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Clinical and Public Health Nutrition MSc

London, Bloomsbury

This full-time MSc Clinical and Public Health Nutrition focuses on the problems of over- and under-nutrition, which apply to most developed nations as well as those undergoing rapid transformation. We offer specialised training in the clinical and scientific basis of malnutrition and obesity and therapeutic approaches to correcting this in hospital, community, and educational settings.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
UK tuition fees (2023/24)
£16,100
Overseas tuition fees (2023/24)
£32,100
Duration
1 calendar year
Programme starts
September 2023
Applications accepted
All applicants: 17 Oct 2022 – 31 Mar 2023

Applications closed

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Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a biological science, medical or healthcare discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 1

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level. International Preparation Courses

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree


This MSc is ideal for anyone wishing to pursue a career in cutting-edge research, the practice of nutrition therapy, or in clinical and/or nutrition industries.

We focus on periods of the lifecycle when nutrition is particularly important, such as acute illness, trauma, surgery or malignancy, and chronic conditions in which disease, nutrition and treatment interact. We explore the aetiology, pathophysiology, and epidemiology of obesity alongside the approaches currently used in its treatment.

We examine the key issues related to nutrition in public health. Food insecurity is a major concern for both developed and developing regions around the world. We also examine the impact of healthy eating programmes and consider how organisations meet the nutritional needs of differing populations.

The UCL Division of Medicine (supported by the Institute of Liver and Digestive Health) has effective links with clinical services at University College London Hospitals (UCLH) and the Royal Free Hospital. You will benefit from a rich and varied research environment and from the expertise of the clinicians and scientists who teach on this MSc.

Who this course is for

This course is ideal for medically qualified graduates, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, nutritionists, and bio-scientists with a keen interest in the disease / malnutrition axis and in effective nutritional therapies. As this programme includes observational placements at our partner clinical centres, applicants will need to be able to demonstrate that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend these site visits.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

  • A rich and varied research environment when you join the internationally renowned UCL Division of Medicine).
  • Close links with clinical services at University College London Hospitals (UCLH) and the Royal Free Hospital, other major hospitals and public health organisations. These create opportunities for major nutrition projects.
  • Benefit from the expertise of the many clinicians and scientists who teach on this MSc. Many UCL staff engage in research with a nutritional dimension.
  • Opportunities to develop your research skills in clinical and public health settings through your project, with supervisors from across UCL, the London community, and elsewhere.
  • The UCL Faculty of Medical Sciences has one of the largest and most prestigious assembly of academics in its field with a global reputation for teaching informed by cutting-edge research.
Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme
Making an impact

Case study: UCL academic follows processed food diet for BBC documentary

A UCL academic attempts an ultra-processed food diet for a BBC One documentary to highlight the harm it causes the body and brain.

The foundation of your career

This MSc is particularly suitable for candidates who wish to pursue a lifelong career in the field of cutting-edge translational research and the practice of nutrition therapy in the health services of the UK and other countries, or in the clinical nutrition industry.

While this MSc does not lead to registration to practise as a dietitian, it provides a firm foundation in nutritional science and allows successful graduates to apply for direct registration with the Association for Nutrition. This is the professional body which holds the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN), a competency-based register of nutritionists.

UCL has given me the opportunity to work in hospitals. I get to see patients and shadow the doctors. If we're going to improve lifestyles and healthy eating across the world, we need to start with the next generation.

Shahana Thavarasa

Clinical and Public Health Nutrition, MSc

Learn more about Shahana

Employability

Many graduates of the MSc Clinical and Public Health Nutrition work in the voluntary sector or in industry. Some work as independent or public health nutritionists (one as a leading public health clinician). Several teach and research in home universities.

We also provide an ideal foundation for graduates who wish to undertake further study. Some students use this MSc to improve their medical / clinical knowledge base, or to gain entry to Dietetics courses. Around one in eight of our graduates continue onto PhD studies, at UCL or elsewhere.

Accreditation

This MSc is registered with the Association for Nutrition, a professional body that holds the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN), a competency-based register of nutritionists. Graduates of this programme will be eligible to apply for direct entry to the UKVRN as Registered Associate Nutritionists.

Teaching and learning

Teaching throughout the course uses a range of methods, including lectures, online video materials, tutorials to address problem-based activities, practical sessions in a laboratory setting, and data analysis sessions.

Assessment is through examination, presentations, essays, practical reports, and a dissertation.

Full-time students will typically spend around 30 hours per week on programme-related activities, including attending lectures, tutorials or workshops, undertaking assignments, individual study and completing targeted reading.

On site teaching takes place on two days per week during term time. It may be necessary to be on campus on other days for other activities (e.g. working with other students on group tasks).

A Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits) comprising all taught modules is offered. A Postgraduate Certificate comprising four core modules (60 credits) is offered.

Modules

On this full-time programme, you will complete eight core modules worth 120 credits and a research project worth 60 credits. During your research project, you will be supported by a supervisor with relevant experience and expertise in nutrition research.

Some projects are subject to ethical approval and CRB clearance, which should be discussed with your supervisor. You can explore research areas that interest you and contact relevant departments to see if they can offer an MSc project.

Compulsory modules











Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Clinical and Public Health Nutrition. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Clinical and Public Health Nutrition. Upon successful completion of 60 credits, you will be awarded a PG Cert in Clinical and Public Health Nutrition.

Placement

Students are offered the opportunity to observe related clinics at University College London Hospital (government & NHS restrictions allowing). As this involves working with the public you will be subject to screening by UCL Occupational Health and through the Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to determine your suitability for the course. Following  the requirements of University College London Hospital, we will only consider applications from individuals who can demonstrate that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.

Where you'll study

Division of Medicine Cruciform building

We have one of the largest concentrations of biomedical scientists in Europe. Among over 100 principal investigators are Fellows of the Royal Society, members of the Academy of Medical Sciences, and Senior Investigators of the National Institute for Health Research. Teaching is split between the Royal Free campus in Hampstead and Bloomsbury campus. For undergraduates, most of the first year will be based at the Royal Free campus, with some practical activities taking place in Bloomsbury. As you progress, more modules are based at Bloomsbury, which means you are likely to build strong familiarity with both of these sites.

Learn more about the Division of Medicine, our departments and institutes

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Discover our Nutrition and Dietetics MSc programmes

This online session will provide you with an overview of our MSc Clinical and Public Health Nutrition, MSc Obesity and Clinical Nutrition, MSc Dietetics, and MSc Eating Disorders and Clinical Nutrition programmes. The programme overviews will be followed by a Q&A session with our programme leads.

Watch on demand event

Online - Open day

Virtual Open Event in the Division of Medicine

Watch a replay of our previous virtual open event for the following programmes in the Division of Medicine: MSc Clinical and Public Health Nutrition, MSc Eating Disorders and Clinical Nutrition, MSc Obesity and Clinical Nutrition. Find out more about the programmes, why you should come to UCL, and the ground-breaking research in this department.

Watch on demand event

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2023/24) £16,100
Tuition fees (2023/24) £32,100

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

Some small travel costs may be incurred for travel to site visits within London. There are two to three visits each year.

An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Clearance check - The DBS application cost will be covered by UCL, but offer holders will also need to have their ID checked and verified at a Post Office, for which they will incur a charge of £12.80.

International Students will bear any costs incurred in acquiring certification equivalent to DBS (police check) in their home country.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme (CSSS)

Deadline: 13 December 2022
Value: Full fees, flights, stipend, and other allowances (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Clinical and Public Health Nutrition at graduate level
  • why you want to study Clinical and Public Health Nutrition at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this programme
  • how this MSc will help you develop professionally.

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Basic Science

Some of the modules on this programme involve biochemistry. If you studied a science subject that is not biological or chemical (e.g. nursing or psychology), we advise taking a short course in nutrition and/or reading at least one of the following.

  • Salway J.G., Metabolism at a Glance, 4th edition, Wiley Blackwell, 2017.
  • Salway J.G., Medical Biochemistry at a Glance, 3rd edition, Wiley Blackwell, 2012.
  • Bender, D., Introduction to Nutrition and Metabolism, 5th Edition, CRC Press, 2014.
  • Geissler C. & Powers, H., Human Nutrition, Oxford, 2017.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Got questions? Get in touch

Division of Medicine
Division of Medicine

divmed.postgrad@ucl.ac.uk

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.