Nutritional Sciences (Taught)

What is nutritional science?

• A scientific discipline that focuses on the study of nutrients in food and how the body utilises these nutrients

• An understanding of the relationship between diet, health, and disease

Nutritional science underpins evidence-based dietary guidelines, informing strategies for health promotion and policies related to food and nutrition at the individual, community, and global levels.

This MSc programme provides a direct route to specialise in nutrition and is designed for BSc graduates with a biological sciences background (or biological sciences related subject). Accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN), successful graduates can join the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN) as a Registered Associate Nutritionist (ANutr).

Throughout this course you will develop a deep understanding of human nutrition and how this relates to health and disease. You will study the functions of macro and micronutrients, energetics and metabolism. Using the latest research, you will explore the important role of nutritionists in public health and sustainable global food systems. You will discuss current evidence-based research, trends and developments within the field of nutrition and recognise the importance of exposing the public to safe and credible nutrition information.

You will have access to state-of-the-art specialist facilities including the diet laboratory, clinical skills suite and technology enhanced teaching laboratory.

Highlights include:

• Public health nutrition; study current public health priorities across the lifespan.

• Healthy People, Healthy Planet module; explore the global food system, sustainability and the link to population and planetary health.

• Molecular nutrition; study nutrient-gene interactions – the basis for personalised nutrition

• Research projects; work alongside leading nutritional scientists within the Division of Food, Nutrition and Dietetics to develop and conduct an independent research project addressing a current important topic in nutrition.

You will develop transferrable skills essential for a career as a Registered Associate Nutritionist including communication skills, critical appraisal, data handling, professional development and evidence-based practice.