University College London (UCL)

Dietetics MSc

Teaching and learning

Teaching is conducted through a mix of lectures, online video materials, tutorials to address problem-based activities, and practical sessions in a laboratory setting.

You will attend data analysis sessions, workshops, and practical sessions in our brand-new high specification teaching kitchen at the Royal Free Campus and clinical simulation experiences at Bloomsbury in partnership with UCL Hospitals and other world-leading teaching hospitals.

Placements across various settings, including clinical and non-clinical sites, are embedded within the programme.

We use a variety of formative and summative competency-based assessments including:

• Reports
• Online and written exams (including multiple choice questions and short answer questions)
• Poster presentations
• Practical skills assessments
• Literature reviews
• A dissertation following a research project.

Coursework will be conducted both individually and as part of a team.

Practice placements will also be used to assess your dietetic practice competencies.

In year one, you will attend lectures, tutorials, seminars, and laboratory sessions (terms one and two), and practice placements (terms one, three, and into the summer break). You will conduct self-directed learning throughout the year for your continued development and to prepare for assessments.

In year two, you attend lectures, tutorials, seminars, and laboratory sessions in the first term. You have practice placements from early September to November, and a 60-day placement throughout the second term. The third term, until late Augus,t is dedicated to your research project.

Teaching is around 15-20 hours per week. Students attend the campus for 2.5 days each week during term time. (This is currently Wednesdays and Fridays, 9 am-5 pm, plus another half day, which varies by term and by module.) We expect students to dedicate roughly the same number of hours to independent study. This might include work on assignments, group tasks, and targeted reading.

As you need to complete at least 1,000 practice placement hours across the course to meet HCPC/BDA requirements, you will sometimes need to work during the holidays. About a third of the placement hours take place in year one, and the remainder in year two. When on placement, you should expect to be present every day, either at the placement site or on campus for taught sessions.

Modules

Full-time

You will study over a minimum of two years full-time. The first year runs from September to July, and the second from September to August. This is to incorporate your placement training, which is an integral part of the degree.

You will spend a minimum of 1,000 hours in practice placements, giving you sufficient opportunity to achieve the required practice competencies to become a registered dietitian. Most placements are part-time, ensuring you have plenty of space for reflection to integrate theory with practice and share experiences with your peers.

Periods of practice education take place across terms one, two and three. Some may take place over the break between terms, meaning that your term dates may differ from those published on the UCL website.

Compulsory modules

• Placement 3
• Clinical Practice 1: Lifestyle management, prevention and the food environment
• Clinical Practice 2: Advanced Dietetic Practice
• Placement 2B
• Placement 1
• Placement 2A
• Research Dissertation
• Professional Practice in Dietetics 1
• Professional Practice in Dietetics 2
• Fundamentals of Nutrition and Metabolism
• Therapeutic Aspects of Nutrition
• Practical Nutritional Assessment
• Malnutrition in the Community
• Experimental Design and Research Methods in Nutrition

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change.

Students undertake modules to the value of 300 credits. Upon successful completion of 300 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Dietetics.

Placement

You will study over a minimum of two years. The first year will run from September to June and the second from September to August. This is required to incorporate your placement training which is an integral part of the degree.

There will be a minimum of 1,000 hours in practice placements, ensuring that you have sufficient opportunity to achieve the required practice competencies to become a registered dietitian. Most placements are part-time so you have plenty of space for reflection to integrate theory with practice and share experiences with peers. Please note that your term dates may differ from those published on the UCL website in order to accommodate placements.

What this course will give you

This programme offers you the following benefits and opportunities:

• The chance to study dietetics in one of the top ten universities in the world (currently sixth for medicine, QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024) with a global reputation for teaching informed by cutting-edge research.
• Exposure to world-leading nutritional and dietetic research at UCL and our partner hospitals. UCL has a long and prestigious history in medical and nutrition research and coordinates many major studies in the UK and globally.
• Opportunities to translate complex scientific evidence about food, health, disease, and human behaviour, to assess, diagnose and treat nutrition-related problems in individuals and improve the health of populations.
• Opportunities to engage in both academic and practice placement learning.
• The chance to tap into UCL’s close links with NHS partners, major London hospitals, public health organisations and non-academic partners. This will equip you to work in a variety of settings and to contribute to the development and promotion of the profession throughout your career.
• Opportunities to develop your clinical skills alongside research, leadership and project management expertise and be eligible to apply to the Health and Care Professions Council for registration as a dietitian.
• This is specifically developed to meet healthcare and industry benchmarks and reports to ensure graduates remain relevant in an evolving dietetics landscape. These include:
  • The Health and Care Professions Council Standards of Education and Training
  • The British Dietetic Association Curriculum Framework for the Pre-Registration Education and Training of Dietitians (BDA, 2020)
  • The Standards of Proficiency - Dietitians and the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Benchmark Statements for Health Care Programmes - Dietetics
  • The BDA Future Dietitian 2025 report.

The foundation of your career

The MSc programme is well-suited to professionals who want to pursue a career in dietetics. On graduation, you will be eligible to apply for registration in dietetics with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and practise as a registered dietitian in the UK. Our programme is fully compliant with the revised British Dietetic Association (BDA) curriculum and reflects the rapidly evolving role of the dietitian.

Employability

Dietitians play a vital role in improving health outcomes for individuals and communities. They work in many settings, such as hospitals, outpatient clinics, community settings, the sports industry, and the media.

In hospital settings, dietitians provide nutritional expertise, so inpatients get the best nutritional care to maximise their response to treatment. This can support recovery or help to ensure a good end-of-life experience.

In outpatient clinics, they offer specialist advice to people with complex nutritional needs. This includes preparing people for surgical procedures, supporting others post-surgery, and providing expert advice and support to help people reach and maintain a healthy weight. Dietitians support those with a wide range of medical conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, food allergies and intolerances, neurological conditions, and gastrointestinal diseases.

In community settings, dietitians work with GPs, hospices, care homes, schools, and workplaces to advise on nutritional health, support groups and individuals, and work with caterers on their menus. This is essential for the prevention and treatment of disease.

In the sports industry, dietitians assess and support the needs of elite athletes and those involved in recreational sports and fitness.

In the media, dietitians produce engaging and factual articles, podcasts, videos and items for television and radio shows, ensuring that the public has access to evidence-based, practical information about good nutrition.

Dietitians can expect a starting salary of around £25,600-£31,500 per annum. As both the government and the public become more aware of the role of nutrition in health, employment opportunities are growing and becoming more diverse.

Our MSc Dietetics places a particular emphasis on the primacy of the service user. We will develop your communication and engagement skills from the beginning, helping you to connect with people at a personal level and work with them to ensure the best possible outcomes.

Networking

You will have numerous opportunities to work with students on related nutrition programmes and other postgraduate courses within the Division of Medicine. There are also regular weekly seminars with external speakers for staff and students which provide good opportunities to broaden your knowledge, have discussions, and engage in networking. You are also encouraged to participate in events organised by learned societies and attend conferences related to the programme.

Accreditation

Following graduation, students will be eligible to apply for registration to practise as Registered Dietitians with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Our programme is fully compliant with the revised BDA curriculum and reflects the rapidly evolving role of the dietitian.