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Nutrition and Medical Sciences BSc

London, Bloomsbury
Nutrition and Medical Sciences BSc (2024)

Explore nutrition at all stages of life, from cellular, whole body and global public health perspectives, on this three-year, full-time BSc Nutrition and Medical Sciences degree. Based in the heart of UCL's Bloomsbury campus in London, this cutting-edge, evidence-based course is an unrivalled foundation for future practising nutritionists.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
Duration
3 academic years
UK tuition fees (2024/25)
£9,250
Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)
£34,400
Programme starts
September 2025
Application deadline
29 Jan 2025
UCAS course code
B400
Apply via UCAS

Entry requirements

A levels IB Diploma Other qualifications
Grades
AAA
Subjects
Biology at grade A and either Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics required.
GCSEs
English Language and Mathematics at grade B or 6.

Contextual offer information

Contextual offers are typically one to two grades lower than the standard offer. Grade and subject requirements for contextual offers for this programme will be published in Summer 2024.

Points
38
Subjects
A total of 18 points in three higher level subjects including 6 in Biology and either Mathematics, Physics or Chemistry, with no higher level score below 5. For Mathematics, the programme will accept either 'Analysis and Approaches' or 'Applications and Interpretation' at higher level.

Contextual offer

Contextual offers are typically one to two grade boundaries (equivalent to A levels) lower than the standard offer. IB Diploma grade and subject requirements for contextual offers for this programme will be published in Summer 2024.

UK applicants qualifications

For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:

Equivalent qualification

Pass in Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 33 credits at Distinction and 12 credits at Merit, all from Level 3 units. Please note, where subject specific requirements are stipulated at A level we may review your Access to HE syllabus to ensure you meet the subject specific requirements prior to a final decision being communicated.

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (QCF) or BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (RQF - teaching from 2016) with Distinction, Distinction, Distinction to include Distinction in Biology plus one from Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics.

D3,D3,D3 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects. Biology and either Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics required.

A,A,A at Advanced Highers (or A,A at Advanced Higher and A,A,A at Higher), including Biology and either Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics at Advanced Higher.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Successful completion of the WBQ Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate plus 2 GCE A levels at grades AAA. Biology required, plus one from Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics.

International applications

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

Access and widening participation

UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. If you are eligible for Access UCL you do not need to do anything in addition to the standard UCAS application. Your application will be automatically flagged when we receive it.
Check your Access UCL Scheme eligibility

Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates

The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who don’t have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.

Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.

For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.

English language requirements

The English language level for this programme is: Level 3

Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.

A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.

Course overview

Good nutrition is the basis of a healthy life and the avoidance of illness. Study our BSc Nutrition and Medical Sciences to learn how nutrition relates to personal diet, lifestyle, and modern patterns of disease.

You'll explore the foundations of human biology and medicine, including the major body systems in health and disease, while also delving in depth into the themes of human growth and development.

The course covers therapeutic approaches to obesity and other disease conditions including frailty and ageing, and nutrition for athletes. You will consider public health nutrition in settings of developing and developed countries as well, looking at both socio-cultural and behavioural aspects.

The flexible format means you tailor-make a programme that suits your needs and future career goals. We offer a variety of options to broaden your knowledge, covering genetics, cancer biology, nutrition and cancer, the human microbiome, nutrition and culture, and much more. The final-year research project helps you develop core skills and new techniques to set you up confidently for pursuing a rewarding and enjoyable career as a nutritionist.

Based in Bloomsbury in central London, this degree offers extensive hands-on learning through hospital visits, laboratory practicals, varied learning methods and exciting extra-curricular activities. You’ll also have lots of chance to make the most of UCL's established nutrition study community and our world-leading biomedical research facilities.

What this course will give you

This programme offers you the following benefits and opportunities.

  • A thorough grounding in evidence-based nutritional sciences and the way they relate to personal diet, lifestyle and modern patterns of disease.
  • A current and holistic approach to understanding and treating obesity and malnutrition in the modern world, combining biomedical and societal approaches.
  • The knowledge and skills to be able to engage with healthcare professionals and nutritional scientists confidently in whatever field you choose to work in.
  • Expert teaching and a wide range of outstanding research opportunities, in areas such as eating disorders, obesity, child health, and epidemiology, from a world leader in biomedical research.
  • Access to UCL's thriving and well-established culture in the study of nutrition, and our world-leading biomedical research community and facilities. Hospital visits, laboratory practical sessions (in areas such as biochemistry, physiology and nutrition), and varied learning methods are all built into the course.
  • Accreditation by the Association for Nutrition. The AfN works to protect and benefit the public by defining and advancing standards of evidence-based practice within nutrition and at all levels within the workforce. This quality assurance mark underlines for employers that you've taken a reputable, evidence-based course in nutrition science.

Teaching and learning

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

Upon successful completion of 360 credits, you will be awarded a BSc (Hons) in Nutrition and Medical Sciences.

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 is 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.

Year one

Year one covers the foundations of human biology and medicine. Core modules will consider the major body systems in health and disease. Biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology and basic anatomy are integrated with an introduction to nutrition and metabolism. This introduces the concepts of nutrition and metabolic processes as they relate to the commonest forms of malnutrition (obesity and disease-related malnutrition).

Year two

In year two, you will take compulsory modules which develop the themes of normal human growth and development, metabolic regulation, malnutrition and the causes of obesity and molecular basis of disease. You also choose an optional module which could cover topics such as genetics, cancer biology, cancer risk from nutrition or biophysics to broaden your knowledge.

Year three

Year three will form an advanced study of biomedical nutrition emphasising individual therapeutic approaches to obesity, frailty, ageing and sports nutrition. You will consider the setting of developing and developed countries in terms of public health nutrition. Optional modules will allow you to further tailor your programme to suit your needs and aspirations. Your research project will help you to continue building core skills on a focused topic, as well as learning new techniques to help you pursue a rewarding and enjoyable career.

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Compulsory modules










Compulsory modules








Optional modules









Compulsory modules








Optional modules






Your learning

We offer a mix of online and face-to-face teaching, that allows you to learn at your own pace and explore topics in greater depth.

After absorbing the basics online, you have face-to-face sessions with intensive, collaborative, and creative sessions, where you can apply your knowledge to solve clinically relevant problems using state-of-the-art simulators. Laboratory practicals and a research project support your training in laboratory skills.

The degree also fosters important team-working skills. You will be assigned to a small group for weekly tutorials where you'll work together on creative tasks, to gain transferrable skills important for your professional development as a scientist and your employability prospects.

The second and third years include a blend of tutorials, lectures, and practical sessions.

In year one, you will have around 8-10 hours of face-to face teaching a week over 22 weeks (excluding reading weeks). You will also spend some time studying online learning material before we address those topics in face-to-face sessions.

In year two, you will have around 18 hours of face-to-face teaching a week. You'll need to spend about the same amount of time on self-directed reading, completing assignments and revising topics.

In year three, you will have about 10 hours of formal face-to-face teaching a week. However, during the ten-week research project, you will spend most of your time on research. Like the second year, you will spend around 18-20 hours a week on self-directed learning.

Assessment

We use a mix of assessments, including:

  • Online and written examinations (including some multiple-choice or short-answer questions/mini-essay formats)
  • Literature reviews
  • Essays
  • Poster presentations
  • Oral presentations
  • Video projects
  • Group debates
  • Practical reports
  • Research proposals.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team.

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Learn about the UCL Nutrition and Medical Sciences BSc programme

This taster talk will provide you with an exciting insight into the field of nutrition and medical sciences. This session will look at how you can apply nutritional assessment in both theory and in practice. A summary of the BSc Nutrition and Medical Sciences programme will also be provided, followed by a Q&A session with our programme lead and a current student.

Watch on demand event

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Online - Open day

Undergraduate Virtual Open Days

UCL is London's leading multidisciplinary university, voted University of the Year 2024 by the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide. With students from over 150 different countries, UCL is a diverse global community of world leading academics and students. Join us at our Virtual Open Days and discover why UCL might be the place for you! Check out our Open Days webpages where you can find out about the programmes on offer, student services and book live Q&A sessions to get your questions answered.

The foundation of your career

The degree is an ideal foundation for further study in master’s and doctorate programmes. Some of our students go on to study clinical dietetics at UCL with the goal of becoming a practising dietitian. Others go on to study PhD degrees in areas such as nutritional epidemiology.

According to the Graduate Outcomes surveys carried out by HESA for the 2017-2021 cohorts, of those who progress into work, some become involved in the retail and wholesale sectors or in manufacturing. Others become health and social care professionals or act as consultants.

Employability

As a nutrition and medical sciences graduate, you'll take away many transferable skills that will give you a real advantage in the job market. 

For example, the diverse way we teach and assess our modules will prepare you well for the varied nature of nutrition-related work you could go onto with this degree. We assess students using many types of presentations for varying audiences, including both individual and group talks, poster presentations and debates. This means you'll have ample experience of working both individually and as part of a team.

The course prepares you for work in the food and pharmaceutical industries, and as consultants and executives, including with clients in the private sector.

The fact the course is accredited by the Association for Nutrition will also help with gaining employment in nutrition-related fields and means you can join the professional register.

Accreditation

This degree is accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN) (AC318). Graduates will be eligible to apply for direct entry to the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN) as Registered Associate Nutritionists (ANutr). AfN certification is a quality assurance kitemark awarded to qualifications that meet the competence requirements for their specified sector and level. As part of this accreditation, students must pass all core-competency modules. If you fail a module, you will be able to graduate (in compliance with UCL policy) with an alternative BSc degree that is not AfN accredited.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2024/25) £9,250
Tuition fees (2024/25) £34,400

The fees indicated are for undergraduate entry in the 2024/25 academic year. The UK fees shown are for the first year of the programme at UCL only. Fees for future years may be subject to an inflationary increase. The Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2024/25 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.

Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.

Additional costs

We suggest that students have a laptop computer or device to access online materials.

A guide including rough estimates for these and other living expenses is included on the UCL Fees and funding pages. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).

Funding your studies

Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Scholarships

The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.

Next steps

Your application

We are seeking students who are motivated, proactive, bright, curious, creative and have a passion for discovery, science and medicine. You must be willing to work hard, both alone and as part of a team, and challenge yourself to become an independent scholar who is fluent in modern nutritional science and ready to make a difference to society in the future.

How to apply

Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.

Selection

For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.

We will use your predicted or achieved academic qualifications, as well as your personal statement and reference to decide whether to offer you a place.

Apply via UCAS
Application guidelines
Download prospectus

Got questions? Get in touch

Division of Medicine
Division of Medicine

med.ams@ucl.ac.uk

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.