Master Nutrition & Behaviour - Máster en Nutrición y Comportamiento

Accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN) this is the first course of its kind in the UK to explore the bi-directional impact of nutrition on behaviour and the brain, and the impact of behaviour on diet.

This course is accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN) which means that after graduating you will be able to apply for Associate level status with the AfN.

A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:2 in a required subject. If English is not your first language you´ll need IELTS (Academic) 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component of writing, speaking, listening and reading.

Nutrition-related ill-health contributes towards preventable disease including obesity and many of the non-communicable diseases on both a national and global scale.
Gain a foundation in the physiology and biochemistry of nutrition, complemented by units on the role of nutrition in behaviour and cognition, and the management of associated clinical conditions.
Discover the role of nutrition from preconception to old age including topics such as in-utero programming, infant feeding practices, the development of food likes and dislikes in children, food promotion, psychological factors contributing to the development of obesity including appetite and weight control, disordered eating behaviours, prevention of diet-related disease, and the role of diet in normal ageing and age-related conditions.
Put learning into a professional context with a short work-based learning and professional development in an environment of your choice; locally or internationally and in the healthcare, community or private sector.
Benefit from extracurricular sessions beyond the lecture setting including research seminars and journal clubs, fostering development of critical thinking and communication.

Advanced Research Methods: This unit will provide an overview on experimental, survey and qualitative research strategies together with the relevant data analysis techniques and statistical analysis software. It will also reflect recent developments in medical research such as the need for effect size, power and sample size calculations.
Contemporary Nutrition: You’ll develop and broaden your in-depth knowledge of the latest research findings within the context of context of global nutritional issues, the interaction between nutrients, physiological functions and the health conditions they influence. This unit provides integrated information on nutrition, physiology, health and disease and public health applications.
Nutrition for Brain & Mental Health: You’ll gain an advanced insight into the interaction between nutrition, the brain and a variety of aspects of mental health. Both physiological and cognitive ways our daily diet can affect mental and brain health will be explored. The unit’s innovative content is designed to discuss the topical issues, such as the role of evidence-based nutrition on brain function and dysfunction and effects on cognitive and mental health.
Nutrition, Health & Psychology: This unit provides an overview of recent evidence and current thinking on the control of appetite, food intake and the regulation of energy balance. You’ll develop an understanding of the interplay between the physiological and psychological (behavioural) regulatory processes underpinning the control of feeding and energy intake with a view to improve the health and quality of life among individuals and groups in the community.
Nutrition in the Prevention and Management of Disease: You’ll examine the foundations of nutrition (macro nutrients and micro nutrients for example), vitamins, methods of assessing dietary intake and nutritional status, energy and nutrient requirements, metabolic pathways related to nutrition, and function of nutrient digestion and absorption. You’ll also evaluate the prevention and management of disease in the community setting (for example gastro intestinal disorders such as celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and irritable bowel syndrome), food intolerances and allergies, obesity and metabolic disorders, cancer and heart disease.
Dissertation Project: This is a student-managed piece of work that is undertaken with guidance from academic supervisors. The unit encourages you to draw on prior learning and aims to develop your ability for independent study and project management. It seeks to expand your knowledge and/or practice in a complex professional context. A large and varied range of dissertation projects are offered, including both laboratory and community based.
Developing Professional Practice: A unique feature of the MSc is the work-based element embedded within the Developing Professional Practice unit. Typically you’ll spend a minimum of 10 days engaging in professional practice activities in the healthcare, community or private sector.
In addition to core units there are some timetabled sessions which increase your contact time with other students and academics, and help you to develop and enhance additional skills outside of lectures. These include research seminars and journal clubs which foster development of critical thinking and communication, grow subject specific knowledge, and additionally enhance the interaction between students and staff beyond the lecture setting.

This course will equip you with the academic and practical skills required for professional practice. The emphasis on core practical skills will give you extra marketability in the professional arena.

Upon completion of the course graduates can apply for Associate level status with the Association of Nutrition.