FSM Program Structure

Program: IIFS’s Food Safety Management (FSM) program is based upon the curriculum in use for safe food officers in Ireland. This is based upon the requirements of EU food law and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). Given the similarity of the BFSAs underpinning legislation, it is an appropriate model. Also, this curriculum & syllabus has approved equivalence with that of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health in the UK and is equivalent to similar courses elsewhere in the world. The curriculum has been mapped in terms of topics addressed and duration of their teaching to the requirements of the Bangladesh Food Safety Act 2013, various food regulations made under the Act and some sector specific food regulations. This should ensure that the program continues to serve the fundamental functioning of food safety legislation and does not diverge into one particular disciple but rather, maintains its essential multidisciplinary nature.

Title of program: Bachelor of Science in Food Safety Management (Honours), BSc Food Safety Management (Hons.)

Award: BSc Food Safety Management (Hons.) of The Bangladesh Agricultural University, under the Interdisciplinary Institute for Food Security (IIFS), with grades of Pass, Lower Second Class Honours, Upper Second Class Honours or First Class Honours.

Through the design, delivery and periodic appraisal of the program and its components, the Program Team is committed to the continued delivery of:

• A program which is academically challenging, stimulating and rewarding to students to enhance individual development and their future role in society.
• A program which is delivered through well organised programs of instruction and learning which is informed by active participation in research by staff in well-equipped modern facilities.
• A program which is nationally recognised as one of educational excellence whose graduates are immediately accepted into employment or further study.
• A program where students are assured of the quality of their education through the BAUs’ quality enhancement procedures and where regular feedback is available to students on program work and assignments.
• A multidisciplinary program which is delivered through co-operation across faculties and departments in all six faculties.
• A program where student centred learning is promoted, supported and encouraged within BAU.

Learning Outcomes: On completion of the four year degree in Food Safety Management the graduate must be able to:

• Apply the requisite technical, scientific, managerial and interpersonal skills to undertake the practice of food safety risk management and regulatory enforcement
• Apply risk analysis to the core areas of food safety and regulatory enforcement.
• Ability to synthesise, evaluate and problem solve to offer to the public and private sector creative solutions that are scientifically informed, legislatively compliant and ethically sound.
• Apply preventive and protective measures in the core areas of food safety.
• Possess the capacity to undertake further study or research in food safety or related disciplines.
• Coordinate and implement effective food safety risk management communication strategies and techniques at community and regulatory levels.

Nature, Duration and Structure of the Program: The program is a full-time, four year honours degree program, delivered by the Interdisciplinary Institute for Food Security at the Bangladesh Agricultural University on campus in Mymensingh.  Three months of this Professional Internship will be spent with the public sector and three months will be spent in the private sector.  The fundamental aim of the program is to develop a well-educated, broadly based food safety reflective professional, who will have the ability to carry out their professional functions on graduation and the academic depth and initiative to specialise in further studies.  Professional development is constantly fostered throughout the program and this is tempered with food safety and research methodology, scientific method, analytical, statistical and quantitative techniques that prepare the graduate for continued education.

Students are required to submit a substantial food safety related research project in the final year of the program.  The presentation and delivery of the program is through lectures, tutorials, laboratory work/demonstrations, computer labs, drawing studio and other practical components, field visits, research and other seminars, workshops, case-studies, guest lectures, staff-directed library based learning by the student, and private study.

Lecture notes and other resource material are made available to students electronically. Students are expected to attend for all lectures, practicals, demonstrations, field trips, placements, guest lectures and other timetabled events. Students are expected to utilise the BAU and other library services, and much of the directed self-learning process by the student is undertaken in these libraries.  Library familiarisation and orientation courses are freely available to students.

Assessment of a student’s progression through the program is by formative and summative assessment through written and practical program-work assessment, examinations, oral exam and oral presentations, assessment and e-portfolio submission and, in the final year of the program, submission of a research project.  Student progression from one stage to the next is governed by the successful completion of the program requirements for each stage, within the framework of the BAU academic framework.

The following pages outline the structure of the program with regard to course delivery in each year and each semester.  Each course has been allocated a Course Code FSM (abbreviation for Food Safety Management) followed by the course number.