Course Overview
This qualification provides the academic learning required to gain the Higher Certificate in Food Premises Inspection awarded by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH). Any Environmental Health Assistant or Technician who wishes to develop their career in Food Premises Inspection, must, according to the current Food Standard Agency Code of Practice, be in possession of an Ordinary or Higher Certificate in Food Premises Inspection awarded by the Environmental Health Registration Board. This course is designed to prepare you for the examinations for this Higher Certificate.
Entry Requirements
Applicants must have HND/BSc Honours QAA FHEQ Level 4 in a related discipline. Applicants for this course should be employed and supported by a Local Authority Environmental Health Department. In exceptional circumstances, applicants not in such employment but with significant experience in catering or food manufacture, holding a relevant QAA FHEQ Level 4/5 qualification may also be considered. Such applicants should read carefully the additional information section of this course sheet.
Overseas students need a minimum IELTs score of 6.5 to show competence in all four assessed areas.
What the course covers
Download further details of the course here : Programme Specification.
Chartered Institute of Environmental Health website – Technical qualifications
You will study four taught units at Nescot as the first part of this qualification. Once these have been successfully completed, you will then be required to pass a professional interview with examiners from the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) and to complete a logbook of relevant field practice. This normally takes at least one further year.
Fees and funding
£2,400*
*Exam fee included
Concession: NO
Government Subsidised: NO
Student Loan Available: NO
Please note: Fees are for 2026/27 entry and apply to students eligible for home fee status. For more information about financial support for students, please click here.
Progression
Students successfully completing the full qualification will become CIEH-qualified Inspectors, allowing them to carry out inspection of Food Premises.
Students wishing to advance their career further may be able to use either the full qualification or the academic part of the qualification for credit exemption or advanced entry to degree courses which lead to Environmental Health Officer status.
Students may be able to use the qualification to enrol onto the food control course and complete the additional professional portfolio for the higher certificate food control.
Duration
30 weeks (7 hours per week).
Currently runs on Thursdays at 9am