MSc Nutrition and Food Science

Start your career as a nutrition professional in the food sector with our MSc Nutrition and Food Science.

This course is accredited by the , the independent regulator for Registered Nutritionists.

After graduating you will be eligible to apply to become a Registered Associate Nutritionist with the AfN. This is via the direct entry pathway, and will strengthen your status as a nutrition professional.

The government’s key requirement of the food sector, to provide nutritious food, encourages experts from industry and academia to work together to improve food standards. Your studies will explore the scientific aspects of food and nutrition, and assess the wider implications of diet on health and wellbeing.

The breadth of the course aims to increase your understanding of:

human nutrition
the development of healthy eating trends
key aspects of food and health
food composition
food storage, safety, and manufacturing.

You will work with expert academics from the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, and as part of your studies, you will work in some of the UK’s largest dedicated food teaching facilities. These include:

Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition (HSUHN). This facility has an international reputation for its research into the relationship between diet and the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurodegenerative disease and cancer. The unit’s clinical research informs governments and the food sector. You will have the opportunity to undertake your final project at the Unit.

Food Processing Centre. This pilot plant is unique to Reading. There is almost 1100m2 of floor space devoted to approximately £4m worth of equipment. Used primarily for teaching and learning, the plant contains processing equipment for food product development work. No other UK university offers what we do under one roof.

Flow Cytometry Suite. A range of specialist labs for assessing human gut microflora.

We are proud of our research: the 澳门六合彩开奖记录 is ranked 8th in the UK for research power in Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Sciences (Times Higher Education, Institutions Ranked by Subject, based on its analysis of the latest Research Excellence Framework 2021) and 95% of our research is of international standing (REF 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions – Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Sciences). As an MSc Nutrition and Food Science student, you will also have access to – and are encouraged to get involved in – the most up-to-date knowledge in the field of food science and nutrition.

Build on your existing knowledge with MSc Nutrition and Food Science

This master’s course is for graduates with science degrees that have a significant element of biological science.

Your studies will build on your existing scientific knowledge and develop your expertise in human nutrition.

You will learn through a variety of teaching methods, such as lectures and laboratory work, and your studies will culminate in a research project. This project can be conducted:

within the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences
at the Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition
or with one of our industrial partners.

You can attend this course on a full-time basis over one year, or part-time over two years.

Overview

Start your career as a nutrition professional in the food sector with our MSc Nutrition and Food Science.

This course is accredited by the , the independent regulator for Registered Nutritionists.

human nutrition
the development of healthy eating trends
key aspects of food and health
food composition
food storage, safety, and manufacturing.

Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition (HSUHN). This facility has an international reputation for its research into the relationship between diet and the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurodegenerative disease and cancer. The unit’s clinical research informs governments and the food sector. You will have the opportunity to undertake your final project at the Unit.

Food Processing Centre. This pilot plant is unique to Reading. There is almost 1100m2 of floor space devoted to approximately £4m worth of equipment. Used primarily for teaching and learning, the plant contains processing equipment for food product development work. No other UK university offers what we do under one roof.

Flow Cytometry Suite. A range of specialist labs for assessing human gut microflora.

Build on your existing knowledge with MSc Nutrition and Food Science

within the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences
at the Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition
or with one of our industrial partners.

You can attend this course on a full-time basis over one year, or part-time over two years.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements: Applicants are typically required to have at least a lower second-class honours degree (2:2) in a pure or applied science (or equivalent from a university outside the UK). Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning may be considered based on relevant work and other experience.

For MSc Nutrition and Food Science, your degree should have a significant element of biological science.

IELTS: 6.5 overall with no element less than 6.0

Pre-sessional English language Programme

Our Pre-sessional English Programme is for international students who need to meet their degree programme English language requirements.

Our courses equip you with the skills and language needed for academic success, including critical thinking, self-reflection, learner autonomy, research skills and integrating sources. The Pre-sessional English Programme is accredited by the global association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes, which guarantees you will receive a high-quality student experience.

To find out more, visit Pre-sessional English.

Structure

Modules

Compulsory modules

Nutrition Concepts

Learn fundamental concepts of nutrition, the development of dietary reference values and recommendations, and techniques used in nutrition research. You’ll also develop an understanding of major issues of nutrition during the life cycle, and have an appreciation of the scientific base of nutritional recommendations and controversial topics in nutrition research.

Lifestyle, Nutrigenetics and Personalised Nutrition

Learn about human nutrition during the life cycle and its link to nutrigenetics, nutrigenomics, epigenetics and personalised nutrition. You’ll also study a selection of current issues in nutrition which impinge on lifestyle, health, genetic susceptibility and disease and matters relevant to the interface between human nutrition and food science.

Microbes in Health and Disease

Learn the fundamentals of microbiology, with a focus on understanding the role of microbes in shaping health and disease outcomes. You’ll also learn skills in microbiological techniques and develop an understanding of how microbial communities can be manipulated through diet or clinical intervention, and the resultant impact on health.

Public Health Nutrition and Food Consumer Choice

Gain an introduction to policy, food choice and nutrition behaviour change in the context of public health nutrition. You’ll explore factors that influence food choice and conduct research to examine a real-world nutrition issue in your local environment. You’ll also develop a behaviour change intervention and communication plan based on your findings and understand how this relates to the Association for Nutrition Standards of Ethics, Conduct and Performance.

Food Product Reformulation

Develop your expertise in designing, developing and evaluating reformulated food products. You’ll learn about the key pillars in food product reformulation including nutrition, public health, food science, manufacturing, food quality, legislation, consumer perception and business perspective.

Clinical Nutrition

Learn about the scientific basis for nutritional support, medical ethics and nutritional counselling with a focus on healthy, sick and metabolically compromised patients.You’ll build skills in clinical nutrition with respect to physiological systems and learn about how diet can be used to prevent and treat human disease.

Research Skills and Project

Work as an independent research scientist to design a research project, undertake the research and write up the analysis in the format of a research paper. You’ll develop research skills and gain the opportunity to enhance your self-awareness and effectiveness in facilitating decision-making processes to boost your career development.

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the 澳门六合彩开奖记录.

Fees

New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £12,800

New international students: £30,950

Tuition fee information

The fees listed are for full-time study, unless otherwise stated. Fee information will be confirmed in offer letters sent out to successful applicants. You can find further information, including information for part-time study, through our dedicated fees and funding page.

EU student fees

With effect from 1 August 2021, new EU students will pay international tuition fees. For exceptions, please read .

Additional costs

Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Scholarships and financial support

For information about the 澳门六合彩开奖记录’s master’s scholarships, please visit our master’s scholarships page.

You can apply for a scholarship once you hold an offer of admission for your course. If you are eligible for a scholarship, we will contact you to guide you through the process.

Careers

Careers for MSc Nutrition and Food Science graduates

MSc Nutrition and Food Science is designed for people who wish to develop a career in the food sector, or conduct food-related research.

The food and drink industry is the UK’s largest manufacturing sector. It’s responsible for adding £21.9bn to the gross value of the UK economy – and it needs new graduates to meet its recruitment needs. We focus on the employability of our graduates, and have built excellent, long-established relationships with employers within the food and nutrition sectors.

Graduates of this course have gone on to such professions as:

nutritional research scientist
technical development (food ingredients)
retail nutrition advisor
new product development.

Other graduates have gone on to conduct PhD research.

Overall, 91% of graduates from Food and Nutritional Sciences are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation; of those in full-time employment, 93% are in graduate-level roles (Based on our analysis of HESA data © HESA 2024, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021/22; includes all Food and Nutritional Sciences responders).

Read more about where our MSc Nutrition and Food Science graduates are now

Ewen Trafford went on to join the British Nutrition Foundation, which provides nutrition and health-related information to the general public. Ewen has worked on a number of diverse projects including the structuring and writing of online courses, the creation of learning materials for use in primary and secondary schools, and answering nutrition-related queries from the public.

Subjects A-B

Subjects C-E

Subjects F-G

Subjects H-M

Subjects N-T

Subjects A-C

Subjects D-G

Subjects H-P