Nutrition (Exercise and Health) BSc (Hons)

Why choose this course?

Would you like to promote good health and help to prevent disease? A practical knowledge of the benefits of nutrition and exercise can improve people's wellbeing.

This course studies anatomy, physiology, energy metabolism, nutrition, sport and exercise psychology and other related subjects. You'll examine the promotion of exercise and nutrition to improve people's physical and mental health.

You'll have access to excellent specialist facilities, including a Bod Pod machine, bespoke nutrition kitchen and a highly experienced, dedicated team to help you make the most out of your time with us.

Through optional modules in Year 3, you can focus on nutrition, sport and exercise science or a combination, including contemporary issues in food and nutrition, or ergogenic aids and extreme environments, making your degree bespoke to you. The four-year professional placement has a year's industry-related work experience.

Attendance UCAS code/apply Year of entry
3 years full time BB49 2023 (Clearing)
2024
4 years full time including professional placement BB4X 2023 (Clearing)
2024
4 years full time including foundation year CB64 2023 (Clearing)
2024
6 years part time Apply direct to the University 2023 (Clearing)
2024
Location Penrhyn Road

Reasons to choose Kingston University

  • This degree is accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN).
  • Your learning will be supported by co-curricular activities, highly valued by the Association for Nutrition (AfN) and by employers.
  • You'll benefit from being part of a friendly, inclusive group and from staff expertise in teaching, research and professional practice.
  • 100% of students thought the course was intellectually stimulating and challenged them to achieve their best (NSS 2023).
  • 100% of students were satisfied with how well teaching staff staff supported their learning (NSS 2023).

Nutrition at Kingston University

Nutrition kitchen

Our modern nutrition kitchen is a flexible and inviting learning space that is used for a variety of purposes such as food science practicals, research projects, and student nutrition society events.

The kitchen is also used for small group teaching and personal tutor meetings. This makes it a valuable resource for all nutrition students, who can use it to learn, collaborate, and network.

To experience the kitchen for yourself, please take a virtual tour.

Interior view of the nutrition kitchen.

What you will study

Please note that this is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list. Those listed here may also be a mixture of core and optional modules.

Year 1

Year 2

Final year

Year 1 introduces the fundamental concepts of food and nutrition, human anatomy, exercise and physiology, together with sport and exercise psychology. You will also study the essential principles of scientific investigation.

Core modules

Introduction to Food and Nutrition

30 credits

Explore the reasons behind our food choices, why we eat what we eat. Discover the science behind food and nutrition. Learn about the composition of food, basic applications of food science in everyday life, how nutrients are metabolized in the body, how dietary reference values are derived and applied. You will also explore key concepts that underpin energy and nitrogen balance and learn about functions, sources, deficiency and toxicity of vitamins and minerals. You will learn about all macronutrients plus water and alcohol. A busy module but essential knowledge to any aspiring nutritionist.

Essentials for Sport, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences

30 credits

This module provides an essential introduction to the skills required for undergraduate study and scientific research. It enables you to understand the principles of qualitative and quantitative experimental research. It will introduce and employ statistical techniques for the analysis of sport science and nutrition data. The skills developed in this module will begin to formulate the foundation to later research methods modules and your final year project.

Sport and Exercise Psychology 1

30 credits

This module introduces the fundamental constructs of sport and exercise psychology and how they impact on our understanding of human behaviour and learning in sport and exercise environments. These constructs include personality, motivation, anxiety, stress as well as the learning and performance process. You will also learn about the theories of motor control and motor learning.

Topics include: 

  • The role of the self in sport and exercise, how this develops and impacts wellbeing and performance
  • Theories of personality development and the role it plays in sport and exercise
  • Different perspectives on motivation in sport and exercise
  • Theories of arousal, stress and anxiety and how they might impact sport/exercise environments
  • The role of psychology in the uptake and maintenance of physical activity
  • How exercise is linked to maintaining/improving psychological health
  • The role of perception and attention in the ability to learn and perform motor skills
  • Sport and exercise psychology research methods.
Functional Anatomy and Exercise Physiology

30 credits

Understanding the mechanics of the body is the building block of sport and exercise science.

You will be introduced to the fundamentals of functional anatomy and physiology, particularly the skeletal, neural, muscular, metabolic, respiratory and cardiovascular systems. The focus will be on understanding the biomechanics of movement and physiological responses to the demands of physical activity.

Year 2 extends your knowledge of the effects of nutrition, sport and exercise on human physiology and exercise prescription. You will examine the principles of energy metabolism and develop your understanding of health and exercise physiology and sport and exercise psychology. A module in research methods will prepare you for your Year 3 research project.

If you choose the four-year sandwich route of this degree, you will have a year's industry-related work experience between Years 2 and 3.

Core modules

Applied Nutrition

30 credits

Learn about how we study diet and health outcomes and the different types of studies we use. You will carry out dietary assessments and learn how we use that data to understand and improve people's health. Our food choices and ability to meet nutritional needs impacts us all, from womb to older adults. This module will help you learn about the nutritional needs of different people across the lifespan as well as what impacts their ability to meet those needs. You will grow your understanding of the needs of individuals and of the groups to which they belong. This module prepares you for studying public health nutrition in your final year.

Research Methods in Exercise Science

30 credits

This module's focus is on the approaches to research design, data collection techniques and appropriate analyses to make accurate interpretations. It further investigates quantitative and qualitative research methods introduced at Level 4 and introduces students to more advanced techniques. The module provides an essential introduction to research ethics and the ethical approval procedures that are required when using human participants for research. Skills developed in this module will form the foundation of the final year project module. This module also provides an overview of how to recognise and develop key and transferable skills to enhance employability through relevant professional development and research experience.

Sport and Exercise Psychology 2

30 credits

You will build on your sport and exercise psychology from your first year. You will explore social psychology in sport and exercise, including group dynamics. You will also explore the psychology and development of the individual in exercise settings and the benefits of exercise to maintain psychological health and wellbeing.

Topics include:

  • Motivation in sport and exercise settings and the developments of differing perspectives in this area.
  • Group dynamics in sport and exercise settings and how this might influence group satisfaction and performance.
  • Aggression in sport contexts.
  • Burnout in athletes, including psychological components, mechanisms and experiences.
  • Career transitions for sport performers, and the role sport psychology may play in assisting transitions.
  • Moral development in young athletes, and the role of morality in competitive sports contexts.
  • The role of emotions experienced on an inter and intra personal level in sport and exercise environments.
  • Theories of exercise adoption and maintenance.

Optional modules

Health and Exercise Physiology

30 credits

This module covers the acute and chronic physiological changes caused by exercise, giving you an understanding of cardio-respiratory health. You will learn to link exercise physiology to performance. You will understand the role of exercise and physical activity as a prescription therapy to clinical diseases. This module will further develop your understanding by equipping you with the scientific skills to monitor and assess health, fitness and performance.

In final year, you will apply your knowledge of nutrition and exercise to topics such as the role of nutrition in health and disease, public health promotion, and the psychological issues relating to health and exercise. You may study either contemporary issues of food and nutrition or nutritional ergogenic aids and the extreme environment. You will also undertake an independent project, focused on exercise, nutrition or health science.

Core modules

Public Health Nutrition

30 credits

In your second-year core nutrition module you focused on the nutritional needs of individuals. That module helped build a strong foundation for this public health nutrition module. You will now learn about the concepts, theories, and practice of health promotion, focusing on diet and physical activity in developing and developed countries. You will examine theories of motivation, behaviour, and strategies of health promotion, as well as the role, influence, and impact of policies on population and client groups. You will also learn about nutritional issues impacting the developing world focusing on the unique challenges of nutritional assessment, food security, sustainability (focusing on sustainable development goals), and the double burden of malnutrition. You will also review the impact of direct and indirect health-care and non-health-care sector interventions who affect nutrition outcomes.

Exercise and Health Psychology

30 credits

This module covers the psychology behind adoption and maintenance of physical activity/exercise and health behaviours.

You will explore theories of behaviour prediction and evaluate research surrounding the benefits of physical activity/exercise for psychological health and wellbeing. You will conduct evaluations of interventions aimed at promoting physical activity and mental health. You will also develop an in-depth understanding of determinants of health behaviour.

Project or Dissertation (Nutrition) OR Sport and Exercise Science Project

30 credits

Choose between the following:

Project or Dissertation (Nutrition)

You spent two years learning about how to select, interpret and use scientific literature. You learned about data analysis and interpretation. You covered a large number of nutrition topics. You can now conduct a capstone project that demonstrates your academic and transferable skills, where you will be able to demonstrate knowledge, understanding, application, and integration of nutrition gained from your taught modules. You will be able to choose a topic to research, more aligned to your interests, e.g. public health, food science, the role of specific compounds in food.

OR

Sport and Exercise Science Project

You will get to research an area of your interest, culminating in an original and significant piece of research in this one-year module. You will use the research skills developed through the programme. You will have full access to all sports and exercise laboratory equipment to experience real world data collection and analysis. You will work closely with an assigned supervisor, who will support your progress.

Optional modules

Contemporary Issues in Food and Nutrition

30 credits

Explore areas that have a significant impact on modern day food and nutrition, such as functional foods, novel foods (e.g. insects) nutraceuticals (e.g. probiotics), and the interaction between nutrition and pharmacology (e.g. interaction between grapefruit, cranberry or pomegranate juice with drugs).

Gain in-depth knowledge of emerging and re-emerging topics such as malnutrition, food security and genetically modified foods, and food allergy (e.g. recent topics around early dietary intervention, sustainability, plant-based and vegan products, and new ingredients). We will also cover obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer as well as the use of advanced body composition techniques.

Extreme Environments and Ergogenic Aids

30 credits

Explore the wide range of environmental influences that impact on humans when exercising or competing in sport.

You will learn and experience the physiological reactions to environmental stresses such as heat and altitude, and understand methods of acclimatisation or coping.

This module also examines nutritional supplementation and prohibited methods to enhance physical performance, including a focus on current regulation and policies and the attitudes, values and behaviours that may precipitate doping and the consequences of doping in sport.

Sport Nutrition

30 credits

You will examine the physiological, mechanical and psychological responses to nutritional dietary strategies and ergogenic aids for exercise training and competition. Challenge your perceptions and cultural choices of food for a diet suitable to meet the demands of competitive exercise and sport performance. You will explore the nutritional strategies that are used by the general population, from recreational amateurs to elite athletes. You will be able to provide sound guidance for informed dietary choices and optimising a person's competitive performance.

You will learn about the efficacy of carbohydrates, proteins and fats for the provision of, exercise and sport performance with specific focus on current dietary guidelines versus dietary differences – low fat, high fat, intermittent fasting, flexitarian, gluten free, carnivore and vegan diets. You will also explore the significance of gut microbiology and use of pre and probiotics to enhance competitive performances.

You will also explore the psychological impact, such as stress and anxiety, on the relationship between nutrition and the body. You will learn about the dietary needs for exercise dependent on duration and intensity, such as maximising attention and concentration, strength, power, middle distance, speed endurance, ultra-endurance events.

You will learn about the dietary needs for specific groups, including youth athletes, female athletes and how their hormones and cycle can affect nutrition and training.

Other important topics such as the sugar endemic, eating disorders and immunity will also be covered.

Please note

Optional modules only run if there is enough demand. If we have an insufficient number of students interested in an optional module, that module will not be offered for this course.

Foundation year

If you would like to study one of our science degrees at Kingston University but are not yet ready to join the first year of a BSc (Hons) course, you can include an extra foundation year within your chosen degree. Please see the Science Foundation Year course page for details of modules.

Future Skills

Knowledge to give you the edge

Embedded within every course curriculum and throughout the whole Kingston experience, Future Skills will play a role in shaping you to become a future-proof graduate, providing you with the skills most valued by employers such as problem-solving, digital competency, and adaptability.

As you progress through your degree, you'll learn to navigate, explore and apply these graduate skills, learning to demonstrate and articulate to employers how future skills give you the edge.

At Kingston University, we're not just keeping up with change, we're creating it.

A female engineering student, in the engineering lab.

Entry requirements

If you would like to join us through Clearing 2023, please call our Clearing hotline on 0800 0483 334 (or +44 020 8328 1149 if you are calling from outside the UK) and speak to our friendly and knowledgeable hotliners who will be able to provide information on available courses and will guide you through your options.

Please note the entry requirements listed below are for 2024 entry only.

Typical offer 2024

UCAS tariff points: 112–128 for BSc (Hons); 64 for BSc (Hons) including foundation year from Level 3 qualifications.

A-levels to include a Science subject with grade C or above in either Chemistry, Biology, Nutrition and Food Science, Food Technology, Food Studies, Home Economics (Food, Nutrition & Health), Psychology and Physical Education. We also count Extended Project towards your total UCAS points. General Studies not accepted.

Alternatively, BTEC Extended Diploma in appropriate Science subject (e.g. Sport and Exercise Science) with grades DMM - DDM.

Candidates are normally required to hold five GCSE subjects at grade C/4 or above, including Mathematics and English Language.

Typical offer 2023

UCAS tariff points: 96–120 for BSc (Hons); 32 for BSc (Hons) including foundation year from Level 3 qualifications.

A-levels to include a Science subject with grade C or above e.g. Chemistry, Biology, Nutrition and Food Science, Food Technology, Food Studies, Home Economics (Food, Nutrition & Health), Psychology or Physical Education. We also count Extended Project towards your total UCAS points. General Studies not accepted.

Alternatively, BTEC Extended Diploma in appropriate Science subject (e.g. Sport and Exercise Science) with grades MMM.

Candidates are normally required to hold five GCSE subjects at grade C/4 or above, including Mathematics and English Language.

Alternative routes

We will consider a range of alternative Level 3 qualifications such as an Access Course in Applied Science or Sport and Exercise Science which has been passed with 96 UCAS points which includes a minimum of 21 Level 3 credits in Biology and/or Chemistry modules at a Merit grade.

Applications from those that have undertaken a Science foundation year will also be considered.

International

We welcome applications from International Applicants. View our standard entry requirements from your country.

All non-UK applicants must meet our English language requirements. For this course it is Academic IELTS of 6.5, with no element below 6.0.

Country-specific information

You will find more information on country specific entry requirements in the International section of our website.

Find your country:

Typical offer and UCAS points explained

Like most universities, we use the UCAS Tariff point system for our course entry requirements.

Find out more about UCAS Tariff points and see how A-level, AS level, BTEC Diploma and T-level qualifications translate to the points system.

Teaching and assessment

Your teaching will include lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical laboratory experience, with access to high-specification physiology and biomechanics laboratories.

Each module will be assessed using assessment methods best suited to the module and the material. Examples of assessment include short answer or multiple choice tests, essays, laboratory reports, presentations, production of a final year thesis and examinations.

Guided independent study (self-managed time)

When not attending timetabled sessions, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This typically will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for final assignments. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, the library and CANVAS, the online virtual learning platform.

Academic support

Our academic support team here at Kingston University provides help in a range of areas.

Dedicated personal tutor

When you arrive, we'll introduce you to your personal tutor. This is the member of academic staff who will provide academic guidance, be a support throughout your time at Kingston and show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer at Kingston University.

Your workload

Type of learning and teaching

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 1
  • Scheduled learning and teaching: 323 hours
  • Guided independent study (self-managed time): 877 hours
Year 2
  • Scheduled learning and teaching: 306 hours
  • Guided independent study (self-managed time): 894 hours
Year 3
  • Scheduled learning and teaching: 166 hours
  • Guided independent study (self-managed time): 934 hours

Please note: the above breakdowns are a guide calculated on core modules only. Depending on optional modules chosen, this breakdown may change.

How you will be assessed

Type of assessment

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 1
  • Coursework: 62%
  • Practical: 13%
  • Exams: 25%
Year 2
  • Coursework: 55%
  • Practical: 23%
  • Exams: 22%
Year 3
  • Coursework: 80%
  • Practical: 20%

Please note: the above breakdowns are a guide calculated on core modules only. Depending on optional modules chosen, this breakdown may change.

Feedback summary

We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 20 working days.

Your timetable

Your individualised timetable is normally available to students within 48 hours of enrolment. Whilst we make every effort to ensure timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled learning and teaching can take place on any day of the week between 9am and 6pm. For undergraduate students, Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities, but there may be occasions when this is not possible. Timetables for part-time students will depend on the modules selected.

Class sizes

To give you an indication of class sizes, this course normally enrols 15 students and lecture sizes are normally 15­-65­.  However this can vary by module and academic year.

Who teaches this course

This course is delivered by the School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Chemistry.

The School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Chemistry offers an outstanding and diverse portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in biological and biomedical sciences, chemistry, forensic science, pharmacy, pharmacological and pharmaceutical sciences, and sport science and nutrition.

We've invested heavily in the development of new facilities including laboratories for teaching and research to provide students with access to ultra-modern equipment in a wide range of teaching facilities.

Postgraduate students may run or assist in lab sessions and may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader.

Facilities

There is a wide range of facilities for practical work at our Penrhyn Road campus, where this course is based. You will have access to a modern environment with the latest equipment, including:

  • the £9.8 million Eadweard Muybridge building with state-of the art laboratories;
  • an exercise physiology and biomechanics lab;
  • modern applied biology and chemistry laboratories
  • specialist equipment, such as electron microscopes and spectrometers;
  • computing laboratories and a team of IT technicians to offer assistance; and
  • a newly refurbished state-of-the-art nutrition kitchen.

The Learning Resource Centre offers:

  • subject libraries, plus a free inter-library loan scheme to other libraries in the Greater London area;
  • online database subscriptions; and
  • a growing selection of resource material.
Facilities
Our newly refurbished nutrition kitchen

Course fees and funding

2024/25 fees for this course

The tuition fee you pay depends on whether you are assessed as a 'Home' (UK), 'Islands' or 'International' student. In 2024/25 the fees for this course are:

 Fee category Amount
Home (UK students) £9,250*
Foundation Year: £9,250
International

Year 1 (2024/25): £17,800
Year 2 (2025/26): £18,500
Year 3 (2026/27): £19,200
Year 4 (2027/28): £20,100

For courses with a sandwich year, the fee for the placement year can be viewed on the undergraduate fees table. The placement fee published is for the relevant academic year stated in the table. This fee is subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body.

* For full-time programmes of a duration of more than one academic year, the published fee is an annual fee, payable each year, for the duration of the programme. Your annual tuition fees cover your first attempt at all of the modules necessary to complete that academic year. A re-study of any modules will incur additional charges calculated by the number of credits. Home tuition fees may be subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body. Full-time taught International fees are subject to an annual increase and are published in advance for the full duration of the programme.

Eligible UK students can apply to the Government for a tuition loan, which is paid direct to the University. This has a low interest-rate which is charged from the time the first part of the loan is paid to the University until you have repaid it.

2023/24 fees for this course

The tuition fee you pay depends on whether you are assessed as a 'Home' (UK), 'Islands' or 'International' student. In 2023/24 the fees for this course are:

 Fee category Amount
Home (UK students) £9,250*
Foundation Year: £9,250
International

Year 1 (2023/24): £15,800
Year 2 (2024/25): £16,200
Year 3 (2025/26): £16,600
Year 4 (2026/27): £17,000

For courses with a sandwich year, the fee for the placement year can be viewed on the undergraduate fees table. The placement fee published is for the relevant academic year stated in the table. This fee is subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body.

* For full-time programmes of a duration of more than one academic year, the published fee is an annual fee, payable each year, for the duration of the programme. Your annual tuition fees cover your first attempt at all of the modules necessary to complete that academic year. A re-study of any modules will incur additional charges calculated by the number of credits. Home tuition fees may be subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body. Full-time taught International fees are subject to an annual increase and are published in advance for the full duration of the programme.

Eligible UK students can apply to the Government for a tuition loan, which is paid direct to the University. This has a low interest-rate which is charged from the time the first part of the loan is paid to the University until you have repaid it.

Note for EU students: UK withdrawal from the European Union

The Government has recently announced that new students from the European Union and Swiss Nationals starting their course after August 2021 will no longer be eligible for a student loan in England for Undergraduate or Postgraduate studies from the 2021/22 academic year. This decision only applies to new EU students starting after 2021/22. If you are an existing/continuing EU student, you will continue to be funded until you graduate or withdraw from your course.

Need to know more?

Our undergraduate fees and funding section provides information and advice on money matters.

Additional costs

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs that are not covered by tuition fees which students will need to consider when planning their studies. Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, access to shared IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

Where a course has additional expenses, we make every effort to highlight them. These may include optional field trips, materials (e.g. art, design, engineering), security checks such as DBS, uniforms, specialist clothing or professional memberships.

Textbooks

Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. You may prefer to buy your own copy of key textbooks; this can cost between £50 and £250 per year.

Computer equipment

There are open-access networked computers available across the University, plus laptops available to loan. You may find it useful to have your own PC, laptop or tablet which you can use around campus and in halls of residence. Free WiFi is available on each campus. You may wish to purchase your own computer, which can cost between £100 and £3,000 depending on your course requirements.

Photocopying and printing

In the majority of cases, written coursework can be submitted online. There may be instances when you will be required to submit work in a printed format. Printing, binding and photocopying costs are not included in your tuition fees, this may cost up to £100 per year.

Travel

Travel costs are not included in your tuition fees but we do have a free intersite bus service which links the campuses, Surbiton train station, Kingston upon Thames train station, Norbiton train station and halls of residence.

Placements

If the placement year option is chosen, during this year travel costs will vary according to the location of the placement, and could be from £0 to £2,000.

Field trips

All field trips that are compulsory to attend to complete your course are paid for by the University. There may be small fees incurred for optional field trips such as travel costs and refreshments.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Kingston University will supply you with a lab coat and safety goggles at the start of the year.

After you graduate

There are many opportunities in nutrition, exercise and health-related research, the sport and leisure industries, lifestyle management, health promotion, the NHS, public health and teaching. 

Employability preparation at Kingston University

 In addition to building expertise in your own discipline, our courses will also help you to develop key transferable skills that you'll need for professional life or further study once you graduate.  

As well as a range of careers and employability activities at Kingston, we also offer you the chance to apply and develop your skills in live contexts as an integral part of your course. Opportunities include: 

  • placements; 

  • working or studying abroad; 

  • volunteering; 

  • peer mentoring roles; and  

  • internship opportunities within and outside the University. 

In your final year, you'll get the opportunity to complete a major 'capstone' project where you can apply the knowledge and skills you have acquired to a range of real issues in different contexts. This is a great way to learn and is a valuable bridge to employment or further research at masters level.

Courses available after you graduate

If you decide that you would like to go on to postgraduate study after your undergraduate course, we offer a 10 per cent discount on our postgraduate course tuition fees to our alumni.

Accreditation

All nutrition lecturers are either:

  • members of the Association for Nutrition (AfN, our professional body); and
  • registered nutritionists with the Association for Nutrition with specialisms in nutrition science or public health or registered public health nutritionists.

    or
  • registered dietitians with the British Dietetic Association and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Nutrition lecturers are also members of the Nutrition Society.

Such links help them to keep up with the latest developments and research ideas.

The course is accredited for 2018 entry by the Association for Nutrition. Accreditation means that Kingston University Nutrition BSc(Hons) graduates can apply to become associate registered nutritionists without having to prove competence. The course was first accredited in 2017. Find out more about the benefits of studying an accredited course.

The Association for Nutrition was launched in March 2010 as a wholly independent not-for-profit professional association registered as a company limited by guarantee. It is the professional body for the regulation and registration of nutritionists, including animal nutritionists, food nutritionists, nutrition scientists, public health nutritionists and sports/exercise nutritionists. The Association aims to protect the public and promote wellbeing by admitting to the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN) only those who demonstrate high ethical and quality standards, founded on evidence-based science. It sets proficiency and competence criteria, promotes continuing professional development and safe conduct, and accredits university undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Studying on an accredited course is a 'mark of quality' and ensures that your course is well structured, organised and relevant to the profession and that it satisfies the demanding requirements and benchmarks of a respected quality assurance framework. It also provides employers with an assurance that graduates have covered set competencies, making them more employable and more likely to stand out to future employers. Accreditation and registration with the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN) also shows a strong commitment to continuous professional development and asserts to the public your overall commitment to the nutrition profession and the science that underpins it.

The Nutrition Society was established in 1941 to advance the scientific study of nutrition and its application to the maintenance of human and animal health. The Society is highly regarded by the scientific community and is Europe's largest learned society for nutrition.

What our students say

I originally chose to study at Kingston University as it was one of the only courses in the UK that offered the combination of sports science and public nutrition I was looking for.

It is clear that the staff care about the students at Kingston University. There are so many facilities to support students from career development to health and wellbeing support.

My course has given me knowledge and a broad understanding of so many topics that I could apply to a future career. The focus on practical learning and laboratory competency has given me the ability to understand how to conduct myself in real-life career situations."

Katherine Crooks – Nutrition (Exercise and Health) BSc(Hons) (with sandwich year) – Graduated July 2018

I was already interested in applying nutritional interventions to help people improve their body composition by losing body fat and building muscle tissue. However, I wasn't sure after university if I wanted to go into educating others about nutrition in the public health sector, take further qualifications to become a dietitian, become a nutritionist in a sports club, so taking the course allowed me to explore all areas of nutrition.

I particularly enjoyed being able to use the equipment in the physiology lab when we measured body fat percentage, such as the BODPOD which is one of the most accurate ways to measure body fat percentage. Two other pieces of equipment. I enjoyed using was an Electro Cardio Gram (ECG) to test heart rhythms and a resistance bike when I participated in the VO2 Max test. 

The lecturers provided brilliant support alongside delivering lectures so if I ever didn't understand something about an assignment, it was quickly explained to me via email. 

Albert Aldridge – Nutrition (Exercise and Health) BSc(Hons) – Graduated July 2018

I chose this course because it covers all the areas that interest me – nutrition, health and exercising. There is also a wide choice of career options open to its graduates. When I was applying for university, the course was very rare and Kingston University was the only institution offering it that had a good reputation.

I found the course enjoyable, especially the nutritional aspects. The practical sessions were very useful, as was the coursework which had a practical element, as it gave us a chance to see what it would be like to test a patient or athlete in real life.

The workload was manageable with a combination of exams and coursework, which made it a lighter load during exam time at the end of the semester.

Anika Parmar – Exercise, Nutrition and Health BSc(Hons)

Links with business and industry

Our staff are actively engaged in research, presenting at international conferences and publishing in high-quality scientific journals. This means that you can be sure your course is being kept up-to-date and delivered by experts in the field.

Staff consultancy services can also give you the chance to observe sport science laboratory assessments of world-class athletes.  We provide physiological, biomechanical and psychological support to a variety of athletes and squads including:

  • the Great Britain Olympic Canoe and Kayak Team;
  • Fulham Football Club; and
  • Thames Turbo Triathlon Club.

How you can work in industry during your course

Why take a placement? Work placements: 

  • provide work experience that is relevant to your course and future career; 

  • improve your chances of graduating with a higher grade degree; 

  • enhance your CV; 

  • lead to a graduate job;  

  • enable you to earn a year's salary whilst studying (the vast majority of placements are paid); and 

  • help you to select your final-year project. 

Watch nutrition student Michael Garcia talk about his experience studying at Kingston University whilst doing his placement at St. George's Hospital with The Marfan Trust.

Work placement year

"To be successful, tomorrow's leaders will need to be far more rounded individuals than ever before. They will collaborate in pursuit of shared goals. They will guide, challenge and support...They will have an appetite for change and a hunger for continuous improvement, and they will have an ethos of learning and development..." 
Jeremy Darroch, Former Chief Executive, Sky  

"Doing a placement year effectively gives you one foot in the door of a future job and to stand out from the crowd... as well as enhancing my CV... and future interviews. It's a great motivator to be successful in my studies as it only serves to open even more doors and gain more skills." 
Placement student at Jagex Games Studios Ltd

  • 81% placement students and 34% non-placement students got a first or 2.1 (Faculty of Computing, Information Systems and Mathematics, 2008). 

  • 100% of placement students during 2008 recommend doing a placement (Faculty of Computing, Information Systems and Mathematics, 2008). 

  • Many employers offer a graduate job to their successful placement students. 

There is a lot of support available for students looking to secure a placement (eg a jobs board with placement vacancies, help with writing CVs and mock interviews). Getting a placement and passing the placement year are ultimately the student's responsibility. 

For further information please contact the Placements Team by telephone 020 8417 2969 or email secplace@kingston.ac.uk

Examples of placements  

Placements can be with large multinational companies, international companies, local companies and small start ups; offering a diverse range of posts. Here are some examples of employers and roles: 

Construction-based placement employers 

Construction-based placement roles 

RG Group 
Multiplex 
Costain 
Willmott Dixon  
Fluor 

Assistant site manager 
Assistant trades package manager 
Assistant logistics manager 
Health and safety officer 
Construction engineer

Science-based placement employers 

Science-based placement roles 

Reckitt and Benckiser 
GSK 
Drug Control Centre 
Minton Treharne and Davies Ltd  
Various local and international hospitals 

Bioanalytical sciences 
Lab assistant 
Pharmacy assistant 
Sports coach 

Engineering-based placement employers 

Engineering-based placement roles 

Airbus 
BAM Nuttall 
Nissan 
Bosch 
Wozair

Analysis of aircraft structure 
Construction resources specialist 
Site engineer assistant

Computing and IS based placement employers 

Computing and IS based placement roles 

Disney 
Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe 
IBM 
McKinsey 
Intel

Database co-ordinator 
Software developer 
Website developer 
App developer

Mathematics-based placement employers 

Mathematics-based placement roles 

Lloyds Banking Group 
AXA 
Allianz 
PAU Education, Spain

Analyst 
Investment solutions 
Research analyst 
Accounts assistant

Key information set

The scrolling banner(s) below display some key factual data about this course (including different course combinations or delivery modes of this course where relevant).

Course changes and regulations

The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Course changes explained.

Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.

Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.