through fermentation
• Design packaging solutions
• Create innovative products
• Ensure quality assurance
• Analyze food microbiologically, chemically, technically, and sensorily

These skills will prepare you for responsible roles in the food and beverage industry.

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. 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.
The instructions for the online application

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) only in German
  • Academic and Examination Regulations 20191 (from start of degree program WS 19/20) only in German
     

• 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@ls.tum.de.