Food Science, Nutrition and Wellbeing

Food science, nutrition, and wellbeing is a degree that sits at the intersection of chemistry, biology, and public health, examining both the science of food as a material system and the relationship between what we eat and how we live. Food science investigates the composition, structure, processing, and safety of food; nutrition examines how nutrients are metabolised and how dietary patterns affect health; and wellbeing brings in the broader psychological, social, and environmental dimensions of how food choices are made and what they mean for quality of life. Together, these strands address questions that are simultaneously scientifically rigorous and of genuine relevance to individual and population health.

At Abertay University in Dundee, this four-year full-time programme includes a year abroad, which enriches the degree with an international perspective on food systems, nutrition policy, and consumer behaviour in different cultural contexts. Abertay has a distinctive strength in food and consumer sciences, and its focus on food innovation and applied food science reflects the significant food and drink sector in Scotland. You will study food chemistry, microbiology, food processing and preservation, nutritional science, health promotion, dietary assessment methods, and the social and environmental determinants of food choice and nutritional status.

Laboratory and practical skills are developed alongside theoretical understanding, and you will learn to assess nutritional status, to analyse food composition, to evaluate health claims critically, and to design interventions that promote healthy eating. Research methods and the ability to interpret scientific literature critically are core skills developed throughout the degree.

Graduates in food science, nutrition, and wellbeing work across the food industry in product development, quality assurance, food safety, and regulatory roles, as well as in public health, dietary advice, health promotion, the NHS, and policy organisations. The year abroad adds an international credential to your record. Postgraduate study or professional registration as a registered dietitian or nutritionist, which typically requires additional training, are routes for those wishing to develop clinical or regulatory specialist careers in nutrition and food science.