Nutrition and Dietetics BSc (Hons) - 2026/7
Awarding body
University of Surrey
Teaching institute
University of Surrey
Framework
FHEQ Level 6
Final award and programme/pathway title
BSc (Hons) Nutrition and Dietetics
Subsidiary award(s)
| Award | Title |
|---|---|
| Ord | Biosciences |
| DipHE | Biosciences |
| CertHE | Biosciences |
Professional recognition
Health and Care Professions Council, the (HCPC)
Approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) for the purpose of providing eligibility to apply for registration with the HCPC as a dietitian.
British Dietetic Association (BDA)
Accredited by the British Dietetic Association (BDA) as delivering the approved pre-registration curriculum framework. Provides eligibility to apply for HCPC registration as a dietitian.
Modes of study
| Route code | Credits and ECTS Credits | |
| Full-time | UCA10002 | 360 credits and 180 ECTS credits |
QAA Subject benchmark statement (if applicable)
Dietetics
Other internal and / or external reference points
British Dietetic Association and Health Care Professions Council
Faculty and Department / School
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences - School of Biosciences
Programme Leader
JEARY Caitlin (Biosciences)
Date of production/revision of spec
18/12/2024
Educational aims of the programme
- To provide opportunity for students to gain an understanding of sciences fundamental to Nutrition and Dietetics.
- To further the students' knowledge of the mechanisms underlying disorders with nutritional aetiologies at both the biochemical and molecular level.
- To provide a high quality education and training in the various aspects of Nutrition and Dietetics to ensure that graduates are prepared for the diverse and challenging posts available for dietitians within both the NHS and elsewhere.
- To further the students' knowledge of the fundamental principles of Nutrition and Dietetics especially in areas in which they have had experience during clinical training, and in which the Faculty has achieved distinction in research.
- To provide the appropriate environment to encourage students to reflect on their experiences during academic study and clinical training and to help them acquire appropriate intellectual, scientific, technical and transferable skills to promote self-directed and life-long learning.
- To equip students with all the core competencies (knowledge, skills, values and behaviours) expected of a registered dietitian, as outlined by the BDA curriculum and HCPC standards of practice.
Programme learning outcomes
| Attributes Developed | Awards | Ref. | |
| To develop a foundation of knowledge in human biosciences with understanding of its application to nutrition in clinical and non clinical settings | KCP | CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons) | Pillars; E |
| To have an understanding of the nutrients and non-nutrient content of food and beverages and how they affect health | KCP | CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons) | Pillars: EG |
| To Have an awareness of current healthy eating guidelines and an appreciation of dietary assessment methods and how to apply them across diverse client backgrounds | KCPT | CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons) | Pillars: EGR |
| To understand the concept of leadership in relation to dietetic practice | KPT | DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons) | Pillars: EGR |
| To be able to use information technology, digital resources, software, and other digital media effectively for collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination and communication of information and/or data in a range of clinical and non-clinical settings. | KCPT | DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons) | Pillars: EDR |
| To have an understanding of the application of nutritional concepts at biochemical (including nutrient gene interactions), organisational and population level and the metabolic basis of food demand and nutritional requirements through the life cycle and for specific populations in both health and disease | KC | DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons) | Pillars: EG |
| To have an understanding of nutrition in the development and management of disease | C | DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons) | Pillars: E |
| To have an understanding of and development of the skills required to perform investigations commonly used to assess nutritional status | KCPT | DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons) | Pillars: EDR |
| To appreciate the chemical properties of food and the impact of food processing and be able to apply their understanding of food science to solve real problems and to develop practical solutions to meeting requirements of an individual or group. | KCPT | DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons) | Pillars: ERS |
| To be able to; Design, plan and execute an appropriate research project (including audit or service evaluation) in Nutritional Science | KCPT | BSc (Hons) | Pillars: ER |
| To have technical and transferable skills, including self-reflection, to carry out self-directed and life-long learning as a means of improving performance and effectiveness | CT | Ord, BSc (Hons) | Pillars: DRE |
| To demonstrate a critical, integrated and applied understanding of professionalism, evidence-based practice, and behaviours within dietetics required for entry onto the HCPC and outlined in the HCPC Handbook: Standards of Proficiency: Dietitians and described by the 6 Cs of the NHS constitution care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment | PT | BSc (Hons) | Pillars: ER |
| A good breadth of knowledge in social, psychological and clinical sciences which are relevant to dietetic practice in a range of clinical and non-clinical settings. | K | Ord, BSc (Hons) | Pillars; EG |
| An understanding of the principles and key components of nutritional science, and how theoretical concepts may be translated into applied diet therapy and dietary modification in a safe and ethical way | KCPT | Ord, BSc (Hons) | Pillars: EGR |
| Discuss the issue of the global food supply, particularly in reference to the double burden of disease and developing nations, climate change and food sustainability | CP | CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons) | Pillars; EGS |
| An understanding of the key principles of health promotion and health education, with an awareness of public health policies and programmes, nationally, cross culturally and internationally | KP | CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons) | Pillars: EGS |
| To be able to appraise critically the theory, practice, literature, and research findings within the field of nutrition and dietetics | KCPT | DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons) | Pillars: ER |
| To be able to gather, analyse (using basic statistical and numerical skills) and interpret qualitative and quantitative data | P | DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons) | Pillars; DER |
| Take responsibility for planning and organisation of work, both their own and that of a team and be able to work effectively and independently on a given project or task | CT | CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons) | Pillars: RE |
| Demonstrate effective and appropriate skills in communicating information, advice, instruction, and professional opinion to others including clients, carers, and other health professionals and to be able to communicate effectively by oral, written, and other media. | KCPT | Ord, BSc (Hons) | Pillars: EDGR |
Attributes Developed
C - Cognitive/analytical
K - Subject knowledge
T - Transferable skills
P - Professional/Practical skills
Programme structure
Full-time
This Bachelor's Degree (Honours) programme is studied full-time over four academic years, consisting of 360 credits (120 credits at FHEQ levels 4, 5 and 6). All modules are semester based and worth 15 credits with the exception of project, practice based and dissertation modules.
The programme includes three placements. Placement A takes place during the summer following year 1 and last four weeks. Placement B and C take place during year 3. Placement B consists of a 12 week placement followed by 4 weeks of problem based learning at the University. Placement C consists of a 12 week placement.
Possible exit awards include:
- Bachelor's Degree (Ordinary) (300 credits)
- Diploma of Higher Education (240 credits)
- Certificate of Higher Education (120 credits)
Programme Adjustments (if applicable)
General: The British Dietetic Association does not permit compensation where core competencies are covered and assessed. As such, some modules are required to be core rather than compulsory. All components of assessments (which appear as the overall assessment mark) have to be passed at a minimum of 35% and compensation for a mark between 35% and 39% can only occur within a module (BDA curriculum 2020), the overall module mark for the module has to be at least 40%. Core modules cannot be trailed into the next academic year (see full description in Outline of Progression for Nutrition + Dietetics BSc document and also the Nutrition and Dietetic Placement Handbook).
Any other requirements are set out in the Dietetic Programme Conditions which are sent to students in their first week and have to be signed by the student. For example, there are Criminal and Occupational Health checks. Attendance of some components of some modules are compulsory, for example all BMS2049 and BMS3068 workshops are compulsory and all practical sessions in all modules are compulsory. Compulsory sessions will be outlined by the module organiser at the start of the module. Failure to attend these compulsory sessions without extenuating circumstances will jeopardise student progression on the Dietetics Programme.
The Dietetic programme operates on a 15-credit modular structure taught over two semesters (Semester 1 September to January; Semester 2 February to June). All taught modules are semester based and are worth 15 credits, which is indicative of 150 hours of learning, comprised of student contact, private study and assessment. The research project module (BMS3076) at FHEQ level 6 is 30 credits and spans both Semester 1 and Semester 2.
Specific: This programme is studied full-time over four academic years. The main Professional Training Year (which is non-credit baring) takes place between Level 5 and Level 6 and includes approximately 30 weeks: Placement B, a five-week taught module (Applied Dietetics 2) and Placement C. The total number of Placement hours is 1000 hours.
Placement A is a pass or fail placement made up of three parts; an online module, involvement in ¿Time for Dementia¿ and a two week Clinical Placement where 6 Learning Outcomes have to be completed (this two week clinical placement usually takes place in Summer between level 4 and level 5). All 3 parts have of the placement must be passed.
Placement B is a pass or fail placement made up of two parts; an online module of 1 week, and a 12-week Clinical Placement where 12 Learning Outcomes have to be completed. Both parts and learning outcomes of the placement have to be passed.
Applied dietetics 2 (AD2) is a five-week module which takes place between Placements B and C in the professional training year. This involves 1 week of distance learning and 4 weeks of full-time problem-based learning. This is a compulsory module and students must attend all sessions and engage in all given work to progress onto Placement C. This module is evaluated as pass or fail by assessing student engagement.
Placement C is a pass or fail placement made up of a 12-week Clinical Placement where 12 Learning Outcomes have to be completed. Students must pass all learning outcomes within the allocated placement timeframe to successfully pass Placement C (this may extend in final year if some learning outcomes are outstanding after completing placements).
To achieve the principal award of BSc (Hons) Nutrition and Dietetics and be eligible to apply to the HCPC to become a registered dietitian, a student must complete 360 credits, 120 credits at FHEQ levels 4, 5, and 6 and pass all of their placements. The BDA also require that dietetic students, where the Programme does not include a Placement at the end of the academic studies, maintain some consistency and opportunities for students to show they have met standards for registration with HCPC.
Modules
Year 1 - FHEQ Level 4
Module Selection for Year 1 - FHEQ Level 4
No optional modules
Placement A is a pass or fail placement made up of three parts; an online module, involvement in Time for Dementia and a two week Clinical Placement where 6 Learning Outcomes have to be completed (this two week clinical placement usually takes place in Summer between level 4 and level 5). All 3 parts have of the placement must be passed
Year 2 - FHEQ Level 5
Module Selection for Year 2 - FHEQ Level 5
No optional modules. Time for Dementia will continue into year 2
Year 3 - FHEQ Level 6
Module Selection for Year 3 - FHEQ Level 6
Choose 2 optional modules (1 per semester). The BDA also require that dietetic students, where the Programme does not include a Placement at the end of the academic studies, maintain some consistency and take part in opportunities for them to show they have met standards for registration with HCPC such as public health interventions.
Placement Year -
| Module code | Module title | Status | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMSP002 | NUTRITION & DIETETICS: PLACEMENT B | Core | 0 | 1 |
| BMSP003 | NUTRITION & DIETETICS: PLACEMENT C | Core | 0 | 2 |
Module Selection for Placement Year -
Placement B is a pass or fail placement made up of two parts; an online module of 1 week, and a 12-week Clinical Placement where 12 Learning Outcomes have to be completed. Both parts and learning outcomes of the placement have to be passed.
Applied dietetics 2 (AD2) is a five-week module which takes place between Placements B and C in the professional training year. This involves 1 week of distance learning and 4 weeks of full-time problem-based learning. This is a compulsory module and students must attend all sessions and engage in all given work to progress onto Placement C. This module is evaluated as pass or fail by assessing student engagement.
Placement C is a pass or fail placement made up of a 12-week Clinical Placement where 12 Learning Outcomes have to be completed. Students must pass all learning outcomes within the allocated placement timeframe to successfully pass Placement C (this may extend in final year if some learning outcomes are outstanding after completing placements).
Opportunities for placements / work related learning / collaborative activity
| Associate Tutor(s) / Guest Speakers / Visiting Academics | Y | |
| Professional Training Year (PTY) | N | |
| Placement(s) (study or work that are not part of PTY) | Y | Yes |
| Clinical Placement(s) (that are not part of the PTY scheme) | Y | Yes |
| Study exchange (Level 5) | N | |
| Dual degree | N |
Other information
This programme is aligned to the University of Surrey¿s Five Pillars of Curriculum Design and design, namely (in alphabetical order), Digital Capabilities, Employability, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Resourcefulness & Resilience, and Sustainability. Specifically, these pillars are covered in this programme in the following ways:
Digital Capabilities: Throughout the programme students learn to navigate and utilise the Virtual Learning Environment (SurreyLearn) and other digital resources and online databases to aid their learning and undertake research. Students are also introduced to, and gain proficiency in, specific digital tools, such as dietary analysis and statistical packages, building their skills to assess nutritional status, generate, analyse, and present data. Students are encouraged to use current media such as Whatsapp, MS Teams, Zoom, and utilising cloud/file sharing for communication and team working. Ethical and professional use of these mediums are discussed in tutorials and assessed formatively and summatively. Appropriate use of digital and social media and communication platforms is increasingly important for the modern dietitian, and through use and discussion of these students gain an awareness of their roles, plus their limitations and misuse which can have wider impact (e.g. to digital wellbeing).
Employability: The programme is an BDA accredited and HCPC approved programme. As such, the programme is designed to equip students with all the core competencies required of registered dietitians. Upon completion of the programme graduates are eligible to apply to the HCPC to register as a Dietitian (RD). Throughout the course students will be taught by, and exposed to, a variety of internal and external speakers demonstrating to students the variety of specific roles dietitians and nutritionists have in the workplace. The tasks and assessments undertaken across the modules are specifically chosen to equip students with knowledge, skills and values that are key to the role of modern dietitians. Underpinning everything through this programme, students develop the ability to critically appraise evidence and the appropriate application of this knowledge to specific individuals, groups, or populations, in the development of new products, advancing research or creating new health interventions or enterprises.
Global and Cultural Capabilities: The programme is taught in an interactive and collaborative way, in a cohort that commonly represents a wealth of nationalities and backgrounds. Students are encouraged to engage with and learn from diverse perspectives through interaction and teamwork. Current evidence in nutritional science originates from cross-cultural studies, and differences between ethnic groups are explored and appreciated as key to understanding the interrelationship between diet, nutrition, and health. Students also develop an understanding of inequalities in health and the underlying causes of inadequate nutrition worldwide, with exploration of how the diversity of lived experience and culture can impact food choice. Invited speakers contribute to diverse global perspectives on nutrition, in addition to specific lectures on equality and diversity in nutrition and dietetic practice. Learners will develop an awareness of the influence of ethnicity (including genetic, socio-economic status, beliefs and behaviours) on health.
Resourcefulness & Resilience: From early in the programme students are introduced to the expectations regarding teaching, learning and assessment to facilitate self-efficacy. Timetabling encourages agency in planning workloads, and preparation for sessions which employs aspects of ¿flipped learning¿. Formative and summative assessments are designed to ¿feed forward¿ to assessments within modules and to future modules in the programme. As a cohort, we encourage and foster collaborative learning, communication, and peer support. Throughout, we build independent learning, critical thinking, dynamism, risk assessment and problem-solving attributes using in class activities and assessments (both formative and summative). The nature of the programme requires students to draw upon individual and collective resourcefulness, growing in their ability to practice independently whilst also learning from others. Within practical and professional elements of the programme, as a cohort you will also experience both the client and the dietitian perspective. The importance of leadership, self-efficacy, and resilience in the role of the dietitian, and in rising to the challenges of the dietetic profession is emphasised across the programme.
Sustainability: From the very beginning of the programme students begin to consider the foundations of nutrition knowledge in the context of the UN Sustainable Goals and the sustainability of food biosystems which includes provision of diet that maintains health and prevents disease. Broader aspects relevant to sustainability, including food production, processing, distribution, retail and impact on global resources and the environment are topics that are addressed across the programme. Seminars and tutorials give students the opportunity to explore specific topical aspects of sustainability including the National Food Strategy, the EAT Lancet recommendations for ¿planetary health¿, sustainable development and factors affecting food security in the UK and globally.
Quality assurance
The Regulations and Codes of Practice for taught programmes can be found at:
Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2026/7 academic year.