Nutrition MSc

Nutrition is a fast-moving discipline that focuses on understanding the role of diet in maintaining a healthy human body and the prevention of disease. Our Nutrition MSc course will give you an in-depth understanding of the scientific, social and ethical considerations that inform the nutrition profession, as set by the professional voluntary register of nutritionists.

Throughout the course you’ll develop an in-depth understanding of the scientific principles that underpin the relationships between diet, human health and wellbeing. You’ll develop your ability to critically appraise the effects of food processing on the nutritional quality of foods and the role of processed foods in the diet.

The course will encourage you to evaluate the current issues and developments related to the nutrition discipline, and propose new insights and solutions to diet-related problems.

Course highlights

• Our courses are shaped by our world-leading research in areas such as digestion and delivery, food safety, functional biopolymers and novel food design.

• You’ll be taught by internationally renowned academics working at the forefront of their fields, who are passionate about the subjects they teach with strong industrial links.

• During your project work you will access specialist facilities and laboratories which will enable you to develop your skills as a researcher.

• Our theoretical modules are supported by extensive practical sessions in the laboratory, allowing you to perform experiments that reinforce the material taught to you in the lectures.

• Throughout your studies you’ll benefit from a structured support system, with a personal tutor who will offer help and advice about your approach to studying and how to become adept at independent learning.

Programme team

Dr Charlotte Evans is Programme Leader for Nutrition. Her research interests are focused on the evaluation of interventions and policies to improve nutritional behaviour, behavioural nutrition in children and young people, and factors affecting diet quality and health outcomes.

The wider programme team is made up of academics and researchers from across the School of Food Science and Nutrition who work within the School’s research institutes and groups.

Specialist facilities

You will have access to excellent teaching and laboratory facilities, supplemented by extensive computing equipment. Our specialist facilities include the latest equipment for investigating the colloidal nature of foods, small and wide angle X-ray scattering equipment (SAXs & WAXS), cutting-edge electron microscopy facilities, texture analysers, tribometers as well as HPLC and GC analytical equipment.

Find out more about our facilities.

Online taster course

Food Safety and Nutrition: A Global Approach to Public Health is a free online course, delivered via Futurelearn, exploring the challenges of ensuring food security faced by researchers, policymakers and individuals worldwide.

Learn how large-scale change like industrialisation, globalisation, population growth and climate change affects food safety and understand the consequences for the world’s health and nutrition.

Accreditation

The course is accredited by the Association for Nutrition which means it delivers all the core competencies required of registered nutritionists. On successful completion of this MSc, you are able to enter the UK voluntary register of nutritionists, and our excellent links with industry will help you to pursue a successful and rewarding career.

Through this course you’ll develop an understanding of the functions of food components and nutrients, as well as a capacity to critically analyse a problem, create an action plan and go through a scientific investigation. You will also have opportunities to develop skills such as effective communication and presentation skills.

The programme aims to develop your understanding of nutrition from an international perspective, and encourages the development of research projects that satisfy both the course requirements and your individual interests.

During the latter part of the year, you will choose research areas you are interested in and be assigned to a member of academic staff. You will undertake a critical evaluation of the literature and write a research proposal to answer a research question, as identified by you and your supervisor.

You will undertake the project in one of the research laboratories. The emphasis will be on the generation of primary data or analysis of high quality data that has already been collected.

Want to find out more about your modules?

Take a look at the Nutrition module descriptions for more detail on what you could study.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Nutrition MSc in the course catalogue

Modules

Year 1

Learning and teaching

Teaching is by lectures, practical classes, tutorials, seminars and supervised research projects. We make extensive use of IT and a wide range of materials is available to enable students to study at their own pace and in their own time to enhance and extend the material taught formally. The School has a wide range of specialist facilities and has recently invested in brand new laboratories.

Our Virtual Learning Environment will help to support your studies: it’s a central place where you can find all the information and resources for the School, your programme and modules.

You can also benefit from support to develop your academic skills, within the curriculum and through online resources, workshops, one-to-one appointments and drop-in sessions.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

Assessment is by course work and written exams which take place at the end of the semester in which the module is taught.

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:2 (Hons) in a subject containing chemistry and biology content.

All key modules should also have strong grades (none below 2:2 UK equivalent). Please check your marks using international equivalent qualifications. We will ask for further detailed module information if these are not clear on your transcript.

We expect all applicants to provide a supporting statement indicating their career aim in Nutrition and a description of their interest in Public Health priorities.

For more information please contact the Admissions Team.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in all components. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Science (6 weeks) and Language for Science: General Science (10 weeks). 

We are now offering online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals.  To find out more, read Online Academic English pre-sessional (10 weeks) and Online Academic English pre-sessional (6 weeks).

Read about differences between our online and on-campus summer pre-sessionals.

If you need to study for longer than 10 weeks, read more about our postgraduate pre-sessional English course.

How to apply

Application deadlines

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

29 July 2022 – International applicants

9 September 2022 – UK applicants

Apply

This link takes you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.

If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy 2023

Fees

• UK: £11,500 (total)
• International: £26,750 (total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.

Additional cost information

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.  Find out more at Masters funding overview.

A degree from Leeds and the experience you'll gain here will give you the edge to find the career you want. Your course will give you the experience and knowledge that employers are looking for to help you secure a job.

The University of Leeds is in the top five most targeted universities in the UK by graduate recruiters, according to High Fliers’ The Graduate Market in 2021 report.

On graduating from the Nutrition MSc you’ll have the knowledge and skills relevant for registration as a qualified nutritionist, in food companies and other nutrition and health-related industries, providing personalised advice on healthy eating.

Many of our graduates go on to work as Food Nutritionists or Public Health Nutritionists.

Here are some of the roles that our graduates are now in:

• Food Technical Graduate, Tesco PLC

• Nutrition Advisor and Business Development Executive, I-detox International Limited

• Product Development Officer, Premier Foods

• R&D Technician, Kerry Foods

• Dietetic Assistant, County Durham NHS Trust

• Nutritionist, PepsiCo

• Food Labelling & Nutrition Coordinator, Jordans, Dorset & Ryvita

• Nutrition Technologist, Bakkavor

Food Nutritionists usually work in the food manufacturing industry and look at the science, ingredients, policy, legislation and regulations involved in the consumption or marketing of a food item. As a Food Nutritionist your role will vary between nutrition training or education, health promotion and assessing, setting, implementing and communicating nutritional standards and information, marketing, product development, regulatory support and scientific research.

Public Health Nutritionists develop, implement and evaluate nutrition policies and programmes. As a Public Health Nutritionist you’ll undertake research and apply scientific knowledge to ensure the government, people and communities have a good understanding of the impact of food and diet on health and well-being. You’ll also be in a position to advise on how to improve the diet, nutrition and health of people and communities.

Read profiles of our alumni to find out more about where some of our graduates are working.

Further study

A Masters in food science will also serve you well in progression to research-led projects. Many of our students go on to undertake PhD research here at the University of Leeds in one of the School’s research groups.

Read about postgraduate research in the School of Food Science and Nutrition.

Careers support

The School of Food Science and Nutrition has its own dedicated Employability Enhancement Officer who can offer quality advice and support with regards to careers, CV and cover letter writing, job applications etc. The Employability Enhancement Officer promotes a range of opportunities available to students to ensure they maximise their capabilities through a process of personal development and career planning.

You will have full access to the University’s Careers Centre, which is one of the largest in the country.

There are also plenty of exciting ways you can volunteer during your time at Leeds. Find out more at the Leeds University Union website.

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.