Bachelor of Science in Dietetics

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Uppsala University

Program Overview

Uppsala University’s Dietetics Programme prepares students to become specialists in the relationship between food, nutrition, health and disease, with a strong focus on person-centred nutritional care. It is ideal for students interested in healthcare, human physiology, psychology and food science who want to support patients through evidence-based dietary assessment, counselling and clinical nutrition treatment.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students begin with Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics A: Nutrition, studying basic chemistry, physiology, nutrient functions, metabolism, dietary-assessment methods and the scientific basis of nutritional recommendations. The second semester introduces Applied Food Science, including food microbiology, food safety, sensory science and cooking methods, followed by Basic Dietetics, where students practise nutrition-status assessment, nutrition diagnoses, treatment planning and clinical documentation.

Year 2: Students develop a broader understanding of preventive and clinical nutrition through Nutrition and Public Health, with particular attention to lifestyle-related diseases, followed by Basic Physiology and Psychology for Dietitians. They study communication techniques, eating behaviour and psychological mechanisms before progressing to Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition I: Paediatrics and Geriatrics, which examines nutritional needs and treatment among children and older adults in both health and disease.

Year 3: The final year begins with Sociological Perspectives on Food and Research Methods, helping students understand how food choices are shaped by culture, identity, social groups and wider society while developing their ability to evaluate scientific evidence. Students then study clinical nutrition treatment for diabetes, renal disease and severe illnesses before completing Practice Placement Learning in Dietetics and a Bachelor’s Thesis in Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics.

Focus areas: Human nutrition, food science, physiology, clinical dietetics, public-health nutrition, psychology, dietary assessment, nutrition counselling, food safety, paediatric and geriatric nutrition, chronic-disease management, research methods and person-centred nutritional care.

Learning outcomes: Graduates learn to assess nutritional status, formulate nutrition diagnoses, recommend and monitor dietary treatments, document clinical decisions, communicate effectively with patients and healthcare teams, and apply scientific evidence to preventive and clinical nutrition practice.

Professional alignment: The programme awards a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics and provides the professional academic foundation required for graduates to apply to the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare for registration as a dietitian.

Reputation: Uppsala University is ranked 87th globally in the current QS World University Rankings, while the university also ranks among the world’s top 100 institutions in the Academic Ranking of World Universities.

Official programme link: Dietetics Programme – Uppsala University

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Practical and professional training is integrated throughout the programme rather than being limited to classroom-based nutrition theory. Students participate in laboratory activities, food preparation, sensory evaluation, clinical communication exercises, group discussions and patient-focused training, helping them connect nutritional science with real healthcare situations. Teaching includes lectures, laboratory work, seminars, tutorials, group assignments, reports, presentations, study visits and supervised clinical practice.

Students also receive a total of approximately ten weeks of workplace-based clinical education: one week during Semester 3 and nine weeks during Semester 6. These placements are arranged by the department in primary care, specialist hospital services or municipal healthcare and are supervised by practising registered dietitians.

Key practical opportunities and facilities include:

Clinical placements: Students work in hospitals, primary-care services or municipal healthcare and practise patient consultations, nutrition assessment, treatment planning, professional communication and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Teaching kitchen: Food-science and dietetics students use a dedicated teaching kitchen for practical food preparation, cooking-method evaluation and the adaptation of meals for different nutritional requirements.
Research kitchen: The department has a research kitchen where food preparation and practical investigations can be undertaken under controlled conditions.
Microbiology laboratory work: Students studying Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics B undertake microbiology laboratory activities using protective laboratory clothing and established hygiene and food-safety procedures.
Sensory and data room: A specialist sensory/data room supports practical work relating to food characteristics, sensory evaluation and the analysis of how people experience food.
Group projects and discussions: Teaching regularly includes group work, group discussions, seminars, reports and oral presentations that develop teamwork, scientific communication and professional reasoning.
Patient communication training: Psychology and clinical dietetics courses include consultation techniques, behavioural mechanisms related to eating and preparation for person-centred patient meetings.
Clinical documentation: Students practise nutrition-status assessment, nutrition diagnosis and healthcare-record documentation as part of the nutrition-care process.
Digital learning systems: Students use Studium, Uppsala University’s digital course environment, for course information, learning activities and group allocation, while TimeEdit is used for timetables.
Professional terminology resource: The online eNCPT Nutrition Terminology Reference Manual is included in the official reading resources for practice-placement learning and supports the use of standardised nutrition-care terminology.
Research environment: Students study within a department conducting applied research in dietetic communication, food science and nutrition, including projects concerning childhood obesity, cancer care, bariatric surgery, healthy ageing, hospital meals and clinical nutrition practice.

No dedicated commercial nutrition-analysis software package is named on the official programme pages.

Official facilities link: Department of Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics – Student Facilities

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates are prepared to take independent responsibility for dietary and nutrition treatment in healthcare while also contributing to preventive health, education, research and product-related nutrition services. Typical career paths include Registered Dietitian, Clinical Dietitian, Public-Health Dietitian and Nutrition Product Specialist, with opportunities in hospitals, health centres, elderly care, government authorities and food, nutrition or pharmaceutical organisations.

Uppsala University describes dietitians as an increasingly sought-after professional group across a growing range of sectors:

Healthcare careers: Most dietitians work in university hospitals, regional hospitals, primary-care or health centres and elderly-care services, where they collaborate with doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals.
Wider career routes: Graduates may work in public-health education, preventive health, nutrition counselling, government authorities, private practice, food or pharmaceutical organisations, or as product specialists for clinical-nutrition companies.
UU Careers: Students can receive career counselling and personalised feedback on CVs, cover letters and employment applications throughout their studies.
UU CareerGate: The university’s career portal provides access to graduate jobs, internships, degree projects, career guidance and employer opportunities.
Career events: Students can participate in CareerTuesday webinars, career fairs, alumni-network activities and professional-development events designed to prepare them for employment.
Clinical-sector collaboration: The department arranges placements with healthcare providers in primary care, specialist hospital care and municipal services. Students are supervised by practising registered dietitians, giving them direct experience of real clinical responsibilities and professional standards.
Research exposure: The department leads InSyNC – Integrating Sustainability in Nutrition Care, described by Uppsala University as Sweden’s first research school in nutrition and dietetics, supporting the long-term development of professional teaching and research expertise.
Long-term professional value: Completion of the degree allows graduates to apply for Swedish registration as a dietitian, creating a route into a regulated healthcare profession.
Graduation outcome: Successful students receive a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics, supported by clinical placement experience and an independent bachelor’s research thesis.
Employment and salary figures: Uppsala University states that dietitians are increasingly in demand but does not publish a programme-specific graduate-employment percentage or salary figure on its official Dietetics Programme pages.
Named commercial partnerships: The official programme information does not identify permanent commercial industry partners; its clearest external professional collaboration is with hospitals, primary-care providers and municipal healthcare organisations through clinical placements.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the bachelor’s degree, graduates may take advanced courses in areas such as Evidence-Based Nutrition, Food, Health and Communication, Research Methodology and Nutrition and Healthy Ageing. These courses can be combined with other eligible modules and a thesis to build a one-year, 60-credit master’s degree or a two-year, 120-credit master’s degree in Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics.

Students who subsequently complete an appropriate master’s qualification may apply for doctoral opportunities in Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics. Uppsala University’s doctoral training normally lasts 48 net months and focuses on interdisciplinary research connecting food, nutrition, health and professionally relevant practice.