Course summary
Start your career as a nutrition professional in the food sector with our MSc Nutrition and Food Science. This course is accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN), the independent regulator for Registered Nutritionists. After graduating you will be eligible to apply to become a Registered Associate Nutritionist with the AfN. This is via the direct entry pathway, and will strengthen your status as a nutrition professional. The government’s key requirement of the food sector, to provide nutritious food, encourages experts from industry and academia to work together to improve food standards. Your studies will explore the scientific aspects of food and nutrition, and assess the wider implications of diet on health and wellbeing. The breadth of the course aims to increase your understanding of:
- human nutrition
- the development of healthy eating trends
- key aspects of food and health
- food composition
- food storage, safety, and manufacturing.
- Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition (HSUHN). This facility has an international reputation for its research into the relationship between diet and the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurodegenerative disease and cancer. The unit’s clinical research informs governments and the food sector. You will have the opportunity to undertake your final project at the Unit.
- Food Processing Centre. This pilot plant is unique to Reading. There is almost 1100m2 of floor space devoted to approximately £4m worth of equipment. Used primarily for teaching and learning, the plant contains processing equipment for food product development work. No other UK university offers what we do under one roof.
- Flow Cytometry Suite. A range of specialist labs for assessing human gut microflora.
Modules
Compulsory modules: Nutrition Concepts Lifestyle, Nutrigenetics and Personalised Nutrition Microbes in Health and Disease Public Health Nutrition and Food Consumer Choice Food Product Reformulation These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods. Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them. Check our website for more details about the course structure.
Professional bodies
Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.
- Association for Nutrition
Entry requirements
IELTS: 6.5 overall with no element less than 6.0 Entry requirements: Applicants are typically required to have at least a lower second-class honours degree (2:2) in a pure or applied science (or equivalent from a university outside the UK). Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning may be considered based on relevant work and other experience. For MSc Nutrition and Food Science, your degree should have a significant element of biological science. Pre-sessional English language programme If you need to improve your English language score, you can take a pre-sessional English course prior to entry onto your degree.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| England | £12800 | Whole course |
| Northern Ireland | £12800 | Whole course |
| Scotland | £12800 | Whole course |
| Wales | £12800 | Whole course |
| Channel Islands | £12800 | Whole course |
| Republic of Ireland | £12800 | Whole course |
| EU | £30950 | Whole course |
| International | £30950 | Whole course |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
Provider information
University of Reading
Whiteknights House
PO Box 217
Reading
RG6 6AH