MSc Nutrition and Food Science

University of Reading

United Kingdom, Reading

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University of Reading

United Kingdom , Reading

Key Facts

Program Level

Master by Course Work

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Campuses

Main Site

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 12 month(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 31,650 / year

Next Intake September-2026

MSc Nutrition and Food Science

About

Start your career as a nutrition professional in the food sector with our MSc Nutrition and Food Science.

This course is accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN), the independent regulator for Registered Nutritionists.

After graduating you will be eligible to apply to become a Registered Associate Nutritionist with the AfN. This is via the direct entry pathway, and will strengthen your status as a nutrition professional.

The government’s key requirement of the food sector, to provide nutritious food, encourages experts from industry and academia to work together to improve food standards. Your studies will explore the scientific aspects of food and nutrition, and assess the wider implications of diet on health and wellbeing.

The breadth of the course aims to increase your understanding of:

human nutrition
the development of healthy eating trends
key aspects of food and health
food composition
food storage, safety, and manufacturing.

You will work with expert academics from the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, and as part of your studies, you will work in some of the UK’s largest dedicated food teaching facilities. These include:

Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition (HSUHN). This facility has an international reputation for its research into the relationship between diet and the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurodegenerative disease and cancer. The unit’s clinical research informs governments and the food sector. You will have the opportunity to undertake your final project at the Unit.

Food Processing Centre. This pilot plant is unique to Reading. There is almost 1100m2 of floor space devoted to approximately £4m worth of equipment. Used primarily for teaching and learning, the plant contains processing equipment for food product development work. No other UK university offers what we do under one roof.

Flow Cytometry Suite. A range of specialist labs for assessing human gut microflora.

We are proud of our research: the University of Reading is ranked 8th in the UK for research power in Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Sciences (Times Higher Education, Institutions Ranked by Subject, based on its analysis of the latest Research Excellence Framework 2021) and 95% of our research is of international standing (REF 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions – Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Sciences). As an MSc Nutrition and Food Science student, you will also have access to – and are encouraged to get involved in – the most up-to-date knowledge in the field of food science and nutrition.

Build on your existing knowledge with MSc Nutrition and Food Science

This master’s course is for graduates with science degrees that have a significant element of biological science.

Your studies will build on your existing scientific knowledge and develop your expertise in human nutrition.

You will learn through a variety of teaching methods, such as lectures and laboratory work, and your studies will culminate in a research project. This project can be conducted:

within the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences
at the Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition
or with one of our industrial partners.

You can attend this course on a full-time basis over one year, or part-time over two years.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Entry requirements: Applicants are typically required to have at least a lower second-class honours degree (2:2) in a pure or applied science (or equivalent from a university outside the UK). Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning may be considered based on relevant work and other experience.

For MSc Nutrition and Food Science, your degree should have a significant element of biological science.

IELTS: 6.5 overall with no element less than 6.0

Pre-sessional English language Programme

Our Pre-sessional English Programme is for international students who need to meet their degree programme English language requirements.

Our courses equip you with the skills and language needed for academic success, including critical thinking, self-reflection, learner autonomy, research skills and integrating sources. The Pre-sessional English Programme is accredited by the global association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes, which guarantees you will receive a high-quality student experience.

To find out more, visit Pre-sessional English.

English Program Requirements

IELTS: 6.5 overall with no element less than 6.0

Career

Careers for MSc Nutrition and Food Science graduates

MSc Nutrition and Food Science is designed for people who wish to develop a career in the food sector, or conduct food-related research.

The food and drink industry is the UK’s largest manufacturing sector. It’s responsible for adding £21.9bn to the gross value of the UK economy – and it needs new graduates to meet its recruitment needs. We focus on the employability of our graduates, and have built excellent, long-established relationships with employers within the food and nutrition sectors.

Graduates of this course have gone on to such professions as:

nutritional research scientist
technical development (food ingredients)
retail nutrition advisor
new product development.

Other graduates have gone on to conduct PhD research.

Overall, 91% of graduates from Food and Nutritional Sciences are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation; of those in full-time employment, 93% are in graduate-level roles (Based on our analysis of HESA data © HESA 2024, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021/22; includes all Food and Nutritional Sciences responders).

Read more about where our MSc Nutrition and Food Science graduates are now

Ewen Trafford went on to join the British Nutrition Foundation, which provides nutrition and health-related information to the general public. Ewen has worked on a number of diverse projects including the structuring and writing of online courses, the creation of learning materials for use in primary and secondary schools, and answering nutrition-related queries from the public.

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

GBP 31,650

Application Fee

GBP

How to Apply

1. Check our entry requirements

Please see our postgraduate subject finder for minimum entry requirements for the programme you are interested in; entry requirements can vary from one programme to another. International students can consult our country-specific pages for information and guidance on alternative qualification equivalencies for master’s study.

If English is not your first language, you will also need to meet our English language requirements. You can find the IELTS requirements on each course page. We also accept a range of alternative English language qualifications.

If your English ability is not at the required standard, you can choose to apply for one of our Pre-sessional English programmes. The programmes will equip you with the study skills and preparation needed for academic study in English. The length of your Pre-sessional English programme is determined by your current level of English against the English language requirements of your chosen master’s programme.

2. Application and funding deadlines

Although most master’s programmes do not formally close for applications, some programmes do have application deadlines; if your programme has a deadline it will be specified on the course page under the ‘Entry requirements’ section. For programmes that do not have a specific application deadline, places may be limited and programmes may become full. We recommend that you apply as early as possible (particularly if you are an international student) to allow time not only for us to process your application, but for you to ensure that you can meet any offer conditions, arrange your accommodation and, importantly, funding for your studies. For admission in September, we do recommend that you apply by 1 August (if you are a UK applicant) and 1 July (if you are an international applicant requiring a visa to come to the UK) however, we are happy to still consider applications after these dates.

International applicants should also see our advice and guidance on visas and immigration.

Funding deadlines

We require an offer of study for many of our master’s scholarships and bursaries. You should check deadlines for applications carefully, and each scholarship or bursary will have specific application instructions. We may add scholarships throughout the year, so it is a good idea to re-visit our scholarships and bursaries page.

3. Submit your application

You can apply for master’s programmes directly through our online application system, RISIS. For our PGCE/Teacher Training programmes, applications must be made via the Department of Education's Find Postgraduate Teacher Training portal. Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an automatic confirmation.

Various documents are needed to make your application. You should electronically upload:

full transcripts of all degree programmes taken. If these are not in English, a certified translation into English is required. Please do not mail original copies; we only require PDF copies via electronic upload,
an English language certificate (for example IELTS or TOEFL), if English is not your first language (this can also be provided after you submit your application),
contact details for two academic/professional references. Your references will automatically be invited via email to upload their reference directly once you have submitted your application. Please remind your references to check their junk/spam filters for the email and let them know that the link to the form is only valid for 20 days,
statement of purpose. Your personal statement should outline your academic performance, interest in applying to master’s study, any relevant work experience and skills gained,
a copy of your passport (for international students).

Application fee

We do not charge an application fee to apply for our master’s programmes.

4. Track your application

You can track the progress of your application using our applicant portal, Me@Reading, a personalised resource including information about your programme of study, student stories and what's happening here at Reading. It has everything you need to know, all in one place. When we have made a decision on your application, we will contact you via email. If we are able to make you an offer for a place to study, your offer will contain information about what to do next, including how to accept your offer, pay a deposit (if applicable), and any conditions you must meet to study with us.