Accredited Course
Gain an SENr-accredited qualification aligned to graduate registration competencies, giving you a recognised and respected pathway into professional sport and exercise nutrition practice.
Entry year
2027/28
Sport and Exercise Nutrition MSc
- Typical Annual Fee Scholarship & Discount eligibility may apply
- Modules
- Entry Requirements
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Mode of Study
2 years Part Time1 other option available
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Start Date
September 2027
Sport, Exercise and Nutrition at Northumbria
Sport, Exercise and Nutrition MSc at Northumbria gives you the scientific knowledge, applied skills, and professional grounding to pursue your ambitions as a nutrition practitioner. Explore the science of fuelling performance, from exercise metabolism and body composition assessment to applied nutrition strategies for diverse athlete populations.
Northumbria’s specialist sport and exercise science laboratories offer a learn-by-doing approach, while you’ll work on real-world nutrition briefs and practitioner-focused challenges.
Accredited by the Sports and Exercise Nutrition register (SENr), this course aligns with the competencies required for graduate registration, supporting your pathway into the profession through engagement with contemporary topics such as plant-based performance diet and applied nutrition in elite multi-disciplinary environments.
Learning & Assessment
This course is delivered through lectures, seminars, and hands on practical sessions. All teaching aims to take place on Mondays and Tuesdays, giving students a reliable structure to plan around.
During your time at Northumbria, there are lots of opportunities to apply your knowledge in real-world settings. We call this experiential learning. Our Real-World Learning hub provides more information about how at Northumbria, learning goes beyond lectures.
During your time at Northumbria, there are lots of opportunities to apply your knowledge in real-world settings. We call this experiential learning. Our Real-World Learning hub provides more information about how at Northumbria, learning goes beyond lectures.
- School of Sport Exercise and Rehabilitation
- City Campus, Northumbria University, Newcastle
Module Information
Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.
Year One Core Modules
This module provides you with an understanding of the biochemical principles of exercise metabolism. You will first gain advanced knowledge of the pathways involved in energy metabolism at rest, as well as during and post exercise. Building on this knowledge, you will gain an appreciation of how manipulating variables within exercise and nutrition can alter metabolism and how this can subsequently influence adaptation to such changes. The module will also cover nutritional trends and contemporary topics from a biochemical standpoint. During the module you will use the skills of using biochemical concepts to critique scientific articles as well as mainstream media articles. You will also utilise these skills to form coherent arguments within the context of contemporary topics.
In this module you will gain advanced skills and understanding of the practical requirements needed for a career in nutrition. The module will cover a critical overview of the assessment of energy balance and provide new insights to alternative techniques. You will also learn advanced knowledge of the tools and techniques used to assess body composition, and gain an understanding of how to identify potential issues and troubleshoot such issues. The module will also give you an understanding of key laboratory skills and techniques that is beneficial for both applied nutrition and nutritional research.
The focus of this module will be on sport and exercise nutrition interventions that aim to improve athlete performance and wellbeing. You will learn what the current guidelines are, and critically review the underlying evidence base for these guidelines. Then you will apply your knowledge to adapt the recommendations for different situational (e.g. time of season, competition schedule, environment, and travelling) or personal contexts (e.g. demographic, other lifestyle commitments, special dietary requirements, and ethical and cultural beliefs). The module will take a food first approach but discuss ergogenic aids and supplements for individual needs where appropriate in the context of current anti-doping advice.
Year Two Core Modules
This module provides you with the opportunity for independent study in an area of relevance to your degree. You are expected to use skills and knowledge acquired in modules as the basis for an in depth investigation of specific issues in the discipline. The aim of this module is to provide you with the opportunity to carry out an extensive, empirical investigation related to a topic of your own choice, where you will develop skills in communication, critical thinking and independent enquiry.
On Sport Professional Practice you will engage in activities that further your professional development, and enhance your employability as a Northumbria graduate. You will be challenged to apply the knowledge and skills you are learning on your degree programme to real-world contexts. You will select and complete a range of activities aimed at furthering your skills and experience as a practitioner. You will be challenged to develop your own philosophy of support, and to use reflective practice to help your continued professional development.
You will critically engage with contemporary issues relating to the physiology of sport performance and will apply this knowledge to conduct an assessment and report for a real athlete/client. You will study the physiology of training from an assessment and adaptation perspective, in order to understand how exercise interventions can be designed to target specific physiological adaptation, and how these adaptations can be quantified through appropriate physiological assessment. You will also study the long-term planning process and how knowledge of adaptation can be applied to the prescription of training.
You will learn a range of research approaches and data analysis methods applicable to your subject of study as well as a critical understanding of their relative strengths and weaknesses. You will learn how these approaches can be applied in the planning of a methodologically-rigorous and ethically-sound research study.
Entry Requirements 2027/28
Applicants should normally have:
A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree in a relevant subject area such as sports science, nutritional science, sports coaching, or physiotherapy. Work experience in a relevant field and/or a professional qualification may also be considered.
International qualifications
If you have studied a non UK qualification, you can see how your qualifications compare to the standard entry criteria, by selecting the country that you received the qualification in, from our country pages. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry
English Language requirements
International applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with 6 in each component (or approved equivalent*).
*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications
Fees and Funding 2027/28 Entry
Tuition fees in the academic year 2027/28* will be £10,050. Fees are set in line with the UK Government's tuition fee cap. The University may increase fees in subsequent years in line with any changes to the tuition fee cap. Increases will be linked to inflation. For example, increases may be linked to RPIX (Retail Price Index excluding mortgage interest payments) Students will be notified of any increase ahead of it taking effect. Student fee loans rise in line with the tuition fees cap.
*if your course is longer than one year
This is the tuition fee for your first year of study. You should expect to pay tuition fees for every year of study. The University may increase fees in the second and subsequent years of your course at our discretion in line with any inflationary or other uplift. Students will be notified of any increase ahead of it taking effect.
The core sport professional practice module requires you to attend a short external placement for which there may be travel costs incurred. You will be required to complete a level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene certificate which costs approximately £25 (as of Sep 2023). Students may choose to undertake additional qualifications, for example professional qualifications, ISAK course, etc. which can vary between approximately £200 and £700.
Scholarships and Discounts
Apply Now
Start your application
To start your application, simply select the month you would like to start your course.
WHY NORTHUMBRIA
Industry standard facilities
Northumbria’s CASES-accredited Sport Central laboratories are purpose-built to support the development of the practical and research skills required for a career in sport and exercise nutrition.
Research Excellence
Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation at Northumbria is ranked 5th in the UK for research power. (REF 2021).
Employability Focus
Reliable Schedule
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Accredited Course
Gain an SENr-accredited qualification aligned to graduate registration competencies, giving you a recognised and respected pathway into professional sport and exercise nutrition practice.
-
Industry standard facilities
Northumbria’s CASES-accredited Sport Central laboratories are purpose-built to support the development of the practical and research skills required for a career in sport and exercise nutrition.
-
Research Excellence
Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation at Northumbria is ranked 5th in the UK for research power. (REF 2021).
-
Employability Focus
-
Reliable Schedule
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5
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Accreditations & Partnerships
This course is accredited by the Sport and Exercise Nutrition register (SENr). The SENr accreditation process recognises that graduates from this course have attained the applied knowledge competencies required by the sport and exercise nutrition industry and supports progression towards graduate registration with the SENr.
Career Prospects
Completing this course can give you the opportunity to pursue careers across sport performance, public health, and applied nutrition. Potential roles may include sport and exercise nutritionist, strength and conditioning support specialist, or member of a multi-disciplinary performance team.
The SENr accreditation pathway built into this course supports your progress towards graduate registration upon completion, providing a recognised route into professional practice.
This course includes a dedicated professional practice module, building employability through Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities, volunteer experience, and reflective practice to develop the professional identity that employers value.
The SENr accreditation pathway built into this course supports your progress towards graduate registration upon completion, providing a recognised route into professional practice.
This course includes a dedicated professional practice module, building employability through Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities, volunteer experience, and reflective practice to develop the professional identity that employers value.
Student Projects
Throughout this course, projects are grounded in the real challenges facing sport and exercise nutritionists in practice. Potential student projects could span topics such as assessing the nutritional needs of an athlete or client or designing evidence-based nutrition interventions for specific population groups. Projects may also explore the application of current anti-doping guidance to supplement recommendations.
In the professional practice element of this course, students can choose from volunteer roles, internships, or CPD activities to build a professional portfolio. The final project is an independent research project exploring a topic of your choice, contributing new knowledge to the field.
In the professional practice element of this course, students can choose from volunteer roles, internships, or CPD activities to build a professional portfolio. The final project is an independent research project exploring a topic of your choice, contributing new knowledge to the field.
Facilities
As a student on this course, you will have access to our purpose-built Sport Central facility, designed to support world-class sport science education and research. The building houses a nutrition laboratory, nutrition kitchen, physiology laboratory, body composition laboratory, biomechanics and gait laboratory, strength and conditioning suite, and an indoor sprint track.
Our sport and exercise science laboratories are accredited by the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES), giving you confidence that your practical training meets the highest professional standards.
Additionally, flexible learning spaces and 24/7 access to the City Campus library throughout term time support independent study.
You can now experience Northumbria University from the comfort of your own home. Our immersive virtual tours and interactive 360 images allow you to explore our vibrant campus and dynamic learning spaces, all from anywhere in the world.
Our sport and exercise science laboratories are accredited by the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES), giving you confidence that your practical training meets the highest professional standards.
Additionally, flexible learning spaces and 24/7 access to the City Campus library throughout term time support independent study.
You can now experience Northumbria University from the comfort of your own home. Our immersive virtual tours and interactive 360 images allow you to explore our vibrant campus and dynamic learning spaces, all from anywhere in the world.
Teaching Staff
The teaching staff on this course have research and industry-rich backgrounds, many of whom hold recognised accreditations with the SENr, Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES), and UK Strength and Conditioning Association. Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation at Northumbria is ranked 5th in the UK for research power (REF, 2021)
Any Questions?
Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help. They can be contacted on 0191 406 0901.
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