Food and Nutrition

Food and nutrition is the scientific study of how what we eat affects our health, and of the systems that bring food from production to the plate. It is a discipline with direct relevance to public health, healthcare, the food industry, and the growing challenges of feeding a global population sustainably. Understanding nutrition requires biology, biochemistry, and physiology, while food science draws additionally on chemistry, technology, and the social and cultural contexts in which food choices are made.

At University College Birmingham you will study the science of macro and micronutrients and their roles in the body, the physiology of digestion and metabolism, the relationship between diet and disease, food safety and microbiology, and the social, economic, and psychological factors that influence eating behaviour. You will also gain an understanding of how food is manufactured, processed, and regulated, and of the policy and public health frameworks within which nutrition professionals work. Laboratory and practical work are central to the programme, developing skills in food analysis, dietary assessment, and research methods.

Birmingham is a city with a rich and diverse food culture and a significant food and hospitality industry, which provides a relevant context for studying food and nutrition at a university with strong connections to those sectors.

Graduates go on to careers in dietetics (with further postgraduate training), public health nutrition, food industry roles in product development and quality assurance, school food and catering services, health promotion, and research. Those who want to practise as dietitians typically need additional clinical training, but the degree provides a strong scientific foundation for that route. Others move into roles in food manufacturing, retail, journalism, and consultancy, where nutritional knowledge is a professional asset.