Sport Science, Health and Nutrition

Sport science, health and nutrition brings together three related fields that share a concern with how the human body functions, how it responds to physical activity and how diet and lifestyle affect health and performance. Sport science provides the physiological, biomechanical and psychological frameworks for understanding sport and exercise; nutrition science examines how the foods and nutrients we consume affect health, energy metabolism and physical performance; and health science connects both to the broader context of public health, clinical settings and health behaviour change.

Nottingham Trent University offers this three-year full-time programme, developing knowledge across all three strands with an emphasis on their integration in applied settings. You will study exercise physiology, the biomechanics of movement, sport and exercise psychology, the nutritional science of macronutrients and micronutrients, sports nutrition, dietary assessment and the principles of health behaviour change and health promotion. The combination reflects the reality of professional practice, where sport scientists and nutrition practitioners must often bring all of these perspectives to bear simultaneously, whether working with athletes to optimise performance or with the general population to promote health and reduce chronic disease risk.

NTU has strong applied and professional connections in sport science and nutrition, and the programme benefits from good laboratory and practical facilities.

The degree develops scientific literacy, the ability to apply research evidence to practical problems, laboratory and assessment skills, and the communication abilities needed to work effectively with athletes, coaches and health practitioners.

Graduates pursue careers as sport scientists, strength and conditioning assistants, nutritionists and dietetic support staff, health and fitness professionals, physical activity advisers in public health, and in a range of sports and healthcare support roles. Postgraduate study in sport science, nutrition, dietetics, physiotherapy or exercise physiology is available for those wishing to develop further or pursue regulated professional practice.