MSc Clinical Nutrition

Program Overview

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The MSc Clinical Nutrition program at the University of Roehampton, London, provides healthcare professionals and graduates with specialized knowledge and skills in clinical nutrition. Led by industry experts, it offers full-time and part-time options, preparing students for leadership roles in the field. Through research, practical experience, and interdisciplinary learning, the program equips individuals to address contemporary nutritional challenges and enhance patient outcomes.

Program Outline

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MSc Clinical Nutrition | University of Roehampton, London

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Degree Overview:

This MSc Clinical Nutrition program is designed for doctors, healthcare professionals, and graduates who want to develop their interest in nutrition and gain the specialist skills needed to be a global leader in the field. The program focuses on contemporary developments in clinical nutrition, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to:

• Understand nutritional management of malnutrition, diseases, and obesity across the spectrum of ages.
• Stay up to date with the latest scientific advancements.
• Develop skills to effectively search for and evaluate the most recent publications to inform their nutrition practice.
• Communicate with a wide range of people, from scientists to healthcare professionals, patients, and the general public.
The program is accredited by the Association for Nutrition and has gained an international reputation, attracting students from around the world. It is the first MSc in Clinical Nutrition established in the UK.

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Outline:

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Program Structure:

• The program is offered as a full-time (1 year) or part-time (2-4 years) option.
• It is a 180-credit program for the MSc, 120-credit for the PGDip, and 60-credit for the PGCert.

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Modules:

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Compulsory Modules:

• Health Research Methods: This module provides an overview of experimental, survey, and qualitative research strategies, data analysis techniques, and analytic software.
It also emphasizes ethical issues in research. It discusses the role of vitamins and minerals in nutrient metabolism and the influence of diet and nutrient metabolism in chronic disorders like obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
• Body Composition Practical: This practical module teaches students how to analyze body composition through anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance analysis.
It provides an appreciation of the practical issues surrounding methods used for measuring body composition and dietary intake.
• Nutrition Support: This module facilitates an advanced understanding of the processes informing methods of nutrition support and provides a critical awareness of the quality of evidence behind interventions in various settings and disease states.
• Clinical Nutrition and Public Health: This module includes a public health preventative aspect and the clinical nutrition treatment aspect of a range of nutrition-related conditions.
It critically evaluates recent advances in specific nutrition therapies and references national and international guidance and policy documents.

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Optional Modules:

• Communication: This module equips students with professional and technical knowledge in qualitative and quantitative research methods for evaluating and professionally communicating scientific literature and their own scientific research.
• Cells, Disease and Therapy: This module provides a deep overview of current knowledge and technology used in research of therapeutics against cancer, autoimmune disorders, infectious disease, and neurodegeneration.
• Health Psychophysiology: This module examines concepts, models, and psycho-physiological effects in relation to health and well-being, focusing on the interaction between psychological and physiological processes in chronic illness and psychological effects.

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Dissertation Module:

• Dissertation: This module is compulsory for all MSc students.
It involves an independent, empirical study of an issue of health, disease, or healthcare utilizing appropriate research tools. Students can choose a dissertation topic related to their program specialization and can perform a research project or an in-depth systematic review with or without meta-analysis.

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Assessment:

• The program utilizes authentic assessments that replicate the working world of clinical nutrition, ensuring students are fully prepared for life after graduation.
• Assessment methods include projects, tasks, exercises, and a dissertation.

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Teaching:

• The program is taught by industry-leading professionals.
• Students learn in state-of-the-art facilities, including a food lab with sensory analysis tasting booths and specialist laboratories for physiology, microbiology, and computing.
• The School of Life and Health Sciences is a progressive and inclusive community, putting students at the center of their learning journey.
• On-campus teaching is limited to a maximum of two days per week, enabling students to balance their studies with work, family, and other external commitments.

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Careers:

• The program prepares students for a wide range of careers in nutrition, including:
• Nutritionist (public sector, private commercial, or independent)
• Public health nutritionist
• Academia research/teaching
• Commercial research
• NHS (various roles)
• Local and central government (roles in policy and health promotion)
• The careers team provides support to students from the start of their studies until after graduation, helping them build their CV, prepare for interviews, and meet successful graduates working in the field.

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Other:

• The program covers topics such as:
• Macronutrient and micronutrient metabolism
• Nutrient digestion, absorption, and gastrointestinal disease
• Nutritional support in paediatric, adult, older adult, and terminally ill patients
• The effect of disease on nutrition status
• The program also explores research areas including:
• Living gluten-free with coeliac disease
• Dietary management strategies in women with polycystic ovary syndrome
• The role of brain–gut interaction in obesity
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• The role of the enteric nervous system in known intestinal diseases
• The role of microbiota in food and nutritional systems
• Food bioactives for a healthy gut
• Brain and vascular system
• The regulation of insulin secretion
• Glucose metabolism in health and diabetes.
• The program does not lead to a qualification in the UK as a registered Dietitian.
However, it is an accredited course with the Association for Nutrition and enables students to become a registered nutritionist after completing two years in the nutrition field.

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September 2024 entry tuition fees (UK)

Level of study Full-time Part-time MSc £9,713 £5,099 PGDip £6,475 £3,400 PGCert £3,238 £1,700

• average fee per year

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September 2024 entry tuition fees (international)

Level of study Full-time Part-time MSc £17,325 £9,096 PGDip £11,550 £6,064 PGCert £5,775 £3,032

• average fee per year