Overview

Understanding the intricate interactions between nutrient intake, human metabolic physiology, and athletic performance is fundamental to optimizing physical conditioning, recovery, and long-term health. The Sport and Exercise Nutrition BSc (Hons) at Manchester Metropolitan University delivers an evidence-based, practical education situated within the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences at the Manchester Institute of Sport. Endorsed by the Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register (SENR) and accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN), the curriculum integrates human physiology, exercise bioenergetics, food science, and psychological behavior change. Students train in state-of-the-art facilities—including specialist environmental chambers, performance kitchens, and exercise physiology laboratories—learning to design tailored dietary interventions for elite athletes, active populations, and clinical cohorts. The program emphasizes practical laboratory testing, dietary assessment methodologies, and professional consulting competencies, with opportunities for placement pathways or study abroad experiences. This degree is ideally suited for scientifically minded, health-conscious individuals who wish to interrogate metabolic processes, evaluate sports performance supplements, and prepare for professional careers as registered nutritionists, sports performance consultants, or biomedical researchers.

What You'll Learn

• Core principles of human physiology, cardiovascular bioenergetics, musculoskeletal metabolism, and exercise mechanics

• Nutritional science frameworks, macronutrient and micronutrient metabolism, food functionality, and dietary guidelines

• Specific energy demands, fueling strategies, fluid balance, and ergogenic aid evaluations for elite athletic performance and recovery

• Practical dietary assessment techniques, body composition measurement methodologies, and anthropometric profiling

• Psychological principles, behavior change theories, group dynamics, and motivational strategies in sport and health settings

• Nutritional intervention design, therapeutic dietetics for health conditions, and public health physical activity guidelines

• Laboratory analysis skills, exercise testing protocols, bio-statistical modeling, and scientific research methodologies

• Ethical governance, professional consulting standards, communication frameworks, and client counseling protocols

• Independent capstone research project conducting empirical laboratory investigation or field-based study in sport and exercise nutrition

Learning Outcomes

Graduates will possess an in-depth, multi-disciplinary understanding of how dietary manipulation, metabolic processes, and physical activity intersect to shape human performance and physiological health. They will demonstrate the capability to evaluate complex dietary requirements, perform sophisticated anthropometric assessments, analyze exercise metabolism datasets, and formulate evidence-based nutritional strategies tailored to diverse athletic and clinical populations. Students acquire robust practical competencies in laboratory testing, dietary tracking software utilization, performance kitchen preparation, and scientific data interpretation through structured practical workshops and independent research projects. Furthermore, scholars master the ability to communicate technical nutritional science clearly, delivering empathetic dietary counseling and presenting empirical research to sports scientists, coaches, medical professionals, and individual clients. Through research-informed instruction and professional accreditation pathways, graduates fulfill the educational criteria for entry to the Association for Nutrition (AfN) register as Associate Nutritionists and the SENR graduate register, establishing the expertise required to excel as performance nutritionists, sports science advisors, health promotion specialists, food industry researchers, or postgraduate scholars.