Dietetics

Dietetics is the applied science of nutrition, examining how nutrients affect health and wellbeing and using that knowledge to provide the best possible nutritional and dietary care and support for clients with acute and chronic health conditions. Dietitians are the only qualified health professionals who assess, diagnose, and treat dietary and nutritional problems at an individual and wider public-health level, working across the NHS and in private practice to help people manage conditions ranging from diabetes, heart disease, and obesity to cancer, eating disorders, and kidney disease. The degree develops both the scientific understanding of nutrients, metabolism, and physiology and the clinical and communication skills needed to translate that knowledge into effective patient care.

At Leeds Beckett University, this three-year full-time programme is accredited by the British Dietetic Association, which is the professional body for dietetics in the UK and the accreditation required for professional registration. You will learn how to promote health awareness, prevent diseases, and restore nutritional wellness, developing skills in nutritional assessment, medical nutrition therapy, nutritional screening, public health nutrition, and the communication and counselling skills that effective dietary support requires. A year abroad is part of the programme, giving you the opportunity to experience dietetic practice or nutrition education in another country.

With a typical entry tariff of 120 UCAS points, this is an accessible programme leading to a regulated healthcare profession. Graduates register with the Health and Care Professions Council as dietitians and pursue careers in NHS hospitals and community settings, mental health services, private practice, food industry, research, public health, education, and sport and exercise nutrition. Continuing professional development and further postgraduate study in specialist areas of clinical nutrition are typical career progression routes within the profession.