Admission to the degree programme in Food Science and Technology is subject to the possession of a secondary high-school diploma or other study qualification obtained abroad and deemed suitable.
To successfully follow the degree programme, it is desirable to possess adequate knowledge of basic mathematics and general chemistry.
A basic knowledge of the main laws of physics and biology are also useful. In addition, a fair general knowledge is required and the common qualities of logic, oral and written expressiveness without hesitation and mistakes are required. As the Programme is planned at local level, enrolment is subject to passing a compulsory entry test aimed at ascertaining the disciplinary knowledge listed above (Basic mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, comprehension of the text). The methods and dates of the mandatory entry test will be indicated in the notice that will be published and available on the website http://www.unimore.it/bandi/StuLau-Lau.html

For the academic year 2024/2025, access to the course is by means of a programme and 75 places are available, broken down as follows: 72 places reserved for Italian, EU and non-EU citizens legally residing in Italy and 3 places reserved for non-EU citizens residing abroad.
In order to be enrolled in the first year of the course, there will be a procedure whereby all available places are filled, respecting the chronological order in which applications are completed.
All students interested in enrolling in the first year of the course, including those transferring from another UNIMORE course or transferring from another university, must follow the procedures set out in the Announcement, which can be consulted at the link below.

Students are required to possess basic knowledge of mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics and the ability to understand a text. This knowledge will be tested by the course of study after enrolment by means of a test with multiple-choice questions. Students who submit the results of a TOLC-A/V TEST taken at any university are exempt from taking the test. If the partial score obtained in the mathematics questions does not exceed the minimum values approved by the course of study (4 out of 8 points), specific Additional Educational Obligations (OFA) will be assigned. These OFAs must be met in the first year of the course and in any case before taking the mathematics examination. The course of study makes available to students who have obtained OFAs support material provided by specific lecturers and tutors.

The Degree programme in Food and Agricultural Sciences and Technology aims to provide knowledge and train professional skills that ensure a supply chain vision of production activities in the agri-food sector, from production to consumption. In fact, the knowledge and skills required by those who work professionally in the agri-food sector have reached such a complexity of interactions that it is useful to train a professional figure with specific characteristics and interdisciplinary skills. The Course is set up in such a way as to give the graduate, whatever the chosen curriculum, a complete overview of the production process and processing technologies. This articulation is also designed to offer a preparation aimed at meeting local training needs and to enable the acquisition of tools and knowledge that can be immediately used in the territory with a strong agro-food vocation. The course is in line with the current trends in agricultural production and the food industry, sectors that were once refractory to environmental issues, but are now attentive to the environment, to the production of food that protects the health of consumers and are always ready to grasp the innovations that modern technologies offer.
The Agriculture and Food Science and Technology graduate will be able to
- use and interpret chemical and physical measurements in the agri-food sector;
- Understanding structure-function relationships in biological systems (including food systems) and their modifications during storage and processes;
- apply protocols for testing, verification and control of the suitability and quality of products, also using instrumental measurements;
- apply pest control techniques in agribusiness;
- use suitable tools for quality control and management and operate consistently within a quality system according to ISO 9001:2000 and subsequent updates;
- carrying out analysis, control, certification and investigation activities for the protection and enhancement of agri-food production;
- use cultivation and breeding techniques and practices that respect the environment and animal welfare;
- manage technological food processing processes in small and medium-sized enterprises, also having appropriate knowledge of the characteristics of raw materials.

The Degree programme in Food and Agricultural Sciences and Technology aims to provide knowledge and train professional skills that ensure a supply chain vision of production activities in the agri-food sector, from production to consumption. In fact, the knowledge and skills required by those who work professionally in the agri-food sector have reached such a complexity of interactions that it is useful to train a professional figure with specific characteristics and interdisciplinary skills. The Course is set up in such a way as to give the graduate, whatever the chosen curriculum, a complete overview of the production process and processing technologies. This articulation is also designed to offer a preparation aimed at meeting local training needs and to enable the acquisition of tools and knowledge that can be immediately used in the territory with a strong agro-food vocation. The course is in line with the current trends in agricultural production and the food industry, sectors that were once refractory to environmental issues, but are now attentive to the environment, to the production of food that protects the health of consumers and are always ready to grasp the innovations that modern technologies offer.
The graduate in Food and Agricultural Science and Technology performs technical management and control tasks in production, conservation and distribution activities in the agri-food and livestock sectors. The general objective of his professional functions is the constant improvement of agricultural production and food products in a qualitative-quantitative and economic sense, ensuring the sustainability and eco-compatibility of the activities and incorporating innovations in the specific areas. The professional activity of the graduate in Agricultural and Food Science and Technology takes place mainly in companies operating in the production, processing, preservation and distribution of agri-food products, in food industries and in public and private bodies that conduct analysis, control, certification and investigation activities for the protection and enhancement of agri-food and livestock productions. Graduates can also express their professionalism in companies related to the production of materials, machines and plants, adjuvants, ingredients and agro-pharmaceuticals.

The Degree programme in Food and Agricultural Sciences and Technology aims to provide knowledge and train professional skills that ensure a supply chain vision of production activities in the agri-food sector, from production to consumption. In fact, the knowledge and skills required by those who work professionally in the agri-food sector have reached such a complexity of interactions that it is useful to train a professional figure with specific characteristics and interdisciplinary skills. The Course is set up in such a way as to give the graduate, whatever the chosen curriculum, a complete overview of the production process and processing technologies. This articulation is also designed to offer a preparation aimed at meeting local training needs and to enable the acquisition of tools and knowledge that can be immediately used in the territory with a strong agro-food vocation. The course is in line with the current trends in agricultural production and the food industry, sectors that were once refractory to environmental issues, but are now attentive to the environment, to the production of food that protects the health of consumers and are always ready to grasp the innovations that modern technologies offer.
The most pertinent occupational outlets are those indicated as technical professions in the health and life sciences (ISTAT code 3.2 of the Classifications of Professions, 2001) and in particular those indicated in class 3.2.3, specific to Biochemical and assimilated Technicians. Graduates in Agricultural and Food Science and Technology, on the basis of Presidential Decree no. 328/01 and subsequent amendments, after passing the state examination, may enter the profession of junior Agronomist and Forestry Doctor (Section B of the Register).

The degree programme in Food and Agricultural Science and Technology aims to provide knowledge and train professional skills that ensure a comprehensive view of production activities in the agri-food sector and their general problems, from production to consumption. For this reason, the degree programme is organised as an interclass course.
The course of study includes a common two-year period, which ensures a solid unity of the interclass degree, and a third year divided into two curricula. In this way, basic knowledge and methodological tools are acquired that provide the foundations for the students' preparation. In particular, basic disciplines such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and biochemistry, and biological subjects are addressed. More qualifying, though still completely interdisciplinary, are the disciplines of defence and agricultural production (plant and animal). The basics of food processing and economics complete the common curriculum.
From the third year onwards, students can specialise by following one of the two curricula on offer. These are organically grafted onto the common two-year course and the presence of common SSDs in the two curricula testifies to the close relationship between the two courses and the two-year course.
The curricula, without anticipating the more specialised contents of the Master's degrees in the area of Agro-Food Sciences, provide the foundations and cognitive tools to be able to access higher education also at other Italian locations, according to the specific aptitudes of the students.

Food Technology Curriculum - Deepens some topics addressed in the common two-year course and related to the processing of agricultural products. A group of fundamental subjects (Food Engineering and Microbiology) is followed by an in-depth study of some production chains considered both from the point of view of processing and raw material production. The address is completed by the chemical analysis of foodstuffs.

Agricultural Technology Curriculum - The topics and subjects already covered in the common pathway, relating to animal and plant production, are completed and deepened. This is achieved through knowledge of plant-soil-environment interactions (with Plant Physiology and Agronomy), Genetic Improvement, Agronomic subjects, Applied Entomology, Environmentally Friendly Production Defence, and Animal Nutrition. Fruit and Wine Production is also addressed and elements of Rural Engineering are introduced.

The graduate is able to effectively disseminate and report on the knowledge acquired, to formulate innovative ideas on the basis of the cultural background learnt during his studies, to tackle and propose solutions to problems arising in his fields of activity, also using English or a European Union language other than Italian. He is also able to deal with production realities and to interact with colleagues also from related fields.
These skills are developed during tutorials and organised seminars, as well as in training activities involving the preparation of written papers and their oral presentation.
During tutorials and seminars, students are encouraged to speak publicly in order to improve their ability to clearly and comprehensibly describe any doubts and/or requests for clarification on specific topics.
Verification of the achievement of communication skills also takes place during the internship and final report, and during the drafting and discussion of the final examination.

Upon completion of studies, the graduate is able to
- to express judgements independently on problems concerning their professional activity and to elaborate and implement acquired knowledge autonomously;
- acquire the necessary information and assess its implications in a production context;
- implement measures to improve the quality and efficiency of agri-food and livestock production, including in terms of environmental sustainability, eco-compatibility and respect for animal welfare.
These qualities are developed through exercises, organised seminars, the preparation of papers as part of the core subjects and optional subjects that provide for them, as well as during internships, field trips and the activity assigned by the lecturer for the preparation of the final examination.
The verification of the acquisition of autonomy of judgement is carried out through the evaluation of the study curriculum and the degree of autonomy and ability to work, also in groups, during the activity assigned in preparation for the internship and the final examination. The correct choice of the 12 CFU for the other training activities will provide a further particularly significant element for the formation of this judgement.

The graduate is able to update his or her knowledge of the sector with traditional tools and with new information technologies, aiming at solving the various problems that may arise along the entire production chain. The course of studies followed prepares the graduate to undertake studies and in-depth studies also at a later stage of their cultural and professional training.
The course of study as a whole hones these skills and individual study, classroom and laboratory activities, internship activities, preparation of individual papers and the final thesis contribute substantially to this.
The relevant evaluation is carried out through the verification tests of the listed activities.

Common training area
The student must acquire adequate basic knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, plant and animal biology, computer science and biochemistry. He/she must also acquire adequate knowledge of the fundamentals of genetics, entomology and plant pathology, biology of microorganisms, plant and animal production, economics and processes of the food industries. This knowledge can be summarised in the following expected learning outcomes:
-Full understanding of the concept of function and the basic principles governing differential calculus and integral calculus for real functions of a real variable, with particular reference to the concepts of limit and continuity;
- knowledge of the basics of statistics with regard to data collection and management;
- Knowledge of the constitution of the structure of matter and the role of chemical bonds on material properties;
- understanding of the chemistry and biochemistry of natural and process substances;
- understanding of fundamental aspects of the biology and genetics of plant and animal prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms;
- understanding of the relationships between biological, cultivation and breeding issues and the quality of agri-food products;
- understanding of the fundamental aspects of pest control in agribusiness;
- familiarity with the main economic theories of supply, demand, production and trade.
The knowledge and skills described in the three learning areas will be acquired through lectures, tutorials, theoretical-practical courses, seminars and instructional visits, which are provided for in the training activities implemented.


Specific training area of Agricultural Technology
In addition to the knowledge described in the common training area, students who choose the Agricultural Technology curriculum must supplement their knowledge through the teachings of agronomy, plant physiology, fruit and viticulture, economics and rural engineering, genetic improvement, and nutrition and feeding of domestic animals. This knowledge can be summarised in the following expected learning outcomes:
-physiological mechanisms regulating the relationships between plant organisms and the environment and reactions to stimuli inside and outside the plant;
- Interactions between genetic, environmental and cultural factors and quantitative and qualitative production components of the main herbaceous and fruit crops;
- traditional and innovative methodologies and perspectives in the genetic improvement of agricultural species;
- principles of hydraulics, hydrology, mechanics and robotics necessary for water resource management, mechanisation of crop operations and precision agriculture;
-nutrient principles, requirements and feeds used in domestic animal husbandry and livestock production.


Specific training area of Food Technology
In addition to the knowledge described in the common training area, students who choose the Food Technology curriculum must complete their knowledge through the teaching of food engineering, animal product technologies and industries, food microbiology, analytical chemistry, food business economics and management, and food packaging. The learning outcomes expected in this area can be summarised as:
- Knowledge of the basics with reference to the various unit operations and the laws governing them, used in the processing and preservation of food;
- knowledge of the production technologies of the main animal products, including organic livestock production, and of the main processing technologies;
- knowledge of the main concepts of food microbiology;
- knowledge of the main analytical techniques related to food analysis.

Common training area
This ability takes the form of using the application aspects of the basic notions learned, with particular reference to
- familiarity in the use of physical quantities according to the International System;
- Mastery of the principles and laws of mechanics, electromagnetism and transport phenomena;
- Mastery of basic economic notions: definition of needs and goods, interpretation of a balance sheet of an agri-food enterprise;
- ability to use computer skills in the collection and organisation of technical and scientific data through the use of IT tools.
The student also knows:
- using and interpreting simple physical and chemical measurements in the agri-food sector; -
- distinguishing prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms through scientific observation;
- grasp the fundamental aspects of integration and regulation of metabolic fluxes;
- apply pest control techniques in agribusiness.
The attainment of the skills described in this learning area and in the subsequent ones, relating to Agricultural Technology and Food Technology, is achieved through critical reflection on the texts proposed for individual study and is stimulated by classroom activities. In addition, the study of research and application cases shown by the lecturers, the performance of practical laboratory and field exercises, bibliographical research, individual and/or group projects envisaged within the framework of the fundamental and optional courses included in the teaching plan, as well as during the internship and preparation for the final examination, contribute to their development.


Specific training area of Agricultural Technology
The student becomes capable of dealing on a planning and management level with the problems of the production of the main agricultural crops according to specific cultivation systems and along the entire production chain, with particular attention to sustainability criteria. The knowledge acquired enables him to apply traditional technologies and develop innovative methods for the genetic improvement of agricultural species. He/she has the ability to prepare solutions to the problems of water resource management and hydraulic protection of agricultural and forestry systems, irrigation management and mechanisation of crop operations, following technical innovations. The student acquires the ability to apply knowledge of animal nutrition to the definition of rational rationing plans.

Specific training area of Food Technology
The above knowledge can be applied:
- in the understanding of structure-function relationships in the different food chains and in the management of changes during the processing and preservation of products;
- in the use of modern technologies for the processing of raw materials into foodstuffs for human consumption, with a focus on wholesomeness and safeguarding quality characteristics;
- in the management of protocols for the testing, verification and control of the suitability and quality of products, also using instrumental measurements; - in the management of protocols for the testing, verification and control of the suitability and quality of products, also using instrumental measurements
- in the use of appropriate quality control and management tools to operate consistently within a quality system according to ISO 9001:2000 and subsequent updates.