Our all-new BSc (Hons) Food Science and Nutrition degree at Cardiff Met is an exciting development that gives you the opportunity to shape your programme to provide a strong foundation for your chosen career. You decide what your degree will look like as you understand more about the subject areas. Your choices will also reflect how your own interests evolve, and how your career goals are most effectively achieved.
The philosophy underpinning the design of the BSc Food Science and Nutrition degree clearly links to Cardiff Met’s mission statement to deliver high quality and high impact practice-focused and professionally recognised education.
This unique programme has two named pathways which you will select at the end of your first year of studies. Students on both pathways follow a common first year of study, after which you select either of the named pathways. The shared first year enables you to gain key skills for working within a range of public and private sector organisations in a variety of roles.
BSc Food Science and Nutrition (Human Nutrition) provides a programme of study that enables you to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to support future practice as a Registered Nutritionist. Students interested in working as a freelance nutritionist or further study to become an NHS dietitian would choose modules in health psychology and nutritional biochemistry and physiology in the second and final year to shape their programme.
BSc Food Science and Nutrition (Quality, Safety and Innovation) provides a programme of study that enables you to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to support technical aspects of organisations operating in the global food industry sector. Maximum student industrial exposure is assured by the inclusion of industrial visits and industrial work experience. Close links between the programme and the
Zero2Five Food Industry Centre ensures a continuous dialogue with industry. Typically, a student interested in exploring working in the food industry would choose modules in food product development and food quality in the second and final year shape their programme.
BSc Food Science and Nutrition (Human Nutrition) is accredited by The Association for Nutrition
BSc Food Science and Nutrition (Quality, Safety and Innovation) is accredited by The Institute of Food Science and Technology
Course Content
Foundation Year (Year 0):
This programme can incorporate a foundation year (year 0), for those students who aspire to enrol onto the first year of a science based honours degree programme within the Cardiff School of Health Sciences, who have not achieved the standard entry requirements, or who have not studied subjects that provide the necessary background within the scientific disciplines required to enter the first year of the chosen honours degree programme.
Students wishing to undertake the foundation year will apply for the degree programme they intend to progress to, using the relevant UCAS code listed on this course page and apply for entry point 0 on the UCAS website. As such, students following the foundation route will take an extra year to complete their honours degree.
Further information about the foundation year can be found by
clicking here.
Degree:
Common First Year
- Professional and Interprofessional Development 1
- Human Biochemistry and Physiology
- Fundamentals of Food Product Development
- Nutrition (Macro and Micronutrients)
- Food Safety Management
- Food and Nutrition Professions
Year 2:
BSc (Hons) Food Science and Nutrition (Human Nutrition):
Core:
- Assessing and Improving Population Health
- Nutritional Biochemistry and Physiology
- Research Methods
- Population and Lifecycle Nutrition
- Applied Food Product Development
Optional: (pick one)
- Health Psychology and Wellbeing
- Food Quality, Composition and Labelling
BSc (Hons) Food Science and Nutrition (Quality, Safety and Innovation)
Core:
- Research Methods
- Applied Food Science and Processing 1
- Food Quality, Composition and Labelling
- Microbiological Safety and Chemical Analysis of Food
- Applied Food Product Development
- Applied Food Science and Processing 2
Year 3:
BSc (Hons) Food Science and Nutrition (Human Nutrition):
Core:
- Project
- Contemporary Nutrition
- Nutrition in Sport and Exercise
Optional: (pick one)
Option 1:
- Experiential Learning
- Intervention for Health and Sustainable Development
Option 2: (if 20 credits selected in option 1, choose 20 from below. If 40 selected above, do not choose any from option 2)
- Advanced Food Product Development
- Health Behaviour Change
BSc (Hons) Food Science and Nutrition (Quality, Safety and Innovation)
Core:
- Project
- Advanced Food Safety and Quality Management
- Advanced Processing Technology
Optional: (pick 40 credits)
- Experiential Learning
- Advanced Food Product Development
- Advanced Food Chemistry and Microbiology
Learning & Teaching
The course is taught by experienced academics with a wealth of experience. Many are experts in their fields with research and consultancy backgrounds. Team members also include registered Nutritionists, Dietitians and Sports and Exercise Nutritionists who have previously worked in primary and secondary NHS care, public health, industry, overseas development and with sports teams and elite athletes. Our team use their experiences to bring real-life examples to their teaching with plenty of opportunities for case studies and practical tutorial tasks.
The team uses a variety of teaching methods throughout the programme to provide learning environments which are the most effective for the achievement of the course aims and objectives. We make full use of our laboratories and consumer kitchen facilities to contextualise learning and provide real -world experience of how theory informs best practice. We also use lectures coupled with seminars which will include group discussion and workshops. These methods can be supported by guided individual study and field visits.
Assessment
Assessment consists of a variety of forms including, written examinations, coursework and practical assessments. In order to proceed to subsequent years of the course students must satisfactorily complete all modules.
Assessments have been written to closely resemble many day to day workplace situations. This provides students with hands on experience of what they will encounter before going into industry.
Employability & Careers
A career in the food industry will put you in the middle of the largest and most important economic activity in the world. Your degree in Food Science and Nutrition will put you in a strong position to take advantage of the many career options available in the industry. You may choose to specialise in the complex and increasingly sophisticated food supply system that constitutes the single largest manufacturing sector in the UK. Alternatively, you may decide to work in health improvement, with groups or communities to promote health, wellbeing and reduce inequalities.
With an almost 100% employment rate, graduates can gain employment within many areas, including:
• Research and development
• Quality control
• Manufacturing and retailing
• Hygiene
• Packaging
• Food microbiology
• Food analysis
• Public Health
• Local Councils
• NHS Trusts (e.g. Dieticians)
• Sport Nutrition
• Emergency & Disaster Relief
• International Development Projects
The programme will also provide you with a strong foundation for further study at Masters or PhD level following graduation. Many of our previous students have taken these opportunities.
Entry Requirements & How to Apply
Foundation route:
Applicants should normally have five GCSEs including English Language (or Welsh First Language), Mathematics* and Science at grade C or above / grade 4 or above (for applicants holding newly reformed GCSEs in England) plus one of the following:
- 56 points from at least 2 A level qualifications or their equivalent at an appropriate standard for entry into Higher Education at Year 1, but in subject areas which fail to meet the entry requirements for their intended undergraduate degree programme.
- 56 points from at least 2 A level qualifications or their equivalent in subject areas relevant for their intended undergraduate degree programme, but at a standard which fails to meet the entry requirements to Higher Education at Year 1.
- Prospective students who do not meet the above criteria may be considered on an individual basis and may be called for interview.
For specific information on entry requirements or if your qualification isn't listed, please either contact Admissions or refer to the
UCAS Course Search.
Degree:
Applicants who wish to undertake this course without the foundation should have five GCSEs including English Language (or Welsh First Language), Mathematics* and Science at grade C or above / grade 4 or above (for applicants holding newly reformed GCSEs in England).
Typical offers may include:
- 96 - 112 points from at least 2 A levels to include grades CC, one to be in a Science / Food/ Nutrition subject; Welsh Baccalaureate – Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate considered as a third subject
- RQF BTEC National Extended Diploma / Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma MMM - DMM within Science / Food/ Nutrition
- 96 - 112 points from at least 2 Scottish Advanced Highers to include grades DD, one to be in a
Science / Food/ Nutrition subject
- 96 - 112 points from the Irish Leaving Certificate at Highers with 2 x H2 grades, one to be in a
Science / Food/ Nutrition related subject. Higher level subjects only considered with a minimum grade H4
- 96 - 112 points from the Access to Higher Education Diploma within a relevant subject
- Or 'Foundation leading to BSc Health Sciences'
*For Welsh applicants sitting the reformed Mathematics GCSE, we will accept either GCSE
Mathematics or
Mathematics – Numeracy.
If you do not meet the above entry requirements, the ‘Foundation leading to BSc Health Sciences’ is available one year full-time and will provide you with a relevant qualification that will allow you to progress to this degree upon successful completion. For further information about the Foundation course, please click here.
For applicants who are only undertaking 2 A levels or equivalent, this will be considered along with the rest of the academic profile and we may issue a graded offer in lieu of an offer using the UCAS Tariff.
If you are studying combinations of the above or if your qualification isn't listed, please either contact Admissions or refer to the
UCAS Course Search for the entry requirements. Further information on our entry requirements, including qualifications from the EU can be found by clicking
here.
Selection Procedure:
Selection is usually on the basis of a completed UCAS application and where relevant an interview.
International Applicants
Students whose first language is not English will need to provide evidence of fluency to at least an IELTS 6.0 standard or equivalent. For full details about how to apply and English Language qualifications please visit the
International pages on the website.
How to Apply:
Applications to study this course full-time should be made online to UCAS at
www.ucas.com. Part-time applications should be made direct to the University at
www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/selfservice. For further information please visit our How to Apply pages at
www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/howtoapply.
Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer into year 2 & 3
If you are interested in transferring credit from another institution to study at Cardiff Met for a course which accepts entry for year 2 and/or 3, you can find further information on this and information on how to apply on the
RPL page. Please contact
Admissions for any queries that you have on RPL.
Mature students
A mature applicant is anyone over the age of 21 who didn't go to university after school or college. Cardiff Met welcomes applications from mature applicants and further advice and information can be found
here.
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