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Eating Disorders and Clinical Nutrition MSc

London, Bloomsbury

This MSc is the only graduate programme available in eating disorders. It is intended for professionals wishing to work in the eating disorders field at a high level. The qualification will appeal to clinicians and scientists who wish to provide treatment, develop services, and conduct research in this field. You study full full-time over one year or part-time over two years.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2023/24)
£16,100
£8,050
Overseas tuition fees (2023/24)
£32,100
£16,050
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2023
Applications accepted
All applicants: 17 Oct 2022 – 31 Mar 2023

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a biological science, medical or healthcare discipline, including psychology, 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 Eating Disorders and Clinical Nutrition course provides knowledge and skills in the classification, aetiology, epidemiology, and risk for eating disorders. It explores the physical and psychiatric assessment and treatment of eating disordered patients of different ages, sex, and ethnic groups. It also concentrates on management and service development in the eating disorders field.

Our teaching includes a variety of methods, including practical approaches, research methods, seminars, tutorials, and clinical observation sessions at eating disorders treatment centres.

MSc students complete an independent research project, usually with a supervisor from UCLH or an NHS-funded research initiative that we support. You can also explore research areas that interest you and contact relevant departments to see if they can offer a project.

Though our degree is clinically focused, it is not clinical training and does not qualify graduates to work independently with patients with eating disorders. It does give an excellent grounding for a clinical training in, for example, dietetics, psychology or psychiatry and is intended for students hoping to work in research or service provision and development in eating disorders.

Who this course is for

To the best of our knowledge, this course is the only graduate programme in eating disorders and clinical nutrition in the world. We attract a very diverse range of students in terms of age, clinical experience, educational background, nationality, and future career plans. The main reason students apply to us is a strong interest in the subjects we offer.

Some of our students have already completed clinical training and are working dietitians, nutritionists, psychologists, or psychiatrists. We are interested in attracting students with nutrition, psychology, dietetic and other relevant degrees from any part of the world who anticipate working with eating disorder patients or conducting research into eating disorders.

We are interested in attracting students with nutrition, psychology, dietetic and other relevant degrees from any part of the world who anticipate working with eating disorder patients or conducting research into eating disorders.

What if I have an eating disorder?

We welcome applications from students who have had personal experience of an eating disorder. Some aspects of the course could be triggering. Based on feedback from students and professional bodies including the British Dietetic Association, we advise that applicants should have fully recovered from their eating disorder at least two years before joining this course.

If you are unsure whether you are sufficiently recovered, you can contact us in the first instance. Our course tutors are all clinicians actively working in the field.

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

What this course will give you

  • The field of eating disorders is rapidly developing in terms of service provision and research. You are joining the only comprehensive graduate programme available in the field, meeting an important clinical and academic need.
  • Whether you are a psychiatrist, dietitian, nurse, or researcher, the course provides a solid grounding in clinical nutrition and information on all aspects of eating disorders.
  • The programme includes a three-day placement at an eating disorders service.
  • The programme fulfils criteria for membership of the Association for Nutrition. Hence, it gives a broad training in nutrition generally, as well as training in eating disorders.
  • You will be in a good position to apply for a PhD or the clinical training programmes you need to become a fully qualified clinical psychologist, dietician, etc.
Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Eating disorder services are continuing to develop in all parts of the country, providing substantial opportunities for employment in this burgeoning field. New developments in the aetiology and treatment of eating disorders make this a growing area for research. Graduates of this programme now work on PhD programmes and as clinical psychologists, medical school students, researchers, psychiatrists, dietitians and occupational therapists.

Employability

This degree can lead to a diverse range of careers.

It offers graduates a significant advantage when applying for clinical or positions in eating disorders or clinical nutrition services, or departments where eating disorder or nutrition research is undertaken. It is particularly relevant for those wishing to apply for senior positions in these units or hoping to pursue a doctorate in the field of eating disorders.

Our graduates can feel confident that they have understood some of the most important theoretical, scientific, and clinical concepts and ideas that underpin the field of eating disorders and clinical nutrition. You emerge with the knowledge and skills to stay up to date with future developments, and to contribute to advancements in the field through clinical and scientific research and innovation.

All UCL students are supported by the UCL Careers Service, as well as the department's own specialist Careers Tutor.

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

As a summary, assessment is through examination, presentations, essays, practical reports, and the dissertation.

Assessment for the eating disorder modules is by multiple-choice and short answer question papers, which are currently completed online. These short-answer questions are problem-based, often with a clinical scenario. The ‘Eating Disorders: Management’ module is part-assessed by a poster presentation.

The research project must be on a subject relevant to eating disorders. This can be based on collection of new data, analysis of existing data, or a systematic or narrative review of the literature. This is assessed by two independent markers.

The total contact time for our eating-disorder modules (Eating Disorders: Clinical Science, Eating Disorders: Management) is 11 days. This gives a maximum of 88 hours, which is 30% of your time for these modules. Most of our days will be delivered in person.

A Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits) is offered. A Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits) is offered.

Modules

In the first term, you will study the fundamentals of nutrition and metabolism, clinical science, and explore the relationship between lifestyle and body composition. You also begin your introduction to the theory and skills required for the successful completion of a research project.

  • Fundamentals of Nutrition and Metabolism
  • Practical Nutrition Assessment
  • Experimental Design and Research Methods
  • Eating Disorders: Clinical Science

In the second term, you will explore the impact of human nutrition on the body and the effects of disease, from malnutrition to eating disorders. You will also consider therapy and investigate routes for treatment.

  • Disease and Disordered Eating
  • Therapeutic Aspects of Clinical Nutrition
  • Malnutrition in the Community
  • Eating Disorders: Management       

The third term is reserved for the research project.

Part-time students complete the programme in two years. Taught modules are equally split between both years. Students complete the research project at the end of the second year, but we advise you to complete background reading in the first year.

Year One

  • Fundamentals of Nutrition and Metabolism
  • Eating Disorders: Clinical Science
  • Therapeutic Aspects of Clinical Nutrition
  • Eating Disorders: Management

Year Two

  • Practical Nutrition Assessment
  • Experimental Design and Research Methods
  • Disease and Disordered Eating
  • Malnutrition in the Community
  • Research 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 Eating Disorders and Clinical Nutrition. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Eating Disorders and Clinical Nutrition. Upon successful completion of 60 credits, you will be awarded a PG Cert in Eating Disorders and Clinical Nutrition.

Placement

Visits to clinics and the hospital allow students to see first-hand how treatment is conducted, in addition to community nutrition providers working with groups that have very different requirements.

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 the NHS trust, 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.

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

UCL Masters in Nutrition programmes Virtual Event

UCL Division of Medicine hosts a virtual event where they give a short presentation about the programmes, including details on different modules, and how this programme could support your career. The programmes include: MSc Obesity and Clinical Nutrition, MSc Clinical Nutrition and MSc Eating Disorders and Clinical Nutrition.

Watch on demand event

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

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2023/24) £16,100 £8,050
Tuition fees (2023/24) £32,100 £16,050

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

There are no additional costs for this programme.

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 Eating Disorders and Clinical Nutrition at graduate level
  • why you want to study Eating Disorders and Clinical Nutrition at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your personal, academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree.

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.

References

This programme requires two references from academic referees to be sent from academic email addresses.

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.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2023-2024

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Division of Medicine
Division of Medicine

divmed.postgrad@ucl.ac.uk

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.