Sport & Exercise Nutrition

Nutrition and exercise are the most fundamental components of a healthy lifestyle, with inappropriate nutrition and/or insufficient exercise being the most common causes of a wide range of diseases. Correct nutrition is also essential for supporting and maximising sports performance and training adaptations. Our degree in Sport & Exercise Nutrition is therefore ideal for those interested in a future career where exercise and nutrition interact to promote health and sports performance

An increasing understanding of the role of exercise and nutrition interventions to promote health and sports performance has led to the growth of industry for expert practitioners supporting athletes’ performance needs, and the manufacturing of specialist supplements and food products. Whilst providing a rounded learning and teaching experience in the field of sport & exercise nutrition, our degree also offers the opportunity to focus on one of these specialist areas.

In the first year of study, you will develop foundational knowledge and understanding of exercise physiology & training adaptations, human nutrition & biochemistry and the relationship between exercise, nutrition and health. This year of study is supported by a wealth of experiences in the exercise and nutrition laboratories where you will acquire key skills to enable the measurement of human function and nutritional status. Your second year of study will involve the specialist study of sports nutrition, nutritional status and health, and the physiological assessment of human performance. In the final year of study, you will consider more advanced and current issues in sports nutrition, ergogenic aids and nutrition, as well as physical activity and behaviour modification for the benefit of health. The final year also offers you the opportunity to undertake original research in the field and opt for your specialised route, either studying the role of a sport nutrition practitioner, or focused on the food/supplement industry and product development.

You will study within our multi-million Health & Sport Sciences complex, incorporating specialised exercise and nutrition teaching laboratories. Within these you will learn to conduct complete physiological and anthropometric assessments of human function, in addition to understanding clinical nutrition, nutritional biochemistry, food sensory analysis and food product development. You will be taught by tutors who are active researchers in the field and who regularly publish their work in the scientific literature that you will read as you progress through your degree.