Design for Food

Coordenação do curso

APPLY HERE

MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE COURSE

The program of the Design for Food study cycle highlights a holistic perspective in the development of food products, services, and experiences, with a special focus on the deficiencies and problems of the food system. Focusing primarily on these problems, students are asked to find solutions that address these same challenges through processes, tools, and methodologies specialized in Design and food innovation. The contribution of various disciplines with different approaches and backgrounds allows students to develop their design activities in this context. Tourism, hospitality, catering, and the food industry, which increasingly require critical and creative thinking, allow students within the scope of the study cycle to develop new knowledge, research, ideas, and possibilities within the current food system:

• To train design professionals in the field of Food Design through the development of food products, services, and experiences, capable of performing their professional activities in different scenarios of the food system (industry, catering, hospitality...);
• Explore the boundaries between design and food by combining design processes, methodologies, and tools with food science, innovation, and technology in an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary context;
• Promote reflection and critical thinking among students on specific issues of the food system, enabling them to conceive, develop, and implement projects at scale (local, regional, and global) in the development of food products, services, and experiences;
• Adopt an approach to design as a project activity that promotes the use and consumption of food responsibly and sustainably (society, culture, environment...);
• Create individual and group project paths, centered on students, their interests, and motivations;
• Develop Design projects for food in real contexts and in collaboration with public and private entities, within the scope of food.

TARGET AUDIENCE

They can apply for the course:

• Holders of bachelor's degrees or equivalent legal qualifications;
• Professionals whose curriculum is recognized as relevant by the Course Coordination;
• Holders of a foreign higher academic degree conferred following a 1st cycle of studies organized according to the principles of Bologna by a state adhering to this process;
• Holders of a foreign higher academic degree that is recognized as meeting the objectives of the bachelor's degree by the scientifically and statutorily competent body.

COMPETENCIES TO PROMOTE

The course of study leads to an understanding of the current food system and the processes inherent in the development of food products, services, and experiences through processes, methodologies, and design tools. It allows students, through their projects, to understand and identify the interconnections between the food system, culture, society, and consumer behavior. The combination of food and design allows the student to: manage complex processes, methods, and workspaces that require innovative solutions, where products are processed, distributed, and consumed; manage food production from an aesthetic, communicational, and representational perspective; create and develop creative and innovative methodologies to manage equipment and tools used for preparing and consuming food; manage the communication and promotion of interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary food products, services, and experiences:

• Conceptualize a design project in the area of food in an integrated manner by following a design process;
• Understand the values, strategies, and evolution of the food system based on scientific research and case study analysis (society, culture, market, environment...);
• Reflect on the paradigms of the complex organization of the food system based on a critical and creative analysis;
• Understand and analyze food as an edible object that results from a socio-cultural context, its physical and chemical composition, and its use and consumption;
• Produce contextualized and comparative reflection on the themes addressed in the study cycle.

The operationalization of the learning objectives, as well as their assessment and fulfillment, is essentially ensured by the articulation between the different UCs of a theoretical, theoretical-practical, laboratory, and project-based nature.

CURRICULAR STRUCTURE

Considering the defined objectives and the competencies to be acquired, this advanced training course has been structured through a set of mandatory curricular units. The training in Design for Food is organized according to the credit unit system (a total of 60 ECTS).

EVALUATION SYSTEM

The assessment of each subject has an individual character, including the completion of written assignments (individual or group), oral presentations, and/or other forms of evaluation deemed appropriate for the topics under study. The result of the evaluation in each subject will be expressed on a scale of whole numbers from 0 to 20. Passing each subject depends on achieving a final grade equal to or higher than 10 points. The final grade of the course is calculated by the weighted average based on the ECTS of the grades obtained in the curricular units that constitute it. 

SCHEDULE OF THE TEACHING COMPONENT

The course operates at the following times:
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
External visits may occasionally occur on Thursdays.

Despite the established base schedule, classes will take place on Saturdays or other weekdays, namely experimental classes, visits, and events within the scope of class projects.

CANDIDATES | RANKING CRITERIA

• Application period: from February 16 to March 22, 2026 - NOTICE
• 3rd phase of applications | from May 14 to June 19, 2026 - NOTICE

The results of the applications will be published according to the deadlines established in the application notice for each round, on the ESHTE website, in the tab dedicated to the course to which you are applying.

Information: Monday to Friday – 9 am – 12:30 pm / 2 pm – 5:30 pm

Telephone: +351 210 040 725/29 

E-mail: info@eshte.pt

Application process: 

To complete the application process, which takes place exclusively online, the candidate must access the Applications Portal. It is necessary to access the Guide for Applicants and follow precisely the examples provided (documents can only be up to 1MB).

Application fee | 75 €

The application fee will only be returned if the course does not open. For this purpose, the candidate must keep the respective receipt. Applications will only be considered valid if payment is made within the deadline.

Errors or omissions made in filling in the online application form or the application process’s instructions are the sole responsibility of the candidate.

Documentation:

• Citizen Card or Birth Certificate
• Taxpayer Card
• Certificate of qualifications
• Duly proven Curriculum Vitae / Portfolio
• Letter of motivation with a maximum of 500 words (mandatory)
• Letter of recommendation (optional).

Holders of a foreign higher education degree must present the certificate/diploma with the Hague handout.

Vacancies (numerus clausus)

 20 students *

 * Minimum number of registrants to open the course: 10

 Ranking criteria

 The ranking criteria will only be applied if the number of candidates exceeds the defined numerus clausus.

 Applications will be evaluated by the Scientific and Executive Committee of the Master’s in Food Design, which will decide on each interested party's situation, defining the corresponding credits and study plans.

 On the other hand, candidates will be selected by the Scientific and Executive Committee of the Master in Food Design, based on the following criteria:

 i) Classification obtained in undergraduate or postgraduate courses, advanced training, or equivalent;

 ii) Curriculum vitæ and/or portfolio of the candidate, namely academic, scientific, and technical;

 iii) Letter of motivation with the statement of objectives;

 iv) Result of individual interview, when deemed necessary by the Scientific and Executive Committee of the Master in Food Design.

 Preference will be given to former students of undergraduate and Postgraduate, Advanced Training (or equivalent) courses at ESHTE and executives from companies or public bodies with more than two years of professional experience, up to a limit of 30% of available places.

In case of admission:

 Registration | 30€ 

 Registration | 15€ 

 School Insurance | 15

 Fee | see below

Fees Advanced Training Courses 2026-2027

Payment Methods for Tuition Fees (2022/2023):

• Rules for the Payment of Advanced Training Tuition Fees | 2022-2023