Applied Human Nutrition
MSc or PGDip or PGCert
Key facts
Start dates
September 2020
Location
Course length
Full time: MSc: 12 months
Part time: MSc: 24 months, PGDip: 20 months, PGCert: 8 months
Department
Department of Sports, Health Sciences and Social Work
Accreditation(s)
Our course is accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN)
Overview
Applied Human Nutrition is a practical, research driven master course. It details the science behind the nutritional requirements of humans from pre-conception to old age.
Poor nutrition is causing increasing public health problems in all sectors and ages. This is especially clear among the young and the elderly. On this course you will examine:
- the specific problems of global nutrition and the implications for public health
- the provision of food and nutrients to the body, facilitating optimum physical and mental development and health maintenance.
Our Oxford Centre for Nutrition and Health (OxBCNH) is the UK's first research centre dedicated to functional foods. The Centre has excellent links with the food industry.
As part of your research project you will have opportunities to work with the Oxford Centre for Nutrition and Health. You can get involved with cutting edge research that helps the government and food industry develop new products with specific health and nutritional benefits.
How to apply
Entry requirements
Specific entry requirements
In order to successfully complete a postgraduate course, applicants are usually expected to have (or be about to attain) at least a second class honours degree in a related scientific subject from a recognised institution of higher education. If you do not have these academic qualifications, you could still be offered a place on this course if you can show evidence of the potential to succeed based on professional and/or related experiences.
Please also see the University's general entry requirements.
English language requirements
For applicants whose first language is not English, an Academic IELTS score of 6.5 (with 6.5 in Reading and Writing, and 6.0 in Listening and Speaking) is required.
Please also see the University's standard English language requirements.
English requirements for visas
If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.
Pathways courses for international and EU students
We offer a range of courses to help you meet the entry requirements for your postgraduate course and also familiarise you with university life in the UK.
Take a Pre-Master's course to develop your subject knowledge, study skills and academic language level in preparation for your master's course.
If you need to improve your English language, we offer pre-sessional English language courses to help you meet the English language requirements of your chosen master’s course.
Terms and Conditions of Enrolment
When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.
Application process
Tuition fees
Questions about fees?
Contact Student Finance on:
Tuition fees
Fees quoted are for the first year only. If you are studying a course that lasts longer than one year your fees will increase each year.
Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course, if any, are detailed below.
Financial support and scholarships
Learning and assessment
Depending on the course you are studying, you will be required to complete the following:
- MSc students - 180 level seven credits
- PGDip students - 120 level seven credits
- PGCert students - 60 level seven credits.
Study modules
The modules listed below are for the master's award. For the PGDip and PGCert awards your module choices may be different. Please contact us for more details.
Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from that shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.
Learning and teaching
You will learn using a variety of methods, including:
- lectures
- directed reading
- workshops
- seminars
- practical work
- project work.
Each module requires 200 hours of student input in each twelve week semester. There are approximately 36 hours of staff contact time. There is typically three hours teaching each week for 12 weeks.
Our teaching staff are drawn primarily from the Department of Sport and Health Sciences. We also invite visiting speakers from:
- business and industry
- local government
- consultancies
- research bodies
- other universities.
The Oxford Centre for Nutrition and Health (OxBCNH) is an internationally-renowned research group consisting of visiting professors, fellows, research assistants and PhD students. All of whom are researching nutrition and food topics.
Field trips
Assessment
Assessment methods used on this course
Your performance in each module is assessed by:
- evaluation of your written or design work
- verbal presentations.
We use a range of assessment methods, such as:
- essays
- seminar papers
- formal written examinations
- in-class tests
- project case work
- design and verbal presentations
- workshops
- dimulations
- practical exercises.
Research
Our research areas and clusters include:
- glycaemic control and the development of low glycaemic index foods
- female nutrition and the role of the menstrual cycle in energy regulation
- appetite and satiety
- childhood obesity and the factors influencing it
- sensory testing of foods
- weight management
- management of type two diabetes with nutrition and physical activity
- functional food ingredients and their effect on energy regulation
- antioxidant properties of foods.
After you graduate
Career prospects
Graduates pursue a range of nutrition-related careers, particularly in:
- health promotion as food and health co-ordinators
- industry with food and drink manufacturers and retailers
- medical food companies
- food service providers
- trade associations
- government and policy to improve the health of the population
- research in universities, food companies or research institutes.
Our Staff
Programme Changes: On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been published on the website.
For more information, please visit our Changes to programmes page.