Nutrition BSc

One of the best parts of studying Nutrition at Leeds is how much you get to put theory into practice. From day one you’ll be working in modern labs, using specialist equipment, and testing ideas that directly connect to real issues in diet and health. You’ll also have the chance to step outside the classroom—whether that’s in placements, research projects, or even a year abroad—to build experience that employers really value.

Here’s a taste of what that looks like in practice:

• Specialist labs and equipment – Get hands-on with advanced tools like HPLC and gas chromatography to analyse food composition, and use facilities designed for food safety and preservation work.

• Energy balance lab – Measure body composition with a BodPod, test metabolism at rest or during exercise with state-of-the-art systems, and explore how diet and activity affect health in real time.

• Research kitchen & study cubicles – Run controlled food and appetite experiments, prepare test meals, and evaluate how people respond to different diets.

• Digital tools – Learn to handle nutritional and statistical software to track dietary intake, analyse data, and evaluate food products.

• Work placements – Take an optional industrial placement year with major names like Nestlé, Marks & Spencer or Sainsbury’s to gain first-hand industry insight.

• Research internships – Join summer research projects in the School of Food Science and Nutrition and work alongside academics pushing the boundaries of nutritional science.

• Study abroad option – Spend a year overseas, broadening your perspective on global nutrition challenges.

A Nutrition degree from Leeds sets you up for a wide choice of exciting career paths. Whether you see yourself working in the food industry, public health, policy, or research, the skills and accreditation you’ll graduate with make you stand out straight away. Typical graduate roles include nutrition associate in food companies, policy advisor in government organisations like DEFRA, health coach in healthcare services, or product development specialist in leading brands.

Here’s how Leeds helps you take that next step:

• Dedicated career support – You’ll have access to Leeds Careers Centre, employability workshops, one-to-one coaching, and “Leeds for Life” to help you plan placements, internships, and graduate jobs.

• Graduate destinations – Alumni have gone on to roles at Kellogg, Nestlé, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, the UN World Food Programme, and the UK government. Others work in public health promotion, humanitarian nutrition, or private practice.

• Industry links – The course connects you with leading employers through placement opportunities and collaborative projects, giving you the kind of real-world experience recruiters are looking for.

• Professional edge – Because this degree is accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN) and the Institute for Food Science and Technology (IFST), you can register as an Associate Nutritionist as soon as you graduate—an important professional mark that employers value.

• Future-proof qualification – Many graduates go directly into employment, while others use the degree as a springboard for postgraduate study, research, or training in specialist areas.

Further Academic Progression:
If you want to keep studying after your BSc, Leeds offers clear routes into postgraduate degrees like an MSc in Nutrition or a PhD in nutritional sciences. Some students also move into dietetics, public health, or research-focused programmes that build on the strong scientific training of this course.