Equip yourself for employment with this dynamic Food with Nutrition degree that fuses academic and vocational learning.

  • Accredited by the IFST, the UK’s leading professional body for those involved in all aspects of food science and technology.
  • You'll join a close-knit community of staff and students and be assigned an Academic Advisor from day one.
  • Graduates have been recruited by companies including Oasis Foods, Kerry Foods and Ferndale Foods.

#2 in the UK

for Satisfaction with Teaching in Nutrition and Food Science (Guardian University Guide 2025)

#1 in the South West overall

for Nutrition and Food Science (Guardian University Guide 2025)

#4 in the UK

for Student Experience in Food Science (Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025)

#4 in the UK

for Satisfaction with Course in Food Science (Complete University Guide 2025)

The food we eat affects our health – how we feel today, tomorrow, and in the future. On this course, you’ll explore the complexities of the food chain, the needs and demands of consumers, and the controls that exist to ensure the food we eat is nutritious and safe.

Our graduates are in great demand in the food industry, consumer organisations and enforcement agencies. The food and drink industry is the largest manufacturing sector in the UK, employing around 400,000 people. It’s responsible for providing safe, nutritious and desirable food while facing the long-term challenge of feeding a growing population.

This course is designed for students who want to pursue a career in food and nutrition, but don't necessarily have a traditional science background. You don't need a Science qualification to apply, as applied science is introduced into the programme where appropriate.


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What you'll learn

Overview

The course focuses on the food chain and issues that are important to consumers, such as nutrition and safety. We’ll equip you for professional life, with skills that will make you attractive to employers.

We offer a supportive, close-knit working environment. Class sizes are small. Staff and students are on first name terms, and you’ll be assigned an Academic Advisor from day one.

You’ll graduate with:

  • A deep understanding of the impact of food provision
  • An understanding of the role of nutrition on health
  • Familiarity with the scientific principles and laboratory techniques used in the examination and analysis of food
  • An informed attitude to ethical and environmental concerns associated with food production.
Course structure

Year one
In your first year, you'll build a science base, learning fundamental concepts of human biology, microbiology, anatomy and physiology. You'll learn about consumer perceptions of the food supply chain with particular reference to nutritional, environmental and ethical issues. You'll develop your practical, study and ICT skills.

Year two
In year two, you'll gain more detail in topics you covered in your first year, while laying the foundations for your dissertation in your final year.

You'll develop:

  • your understanding of the interaction of diet and other lifestyle factors that affect individuals, communities and population groups, in the development and/or treatment of disease
  • your methods of enquiry and critical evaluation of the appropriateness of different approaches to solving problems
  • the skills and techniques required to undertake primary and secondary scientific research in food science, food technology and nutrition.

You'll also explore food quality and new food product development, and you’ll have the option to complete a work placement module.

Year three
In your final year, you'll critically evaluate the national and international concepts of risk assessment and their application at all stages of the food system. You'll evaluate issues and concerns over food provision, and conduct a primary research investigation. You can opt to collaborate with an organisation in the food and nutrition sector for an independent project.

How will I be assessed?

Many assessments on this course mimic the tasks, ways of working and reporting that are used by the food and nutrition sector. Experiencing these ways of working will help prepare you for employment, whether that's in industry, or as a consultant, teacher or researcher.

Assessment methods include essays, reports, case studies, seminar presentations, examinations, group work, and independent study projects. There's an approximate 50/50 split between coursework/presentations and exams.

Examples of assessments

Year one

  • Food diary
  • Development of a smoothie
  • Communication of a food issue (report)

Year two

  • Students develop an affordable standard range healthy option convenient food for a supermarket
  • Dietary review
  • Food analysis report
  • Group research project

Final year

  • Independent project – dissertation
  • Hazard analysis of critical control points (HACCP) report
  • Practical report on food preservation and packaging
How will I be taught?

You’ll be taught by our core team of lecturers in lectures, seminars, case studies, practical workshops, and educational visits. You’ll benefit from visiting lecturers who’ll give you insight into their areas of expertise. We’ll encourage you to gain relevant work experience. In your final year you’ll undertake an independent study which will further enhance your transferable and employability skills.

The majority of modules have associated practical classes. We’ll equip you with important practical skills not only in laboratory techniques, but also in data handling and problem solving, use of IT, and communication skills such as presentations and report writing.

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our Learning and Teaching Delivery Statement.

Course modules

This course offers or includes the following modules. The modules you take will depend on your pathway or course combination (if applicable) as well as any optional or open modules chosen. Please check the programme document for more information.

Year one (Level 4) modules
  • Biological Techniques
  • The Microbial World
  • Food and Nutrition
  • Nutrition and Exercise for Health
  • The Business Environment
  • Sustainability in Life and Work
Year two (Level 5) modules
  • Human Nutrition
  • Food Analysis
  • Research Skills for Food with Nutrition
  • Food Product Development for Quality, Health and Exercise
  • Microbial Applications and Biotech
  • Future Food: Food and Nutrition in the 21st Century
  • Biology Work Placement
  • Environmental Management
  • Health: Mind, Body, Society
  • Science Journalism and Publishing
  • Understanding Classrooms
  • Professional Placement Year
Year three (Level 6) modules
  • Dissertation Planning for Food with Nutrition
  • Dissertation Publication for Food with Nutrition
  • Food Safety
  • Global Trends in Food, Preservation and Packaging
  • Plants and People
  • Environmental Practice
  • Medical Biology
  • Epidemiology and Public Health
  • Food and Nutrition in Practice
  • Enterprise: Creating Your Own Business
  • Creativity and Digital Technologies in Education
  • Publishing Industry Project

Opportunities

Study abroad

As part of your degree, you could study abroad on a placement at one of Bath Spa’s partner universities

Fieldwork

Factory visits are part of the compulsory second year module Food Product Development and third year module Global Trends in Food Preservation and Packaging. Visits have included trips to:

  • Marshfield Bakery
  • Marshfield Ice Cream
  • Bath Brew House
  • Wyke Farms
  • Westbury Dairies
  • Barber's Cheese
  • Yeo Valley

We encourage our students to attend external events such as:

  • The Bath Science Fair
  • The Bristol Science Fair
  • IFST career launchpad event
  • The Nutrition Society conferences
  • Food Matters Live event
  • IFST Annual Conference
  • IFST annual lecture

We also encourage our students to attend as many endorsed events or activities that they can, such as IFST and Nutrition Society training events and endorsed activities.

Work placements, industry links and internships

We provide opportunities in areas allied to food and nutrition such as business and enterprise, environmental management, and science/food writing. As part of the Food and Nutrition in Practice module (Work based module), our students have:

  • Developed sports milk;
  • Developed low sugar ice-cream;
  • Created weight management resources for teenagers;
  • Worked with the NHS to develop a tool for analysing weight loss phone apps and healthy eating resources for dietitians;
  • Developed recipe cards for Heart UK;
  • Developed an interactive food hygiene resource for schools with Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) council;
  • Developed hygiene guidance for home catering businesses with BANES Environmental Health Department (now in use across South West England);
  • Developed a white chocolate lemon meringue bar for Marshfield Bakery;
  • Developed a salsa dip for Tracklements (now in production); and
  • Developed a pie for Pieminister (now in production)
Careers

Employers such as Oasis Foods, Kerry Foods, Leatherhead Food Research, Coldwater Seafoods and Ferndale Foods have recruited graduates from this course.

Students have gone into roles including:

  • Food Development Technologist
  • Research Technician
  • Assistant Scientific Officer
  • Nutritionist
  • Product Developer
  • Quality Controller
  • Teacher
Competitions and awards
  • Best Dissertation in a  Food and Nutrition award
  • Highest academic achievement in a Food and Nutrition award

Students are encouraged to submit to  IFST Competitions.

Global Citizenship

If you’re a full-time undergraduate student starting your first year at Bath Spa University, you can apply for the Certificate in Global Citizenship, which you’ll study alongside your degree.

You’ll gain global awareness and add an international dimension to your student experience, and funding is available. On successful completion of the programme, you’ll be awarded a Certificate in Global Citizenship. This is in addition to your degree; it doesn’t change your degree title or results.

Adobe Creative Campus

Develop a wealth of indispensable digital skills that you can take into your future career. One of only three Adobe Creative Campuses in the UK, we provide all Bath Spa students with access to the full Adobe Creative Suite, giving you the tools to communicate creatively, whatever your course or chosen professional field.   

Professional placement year

Overview

The Professional Placement Year (PPY) provides you with the opportunity to identify, apply for, and secure professional experience, normally comprising one to three placements over a minimum of nine months. Successful completion of this module will demonstrate your ability to secure and sustain graduate-level employment.

By completing the module, you'll be entitled to the addition of 'with Professional Placement Year' to your degree title.

Preparation

Before your PPY, you'll work to identify roles of interest and secure a placement. The Placements Team will support through timetabled sessions and 1:1 appointments.

How will I be assessed?

As well as completing a minimum of 900 placement hours, you will complete two assessments demonstrating your skill development, growth in professional behaviours and how the PPY has impacted your future career aspirations.

The PPY Bursary

Aiming to make work experience more accessible, we have introduced the PPY Bursary. Students undertaking a PPY can receive between £500 and £1,500 to be used towards placement costs such as travel, food, workwear or accommodation.

For more information and details of eligibility criteria, please visit the PPY Bursary webpage.

Facilities and resources

Where the subject is taught

Our specialist facilities give you access to some of the latest technologies and learning resources, including a wide range of industry standard specialist food and nutrition software. You'll have access to:

Resources

The Food and Nutrition Labs and workshops are fully equipped with a mix of general and specialist equipment, appropriate for modules taught in them, student dissertations and staff research. Students have personal on-campus access to dietary analysis software, which is used frequently in lectures and seminars.

Fees

2025 entry
Student Annual tuition fee
UK full time £9,535
UK part time £4,768
International full time £17,670

Professional Placement Year

During the placement year, the fee is reduced to 20% of the full time fee. This applies to UK and EU/International students.

  • UK: £1,907
  • International: £3,534

Additional course costs

You may need to pay additional course costs over and above your tuition fees, for example, for specialist equipment or trips and visits. Please check the course Programme Document (linked under the main image on this page) for details of any additional costs. You can also read our Additional Course Costs Policy for further information.

Interested in applying?

What we look for in potential students

We’re looking for individuals who are enthusiastic and excited about food and nutrition. You’ll be motivated and willing to participate in the course, as well as take advantage of what Bath Spa University has to offer its students.

You don't need a traditional science background to do this course as we'll teach you applied science skills where needed.

Typical offers

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed below:

  • A Level - grades BBB-BCC preferred.
  • BTEC - Extended Diploma grades from Distinction Distinction Merit (DDM) to Distinction Merit Merit (DMM) accepted in any subject.
  • T Levels – grade Merit preferred.
  • International Baccalaureate - a minimum of 32 points are required.
  • Access to HE courses – typical offers for applicants with Access to HE will be the Access to HE Diploma or Access to HE Certificate (60 credits, 45 of which must be Level 3, at Merit or higher).

If you don’t meet the entry requirements above, we may be able to accept your prior learning or experience from outside of formal education. See our Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) page to learn more.

English Language Requirements for International and EU Applicants

IELTS 6.0 - for visa nationals, with a minimum score of IELTS 5.5 in each element.

Course enquiries

For further information about the programme or entry requirements, please email us at admissions@bathspa.ac.uk.

How do I apply?

Ready to apply? Click the 'apply now' button in the centre of this page.

Need more guidance? Head to our how to apply pages.

Course leader: Dr Tiffany Lau
Email: t.lau2@bathspa.ac.uk

Three year course
With placement year