Master’s in Local products and Traditional Food (Food Identity)

Become an expert in the development of local and traditional food products!

Higher education in both Food Science and agribusiness for local and traditional food products. The Master programme combined scientific and technical knowledge and field experience. It provides an in-depth knowledge for traditional and local production.

During the Master’s degree, students attend courses in European partner institutions: namely France (Angers and Clermont-Ferrand), Italy (Piacenza), Romania (Cluj-Napoca), Greece (Thermi).

The Food Identity Master’s Degree is also labelled Erasmus Mundus 2019-2025.

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Program type: Master state approved diploma

Level: Minimum level required : bachelor's degree (or equivalent academic qualification)

Teaching language: English,

Lenght of training :: 24 months,

Status: Student or apprentice status,

Accreditation: Diploma awarded jointly by the University of Angers - ESTHUA and VetAgro Sup

Overview

In short The programme Skills Degree

The Master’s in Local products and Traditional Food is a multidisciplinary programme

It trains future experts in the agri-food sector -with an international vision of culture, regulation, market analysis and competences- in food processing, authentication, sensory analysis, quality control, marketing strategy and entrepreneurship.

The joint Master programme is designed to develop both technical and commercial skills through a curriculum focusing on local and traditional food products. It takes place in 4 countries (France, Italy, Romania and Greece). The training combines theory with practical experiences gained through applied work in pilot plants, visits to production sites and to retailers. They work on case studies hand in hand with producers and other professionals. This path gives all the essential elements and tools for a successful development of local and traditional food products from the producers to the consumers within the global market context.

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Why study a Master’s degree in Food?

Food consumption is deeply rooted in the culture and the emotion. Eating is a vital need as it is a means of social integration, a source of pleasure and a reflection of convictions and self-image. In addition, everywhere in the world and in Europe, in particular, local agriculture and local food products are linked to communities, habits and know-hows. Local, traditional food products and products of origin designation are getting a greater attention by many actors (politics, citizens, consumers and tourists). These foods are a gateway to other cultures, people and places.

Agriculture, rural development and sustainability are major concerns for governments around the world. In this context, the European Commission has developed quality schemes for these kinds of food products, and more specifically Geographical Indication labels (PDO, PGI and TSG) or other quality labels like organic food and products of mountain. These traditional food products and products of origin are mainly produced in SMEs in a globalised context ruled by international food regulations, European and national policies. The latter are facing certain external and internal challenges and need to further develop their production and marketing skills, within this complicated framework. Consequently, there is a need for experts of the development, protection and promotion of these food products, of having a comprehensive understanding of the situation.

For more information, you can register here for the upcoming webinar taking place on Wednesday 2nd of April 2025 at 3 pm.

The Master’s in Local products and Traditional Food programme is a European Joint Master course delivering a mix of joint and multiple degrees.

These different degrees have national accreditations in France, in Italy and Romania :

In France, the degree is one single joint degree delivered by 3 institutions: L’Ecole supérieure des Agricultures, VetAgro Sup Clermont and Université d’Angers. This degree is Master state approved diploma (accredited for 2022-2028; n° 20170963; NOR : ESRS2222576A).

The DNM degree is renewed every 4-6 years by the French ministry of education (MESRI) after an evaluation controled by Haut Conseil de l’Evaluation de la Recherche et de l’Enseignement Supérieur (HCERES). HCERES is a French institution in the European Framework for Quality Assurance in Higher Education and is registered in the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR). The role of EQAR is to keep a register of the quality assurance agencies that comply with the requirements of the European standards (ESG). At EU level, the external evaluation of HCERES is done by the European Association for Quality in Higher Education (ENQA) which promote the quality assurance framework within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).

In Romania, the awarded degree is under the national accreditation of the Romanian Ministry of Education which has accreditated the Masterat Agribusiness of USAMV. This accreditation is renewed every year.
In Italy, UCSC is delivering a Master universitario di primo livello Food-Identity (Prodotti tipici europei). This accreditation is renewed every year by UCSC to the italian Ministry of Education.

At USAMV as well as at UCSC, the accreditations are controled by national agencies for quality assurance in the framework of ENQA.

Curriculum

Year one Fall semester Year one Spring semester Year two Fall semester Year two Spring semester

Quality management and methods of characterisation of food products
- Quality management and methods of characterisation of food products8.00 ECTS
Processing of traditional food products
- Processing of traditional food products7.00 ECTS
Sensory Analysis
- Sensory Analysis10.00 ECTS
Concepts of local and traditional food products
Concepts of local and traditional food products

International Agribusiness Marketing
- International agribusiness marketing6.00 ECTS
International Agribusiness Management
- International Agribusiness Management6.00 ECTS
Optional internship
- Optional internship n°20.00 ECTS
- Optional internship n°30.00 ECTS
- Optional internship n°10.00 ECTS
Professional Practices on Field
- Professional Practices on Field6.00 ECTS
Agri-food economics and policy
Agri-food economics and policy
International Policies and Regulations
- International Policies and Regulations6.00 ECTS

Management of Food Companies
- Management of food companies5.00 ECTS
Foreign Languages
- French5.00 ECTS
- English5.00 ECTS
Safety Hygiene and Environmental Management
- Safety Hygiene and Environmental Management5.00 ECTS
Relationship between Productions Systems and Products Quality
- Relationship between productions systems and products qual5.00 ECTS
Professional Skills Development
- Professional skills development5.00 ECTS
Products of Origin and Quality Labels
- Case study5.00 ECTS

Internship

Internship & Study abroad

In the fourth semester, students are encouraged to undertake practical internships, in a lab or company, for 6 months as a professional project. Students may decide to work in the hosting country, or travel to another country.

The curriculum consists of two academic years, divided into four semesters of 30 ECTS.

During the first three semesters, students attend courses in five European partner institutions:

France (Angers),
Italy (Piacenza),
Romania (Cluj-Napoca),
Greece (Thessaloniki),
France (Clermont Ferrand).

The students remain together for the duration of the three semesters.

Another individual mobility, during the fourth semester, is possible to other countries or associated partner institutions (as long as ESA gives permission according to governmental regulations in case of a public health crisis). This mobility scheme aims to provide students with a rich cultural experience and exposure to the international food industry.

Career opportunities

Marketing Manager

Consultant

Entrepreneur

Production Engineer

Admission

Application process Prerequisites Administrative information

Submit your application on our digital platform.

For enrollment in September, online application is open from October of the previous year.
Your written application will be examined, then if it is accepted, you will be invited for an oral interview at ESA or by phone or skype for overseas countries.
The final selection will be done by the Pedagogical committee and the results will be communicated by email from February to July at the latest.
Should you wish to contest the final decision of the Teaching committee, please send a letter explaining your position. Your demand will be examined as quickly as possible.

Application deadline: first recruitments on 31 January, second recruitment on 30th April. Final recruitment July, 12 for EU residents only. For Non-EU residents, final recruitement is end of June.

Contact us!

For more information, you can register here for the upcoming webinar taking place on Wednesday 2nd of April 2025 at 3 pm.

Who can apply ?

Students wishing to further their education
Company staff wishing to obtain the National Diploma of Master (French DNM) by the way of adult training or to complete their knowledge with “à la carte” modules (no degree awarded)

Applications are examined individually.

Admission requirements

To attend this course, students must have successfully completed a diploma of higher education in science. It can be, for example…
a “Bachelor of Science” (3 years of scientific training or economic or sociology science), a MSc degree, or equivalent diploma for other countries.
The same admission requirements apply to company staff wishing to obtain a MSc by the way of continuing education. Each candidate will be examined individually by the Pedagogical committee.

Language level

A good level of English is compulsory (CEFL B2 or equivalent). A level of French is not required for the recruitment. However, reaching B1+ in French with French lessons during semester 1 & 2 for some teaching activities on semester 3 is mandatory. French language lessons for non French speakers is mandatory during the programme. Other languages, in particular those spoken in partner universities, are a good asset for the recruitment.

Students can attend an intensive French language course before the beginning of the Master course:

You can attend a French course (FLE: French as a Foreign Language) in the first 15 days of September with the other foreign students in the group. (included in the fees)
You can also decide to come earlier in July and/or August to follow a 1 or 2 month-intensive training in French (contact us for details on possibilities).

Tuition fees & funding

Tuition fees Funding

Tuition fees are updated each year and cover the whole of the course program

For the class intake of 2025 to 2026, the tuition fees for one academic year are:

9,900 euros
+ 105 euros (Student insurance for work experience and internship placements)
+ 100 euros (Participation costs for student life at ESA)
+ 92 euros (French tax contributing to student life on campus)

The second year of the Master Programme can be done either with a student status (fees above) or with an apprentice status. The apprentice statuts implies both practical (in an hosting French company) and academic training (at ESA or partner universities campus). The apprentice student will benefit from a monthly salary regulated by the French government, and won’t pay scholarship fees for the second year.

Tuition fees do not include

Transports costs between partner universities
Everyday student expenses (accommodation, meals, health insurance…)

Special notice for the 2 weeks professional practices in Greece (module 2.5)

Financed by ESA

accommodation
bus transport to visit places.
tasting sessions

Financed by students

lunches
evening meals
transport costs to the country from which the trip will start and back.

*Non EU graduate student means a national of any country of the world with the exception of the 28 Member States of the European Union, the EEA-EFTA States (Island, Liechtenstein and Norway) and the candidate countries for accession to the European Union (presently Turkey and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia).