BSc (Hons) Sport Nutrition with Foundation Year

Why study this course with LJMU?

The School of Sport and Exercise Sciences is ranked first in the North West and top 20 in the world for Sports Science (QS World University Rankings 2025). The degree offers the opportunity for many career paths, such as working as a performance nutritionist or product developer. Achieve a degree certified by the Association for Nutrition (AfN), ensuring high-quality education standards which are recognised by industry and the sport sector. Gain real-world experience and skills that set you apart in the job market through opportunities to do work placements and an optional sandwich year. Learn from our teaching staff who have extensive experience working with elite athletes and sports teams. Our staff are world leaders in research impacting sports nutrition practice and athletic performance from the laboratory to the playing field.

About your course

BSc (Hons) Sport Nutrition is taught by research active staff who are professionally registered with the Association for Nutrition (AfN) and/or Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register (SENr). The course offers excellent employment opportunities in a wide field of careers associated with sports nutrition.

Foundation Year

The Foundation Year is ideal if you have the ability to study for a degree but don't have the qualifications to enter directly onto the honours degree programme. Once you pass the Foundation Year you will progress directly onto the first year of the honours degree. If you are a full-time UK student, you will qualify for student financial support for the full duration of your course (subject to eligibility criteria).

About BSc (Hons) Sport Nutrition

This interesting and engaging degree programme will enable you to understand the rapidly changing challenges facing sport nutrition. You could specialise in areas such as how muscles adapt to exercise, using nutrition to boost performance, sports supplements, the effects of poor diets on metabolism, personalised nutrition and related research. After graduation, career opportunities include working as a performance nutritionist, in nutrition consultancy, public health directorates and product development within the multi-billion pound food industry.

The BSc Sport Nutrition curriculum focuses on the delivery of the five core competencies defined by the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN) set out by the Association for Nutrition (AfN). This includes Nutritional Science, Food Chain, Social and Behavioural Science, Health and Well-being and Professional Conduct.

During the degree, you will explore the principles of human nutrition, physiology and metabolism, and how these underpin the relationship between diet and performance. You will learn about performance nutrition, nutrition at different life stages, appetite and eating habits, the impact of sports supplements, and how social and cultural factors influence food choices in sport nutrition and performance. You will examine other food-related areas, such as how nutritional knowledge can be used to help support the development of food first products used to promote improved performance, functional foods. You will also gain an understanding of important aspects of food science, food chain and sustainability. You can choose to take an optional full-time paid placement year, giving you valuable experience, helping you build professional connections, and boosting your career skills.

Course modules

What you will study on this degree

This course is currently undergoing its scheduled programme review, which may impact the advertised modules. Programme review is a standard part of the University’s approach to quality assurance and enhancement, enabling us to ensure that our courses remain up to date and maintain their high standard and relevancy.

Once the review is completed, this course website page will be updated to reflect any approved changes to the advertised course. These approved changes will also be communicated to those who apply for the course to ensure they wish to proceed with their application.

Foundation Year

• Skills and Practice in Sport (20 credits)
• Health and Wellbeing (20 credits)
• Practical Delivery in Sport and Physical Activity (20 credits)
• Behaviours in Sport and Physical Activity (20 credits)
• Human Anatomy and Physiology (20 credits)
• Projects in Sport and Nutrition (20 credits)

Year 1

• Professional Practice 1 for Nutrition and Sport Nutrition (20 credits)
• Principles of Human Nutrition (20 credits)
• Biochemistry and Metabolism (20 credits)
• Performance Nutrition (20 credits)
• Research Methods 1 (20 credits)
• Exercise Physiology 1 (20 credits)

Year 2

• Professional Practice 2 for Nutrition and Sport Nutrition (20 credits)
• Food Chain and Sustainability (20 credits)
• Food Technology and Development (20 credits)
• Eating Behaviour for Sport and Health (20 credits)
• Research Methods 2 (20 credits)
• Exercise Physiology 2 (20 credits)

Year 3

• Nutrition Through the Lifecycle (Special Populations) (20 credits)
• Molecular Nutrition and Genetics (20 credits)
• Sport Supplements and Contemporary Issues (20 credits)
• Applied Placement in Nutrition or Sport Nutrition (20 credits)
• Major Project (40 credits)

Professional accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN), which is the governing body for nutrition in the UK and is recognised globally. On graduation, this will entitle you to apply for direct entry as a Registered Associate Nutritionist on the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists. This registration will help to identify you as a qualified, scientifically-trained nutritionist. This is ideal if you want to work in a range of roles within primary care organisations; public health directorates; Clinical Nutrition settings; the Food Industry; Academia; Sports and Exercise Science; international public health nutrition and in the private sector.

Your Learning Experience

Teaching Support Assessment

Excellent facilities and learning resources

We adopt an active blended learning approach, meaning you will experience a combination of face-to-face and online learning during your time at LJMU. This enables you to experience a rich and diverse learning experience and engage fully with your studies. Our approach ensures that you can easily access support from your personal tutor, either by meeting them on-campus or via a video call to suit your needs.

Teaching is via a combination of lectures, seminars, online activities and small-group tutorials, as well as field trips, interactive practical sessions, guest speakers and workshops. Many sessions take advantage of LJMU's specialist facilities for nutritional assessment, as well as our nutrition and food science laboratories.

Work-related learning

The BSc (Hons) Sport Nutrition with Foundation Year programme is designed to build both your academic and practical skills. There will be opportunities to work alongside practitioners, giving you a real taste of the many careers available within the nutrition sector and providing an opportunity to complete a project based on your experience. This work-related learning is a vital element of your studies as it gives you a chance to practise skills learnt on the course which will add real value to your CV.

Dedicated personal tutor, plus study skills support

From the moment you begin your studies at LJMU, you will be assigned a personal tutor who will be available to discuss course-related issues with you on a one-to-one basis. Tutorials and group seminars also offer a supportive environment in which to discuss ideas, issues and forthcoming assessments with your tutors and fellow students.

Assessment varies depending on the modules you choose, but will usually include a combination of exams and coursework.

LJMU recognises that all students perform differently according to how they are assessed, which is why we use a combination of assessment methods. These include: exams (seen and unseen), written work (essays, reports, learning logs, dissertation, lab reports, posters, review writing and blog writing), presentations (group or individual) and practical assessments.

Career paths

The course covers a range of sectors meaning you will be well placed to secure employment in a number of different roles. Successfully completing the programme allows you to progress onto LJMU’s MSc Sport Nutrition, leading to careers as sports or performance nutritionists with sports clubs, national governing bodies or individual athletes.

You could also work in the health sector as a registered nutritionist, promote health and physical activity in the community, as an assistant dietetic practitioner in clinical settings, or join the food and sports nutrition industry in research and product development.

Tuition fees and funding

Home

• Full-time per year: £9,535
• Placement year: £1,905

International

• Full-time per year: £18,250
• Placement year: £3,830

Entry requirements

Please choose your qualifications below to view requirements

• Grades/points required from qualifications: CCD-CCC (88-96)

Work out how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth by visiting the UCAS Tariff Calculator.

GCSEs and equivalents

• Grade 4 or grade C or above in English Language and Mathematics/Numeracy.

GCSE Equivalences accepted:
• Key Skills Level 2 in English/Maths
• NVQ Level 2 Functional skills in Maths and English Writing and or Reading
• Skills for Life Level 2 in Numeracy/English
• Higher Diploma in Maths/English
• Northern Ireland Essential Skills Level 2 in Communication or Application of Number
• Wales Essential Skills Level 2 in Communication or Application of Number

A levels

• CCD-CCC

BTECs

• Extended Diploma: MMM (96)

Access awards

• Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications
• Pass overall with a minimum of 88 points including relevant subjects

International Baccalaureate

• Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications From a relevant subject

OCR Cambridge Technical

• Extended Diploma: MMM (96)

Irish awards

• Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications From a relevant subject

T levels

• Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications.

You need to obtain the required UCAS points from a related subject area.

International requirements

• IELTS: 6.0 overall with no component below 5.5, taken within two years of the course start date.

Please Note: All international qualifications are subject to a qualification equivalency check.

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Degree Overview:

This BSc (Hons) Sport Nutrition with Foundation Year program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the rapidly changing challenges facing sport nutrition. The program is taught by research-active staff who are professionally registered with the Association for Nutrition (AfN) and/or Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register (SENr). The course offers excellent employment opportunities in a wide field of careers associated with sports nutrition.

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Objectives:

The program aims to:

• Enable students to understand the rapidly changing challenges facing sport nutrition.
• Provide students with the opportunity to specialize in areas such as muscle adaptation to exercise, nutritional interventions to improve performance, sport supplements, metabolic consequences of a poor diet, personalized nutrition, and associated ongoing research.
• Prepare students for careers as performance nutritionists, nutrition consultants, public health directors, and product developers within the multi-billion pound food industry.
• Equip students with the five core competencies set out by the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN) as set out by the Association for Nutrition (AfN): Nutritional Science; Food Chain; Social and Behavioural Science; Health and Well-being; and Professional Conduct.

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Description:

The program covers a range of topics, including:

• Principles of human nutrition, physiology, and metabolism
• Performance nutrition
• Nutrition through the life cycle
• Appetite and eating behavior
• The effect of sport supplements
• The nutritional considerations of the various socio-cultural factors affecting food choice for sport nutrition and performance
• Food science, food chain, and sustainability
• Functional foods
• Food technology and development
Students also have the opportunity to complete an optional full-time paid sandwich year placement, which would enable them to gain valuable experience in an area relevant to their future career, build professional networks, and further enhance their professional skills.

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Outline:

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Foundation Year:

The Foundation Year is ideal for students who have the ability to study for a degree but don't have the qualifications to enter directly onto the honors degree program. Upon successful completion of the Foundation Year, students will progress directly onto the first year of the honors degree.

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BSc (Hons) Sport Nutrition:

The program is structured over four years (or five years with a placement year) and includes a variety of core and optional modules.

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Level 3:

• Core Modules:
• Skills and Practice in Sport (20 credits)
• Health and Wellbeing (20 credits)
• Practical Delivery in Sport and Physical Activity (20 credits)
• Behaviours in Sport and Physical Activity (20 credits)
• Human Anatomy and Physiology (20 credits)
• Projects in Sport and Nutrition (20 credits)

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Level 4:

• Core Modules:
• Biochemistry and Metabolism (20 credits)
• Professional Practice 1 for Nutrition and Sport Nutrition (20 credits)
• Principles of Human Nutrition (20 credits)
• Performance Nutrition (20 credits)
• Research Methods 1 (20 credits)
• Exercise Physiology 1 (20 credits)

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Level 5:

• Core Modules:
• Professional Practice 2 for Nutrition and Sport Nutrition (20 credits)
• Eating Behaviour for Sport and Health (20 credits)
• Research Methods 2 (20 credits)
• Food Chain and Sustainability (20 credits)
• Food Technology and Development (20 credits)
• Exercise Physiology 2 (20 credits)
• Optional Modules:
• Sandwich Year - Sport Nutrition (120 credits)
• Study Year Abroad - Sport Nutrition (120 credits)
• Study Semester Abroad - Sport Nutrition (60 credits)

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Level 6:

• Core Modules:
• Nutrition Through the Lifecycle (Special Populations) (20 credits)
• Molecular Nutrition and Genetics (20 credits)
• Applied Placement in Nutrition or Sport Nutrition (20 credits)
• Sport Supplements and Contemporary Issues (20 credits)

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Assessment:

Assessment methods vary depending on the modules chosen but typically include a combination of exams and coursework.

• Assessment Methods:
• Exams (seen and unseen)
• Written work (essays, reports, learning logs, dissertation, lab reports, posters, review writing, and blog writing)
• Presentations (group or individual)
• Practical assessments

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Teaching:

• Teaching Methods:
• Lectures
• Seminars
• Online activities
• Small-group tutorials
• Field trips
• Interactive practical sessions
• Guest speakers
• Workshops
• Faculty:
• The program is taught by research-active staff who are professionally registered with the Association for Nutrition (AfN) and/or Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register (SENr).
• The program leader is Lucy Richardson, Professor of Exercise Metabolism.
• Unique Approaches:
• The program adopts an active blended learning approach, meaning students will experience a combination of face-to-face and online learning.
• The program utilizes LJMU's specialist facilities for nutritional assessment, as well as its nutrition and food science laboratories.

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Careers:

• Potential Career Paths:
• Performance nutritionist
• Nutrition consultant
• Public health director
• Product developer within the food industry
• Registered nutritionist
• Assistant dietetic practitioner
• Research and development roles within the sports nutrition market
• Opportunities:
• The program provides students with the skills and knowledge to pursue a variety of careers in the sports nutrition industry.
• Students can gain valuable experience through work placements and an optional sandwich year.
• The program is accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN), which is the governing body for nutrition in the UK and is recognized globally.
• Outcomes:
• Successful completion of the program will enable students to progress onto LJMU's MSc Sport Nutrition, which will open up career opportunities as sports/performance nutritionists working with national governing bodies, with professional and/or amateur sports clubs, or with individual athletes.

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Other:

• The program is designed to build both academic and practical skills.
• Students have access to a wide range of support services, including a dedicated personal tutor, study skills support, and disability support.
• The program is committed to promoting a learning environment that supports a culture of equality, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI).
Students may be able to study abroad as part of their degree at one of LJMU's 100+ partner universities across the world. They could also complete a work placement or apply for one of LJMU's prestigious worldwide internship programs.
• The Go Citizen Scheme can help with costs towards volunteering, individual projects, or unpaid placements anywhere in the world.

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Tuition fees

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Home full-time per year: £9,250

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International full-time per year: £18,250

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Placement year:

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Home fees: £1,850

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International fees: £3,830

Tuition fees are subject to parliamentary approval.

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Overview:

Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) is a public university located in Liverpool, England. It is a large and diverse institution with a strong focus on providing high-quality education and research opportunities.

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Services Offered:

LJMU offers a wide range of services to its students, including:

Accommodation:

On-campus and off-campus accommodation options are available for students.

Student Support:

The university provides comprehensive support services, including academic advising, career counseling, financial aid, and mental health resources.

Library:

LJMU has a well-equipped library with extensive resources and study spaces.

Student Futures:

This service helps students with career planning, job searching, and employability skills development.

International Student Support:

Dedicated support is available for international students, including visa guidance and cultural adjustment programs.

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Student Life and Campus Experience:

LJMU offers a vibrant and engaging campus experience for its students. Key aspects include:

Sports, Societies, and Lifestyle:

Students can participate in a wide range of sports clubs, societies, and social events.

Campus:

The university has multiple campuses located in Liverpool, providing a diverse and stimulating environment.

Go Abroad:

LJMU offers opportunities for students to study abroad and gain international experience.

Volunteering:

Students can engage in volunteering activities and contribute to the local community.

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Key Reasons to Study There:

Strong Academic Reputation:

LJMU is known for its high-quality teaching and research.

Diverse Programs:

The university offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs across various disciplines.

Location:

Liverpool is a vibrant and culturally rich city, providing students with a stimulating and enjoyable living experience.

Student Support:

LJMU provides comprehensive support services to ensure student success.

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Academic Programs:

LJMU offers a wide range of academic programs, including:

Undergraduate:

Bachelor's degrees in various fields, including business, law, health sciences, engineering, and the arts.

Postgraduate:

Master's degrees, PhD programs, and other postgraduate qualifications.

Degree Apprenticeships:

Programs that combine work experience with academic study.

Continuing Professional Development:

Short courses and programs for professionals seeking to enhance their skills.