Nutrition has long been recognised as a vitally important determinant of health status within both industrialised and industrialising countries. Significant changes are occurring in the profile of nutritional problems. Many countries continue to face problems of malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, but countries in economic transition also face the public health challenge of rising rates of diet-related chronic disease, such as obesity and coronary heart disease. Also, many industrialised countries now face problems of food insecurity among low-income groups. These challenges have led to growing political resources to address nutrition.

There is now an increased need for trained public health nutritionists, to work in a range of contexts, to control and prevent diet-related problems. The United Nations Secretary General has declared 2016–2025 the Decade of Nutrition. What better time to develop your skills in this crucial area?

This course will give you the specialist scientific knowledge and practical skills to take an active role in global public health nutrition in a range of different settings.

You will be introduced to policy making, leadership and governance frameworks. You will be encouraged to explore and debate the political and social influences underpinning policy implementation and impact.

Your modules will explore the relationship between diet and disease, the nutrition science underpinning these factors, public health nutrition epidemiology, research methods for health science, nutritional assessment tools and how to develop and manage nutrition programmes.

The course will introduce you to stakeholders and skills that can enhance your professional competency, employability and development as a public health reflective professional.

There are numerous career paths our graduates follow, from working with Public Health England in writing policies, to acting as nutrition advisers to the Department of Health or other nutrition-focused organisations.

Many of our graduates go on to work in international development with organisations such as Save the Children, Action against Hunger, UNICEF, GAIN, FAO, WFP and WHO.

Other graduates continue their academic studies by moving on to a PhD or becoming a lecturer.