Food is one of the main contributors to overall health and wellbeing and Europe’s largest and most successful industry. As consumers become increasingly aware of the role of eating well for health and for the prevention of diseases, the role of nutrition science professionals in the food industry and in health-oriented settings is becoming of paramount importance. If you have a keen interest in food, the science behind it and its impact on human health, then you should consider studying with us.
We offer a four-year professional undergraduate degree:
Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Applied Food and Nutritional Sciences (Dietetics)
Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Applied Food and Nutritional Sciences (Food Science)
Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Applied Food and Nutritional Sciences (Human Nutrition)
The programme holistically tackles the science of food, human nutrition and dietetics and is specifically designed to meet the growing demand for health professionals and technical people to work in the food and health sector.
The course boasts of a variety of teaching methods. The first three years include a combination of theoretical study units, practical based study units in our well-equipped laboratories and various site visits in different settings, ranging from food industries, public health settings, clinics and hospitals. A hands-on approach is encouraged by having a study unit dedicated to technical work in every academic year of the programme, enabling students to develop key practical and analytical skills.
In the first year, you will study an extensive range of topics, from physiology to biochemistry, the fundamentals of human nutrition, food chemistry and food microbiology. This gives you a sound foundation enabling you to follow the degree with profit.
In the second year you will start to appreciate better the role of nutrition in health and disease prevention and treatment. You will gain an understanding of the different dietary requirements throughout the lifecycle and the skills necessary to enable you to translate nutritional science into public health recommendations or more specifically dietary advice. You will develop an improved understanding of food technology, food legislation and aspects of food physics.
During the third year you will undergo your first placement through experiential learning, with the aim of exposing you to the different professions and career opportunities available to graduates. The skills acquired during the three-year period will enable students to orientate themselves towards a career in health or in the food industry.
The fourth year of study is structured around a strong placement component. Students choose to follow study units in one of three streams, namely Human Nutrition, Dietetics or Food Science and complete another three block placements in settings relevant to their chosen stream. In this final year of your degree you will also be given the choice to perform research in an area of your interest, linking the theoretical knowledge and analytical skills you have developed.
Students following either the Human Nutrition stream or the Dietetics stream successfully will be able to register with the Council of Professions Complementary to Medicine as a Nutritionist or a Dietitian respectively upon graduation, providing a clear marker of their professional status within the nutritional sciences. This also implies professional autonomy in the field upon graduation, enabling graduates to work independently. Students choosing the Food Science stream will have the theoretical skills and technical knowledge required to embark on a career as a professional Food Scientist.
Some of our students use the degree as a stepping stone and further their studies at postgraduate level to MSc or PhD following our research-based programmes. Alternatively, some move into other areas such as teaching. Recent graduates work both freelance as registered dietitians, registered nutritionists and offering consultancy services to the food industry, as well as with a range of employers, including the Government such as the Nutrition and Dietetics Department at Mater Dei Hospital, Kenn Ghal Sahhtek, Karen Grech Hospital, Primary Health Care and specialised food companies such as Foster Clarks, James Caterers, Consolidated Biscuits and Corinthia Group of Companies amongst others.