Nutrition

Nutrition is the science of how food affects the body: how nutrients are digested, absorbed, and metabolised; how dietary patterns influence health and disease; and how nutritional knowledge can be applied to improve wellbeing at both the individual and population level. It draws on biochemistry, physiology, and public health, making it a discipline with both rigorous scientific foundations and direct relevance to the biggest health challenges of our time, from obesity and diabetes to malnutrition and food insecurity.

At Teesside University, this three-year full-time degree gives you a broad and applied understanding of nutrition science. You will explore how the body works at a systemic level, developing knowledge of anatomy and physiology that allows you to understand the mechanisms through which diet affects health and function. You will study how nutrients interact with biological systems and how dietary requirements vary across different populations and life stages, from infancy and childhood through to older age.

The programme is designed to connect scientific principles to real-world practice, giving you the analytical and communication skills needed to work in nutrition professionally. The sandwich placement year is a central feature of the degree, giving you the opportunity to spend an extended period in a professional environment and to apply your knowledge in a real health or food-related setting. Work placement experience is integrated throughout, preparing you for the transition from study into practice.

You will also develop research skills, learning to evaluate evidence critically and to apply nutritional science with an understanding of the ethical, social, and public health dimensions of dietary advice.

Graduates go on to work in public health nutrition, dietetic support roles, food industry research and development, health promotion, sports nutrition, community nutrition, and food policy. Many pursue further professional training to become registered dietitians or go on to postgraduate study in nutrition, public health, or food science. The combination of science, practice, and placement experience positions graduates well across a wide range of careers in health and food.