Nutrition Science (Final Year Entry)

BSc (Hons)

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Key facts

UCAS code

B410

Start dates

September 2024 / September 2025

Course length

Full time: 1 Year

Overview

This programme has been developed to cover food science, the clinical and social/behaviour aspects of nutrition, health/wellbeing and professional conduct to equip students for a career in the area of nutrition. Nutrition is a vocational course and to this end we have introduced a professional practice module, where students will be able to build on skills to equip them for working in the area of nutrition. The Oxford Brookes Centre for Nutrition and Health at Oxford Brookes University forms a hub from which active researchers and PhD students feed the undergraduate teaching and provides our students with a strong research ethos.

The latest developments in the food world will be presented via nutrition seminars. There is an active Nutrition Society, led by our students, who organise guest speakers and activities to promote the area of nutrition.

How to apply

Further offer details

Students will usually have achieved a Diploma of Higher Education with at least 55% or a Higher National Diploma with a Merit profile in a relevant discipline such as Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Food Science or Nutrition, or an equivalent relevant Level 5 qualification of 240 CATS subject to individual credit rating by Oxford Brookes University.

We will also consider a range of other disciplines studied at Level 5 in the context of each applicant's academic background, including: Healthcare, Sports Nutrition, Sports Science, Physical Education and Psychology.

Entry requirements

Specific entry requirements

Please also see the University's general entry requirements.

English language requirements

For applicants whose first language is not English, an Academic IELTS with 6.0 overall, including 6.0 in Reading and Writing, and 5.5 in Listening and Speaking.

Please also see the University's standard English language requirements.

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.

Credit transfer

Many of our courses consider applications for entry part-way through the course for students who have credit from previous learning or relevant professional experience.

Find out more about transferring to Brookes. If you'd like to talk through your options, please contact our Admissions team.

Application process

Full time Home (UK) applicants

Apply through UCAS

International applicants

Apply direct to the University

Full time international applicants can also apply through UCAS

Tuition fees

Please see the fees note
Home (UK) full time
£9,250

Home (UK) distance learning full time
£9,250

International full time
£16,100

International distance learning full time
£16,100

Home (UK) full time
£9,250

Home (UK) distance learning full time
£9,250

International full time
£16,900

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

Tuition fees

2023 / 24
Home (UK) full time
£9,250

Home (UK) distance learning full time
£9,250

International full time
£16,100

International distance learning full time
£16,100

2024 / 25
Home (UK) full time
£9,250

Home (UK) distance learning full time
£9,250

International full time
£16,900

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

+44 (0)1865 534400

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

Please note, tuition fees for Home students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by government. Oxford Brookes University intends to maintain its fees for new and returning Home students at the maximum permitted level.

Tuition fees for International students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students. 

The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support. 

How and when to pay

Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.

  • For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
  • For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page

Financial support and scholarships

For general sources of financial support, see our Fees and funding pages.

Additional costs

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.

You may need to buy basic personal protection equipment for laboratory practicals (e.g. lab coat or apron), at a cost of around £20. Other costs may include membership fees for the student Nutrition Society. Students will be signposted to external conferences or networking events which may incur additional registration fees.

Learning and assessment

This course covers:

  • clinical nutrition
  • food product development
  • social/behaviour aspects of nutrition
  • global health
  • professional conduct for nutritionists.

We use a variety of teaching and learning methods including:

  • lectures
  • seminars
  • workshops
  • small group assignments
  • demonstrations and practical tasks
  • independent study.

Our staff are active in nutrition and food science research. This informs and enhances our teaching. You will have the opportunity to carry out a nutrition-related project. This gives you the opportunity to work with staff on current research developments.

Students are required to pass all modules in order to be awarded BSc (Hons) Nutrition science. In order to satisfactorily complete a year of full-time study, a student must pass at least eight L6 modules during the year.

Students studying together

Study modules

Year 1

Compulsory modules

  • Clinical Nutrition (15 credits)

    This module provides a detailed study of nutrition theory and practice. It takes a 'process' approach to clinical nutrition and outlines the general principles and processes that underlie most clinical cases. The module will explore human energy requirements during health, disease states and in clinical settings. It also investigates the management of nutrition-related diseases, and the uses of clinical dietary therapy and therapeutic diets. It also examines the underpinning supporting research evidence for clinical practice as appropriate. The focus will be on nutritional management of common diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 1 & 2 diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, and renal/liver disease.

    Dr Alaeddine El-Chab, Module Lead: “This is my favourite module to lead. I cover topics that I am very passionate about as a nutritionist. For this module, I will bring my dietetic and clinical background together with my experience working at a hospital."

  • Energy Regulation and Obesity (15 credits)

    In this module students study the factors influencing human energy regulation and the development and treatment of obesity. This includes the concept of energy balance and discusses the measures and implications of basal metabolic rate (BMR) and the factors controlling energy intake and energy expenditure as part of the body’s internal balancing act. Development of overweight and obesity is controlled by environmental, socioeconomic, genetic and diet-related factors. Understanding these factors and the methods for measuring energy requirement are important for energy regulation and prevention of obesity.

    Dr Catherine Graham, Module Lead: “This module links many aspects together, from biochemistry to treatment and prevention. This is a fantastic module, full of debates, and combining the creative with the scientific.”

  • Functional Foods and New Product Development (15 credits)

    This module investigates the relationship between food and human health by concentrating on functional foods and their potential and proven health benefits, and also on techniques used to modify and optimise the nutritional composition of food products. The syllabus includes the development process for new food products, modification of recipes to meet nutritional guidelines including the use of fat, sugar and salt replacers, implications of food reformulation for the stability of food products, and the procedures for approval of health claims for new or reformulated food products.

    Dr Vasiliki Iatridi, Module Lead: “Understanding early on in my collaborations as a consultant the barriers of miscommunication between Nutritionists who focus on people's healthy eating and the Food industry that aims to please consumers' pallets, the Functional Food and Food Product Development module has been designed to bring these two worlds together."

  • Global Nutrition, Public Health and Policy (15 credits)

    This module introduces students to nutritional issues specific to global populations consolidating knowledge on topics such as wasting, stunting, micronutrient deficiencies, chronic diseases and complications with infectious diseases. Nutritional epidemiology and policies to address maternal nutrition, infant feeding, emergency nutrition and food security are also reinforced in this module. 

    Dr Sangeetha Thondre, Module Lead: "This module opens a whole new world to nutrition students. It is fascinating to discuss the global challenges ranging from child malnutrition to nutrition transition and food sustainability."

  • Independent study 2 (15 credits)

    This module involves individual or group work on an appropriate topic constructed under the supervision of an academic, with prior approval of the module leader. This study may be work based, enabling students to gain recognition and academic credit for learning gained through their professional practice or employment or from an in-depth study of their own high level sporting performance or nutrition topic of interest.

  • Professional Practice for Nutritionists 3 (15 credits)

    This module prepares you for future practice as nutritionists in the food industry, community, research or public health. There will be sessions on the legal context of nutrition practice and relevance of intellectual property issues taught by the Research and Development staff at Oxford Brookes. The module also requires you to prepare a personal statement demonstrating your knowledge and understanding in nutrition to meet the core competencies of the AfN.

    Dr Shelly Coe, Module Lead: “Professional Practice for Nutritionists 3 includes lectures from alumni and consultants from the nutrition field and allows me to welcome back past students from over the years. It’s very rewarding to see our graduates excel in the nutrition field. Current students are also able to meet nutritionists from different backgrounds who have been successful in the profession.”

  • Research Project/Dissertation in Nutrition (30 credits)

    This module provides an opportunity to explore a topic of interest, allowing you the freedom to discover advances in nutrition and to generate new ideas. You will gain an understanding of your topic through primary or secondary research by pursuing a critical inquiry in an area of nutrition. You will engage with research methodology and academic literature in a reflective and analytical fashion. You will choose a subject and methodology in collaboration with an academic supervisor. This allows you to develop and enhance a research question, explore a range of issues related to nutrition, and to develop the graduate attributes important for your development and future career.

    Dr Jonathan Tammam, Module Lead: “My favourite part of teaching this module is to see students focus on a substantial research project and grow into independent thinkers. Some students present their work at conferences and publish in academic journals, which makes me especially proud.”

Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.

Learning and teaching

You will have the opportunity to take part in:

  • nutrition seminars where you will learn about the latest developments in the food world
  • group activities to share knowledge, experience and skills
  • student led seminars.

You will explore:

  • the role of diet, food and nutrients in health and disease
  • how to integrate food composition and safety, human physiology and metabolism to formulate diets for individuals
  • how food deficiencies (and interventions) in global nutrition may be used to alleviate malnutrition.

The professional practice module focuses on building the skills you need to work in the field of nutrition. It includes the development of a portfolio to  collect evidence of your skills, knowledge and personal achievements.

Assessment

Assessment methods used on this course

A variety of summative assessment methods are implemented throughout the course. These include but are not limited to:

  • examinations
  • presentations (poster and oral)
  • practical reports
  • data handling and statistical analysis
  • written reflection on practice
  • behaviour change intervention
  • critical inquiry and portfolio development.

Students will have early formative assessment points in each module to act as support/development mechanisms.

After you graduate

Career prospects

Some of our graduates pursue careers as nutritionists in hospital laboratories, health education, international aid and local authorities. Others go into product development in the food industry, teaching or research. The variety of opportunities is illustrated by the careers of four recent graduates: dietetic assistant at Oxford hospital, nutritionist at a health and fitness company, community and men’s health lead at a weight management service and clinical project manager at an international health consortium.

Students have opportunities to pursue further study in dietetics, clinical nutrition, food science and public health.

Related courses

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.