2024/25 entry
BSc (Hons) Sport Nutrition with Foundation Year
Why study Sport Nutrition with Foundation Year at Liverpool John Moores University?
- Professionally focused and opens up a wide range of career opportunities within sport nutrition settings, as well as roles in education, sports and exercise science and the food industry
- Accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN). On graduation, this will entitle you to apply for direct entry as a Registered Associate Nutritionist
- All staff are research active in areas such as muscle adaptation to exercise, nutritional interventions to improve performance, sport supplements, metabolic consequences of takeaway foods and personalised nutrition
- Staff have a high level of experience working with well-known athletes and sports teams and are involved in a range of external activities in the professional sport and food industries, helping to bring the curriculum alive
- The School of Sport and Exercise Sciences is ranked 9th for Sports Science (QS World University Rankings 2023)
- Opportunity to undertake a one-year sandwich work placement
About your course
BSc (Hons) Sport Nutrition is taught by research active staff who are professionally registered by the Association for Nutrition (AfN) and/or Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register. The course offers excellent employment opportunities in a wide field of careers associated with sports nutrition.
BSc Sport Nutrition is delivered by staff who are research active in areas such as muscle adaptation to exercise, nutritional interventions to improve performance, sport supplements, metabolic consequences of takeaway foods and personalised nutrition. Staff have a high level of experience working with well-known athletes and sports teams and are involved in a range of external activities in the professional sport and food industries, helping to bring the curriculum alive.
Foundation Year
The Foundation Year is ideal if you have the ability to study for a degree but don't have the qualifications to enter directly onto the honours degree programme. Once you pass the Foundation Year you will progress directly onto the first year of the honours degree. If you are a full-time UK student, you will qualify for student financial support for the full duration of your course (subject to eligibility criteria).
"This innovative, new programme will draw upon LJMU's well-established research and external partnerships from the sport and nutrition industries"
Professional accreditation/links
The programme is accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN), which is the governing body for nutrition in the UK and is recognised globally. On graduation, this will entitle you to apply for direct entry as a Registered Associate Nutritionist on the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists. This registration will help to identify you as a qualified, scientifically-trained nutritionist, ideal if you want to work in a range of roles within primary care organisations; public health directorates; Clinical Nutrition settings; the Food Industry; Academia; Sports and Exercise Science; international public health nutrition and a range of roles in the private sector.
Fees and funding
There are many ways to fund study for home and international students
Fees
The fees quoted above cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as:
- Library membership with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources
- Access to programme-appropriate software
- Library and student IT support
- Free on-campus wifi via eduroam
Additional costs
Although not all of the following are compulsory/relevant, you should keep in mind the costs of:
- accommodation and living expenditure
- books (should you wish to have your own copies)
- printing, photocopying and stationery
- PC/laptop (should you prefer to purchase your own for independent study and online learning activities)
- mobile phone/tablet (to access online services)
- field trips (travel and activity costs)
- placements (travel expenses and living costs)
- student visas (international students only)
- study abroad opportunities (travel costs, accommodation, visas and immunisations)
- academic conferences (travel costs)
- professional-body membership
- graduation (gown hire etc)
Funding
There are many ways to fund study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you'll find all of the information you need on our specialist funding pages.
A DBS check is not required for your application, however a DBS may be required for modules where there is a work based learning placement option. Work based learning placements that do not require a DBS check are available.
Employability
The course covers a range of sectors meaning you will be well placed to secure employment in a number of different roles. Successful completion of the programme will enable you to progress onto LJMUs MSc Sport Nutrition, which will open up career opportunities as sports/performance nutritionists working with national governing bodies, with professional and/or amateur sports clubs or with individual athletes.
You may wish to pursue a career in the health sector as a fully qualified, registered nutritionist, in the community promoting health and physical activity, or in a clinical setting as an assistant dietetic practitioner; within the food industry and specifically the sports nutrition market in research and the development of new products.
Find out more about career opportunities in sport and exercise sciences.
Student Futures - Careers, Employability and Enterprise Service
A wide range of opportunities and support is available to you, within and beyond your course, to ensure our students experience a transformation in their career trajectory. Every undergraduate curriculum includes Future Focus during Level 4, an e-learning resource and workshop designed to help you to develop your talents, passion and purpose.
Every student has access to Careers Zone 24/7, LJMU's suite of online Apps, resources and jobs board via the LJMU Student Futures website. There are opportunities for flexible, paid and part-time work through Unitemps, LJMU's in-house recruitment service, and we also offer fully funded Discovery Internships.
One-to-one careers and employability advice is available via our campus-based Careers Zones and we offer a year-round programme of events, including themed careers and employability workshops, employer events and recruitment fairs. Our Start-Up Hub can help you to grow your enterprise skills and to research, plan and start your own business or become a freelancer.
A suite of learning experiences, services and opportunities is available to final year students to help ensure you leave with a great onward plan. You can access LJMU's Careers, Employability and Start-up Services after you graduate and return for one-to-one support for life.
Go abroad
LJMU aims to make international opportunities available to every student. You may be able to study abroad as part of your degree at one of our 100+ partner universities across the world. You could also complete a work placement or apply for one of our prestigious worldwide internship programmes. If you wanted to go abroad for a shorter amount of time, you could attend one of our 1-4 week long summer schools.
Our Go Citizen Scheme can help with costs towards volunteering, individual projects or unpaid placements anywhere in the world. With all of these opportunities at your feet, why wouldn’t you take up the chance to go abroad?
Find out more about the opportunities we have available via our Instagram @ljmuglobalopps or email us at: goabroad@ljmu.ac.uk.
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What you will study on this degree
Please see guidance below on core and option modules for further information on what you will study.
Further guidance on modules
Modules are designated core or optional in accordance with professional body requirements, as applicable, and LJMU’s Academic Framework Regulations. Whilst you are required to study core modules, optional modules provide you with an element of choice. Their availability may vary and will be subject to meeting minimum student numbers.
Where changes to modules are necessary these will be communicated as appropriate.
Level 3
Core modules
Skills and Practice in Sport
20 credits
This module aims to examine the concepts of employability and enterprise across a range of organisations. This foundation module will develop your study skills and will inform the your understanding of your chosen career pathway.
Health and Wellbeing
20 credits
This module aims to develop your knowledge and understanding of health and wellbeing and demonstrates how increased physical activity and better nutrition can influence and improve this.
Practical Delivery in Sport and Physical Activity
20 credits
This module aims to develop your knowledge, skills and understanding regarding delivery of safe and effective physical activities.
Behaviours in Sport and Physical Activity
20 credits
The aim of this module is to explore psychological and social theories to inform the delivery of sport. You will be exposed to several key psychological and social frameworks allowing you to develop informed approaches to your practice.
Human Anatomy and Physiology
20 credits
The aim of this module is to develop knowledge and understanding of the basic structure and function of key physiological systems and metabolic processes.
Projects in Sport and Nutrition
20 credits
This module aims to enable you to develop the skills to undertake an investigation into a specific area of study that is relevant to your programme.
Level 4
Core modules
Professional Practice 1 for Nutrition and Sport Nutrition
20 credits
The aim of this module is to provide the knowledge and practical training in the skills that are required for a career in nutrition and sport nutrition. This will be through the development of a broad tool-kit to support practical work on the subject-specific modules and in the work-based learning module at level 6. Alongside this skill development, the module will also consider issues related to professional attitudes and codes of practice.
Principles of Human Nutrition
20 credits
The module will help you develop knowledge of the importance of nutrition to human health introducing the subject of nutritional recommendations in terms of energy and nutrients. You will gain an overview of the chemistry, function and properties of nutrients and the consequences of inadequate intakes.
Performance Nutrition
20 credits
This module introduces you to the key principles of sports nutrition. You will study the effects that specific food groups (i.e. macro- and micro-nutrient availability) and hydration status can play in affecting athletic performance.
Research Methods 1
20 credits
This module will introduce you to the fundamental concepts of research methods, along with covering the basic application and interpretation of various data analysis techniques.
Exercise Physiology 1
20 credits
This module will develop your knowledge and understanding of the basic structure and function of key physiological systems, metabolic processes and discuss how these systems and processes respond to feeding and acute exercise.
Level 5
Core modules
Food Chain and Sustainability
20 credits
The aim of this module is to provide knowledge and understanding of the global food supply chain and its impact on food choice, nutrition, health and the environment. The module introduces the main staple foods and food commodities; an overview of the structure of global food supply chain (including primary production, food processing and manufacturing, food distribution and food retail); an understanding of the political and ethical issues of food production and supply; as well as issues associated with food sustainability.
Food Technology and Development
20 credits
This module aims to provide an understanding of the technology, techniques and processes involved in turning raw materials into safe nutritious foods. The module will focus on technological advancements in the industry to help improve the nutritional quality of foods. The module will provide you with an understanding of food production and manufacturing techniques and will discuss selection, production, processing, preservation, packaging, labelling, waste management and quality management of safe nutritious food. Workshop sessions will provide opportunities for the practical exploration of food technologies. The combination of theory and practice will promote the development of both theoretical and practical skills.
Exercise Physiology 2
20 credits
This module will develop your knowledge and understanding of the cardiovascular and metabolic responses of acute and chronic exercise. This will enable you to discuss these in relation to human health and performance.
Optional Modules
Sandwich Year - Sport Nutrition
120 credits
This placement gives students an extended work experience at an approved partner to enhance their LJMU program. This experience helps develop professional skills and the right mindset for diverse workplaces.
Study Year Abroad - Sport Nutrition
120 credits
This program provides students with an additional year of full-time study at an approved overseas partner institution to complement their LJMU program.
Study Semester Abroad - Sport Nutrition
60 credits
This program allows students to replace one semester of their LJMU program with a semester of full-time study at an approved overseas partner institution
Level 6
Core modules
Sport Supplements and Contemporary Issues
20 credits
This module aims to develop your understanding of the use of supplements to aid exercise performance and to explore contemporary issues pertinent to the sports nutritionist. The module will introduce ergogenic aids specific to a wide range of activities, including short-term, intense exercise, endurance exercise and resistance exercise. The efficacy of each supplement will be critically examined using scientific literature and several contemporary issues will be introduced, such as doping, and will be explored in line with the role of the sports nutritionist.
Major Project
40 credits
This module will critically extend your understanding and deployment of research processes through the planning, production, analyses and report of a piece of independent research conducted in a responsible, safe and ethical manner.
Teaching and work-related learning
Excellent facilities and learning resources
We adopt an active blended learning approach, meaning you will experience a combination of face-to-face and online learning during your time at LJMU. This enables you to experience a rich and diverse learning experience and engage fully with your studies. Our approach ensures that you can easily access support from your personal tutor, either by meeting them on-campus or via a video call to suit your needs.
Teaching is via a combination of lectures, seminars, online activities and small-group tutorials, as well as field trips, interactive practical sessions, guest speakers and workshops. Many sessions take advantage of LJMU's specialist facilities for nutritional assessment, as well as our nutrition and food science laboratories.
Work-related learning
The BSc (Hons) Sport Nutrition with Foundation Year programme is designed to build both your academic and practical skills. There will be opportunities to work alongside practitioners, giving you a real taste of the many careers available within the nutrition sector and providing an opportunity to complete a project based on your experience. This work-related learning is a vital element of your studies as it gives you a chance to practise skills learnt on the course which will add real value to your CV.
Support and guidance
Dedicated personal tutor, plus study skills support
From the moment you begin your studies at LJMU, you will be assigned a personal tutor who will be available to discuss course-related issues with you on a one-to-one basis. Tutorials and group seminars also offer a supportive environment in which to discuss ideas, issues and forthcoming assessments with your tutors and fellow students.
The school is fully committed to promoting a learning environment that supports a culture of equality, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) and has a Disability Support Coordinator, an EDI Coordinator and a School EDI Working Group. Personal Tutors also play a vital role in promoting awareness of support services for students.
Assessment
Assessment varies depending on the modules you choose, but will usually include a combination of exams and coursework.
LJMU recognises that all students perform differently according to how they are assessed, which is why we use a combination of assessment methods. These include: exams (seen and unseen), written work (essays, reports, learning logs, dissertation, lab reports, posters, review writing and blog writing), presentations (group or individual) and practical assessments.
Your tutors will provide formal feedback on your coursework and exams, but constructive verbal comments from both your tutors and fellow students will also really help you to identify your successes as well as the areas where you may need to put in more work.
Course tutors
Our staff are committed to the highest standards of teaching and learning
Lucy Richardson
Professor of Exercise Metabolism
Professor Morton completed BSc (Hons) Sport Science and a PhD at LJMU. His research interests focus on sports physiology and nutrition. He provides consultancy in performance nutrition and performance leadership and has worked with a range of organisations, including: Team Sky/Team INEOS, FA Premier League, English Institute of Sport, Glasgow Rangers FC, Liverpool FC and The Football Association. The majority of James research relates to the role that energy and macronutrient availability (e.g. carbohydrate, fat and protein) can play in modulating exercise performance and how our muscles adapt to endurance training. James research allows him to develop novel training and nutritional strategies for athletes.
Through my work in professional sport, I use research and applied sport experiences to ensure the course curriculum is always research and industry informed
Facilities
What you can expect from your School
You will study in Liverpool city centre at our City Campus. Our sport and exercise sciences facilities are world-leading and feature state-of-the-art laboratory facilities for our current and future sport scientists. The Avril Robarts library is within easy walking distance and here you'll find all the information you need to support your studies.
Entry requirements
Please choose your qualifications below to view requirements
Grades/points required from qualifications: CCD-CCC (88-96)
Qualification requirements
GCSEs and equivalents
Grade 4 or grade C or above in English Language and Mathematics/ Numeracy.
GCSE Equivalences accepted:
• Key Skills Level 2 in English/Maths
• NVQ Level 2 Functional skills in Maths and English Writing and or Reading
• Skills for Life Level 2 in Numeracy/English
• Higher Diploma in Maths/English
• Northern Ireland Essential Skills Level 2 in Communication or Application of Number
• Wales Essential Skills Level 2 in Communication or Application of Number
A levels
CCD-CCC
BTECs
Extended Diploma: MMM (96)
Access awards
Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications
Pass overall with a minimum of 88 points including relevant subjects
International Baccalaureate
Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications From a relevant subject
OCR Cambridge Technical
Extended Diploma: MMM (96)
Irish awards
Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications From a relevant subject
T levels
Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications.
You need to obtain the required UCAS points from a related subject area.
International requirements
-
IELTS
6.0 overall with no component below 5.5, taken within two years of the course start date.
https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/study/courses/international-entry-requirements
Courses_UG_EntryRequirements_InternationalEntryRequirementsLink
Please Note: All international qualifications are subject to a qualification equivalency check.
Application and selection
Securing your place at LJMU
UCAS is the official application route for our full-time undergraduate courses. Further information on the UCAS application process can be found here https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/study/undergraduate-students/how-to-apply.
The university reserves the right to withdraw or make alterations to a course and facilities if necessary; this may be because such changes are deemed to be beneficial to students, are minor in nature and unlikely to impact negatively upon students or become necessary due to circumstances beyond the control of the university. Where this does happen, the university operates a policy of consultation, advice and support to all enrolled students affected by the proposed change to their course or module.
Further information on the terms and conditions of any offer made, our admissions policy and the complaints and appeals process.