Program Overview

BSc (Hons) Sport Nutrition

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. Our International Foundation Year offers a direct pathway to this degree programme.

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.

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

Year 1

• Professional Practice 1 for Nutrition and Sport Nutrition (20 credits) The aim of this module is to provide the knowledge and practical training in the skills that are required for a career in nutrition and sport nutrition.
• Principles of Human Nutrition (20 credits) The module will help you develop knowledge of the importance of nutrition to human health introducing the subject of nutritional recommendations in terms of energy and nutrients.
• Biochemistry and Metabolism (20 credits) This module aims to take you through a journey, from consumption of food and the biochemical/metabolic processes that are necessary to generate energy and synthesise tissue, through to how the body systems deal with waste.
• Performance Nutrition (20 credits) This module introduces you to the key principles of sports nutrition.
• Research Methods 1 (20 credits) This module will introduce you to the fundamental concepts of research methods, along with covering the basic application and interpretation of various data analysis techniques.
• Exercise Physiology 1 (20 credits) This module will develop your knowledge and understanding of the basic structure and function of key physiological systems, metabolic processes and discuss how these systems and processes respond to feeding and acute exercise.

Year 2

• Professional Practice 2 for Nutrition and Sport Nutrition (20 credits) This module aims to develop your skills, knowledge and abilities as a professional practitioner in their area of study and future employment related context.
• Food Chain and Sustainability (20 credits) The aim of this module is to provide knowledge and understanding of the global food supply chain and its impact on food choice, nutrition, health and the environment.
• Food Technology and Development (20 credits) This module aims to provide an understanding of the technology, techniques and processes involved in turning raw materials into safe nutritious foods.
• Eating Behaviour for Sport and Health (20 credits) This module builds upon the Physiological Response to Acute Exercise, Biochemistry and Metabolism and Principles of Human Nutrition modules.
• Research Methods 2 (20 credits) This module will enhance your understanding of the research process and related methodological approaches, whilst also developing your knowledge, skills and to complete investigations involving data collection, analysis and interpretation.
• Exercise Physiology 2 (20 credits) This module will develop your knowledge and understanding of the cardiovascular and metabolic responses of acute and chronic exercise.

Year 3

• Nutrition Through the Lifecycle (Special Populations) (20 credits) This module aims to provide an understanding of the nutritional requirements of population groups throughout the life-course.
• Molecular Nutrition and Genetics (20 credits) This module builds upon previous biochemistry and physiology modules, providing an in-depth exploration of the expanding field of molecular nutrition.
• Sport Supplements and Contemporary Issues (20 credits) This module aims to develop your understanding of the use of supplements to aid exercise performance and to explore contemporary issues pertinent to the sports nutritionist.
• Applied Placement in Nutrition or Sport Nutrition (20 credits) This module aims to provide you with an opportunity to gain insight and to experience selected areas of the programme of study from a work related learning perspective.
• Major Project (40 credits) This module will critically extend your understanding and deployment of research processes through the planning, production, analyses and report of a piece of independent research conducted in a responsible, safe and ethical manner.

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.

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.

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: £3,910

Entry requirements

GCSEs and equivalents

• Grade 4 or grade C or above in English Language and Mathematics/Numeracy.
• We also require a minimum of two related science GCSE's at Grade C or Grade 4 or above or a science double-award.

A levels

• BBB
• Minimum Number of A Levels: 2
• Maximum AS UCAS Points: 20

It is expected that applicants have studied at least one Science-related subject. Physical Education is considered a Science-related subject for this course.

BTECs

• Extended Diploma: DDM from a Science-related subject which can include Sports Coaching and Development.

Access awards

• Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications.
• Pass overall with a minimum of 120 UCAS Tariff Points including Science-related modules.

International Baccalaureate

• Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications.
• A Minimum of 120 UCAS Tariff Points including a Science-related subject.

OCR Cambridge Technical

• Extended Diploma: DDM in a Science-related subject which can include Sports Coaching and Development.

Irish awards

• Irish Leaving Certificate acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications.
• A Minimum of 120 UCAS Tariff points including a Science-related subject.

T levels

• Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications.
• You need to obtain the required UCAS Tariff Points from a Science-related subject area.

IELTS

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