Food & Nutritional Sciences and Sport & Exercise Science

Few combinations of scientific disciplines are as directly relevant to human health and performance as food and nutritional sciences paired with sport and exercise science. Nutrition drives recovery, adaptation and long-term wellbeing, while the science of physical activity illuminates how the human body responds to training, stress and movement. Together, these fields address questions that matter to athletes, public health professionals, food producers and healthcare systems alike.

This three-year programme at Liverpool Hope University draws on both disciplines, preparing you to understand the science of what we eat and how we move, and why both matter so profoundly for health and disease.

In the food and nutritional sciences strand you will examine the composition and function of foods, the biochemistry of nutrients, food safety and public health nutrition, and the emerging challenges of sustainable food systems. In the sport and exercise science strand you will study physiology, biomechanics, psychology, and the evidence base for physical activity interventions across different populations. The programme includes a sandwich placement year, giving you extended professional experience in a relevant setting, and a year abroad offers the opportunity to study these disciplines in an international context.

Work placement opportunities are embedded throughout.

Graduates from this combined programme are well positioned for careers that draw on both areas of expertise. Roles in sports nutrition, performance support for athletic organisations, public health nutrition, food product development, and health promotion are all natural destinations. The degree also provides a strong foundation for postgraduate study in nutrition, dietetics, sport and exercise medicine, public health, or food science.

Many graduates go on to work in the NHS, sports clubs and national governing bodies, government agencies, food industry companies, and research settings where the science of nutrition and physical activity intersects with real-world outcomes.