This two-year Master's Programme in International Food Business and Gastronomy prepares you for international careers where food meets business. You'll study a unique combination of marketing, brand management, global trade and consumer behaviour all enriched by an understanding of gastronomy as culture, identity and experience, preparing you to thrive in an increasingly competitive global market.
Real company projects put you in contact with leading brands, producers and innovators throughout your studies. You will graduate as a food business professional with a global mindset, ready to drive exports, build brands across cultures, or shape sustainable gastronomy.
This two-year programme combines food business, gastronomy and sustainability through coursework, hands-on projects and industry links.
It consists of 120 (ECTS) divided into advanced studies, including core studies in international business and gastronomic markets, thesis, and seminar, and other studies, e.g. food innovations, logistics, legislation and research methods.
Additional information about degree structure and courses will be provided later.
The language of instruction is English. The programme features mainly daytime classes combining in-person teaching, online learning, and independent study.
By graduation, you will have gained knowledge and skills in:
Teaching in the programme is based on research and provided by researchers well-versed in their discipline. Furthermore in your master’s thesis – and possibly later in your doctoral studies – you can combine multicultural business knowledge and sustainable gastronomy to tackle real food system challenges.
During the studies you can network with the food companies in Finland and abroad and enhance your employment prospects. After the graduation possible career paths could include:
Your skills can also be applied in NGOs, public organisations and research institutes working on food systems. If research inspires you, the programme also prepares you for doctoral studies and an academic career.
The Career Services at the University of Helsinki supports you by offering career counselling, workshops, and access to career portals. Finnish courses are available for international students, as learning the local language opens up more career options.
As a student in the Master's Programme in International Food Business and Gastronomy, you will benefit from the knowledge and experience of many inspiring scholars who possess solid teaching backgrounds and strong research credentials.
Profiles of our teachers and researchers will be published soon.
The Master's Programme in International Food Business and Gastronomy suits students with a passion for food and business. It welcomes applicants from a range of backgrounds, but you must have completed some higher education level studies in business administration. Detailed admission criteria will be available soon at the Finnish national education portal Studyinfo.fi.
Please note that the programme only has one intake per academic year. You can only submit your application during the application period.
The application period for studies starting in autumn 2027 is from 5 to 19 Jan 2027.
You are eligible to apply if you:
The detailed programme-specific admission criteria can be found at the Studyinfo.fi.
All our students must fund their own studies and living costs. Make sure you have sufficient funds to cover the entire duration of your studies.
A tuition fee applies if you are not a citizen of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, and do not hold an exempting residence permit in Finland.
The University of Helsinki does not offer fully-funded scholarships. For Master's programmes, a limited number of tuition fee waivers (50% or 100%, mostly 50%) are available for high-achieving tuition-fee-liable applicants. Even with a waiver, you will need to cover your own living and other costs. You apply for a waiver at the same time as you apply to the programme.
If you have any questions about applying to the University of Helsinki, contact our admission advisers for guidance.
You may possess a diverse academic background (e.g. business studies, social sciences, food sciences); however, it is crucial that you have university level courses in business administration studies to pursue further specialization in the master's programme (see the admission programme specific admission criteria at Studyinfo.fi).
In this master's programme we have no study tracks, instead all students follow the same curriculum. However, through the programme’s cross-enrollment agreements, you can explore study options at other institutions in Finland or abroad. You can also freely choose some other elective courses that match your interests.
As a student at the University of Helsinki, you can take courses from other programmes and faculties, and your degree also includes room for elective studies.
Yes, we offer exchange studies and various international opportunities. All University of Helsinki degree students can take part in an exchange, and around 1,000 do so each year. Additionally, you have the option to complete your internship abroad. Courses feature guest lectures from international companies and universities, and we team up with Finnish and global firms to tackle real business cases. After all, this programme emphasises internationalization.
In the programme, you can complete internships as part of your curriculum, but the programme is flexible and also allows you to develop your professional skills in other ways (e.g. project courses, internships in research groups).
The University of Helsinki has four campuses in Helsinki. You will primarily study at Viikki Campus, home to the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry and an international life sciences hub for agriculture, forestry and food sciences, biosciences, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine. The campus hosts faculties, institutes, research projects and network organisations, and also has a veterinary teaching hospital, a research farm, an arboretum, a greenhouse and a research field.
You can also take courses at the other University of Helsinki campuses. Some opportunities for multi-location learning in the cities of Lahti, Seinäjoki and Mikkeli may also be available.
The housing situation in Helsinki is better than in many European capitals, and as a student, you have the right to apply for reasonably priced student housing. That said, it is always important to start your search early.
Universities in Finland do not provide accommodation. Instead, non-profit organisations offer student housing, with HOAS being the main provider in the Helsinki capital region.
Student apartments in Finland are well-maintained and centrally heated, keeping you warm through the winter. The most affordable type of housing is a room in a shared apartment, but studios and two-room apartments are also available, both furnished and unfurnished.
The University of Helsinki, one of the world's top 1% research universities, is a place where both personal and scholarly breakthroughs happen. Studying here means gaining skills, knowledge and experiences that go beyond a degree, and student life is an important part of that.