Course summary

The amazing feats of world-class athletes across the huge range of sports has projected the issues of performance into the public eye, and sports nutrition is now recognised as a key part of supporting training and competition at all levels of participation. The Master's degree in Sport and Exercise Nutrition at the University of Westminster offers the chance to study the science behind sports nutrition and its applications for both the 'weekend warrior' and the elite athlete. It also puts the controversies surrounding the use of supplements under scientific scrutiny, looking at the key evidence for and against performance benefits. The aim of the course is to produce sports nutritionists who are strongly focused on the science behind the subject, but who also have some experience of the practicalities of delivering sound guidance to individuals and teams who are looking to use nutrition as part of their training programmes. To this end, a number of guest lecturers contribute their expertise in key related areas, and students are also given the opportunity of shadowing established sports nutrition practitioners. The course covers the key principles of sports nutrition and exercise physiology, including the latest research papers, and aims to develop the ability to apply critical awareness to topics across the broad remit of sports nutrition, from measurement of exercise performance to the assessment of mental performance. The modules studied are designed to underpin the subject, and create a sound base for the development of ideas for the research project, which offers students a wide degree of flexibility to pursue their personal interests. The course can be studied full time over one year, or in part-time mode over a varying time, up to five years.