Clinical Nutrition MSci
UCAS Code: B402|Duration: 4 years|Full Time|Hope Park|UCAS Campus Code: L46Work placement opportunities|International students can apply|Study Abroad opportunities
About the course
The management of metabolic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease requires experts who clearly understand the role of nutrition. Our Clinical Nutrition course focuses on the prevention and management of diseases at both individual and population levels. You will acquire a deep understanding of the role of nutrition in the aetiology, pathophysiology and development of clinical conditions, and will become highly skilled in a number of practical laboratory and research areas relevant to these conditions. The Masters level year of this course will allow you to pursue your chosen research area of interest in greater depth and equip you with further advanced knowledge, skills and training to prepare you for graduate employment in an area such as research, clinical settings, laboratories or further studies in areas such as dietetics or human nutrition research.
The Clinical Nutrition is mapped against the core competencies of the Association for Nutrition (which means that one you graduate, you are eligible to apply for registration of the UK Voluntatry Regiuster of Nutritionist (UKVRN) by submission of a portfolio of evidence. You will be taught in our new Health Sciences building, which features specialist laboratories and equipment dedicated to support teaching and research in clinical nutrition, nutritional biochemistry and food science.
You will learn from a highly committed team of research-active registered nutritionists who are supported by bio-medical practitioners and healthcare professionals, aiming to bring interdisciplinary and broad understanding of clinical conditions required for student learning.
Our MSci Clinical Nutrition is currently not accredited by the Association for Nutrition. If you are interested in applying for a degree with AfN Accreditation, please see our BSc Nutrition.
Course structure
Teaching is structured into lectures, where all students are taught together; seminars of smaller groups of around 15-20 students; and tutorials which typically have no more than 10 students. You also have the opportunity to have a weekly one-to-one meeting with your tutor.
If you study Nutrition as a Single Honours degree, in your first year of study there are approx. 12 teaching hours each week, which reduces to approx. 10 hours in your second and third years.
On top of teaching hours, you are also expected to spend approximately 18 hours studying independently each week, either individually or in groups (to help prepare for your individual and group assessments).
Assessment and feedback
During your three years of study, you will have a number of assessments, including written exams, portfolios, case studies, laboratory logs and diaries, viva and group presentations. You will also complete a dissertation. Feedback will be provided for all formal assessments in various forms, such as written, verbal in a one-to-one meeting, or as general feedback of class performance in tutorial and teaching sessions. The individual feedback on written work will be typically offered within four weeks after submission.
Year One
In the first year, the curriculum will be focused on the sciences that underpin the principles of Human Nutrition. Topics include:
Nutrition
- Nutritional biochemistry
- Gastrointestinal anatomy and physiology
- Macronutrients and micronutrients
- Fluid and Energy balance
- Alcohol and Non-nutritive substances
- Nutrient composition of foods
- The food supply chain, sustainability and health
- Food safety and hygiene
- Theoretical and practical aspects of dietary modifications
Human Sciences
- From atoms and molecules to cells
- General anatomy and physiology
- Tissues and organ systems
- Biochemistry and metabolism
- Body systems in relation to dysfunction and disease
- Laboratory methods and techniques
Year Two
In the second year, the focus of the curriculum is on applying and expanding your knowledge gained in the first year. Topics studied include:
Nutrition
- Assessment of nutritional status
- Nutrition throughout the lifecycle
- Nutrition in relation to socioeconomic factors, ethnicity and religion
- Genes and obesity
- Food enrichment and fortification
- Nutrient-nutrients and nutrient-drug interactions
- Basic nutritional epidemiology and public health nutrition
Human Sciences
- Epidemiology and pathology of diseases
- Metabolic diseases
- Molecular and cellular biology
- Endocrinology and immunology
- The gut microbiome
- Bioscience lab techniques
Year Three
In the third year, the curriculum will focus on the advanced understanding of Human and Clinical Nutrition. Topics studied include:
Nutrition
- Nutrition, physical activity and sport
- Obesity and weight management
- Nutrition and non-communicable diseases
- Public health nutrition & food policy
- Food choice and behaviour modification of dietary intake
- Food supply and formulation
- Nutrition ethics & professional practice
Clinical Nutrition
- Diabetes and cardiovascular disease
- Dyslipidemia
- Hypertension
- Gastrointestinal pathologies
- Renal pathologies
- Osteoporosis and sarcopenia
- Cancer
Year Four
You will have the option to study a fourth year for an MSci in Clinical Nutrition. You will have the opportunity to pursue research in a specialist area at Masters level. You will also be taught further theoretical knowledge in contemporary nutrition topics and research skills directed towards future employment aspirations.
Entry requirements
| A-Levels | BBC |
|---|---|
| UCAS Tariff Points | 112 UCAS Tariff points must come from a minimum of two A Levels (or equivalent). Additional points can be made up from a range of alternative qualifications |
| BTEC | DMM |
| Access to HE | 112 Tariff Points |
| IB | 28 |
| Irish Leaving Certificate | 112 Tariff Points from Higher Level qualifications only |
| Welsh Baccalaureate | This qualification can only be accepted in conjunction with other relevant qualifications |
| Subject Requirements | No specific subject requirements |
International entry requirements
| Specific Country Requirements | Select your country |
|---|---|
| IELTS | 6.0 overall (with reading and writing at 6.0) and no individual score lower than 5.5. We also accept a wide range of International Qualifications. For more information, please visit our English Language Requirements page. |
Careers
A typical graduate would acquire a deep understanding of the role of nutrition in the prevention and management of clinical conditions and would be highly skilled in a number of practical laboratory and clinical skills. These skills would be transferable between the clinical and community-based health settings and would enable graduates to work in areas such as: weight management, management of non-communicable diseases, new product development (particularly clinical nutrition products), supporting specialist nutrition products as well as opportunities in research and education.
Potential employment opportunities for clinical nutritionists exist within both the National Health Service and the private health sector; including community health services, education and academia. There are also employment opportunities in specialist clinical nutrition companies, the wider food and drink industry, as well as the biomedical sciences sector. Many of our graduates also go on to postgraduate study.
Enhancement opportunities
SALA
The Service and Leadership Award (SALA) is offered as an extra-curricular programme involving service-based experiences, development of leadership potential and equipping you for a career in a rapidly changing world. It enhances your degree, it is something which is complimentary but different and which has a distinct ‘value-added’ component. Find out more on our Service and Leadership Award page.
Study Abroad
As part of your degree, you can choose to spend either a semester or a full year of study at one of our partner universities as part of our Study Abroad programme. Find out more on our Study Abroad page.
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2022/23 academic year are £9,250 for full-time undergraduate courses.
If you are a student from the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, your tuition fees will also be £9,250.
The University reserves the right to increase Home and EU Undergraduate and PGCE tuition fees in line with any inflationary or other increase authorised by the Secretary of State for future years of study.
Scholarships
We have a range of scholarships to help with the cost of your studies. Visit our scholarships page to find out more.
International tuition fees
The International Tuition fees for 2022/23 are £11,400.
Visit our International fees page for more information.