Human Nutrition (MSc)
Introduction
Help prevent disease and improve the understanding of the relationship between diet and health with our AfN accredited MSc in Human Nutrition.
Enhance your knowledge of clinical, metabolic and molecular nutrition while also learning about issues affecting public health, sustainable diets and global food systems with our comprehensive MSc programme. You will study different aspects of human nutrition before deciding which areas to specialise in and the flexible course structure means your studying will be best aligned with your interests and career requirements. Upon successful completion of the masters degree, you will be able to:
- Describe the scientific basis of nutrition.
- Explain nutritional requirements, from the molecular through to the population level.
- Describe the food chain and its impact on food choice, integrating the food supply with dietary intake.
- Evaluate food in a social or behavioural context, at all stages of the life-course.
- Apply the scientific principles of nutrition for the promotion of health and wellbeing of individuals, groups and populations.
- Apply for direct entry to the UKVRN as a Registered Associate Nutritionist.
Our programme is run in collaboration with the University of Aberdeen's Rowett Institute, one of the leading and oldest nutrition research institutes in Europe. For over 100 years, the Rowett Institute has played a major role in informing policy and establishing the link between diet and health. It continues to work on major diet-related health and food security issues to this day.
What You'll Study
- Stage 1
-
Stage 1: Compulsory Courses
Students will take the following courses:
- RN5012: Foundations of Human Nutrition and Metabolism
- Applied Statistics (PU5017)
-
15 Credit Points
This course in Applied Statistics focuses on the application of statistical techniques in postgraduate research for health professionals, with a particular emphasis on the correct interpretation of statistical analyses results. The course will NOT focus on the statistical theory underlying the subject. An important component of the course is the use of a statistical package (IBM SPSS), which can be used to implement all the methods taught on this course.
- Human Nutrition in Context (RN5006)
-
With an overall aim of giving students an opportunity to gain a holistic view of the study of Human Nutrition this course will bring together and place their knowledge and training in context. Students will discuss and critically analyse and evaluate current nutrition topics in an informal setting. The course will running throughout their master’s studies. The course format allows the students to direct the nutrition topics considered, using a range of approaches and skills such as critical appraisal of evidence, myth busting debates, journal club, applied nutrition workshops, invited speaker masterclass, industry visits.
- Assessment of Nutritional Status (RN5008)
-
15 Credit Points
This course will give you a detailed theoretical and practical understanding of the methods used to assess nutritional status, including dietary intake, assessment of body composition and energy expenditure applied in the context of energy balance. Theory will be put into practice through a series of practical workshop and laboratory sessions to give you ‘hands-on’ experience of using a range of assessment techniques using state-of-the-art equipment routinely employed by nutritional scientists.
- Fundamentals of Research Design (PU5052)
-
15 Credit Points
This course introduces you to health research methods, focusing on designing strong research proposals. You'll learn to formulate research questions, choose study designs, identify outcomes, and plan data collection.
We will explore key study designs, from experimental to observational, and master sampling and data collection for both qualitative and quantitative research. You'll also develop skills in critical appraisal and research ethics, equipping you to design rigorous and impactful research.
- Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD5006)
-
This course, which is prescribed for all taught postgraduate students, is studied entirely online, takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete and can be taken in one sitting, or spread across the first 4 weeks of term.
Topics include University orientation overview, equality & diversity, MySkills, health, safety and cyber security, and academic integrity.
Successful completion of this course will be recorded on your Transcript as ‘Achieved’.
- Stage 2
-
Stage 2: Compulsory Courses
- Human Nutrition in Context (RN5006)
-
With an overall aim of giving students an opportunity to gain a holistic view of the study of Human Nutrition this course will bring together and place their knowledge and training in context. Students will discuss and critically analyse and evaluate current nutrition topics in an informal setting. The course will running throughout their master’s studies. The course format allows the students to direct the nutrition topics considered, using a range of approaches and skills such as critical appraisal of evidence, myth busting debates, journal club, applied nutrition workshops, invited speaker masterclass, industry visits.
- Nutrition and Health (RN5507)
-
15 Credit Points
This course will provide a detailed knowledge of the relationships between diet, human development, health, and disease. Topics covered include diet and nutrition across the life course, integration and adaptability of different metabolic pathways to e.g. starvation, exercise, and the role of diet in the development of diseases including cancer and cardiovascular disease. In addition, it will also provide insight into the effects of malnutrition and food processing on health. A combination of lectures, and a laboratory class will help consolidate your understanding of the impact food and nutrients on health.
Stage 2: Optional Courses
Students must select at least two of the following specialist elective courses:
- Challenges in Global Nutrition (PU5566)
- Molecular Nutrition (RN5509)
- Clinical Nutrition (RN5505)
- Sustainable Diets and Global Food Systems (RN5510)
Students then select additional courses to make up a total of 60 credits from this list:
- Public Health in Action (PU5552)
- Systematic Reviewing (PU5526)
- Qualitative Health Research (PU5529)
- Health Informatics (PU5565)
- Work-based Placement in Applied Health Sciences (PU5548).
- Clinical Nutrition (RN5505)
-
15 Credit Points
Clinical nutrition is the study of diet in relation to the development and treatment of human disease. This specialism course provides an up-to-date and detailed knowledge on the role of nutrition in the aetiology, prevention and treatment of disease in humans, with particular emphasis on disease prevention. The course covers key topics surrounding nutrition and disease, and how clinical nutrition links with public health and molecular nutrition. The course also provides an overview of research tools widely used in clinical nutrition research, and a training on evidence-based analysis of nutrition case studies.
Please note, some of the material on this course will discuss animal research.
- Sustainable Diets and Global Food Systems (RN5510)
-
15 Credit Points
The course will explore the complex nature of sustainable diets within a global food system. It will give you an understanding of the need for healthy and more environmentally sustainable diets to tackle some of the greatest global challenges facing us today, including poor dietary health, climate change and environmental degradation, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It will cover the multidimensional attributes and the challenge of combining these attributes into a single entity of sustainable diets. The course will explore synergies and trade-offs between attributes, barriers and drivers of change and potential solutions to achieving sustainable diets within a global food system. In addition, external influences affecting the resilience and changes to the food system will be discussed.
- Public Health in Action (PU5552)
-
15 Credit Points
Public health is the art and science of improving health through the organised efforts of society. This course provides an introduction to a population-based perspective on health, illness and disease. The course illustrates the practical application of numerical ways of thinking about the health of a population. The course covers the three major public health domains of Health Improvement, Health Protection and Healthcare Public Health.
This course aims to support students in developing a critical understanding of the breadth of public health approaches to protecting, promoting, monitoring and improving health among a population as a whole.
- Systematic Reviewing (PU5526)
-
15 Credit Points
This course will equip students with the relevant skills to interpret and conduct systematic reviews on the effectiveness of healthcare interventions. Using lectures and practical sessions, students will understand the principles of systematic reviewing and the differences between narrative and systematic reviews. They will learn to formulate a clear research question and undertake each stage of systematic reviewing of randomised controlled trials. They will also learn about the importance of the levels of evidence and systematic reviews of other different study designs. This course will also introduce the students to advances in systematic reviews such as network meta-analysis and use of Individual Patient Data (IPD)
- Health Informatics (PU5565)
-
15 Credit Points
We live in a time of ‘Big Data’ with the rapid growth in the digital capture of health information. Health Informatics is the science of data capture, linkage and analysis of large datasets to improve health. The demand for health researchers with training and experience in health informatics is high. For people practicing in Public Health, it is a key skill. It will equip students for any career in health research or public health practice and this course is an excellent stepping stone for those wishing to develop a specialist interest in the field.
- Work - Based Placement in Applied Health Sciences (PU5548)
-
15 Credit Points
This work-based placement elective offers a professional placement with a government/public, industrial, civic or voluntary health and/or development sector organisation. You will undertake a ten-week placement with your host organisation, either within the organisation, remotely from Aberdeen, or using a combination of both. Placements are subject to availability and may be offered on a competitive basis. We reserve the right to remove a student from placement should an employer report any inappropriate behaviour or unacceptable work. Should this happen, University-based remedial training supervised by course staff will be offered as an alternative activity and assessments will remain in place but will be capped at D3.
- Stage 3
-
Stage 3: Compulsory Courses
- Human Nutrition in Context (RN5006)
-
With an overall aim of giving students an opportunity to gain a holistic view of the study of Human Nutrition this course will bring together and place their knowledge and training in context. Students will discuss and critically analyse and evaluate current nutrition topics in an informal setting. The course will running throughout their master’s studies. The course format allows the students to direct the nutrition topics considered, using a range of approaches and skills such as critical appraisal of evidence, myth busting debates, journal club, applied nutrition workshops, invited speaker masterclass, industry visits.
Stage 3: Optional Courses
Students must select one of the following:
- Masters Research Project (Laboratory) (MB5904)
-
60 Credit Points
This course offers students the opportunity to complete a substantial piece of data-driven, empirical work within their field of study under the supervision of an experienced researcher. Topics available will be varied but within the domain of their field of study. Alongside supervisors, students will identify a suitable topic area, describe an appropriate study design, and implement an empirical study to be completed within a laboratory setting. Students will be involved alongside the supervisors in the process of defining the research question, developing the research plan and, where appropriate, obtaining regulatory approvals. This course is for laboratory-based projects (if you are intending to undertake a project in a non-laboratory setting, you should register on PU5922).
- Masters Research Project (PU5922)
-
60 Credit Points
This course offers students the opportunity to complete a substantial piece of data-driven, empirical work within their field of study under the supervision of an experienced researcher.
Topics available will be varied but within the domain of their field of study. Alongside supervisors, students will identify a suitable topic area, describe an appropriate study design and implement an empirical study. Students will be involved alongside the supervisors in the process of defining the research question, and developing the research plan and, where appropriate, obtaining regulatory approvals. This course is for non-laboratory based projects (if you are intending to undertake a project in a scientific laboratory setting, you should register on MB5904).
We will endeavour to make all course options available. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page. In exceptional circumstances there may be additional fees associated with specialist courses, for example field trips.
Fees
- UK
-
- Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year
- £11,100
- Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year (University of Aberdeen Graduates *)
- £7,000
-
University of Aberdeen graduates are eligible for the Alumni Postgraduate Scholarship, reducing tuition fees to £7,000 - matching the current SAAS tuition loan - See full terms and conditions
- EU / International students
-
- Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year
- £23,000
- Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year (Self-funded Students *)
- £15,000
-
The above fee includes the £8,000 Aberdeen Global Scholarship provided to self-funded international students. Full terms and conditions apply.
Funding Opportunities
NHS Staff Discount: the University of Aberdeen offers a 10% discount for NHS staff studying this programme.
Alumni Discount Scheme - we are pleased to offer a 20% discount for postgraduate tuition fees to all alumni who have an undergraduate degree from University of Aberdeen.
Please note that the Aberdeen Alumni Discount cannot be claimed in conjunction with any other scholarship award.
Scholarships
All eligible self-funded international Postgraduate Masters students will receive an £8,000 scholarship. Learn more about this Aberdeen Global Scholarship here.
To see our full range of scholarships, visit our Funding Database.
How You'll Study
Our Human Nutrition taught programme combines traditional lectures with seminars and practical sessions. All learning material is available on MyAberdeen, the University's Virtual Learning Environment.
The MSc enables you to learn outside the classroom so that you can apply both theory and practice to human nutrition projects.
Some of the additional learning opportunities on the programme include:
- Research placements
- Insight into current human nutrition studies
- Access to industry experts
- Site visits to key nutrition projects in the community
- Research-led teaching by key opinion leaders
On-going support is provided by the University’s dedicated team of experienced researchers, who will be tutoring you. Much of the teaching on this course involves participatory research work. Students are expected to engage with research work as well as classroom teaching and independent study in their own time.
Learning Methods
- Individual Projects
- Lab Work
- Lectures
- Research
- Seminars
- Tutorials
- Workshops
Assessment Methods
Students are evaluated in the form of essays, laboratory practicals, individual and group presentations. The assessments aim to train you for your future career. We use innovative assessment procedures which complement the skills that you will be required for the future, such as academic poster presentations, writing papers and communicating with the public. The MSc project is assessed by a thesis and oral presentations of the project findings.
Why Study Human Nutrition?
- Studying Human Nutrition at Aberdeen means you will experience multi-disciplinary, research-led teaching by experts who are leaders in the field.
- You will be able to study in depth two areas of human nutrition which are of most interest to you from: Clinical Nutrition, Molecular Nutrition, Challenges in Global Nutrition and Sustainable Diets and Global Food systems.
- As Aberdeen is a leading centre for human nutrition research, the programme offers site visits and arranges guest lectures that will provide you with unique insights into nutritional research. You will also gain first-hand experience of what is involved in running a research study.
- You will have access to the Rowett Institute, which has been responsible for ground-breaking nutritional research including the effect of milk on the growth of children, the development of partition chromatography, the identification of metallothionein protein and the establishment of the Food Standard’s Agency and the Scottish Diet Action Plan.
- The programme is coordinated through the University's School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition which has strong links to the on-campus hospital, offering you the opportunity to carry out medical-focused nutrition projects.
- The University has a strong focus on developing your applied skills and expertise, so that your qualifications and experience are closely aligned to employers’ needs.
- You will graduate with a degree accredited by the Association for Nutrition.
- Lord Boyd Orr, former director of the Rowett Institute, was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his contribution to the worldwide fight against hunger.
Interested in this programme?
Entry Requirements
Qualifications
The information below is provided as a guide only and does not guarantee entry to the University of Aberdeen.
A second-class honours degree in Biological Sciences or Life Sciences, or equivalent research or field experience.
Please check the In My Country or Territory pages to find out if your degree is equivalent.
Students who do not meet the current entry requirements, such as a lower degree in a relevant subject, or appropriate level of degree but in an alternative discipline, may be eligible to enter the programme via one of our MSc access route options.
These routes are designed to help students planning to study MSc Human Nutrition (on campus) or MSc Clinical Nutrition (online) gain the required level of biomedical science knowledge and understanding to prepare for postgraduate studies.
For more information about our access routes for this programme please contact the programme coordinator(s) at msc-humannutrition@abdn.ac.uk
Please enter your country or territory to view relevant entry requirements.
English Language Requirements
To study for a Postgraduate Taught degree at the University of Aberdeen it is essential that you can speak, understand, read, and write English fluently. The minimum requirements for this degree are as follows:
IELTS Academic:
OVERALL - 6.5 with: Listening - 6.0; Reading - 6.0; Speaking - 6.0; Writing - 6.0
TOEFL iBT:
OVERALL - 90 with: Listening - 21; Reading - 21; Speaking - 21; Writing - 21
PTE Academic:
OVERALL - 62 with: Listening - 54; Reading - 54; Speaking - 54; Writing - 54
Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency:
OVERALL - 176 with: Listening - 169; Reading - 169; Speaking - 169; Writing - 169
Read more about specific English Language requirements here.
Document Requirements
You will be required to supply the following documentation with your application as proof you meet the entry requirements of this degree programme. If you have not yet completed your current programme of study, then you can still apply and you can provide your Degree Certificate at a later date.
- CV
- an up-to-date CV/Resumé
- Degree Certificate
- a degree certificate showing your qualifications
- Degree Transcript
- a full transcript showing all the subjects you studied and the marks you have achieved in your degree(s) (original & official English translation)
- Personal Statement
- a detailed personal statement explaining your motivation for this particular programme
Careers
Completing the MSc Human Nutrition at the University of Aberdeen will give you the knowledge, understanding and practical insight required to advance your career in nutrition. You will broaden your career opportunities and develop an invaluable network of contacts through the Rowett Institute, one of the leading nutrition research facilities in Europe.
Career options available to you include:
- Further study (PhD)
- Academic jobs in university settings, e.g. lecturer, researcher
- Nutritionist
- Public Health Policy Manager
- Nutrition and Dietetics Coordinator
- Fitness and Nutrition Counsellor
Industry Links
Accreditation
This MSc Programme is accredited by the Association for Nutrition. AfN Degree Accreditation supports development of nutritionists’ skills by recognising university courses which deliver evidence-based nutrition education to a professional level.
You have the right to apply for direct entry at Associate level to the UKVRN, which would entitle you to use the letters ANutr after your name, without having to go through the lengthy process of additional assessment.
What our Alumni Say
Our Experts
- Programme Coordinator
- Dr Fiona Campbell
- Other Experts
- Dr Frank Thies
- Dr Kirsty Kiezebrink
- Dr Alan Sneddon
- Professor Alex Johnstone
- Dr Brendan Gabriel
- Professor Baukje de Roos
- Dr Helen Hayes
- Dr Janet Kyle
- Dr Leone Craig
Information About Staff Changes
You will be taught by a range of experts including professors, lecturers, teaching fellows and postgraduate tutors. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page.
Facilities
Get in Touch
Contact Details
- Address
-
Student Recruitment & Admissions
University of Aberdeen
University Office
Regent Walk
Aberdeen
AB24 3FX