MSc Nutrition with Public Health

The course is delivered on-campus over three trimesters, with teaching scheduled based on the length of your course and the academic calendar.

You learn through:

• lectures, seminars and workshops
• laboratory practicals
• kitchen practicals
• counselling simulations
• case studies
• academic research
• a final project

Key themes

The course begins by focusing on the underlying science of nutrition – including food composition, nutrient functionality, digestion, absorption and metabolism. We’ll consider the social and behavioural determinants of food choice at individual, population and global levels, along with methods of dietary assessment and analysis, and models of behaviour change.

You’ll take part in practicals and workshops in our specialist labs and kitchens, using specialist software. You’ll develop and apply key skills including anthropometry, the estimation of energy balance, food composition and dietary analysis, and behaviour change techniques.

As you progress through the course, you’ll consider the complex interactions between diet, health and disease across the lifecourse – plus how outcomes can be improved via intervention. You’ll apply your knowledge and skills to address existing public health challenges before progressing to your project – your chance to bring together the practical, theoretical, research and knowledge-based skills you’ve gained throughout the course.

Course-level support

You’ll be supported by experienced academic staff – many who are Registered Nutritionists – as well as an academic adviser, an employability adviser and a student support adviser. We’ll also encourage you to collaborate with peers in both your learning and in extra-curricular activities, so you can benefit from a sense of course community.

You’ll mostly be assessed through lab practicals and coursework, with workshops to provide you with regular feedback. Where appropriate, we’ll build flexibility and personalisation into the assessment design to allow you to tailor your own learning.

• Our teaching is digitally enriched, with opportunities to engage online with peers and tutors.
• You’ll be welcomed onto campus with in-person workshops.
• Supported independent study builds confidence and resilience, shaping individual creative practice.
• You’ll collaborate with other students, staff and external organisations to develop personal and professional skills and competencies.

Applied learning

Once registered, nutritionists are required to undertake regular continued professional development (CPD) and reflect on the value of CPD in their practice.

To support your development of this key skill, we embed work-related learning throughout the course and assessments, offering you chances to engage in personal and professional development and reflection. These work-related learning opportunities may include simulated work experience, volunteering, networking, conferences, university-wide initiatives or real-life project briefs.

For example, previous students have used Nutritics to analyse diet diaries or recipes.

Field trips

You’ll explore real-world case studies and/or take part in field visits to further enhance your knowledge and understanding of the sector, and to gain valuable experience.

Networking opportunities

You’ll be able to meet or network with nutrition and public health professionals through guest lectures from visiting academics, researchers and other professionals.

Your course has embedded support from an academic to help you prepare for your future career. You’ll develop the standards of professional conduct and practice required of Registered Nutritionists in the UK and beyond.

This course prepares you for a career in:

• public health management
• obesity leadership
• healthy schools leadership
• food development co-ordination
• health promotion
• company nutrition
• nutrition for international humanitarian organisations or charities
• nutrition research

Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for:

• local authority public health teams
• university research groups e.g. the University of Otago
• voluntary, community and social enterprises