Sport and Exercise Nutrition - PgDip, MSc

Diet and nutrition significantly affect sport and exercise performance. The food and fluid which an athlete consumes before, during and after exercise affects health and body composition, as well as performance and recovery. Sound knowledge of sport and exercise nutrition can ensure a healthy balance between exercise and diet for a range of athletes, from amateur to elite levels within different sports.

This programme provides a postgraduate pathway for those interested in pursuing a career in the area of sport and exercise nutrition. As an accredited course, graduates are eligible to register with the British Dietetic Association (BDA) Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register (SENr) as a graduate registrant, allowing them to work autonomously post-graduation.

We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.

Applicants must hold a degree (2.2 or above) or equivalent in a related discipline that demonstrates learning of exercise physiology, biochemistry and metabolism up to at least level 6 (for example – BSc Honours in Sport and Exercise Science, Sports Science, Human Nutrition, Physiology, Biochemistry, Dietetics, Food and Nutrition or other relevant degree discipline). Alternatively, applicants may demonstrate their ability to undertake the course through the accreditation of prior experiential learning. Applicants must also demonstrate evidence of competence in written and spoken English (e.g. GCSE grade C or equivalent). Students holding an IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition are eligible to apply for direct entry to the MSc programme following completion of a short research proposal module (10 credits) prior to completing the sport and exercise nutrition research project (60 credits) following approval of a suitable research project in consultation with the project module co-ordinator.

The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.

Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.

Career options within sport and exercise nutrition are expanding and include becoming a freelance sports nutritionist/performance nutritionist or working with sporting/government organisations. Previous graduates have gained employment with leading organisations within the UK and Ireland including IRFU, Ulster Rugby, Dairy Council for Northern Ireland and United Kingdom, Rowing Ireland and Apple. We also have a number of graduates who following mentored experience have set up independent sports nutrition clinics within Ireland and on an international basis.