Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine PGDip / MSc

What makes Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine at Worcester special?

This innovative, evidence-based, flexible online programme has full and part-time options with one block of mandatory face-to-face attendance in each of the three semesters over one academic year (September - September) The exact number of attendance days is dependent on whether you are on the full time or part-time route and will be between 0-5 days with 0 days only applicable to the part-time route for one semester.

Studying this course full-time enables you to qualify in one academic year (September – September) and part-time from three to six years depending on your chosen pathway You will develop your knowledge and skills to work with clients as a registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (Nutritional Therapist) in the UK and to employ your skills in other related activities such as group work as a Registered Nutritionist (mBANT).

Number of in-person days will vary depending on part- and full-time pathways.

*This course is subject to reapproval and NTEC reaccreditation in May 2023

Overview

Key features

This exciting and innovative course gives you the opportunity to pursue a rewarding career in Nutritional Therapy, where you can support people in making changes to their lives through personalised nutrition and lifestyle modifications.
The new full-time route is suited to those who wish to complete in an academic year (September – September) in three semesters. The part-time is a more flexible option for those who want to fit study around other commitments and can take from a minimum of three years to a maximum of six years.
Clinical skills are embedded throughout the course culminating in supervised clinical practice in our online clinic, where you will acquire valuable hands-on experience working with clients.
The teaching for this course will be online, with the exception of 0-5 mandatory attendance days at the start of each semester at the University of Worcester campus.
The Postgraduate Diploma and MSc will be submitted for NTEC reaccreditation in the Spring of 2023.

Nutritional Therapy Clinic

Our Nutritional Therapy students run a clinic in which they are able to provide friendly and confidential services to the public. Students work to BANT professional practice standards and CNHC code of conduct ethics and performance and are fully supervised by qualified and registered nutritional therapists. You can find out more about the Nutritional Therapy Clinic here.

Logos for the Nutritional Therapy Education Commission, the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine, and the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council

What qualifications will you need?

Entry requirements

Successful completion of an Honours Degree (2:2 level and above) in a related science subject. This should include knowledge of fundamental human anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry. Typically, human nutrition, a related bioscience course such as health science or sport and exercise science.

If you have an NTEC accredited Diploma you may be eligible for direct entry - please contact the Admissions Tutor to discuss.

If you have a HE qualification (equivalent to an honours degree with a 2:2) that does not meet our requirements, then on application, we have a ‘bridging’ access assessment based on resources from “Access to Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine” that we will provide; this is equivalent to 30 hours study and must be passed.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Applications for recognition of prior learning, or prior experiential learning, will be considered and will be assessed using the University of Worcester RPL guidance for postgraduate courses. Normally this would only apply to NUTH4031 Studying Nutrition.

Applicants whose first language is not English are required to provide a language test certificate as evidence of their proficiency, which must be comparable to IELTS of 7.0 or above, with no component below 6.5.

Additional selection criteria

Evidence of successful academic study at level 6
Ability to define Nutritional Therapy and have an awareness of British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine and the Complementary and Natural Health Care Council
Satisfactory academic reference (or satisfactory reference from a current employer)
Demonstrate interest and motivation for successful study at this level in personal statement or interview
Evidence of basic competence in IT skills such as Microsoft Office in the application or personal statement or interview
Occupational Health clearance

All applications will be considered on their merit and a short informal online interview with the Course Leader or Admissions Tutor will be held after application.

Prior to starting clinical practice students are required to have membership of the professional body (BANT) and student professional indemnity insurance. It is the student’s responsibility to pay for these.

Visas

For international applicants, please be aware that due to the small number of face to face teaching hours, sponsorship for a student visa cannot be offered for this course. If you have any queries about this, please contact isa@worc.ac.uk for more information.

International Students

International students may apply for this course, but practising internationally will depend on having Professional Indemnity Insurance that covers for practice in the UK irrespective of location. Practice may also be subject to country specific legal restrictions. Registration with the Complementary and Natural Health Care Council (CNHC) and membership of a professional body (e.g. British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine) (BANT) is also recommended.

For international applicants, please be aware that due to the small number of face to face teaching hours, sponsorship for a student visa cannot be offered for this course. If you have any queries about this, please contact isa@worc.ac.uk for more information.

Nutritional Therapy consultation with a man and woman sat facing each other at a table

A lecturer and a student sat at a table facing each other, with notes on table

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What will you study

Our courses are informed by research and current developments in the discipline and feedback from students, external examiners and employers. Modules do therefore change periodically in the interests of keeping the course relevant and reflecting best practice. The most up-to-date information will be available to you once you have accepted a place and registered for the course

academic year (September – September). The part-time route is a more flexible option for those who want to fit study around other commitments and can take from a minimum of three years to a maximum of six years.

A copy of the course framework for Full and Part-time students is available.

The modules for this course are currently being reviewed and updated for 2023 entry; for the latest information please contact the course leader.

Modules	NUTH4041 Approaches to nutrition and lifestyle medicine NUTH4042 Nutrition in early years, adolescence, and reproduction  NUTH4043 Nutrition and lifestyle medicine in adults  NUTH4044 Applications of nutrition and lifestyle medicine NUTH4045 Clinical practice and business development  NUTH4046 Research methods  NUTH4047 Dissertation  NUTH4048 Negotiated learning in advancing practice An additional Access to Nutritional Therapy online short course is available for self-study which may be an admissions requirement if you don't have a background in physiology, cell biology and biochemistry

Modules

NUTH4041 Approaches to nutrition and lifestyle medicine
NUTH4042 Nutrition in early years, adolescence, and reproduction 
NUTH4043 Nutrition and lifestyle medicine in adults 
NUTH4044 Applications of nutrition and lifestyle medicine
NUTH4045 Clinical practice and business development 
NUTH4046 Research methods 
NUTH4047 Dissertation 
NUTH4048 Negotiated learning in advancing practice

An additional Access to Nutritional Therapy online short course is available for self-study which may be an admissions requirement if you don't have a background in physiology, cell biology and biochemistry

How will you be taught?

The University places emphasis on enabling students to develop the independent learning capabilities that will equip you for lifelong learning and future employment, as well as academic achievement. A mixture of independent study, teaching and academic support through the personal academic tutoring system enables you to reflect on progress and build up a profile of skills, achievements and experiences that will enable you to flourish and be successful.

Teaching

You are taught through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous online learning, plus 0-5 mandatory attendance days per semester (these sessions will not be recorded). These will be a combination of interactive workshops, lectures, seminars, and role plays. Interactive workshops take a variety of formats and are intended to enable the application of learning through discussion and small group activities. Seminars enable the discussion and development of understanding of topics covered in lectures. Role plays are fundamental to professional development as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioners underpinned by the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for Nutritional Therapy. Role plays re embedded throughout the course and informally facilitate the development of clinical skills. Clinical skills are formally assessed in the online clinics (NUTH4045 Clinical Practice and Business Development), where students see a minimum of three clients at least twice.

In addition, meetings with personal academic tutors are scheduled on at least two occasions in the first year and more if required and on demand in second and subsequent years.

Access the Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine PGDip/MSc timetable. Please note some dates are to be confirmed.

Contact time

The MSc Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine will include 48 weeks of learning, which is required to include the clinic and dissertation modules in one academic year for students who wish to study full-time.

You are taught through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous online lectures, workshops, seminars, role plays and other online activities. Face-to- face teaching, workshops, seminars, and group activities (e.g., role plays) will comprise the attendance days.

The precise contact hours (online or face-to-face) will depend on your mode of study (full-or par-time) and the modules selected. For example, you will have less contact time in the dissertation module because the focus is independent study, and there may be more contact time in the clinical practice module due to the time allocated to live clinic consultations.

Typically contact time for a 15-credit module will be structured around:

30 hours synchronous and asynchronous lectures/seminars/practical activity (approximately 6-12 hours synchronous).

Typically contact time for a 30-credit module will be structured around:

60 hours synchronous and asynchronous lectures/seminars/practical activity (approximately 12-24 hours synchronous).

Independent self-study

In addition to the contact time, you are expected to undertake, for a 15-credit module, the remainder of the time for independent study and assessment preparation. The total time for the module is 150 hours. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books to follow up on taught sessions, completing online activities, undertaking research online, and preparing coursework assignments and presentations.

Independent learning is supported by a range of excellent learning facilities, including The Hive and library resources, the virtual learning environment and extensive electronic learning resources. Resources can be accessed in other universities and colleges via SCONUL when working remotely.

Duration

1 year full-time
3-6 years part-time

Teaching staff

You will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. The team includes senior academics and clinical practitioners with industry experience. The academics teaching on the course are all qualified practitioners in their respective fields, which provides authenticity to the experiences they draw upon

Teaching is informed by research and consultancy, and approximately 70% of team have a publication history. All members of the team have a Higher Education qualification and are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy and one is a Senior Fellow.

You can learn more about the staff by visiting our staff profiles Staff profiles.

Assessment

The course provides opportunities to test understanding and learning informally through the completion of practice or ‘formative’ assignments.

Each module has one or more formal or ‘summative’ assessments which are graded and count towards the overall module grade. Assessment methods include written assignments and a range of coursework assessments such as essays, reports, portfolios, presentations, and a final year independent study project.

The precise assessment requirements for an individual student in an academic year will vary according to the modules taken, and follows the University’s Assessment Policy but a typical formal summative assessment pattern will include:

3x written assignments (based on case study analysis)
2x PDP with reflections
2 x digital quizzes
1x reflective and skills portfolio relating to clinical experience
1x research proposal
3 x individual oral presentations/posters
1 x dissertation (independent study project of 12000 words)

You will receive feedback on practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken by coursework. Feedback is intended to support learning and you are encouraged to discuss it with personal academic tutors and module tutors as appropriate.

We aim to provide you with feedback on formal coursework assessments within 20 working days of hand-in.

Meet The Team

Alison Benbow

Alison was a practitioner for 15 years and has a range of experience that includes working with clients with breast cancer. She has been course leader since 2016 and has steered the course through a re approval and reaccreditation. She also leads a theory module and the clinical practice.

She is also involved in NTEC as an accreditor, is on the NTEC board, and represents Nutritional Therapy as a professional standards board member for the CNHC. She was involved in the NTEC initiated project that informed the core curriculum for nutritional therapy and is currently working on a research project to evaluate the teaching clinic. In 2020 she was awarded Fellowship of BANT.

Justine Bold

Justine loves teaching, has worked at University of Worcester since 2008 and she now works one day a week on the MSc in Nutritional Therapy. She is CNHC registered and has also worked part time in nutrition practice since 2003.

Justine currently leads a postgraduate module and also supervises dissertation students. Her research interests include the management of food sensitivities, particularly gluten sensitivity and coeliac disease. She is interested in the nutritional management of auto immune conditions, mental health problems and infertility and has published text books and research articles in these areas.

Joanna Ratcliffe (formerly Goldie)

Joanna is a Lecturer, Fellow of the Higher Education Authority, and Registered Nutritional Therapist (mBANT, CNHC) who has previously been in private practice in Gloucestershire. She has been teaching on the Nutritional Therapy course since 2016 and has been a permanent member of the teaching staff since 2019. She particularly enjoys supporting students who are new to science, observing their development from non-scientists at the start of the course to becoming professional practitioners at the end. She also has a teaching role at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition.

Miranda Harris

Miranda Harris is a Senior Lecturer/Academic for Nutritional Therapy MSc, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) and a practising Registered Nutritionist (mBANT, CNHC) with over ten years of clinical experience specialising in sports and exercise nutrition, and long-term health conditions. In 2019 she was awarded the UoW Teaching Award and in 2020 and 2021, she was awarded Outstanding Lecturer. Miranda is a keen triathlete currently on her long journey to Iron(wo)man.

Dr Lindsey Fellows

Having worked as a Higher Education Lecturer since 1996, teaching a variety of subjects from Sport and Exercise Psychology, Physical Education, and Public Health, and during this time cultivated a keen interest in Behaviour Change and qualified as a Motivational Interviewing Trainer in 2012. After retraining and qualifying in Nutritional Therapy, Lindsey transferred this interest to the clinical practice of nutrition, working on the MSc Nutritional Therapy (now Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine). Lindsey now balances her time between lecturing, supervising research, and assessing in the student clinic and working as a practitioner. She continues to be intrigued by the complexity of human behaviour in the context of health and well-being, and how this translates to food choices and eating behaviours.

Manal Chouchane

Manal is a registered Nutritional Therapist with previous experience of working for a leading professional nutraceutical company as a clinical nutritionist. She also worked as a lecturer at another university teaching biochemistry, physiology and pathophysiology. She is currently the co-course leader for the MSc Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine course. Manal is passionate about nutrition and teaching and finds her lecturing role very rewarding as she enjoys sharing her knowledge and experiences with students to provide them with a strong platform for their careers ahead.

Manal strongly believes that nutrition should be at the forefront of health and medical interventions and research. Manal also loves developing healthy and nutritious recipes which she shares on social media platforms to help and inspire others.

Sundeep Kaur

Sundeep is a qualified Nutritional Therapist who has been teaching on the Nutritional Therapy course since February 2020. She currently leads the Clinical Practice Module and particularly enjoys supporting students through clinic by preparing them for industry and private practice. She has over 12 years’ experience working within the corporate sector previously where she had an interest and passion in employee wellbeing. She is particularly interested in gut health and how this can impact other areas of the body and health generally.

Where could it take you?

On successful completion of the course, students are eligible to apply to register with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CHNC) and apply to become a full member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT).

Graduates often go into private Nutritional Therapy practice often developing specialist areas of expertise. They may choose to work in the industry, either for supplement or testing companies, they may lecture, go into health journalism, and some may add Nutritional Therapy to an existing profession.

International students may apply for this course but practising internationally will depend on having Professional Indemnity Insurance that covers for practice in the UK irrespective of location. Practice may also be subject to country-specific legal restrictions. Registration with the Complementary and Natural Health Care Council (CNHC) and membership of a professional body (e.g. British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine) (BANT) is also recommended.

How much will it cost?

Fees	The current fees can be found within the tuition fees document on our figure out finances page.
Postgraduate loans	The Government will provide a loan of up to £11,836 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2022 per eligible student for postgraduate Masters study. It will be at your own discretion whether the loan is used towards fees, maintenance or other costs. For more details visit our postgraduate loans page.
Accommodation	Finding the right accommodation is paramount to your university experience. Our halls of residence are home to friendly student communities, making them great places to live and study. We have over 1,000 rooms across our range of student halls. With rooms to suit every budget and need, from our 'Traditional Hall' at £122 per week to 'En-suite Premium' at £207 per week (2023/24 prices). For full details visit our accommodation page.
Additional costs	Every course has day-to-day costs for basic books, stationery, printing and photocopying. The amounts vary between courses. If your course offers a placement opportunity, you may need to pay for an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

How do you apply?

Please make your application via our online application form. If you have any questions, please contact Alison Benbow (Admissions Tutor). The Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine academic team will be running monthly online open events in 2023. More details of these events will follow shortly.

Apply for enrolment

Please make your application via our online application form. If you have any questions, please contact the Admissions office on 01905 855111 or admissions@worc.ac.uk

Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine MSc

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