Nutrition BSc

Course content

What will you study on the BSc Nutrition?

At the beginning of your course, you will review the basic sciences related to nutrition - molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology, human nutrition, food science and generic scientific and employability skills. As a second year student, you will explore advanced topics in nutrition, including the relationship between diet and health, nutrition through the human lifecycle, mechanisms by which diet influences human health and disease, food policy, and research and employability skills. In your final year, you will examine specialised topics in nutrition, including clinical nutrition, sport and exercise nutrition, and public health nutrition as well as carry out your own research.

What will you gain?

As well as an in-depth knowledge of the relationship between diet and health, human performance and disease, you will gain the practical skills to assess the nutritional status of humans in health or disease. You will be aware of the factors that influence food choice and nutritional policies. Additionally, you will understand the nutritional requirements at both molecular and population levels for humans. You will also have an appreciation of the need to be commercially aware and innovative, and understand the importance of research in the advancement of nutritional knowledge and evidence based practice.

This module aims to provide a wide range of practical, analytical and data handling skills you will need throughout your degree. It will also give you a solid foundation in employability skills such as teamwork, using information technology, communicating information and study skills.

This module aims to provide you with the knowledge and understanding of human anatomy and physiology required to underpin your future learning. The unifying theme of homeostasis is used to show how a healthy structure and function are maintained and how failures of homeostasis can result in disease.

This module explores the cell as the basic functional unit of life investigating the structure and function of cell components and introducing the cell cycle and the biology of disease. Concepts of evolution and the principles of inheritance are explained at the molecular level.

The main aim of this module is to introduce the key metabolic pathways of energy metabolism. You will acquire the skills and underpinning knowledge to pursue further studies in biochemistry.

The module introduces the principal aspects of human nutrition. The aim of the module is to provide you with a wide breadth of knowledge in human nutrition.

The module aims to provide you with the skills necessary to plan, implement, analyse and report project-based work, with the focus on preparation for the final year project module. The module also develops core research skills fundamental to a scientific research design, irrespective of discipline. Specific research skills include analytical techniques appropriate to individual programme requirements.

The module covers issues relating to human nutrition during the life cycle in both health and disease. It also explores scientific evidence and current issues relating to diet, health and disease. Additionally, you will gain an appreciation of the genetic, molecular, and physiological basis of nutritional disorders.

The module covers not only the nutritional requirements but also their functions of nutrients at the cellular and molecular level. It also aims to develop your appreciation of metabolic disorders and the current knowledge of nutrient-gene interactions in health and disease.

The module provides an understanding of aspects of nutrition, food chemistry, food microbiology, sensory science, functional food ingredients, food packaging, food safety, and food regulations so you can provide informed nutritional advice and evaluate food products. It also aims to provide you with a wide range of practical, analytical and data handling skills.

This practical experience module provides the means for you to link academic work with a 'real world' situation to conceptualise the meaning of theory in the wider world context. This module will allow you to gain transferable and graduate skills necessary for future career paths and employment. It is envisaged you will reflect upon areas of knowledge relevant to the placement learning experience and develop personal knowledge through a review of your learning. It will also give you the opportunity to enhance your skills of self-expression, communication, self-reliance and co-operation.

By completing this year-long placement you will graduate with the degree title of BSc Nutrition (Professional Practice).

This module aims to cover the scientific basis underlying nutritional support, medical ethics and nutritional counselling. It provides a review of the relevant physiology, pathophysiology, nutritional support and dietetic application for common disorders.

The module is designed to provide you with the theoretical and practical knowledge of how optimal nutrition can help to minimise the risk of sports injuries, enhance performance and promote recovery from injury.

The module takes an interdisciplinary and intercultural approach to nutrition and health challenges facing the world. It aims to provide you with an understanding of the nutritional factors that influence health from a local, national and global perspective. Additionally, it examines evidence-based approaches to the prevention, management and control of nutritional disorders of public health concerns.

This module will build on the skills you have acquired when undertaking previous modules and from the knowledge gained throughout the programme. Further development of analysis, critical thinking and scientific literary style will be promoted. You will be enabled to pursue areas of individual interest in the subject area appropriate to your target award and will have the opportunity of gaining increased theoretical and practical knowledge in a chosen specialist field. Individual research experience will be gained in an area that may provide future employment opportunities. Personal responsibility for own learning through self-directed study and supervised preparation will be fostered. It is an integral part of the degree programme, furthering the development of skills in critical analysis and reflection.

You can find more information about this course in the programme specification. Optional modules are usually available at levels 5 and 6, although optional modules are not offered on every course. Where optional modules are available, you will be asked to make your choice during the previous academic year. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, or there are staffing changes which affect the teaching, it may not be offered. If an optional module will not run, we will advise you after the module selection period when numbers are confirmed, or at the earliest time that the programme team make the decision not to run the module, and help you choose an alternative module.