How do we improve our understanding of the relationship between diet and health?

Study the clinical and scientific basis of human nutrition.

  • Train in clinical, metabolic and molecular nutrition.
  • Explore issues affecting public health.
  • Learn how to help prevent disease.

This online Masters in Clinical Nutrition is accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN). It’s the voluntary regulator for nutritionists and nutrition scientists in the UK.

This flexible Clinical Nutrition degree fits around full-time work and lets you set your own study pace.

AfN accredited programme. Accreditation number AC310

AfN accredited programme

MSc Clinical Nutrition is accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN).

Graduate and you can register with the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists as a Registered Associate Nutritionist.

By the end of this degree, you’ll be able to...

  • Describe the scientific basis of nutrition.
  • Explain nutritional requirements, from the molecular through to the population level.
  • Describe the food chain and its impact on food choice, integrating the food supply with dietary intake.
  • Evaluate food in a social or behavioural context, at all stages of the life-course.
  • Apply the scientific principles of nutrition for the promotion of health and wellbeing of individuals, groups and populations.
  • Apply for direct entry to the UKVRN as a Registered Associate Nutritionist.

What you’ll study

You can choose to study for a:

  • Masters (180 credits)
  • Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits)
  • Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits), or
  • start with one of the short courses that make up this degree (15 credits).

Try our degree scheduler

Choose your courses

Choose your courses

See all the courses that are part of this degree and choose what you want to study.

Manage your study schedule

Manage your study schedule

Control the pace and cost of your degree. Decide how much you want to study each term.

Save to your wishlist

Save to your wishlist

Save your schedule to your wishlist so you can view and edit anytime.

Customise your degree

How you’ll study

Online learning

This is a multi-disciplinary and research-led Masters degree. It’s delivered part-time, entirely online.

Your teaching

Your teaching is delivered through MyAberdeen, our online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It holds all the materials, tools and support you’ll need in your studies. Take a look around MyAberdeen.

You can access your learning materials on computer, smartphone and laptop, 24 hours a day. You do not need to purchase any books at all. You’ll find a range of resources at your fingertips, including online access to our award-winning Sir Duncan Rice Library.

Live teaching sessions are recorded for you to join live, or stream later at a time that suits you.

Your tutors

You’ll learn from leading academics and health professionals in our School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, and the Rowett Institute.

Assessments

All assessments are completed and delivered online.

Study with the Rowett Institute

Join us online and you’ll learn with the Rowett Institute. It’s been informing government health policy and establishing the link between diet and health for over 100 years.

You’ll be joining an institute at the forefront of scientific research into diet-related health and food security issues today.

Your support team

Our friendly team are here to answer any queries you have before, during and after your studies.

Dr Alan Sneddon

Dr Alan Sneddon

Alan is the degree coordinator. He’ll be on hand to answer any questions about degree content before you start and to help you throughout your studies.

Clare McHattie

Clare is part of the School’s postgraduate teaching support team. She’ll be there throughout your studies to answer any of your non-academic queries.

Get in touch

The online education team is here to answer any questions you have right now about this qualification, or about studying online.

Ask us a question

Where this will take you

Become a Registered Associate Nutritionist

MSc Clinical Nutrition is an AfN accredited programme.

This means, once you graduate, you can apply for direct entry to the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN) as a Registered Associate Nutritionist (ANutr).

The degree was accredited by the AfN in July 2020 and will remain so for five years.

Find out what it means to be a Registered Associate Nutritionist.

Careers

Completing the MSc Clinical Nutrition at the University of Aberdeen will give you the knowledge, understanding and practical insight required to advance your career in nutrition. You will broaden your career opportunities and develop an invaluable network of contacts.

Career options available to you include:

  • Nutritionist
  • Public Health Policy Manager
  • Nutrition and Dietetics Coordinator
  • Fitness and Nutrition Counsellor
  • Further study (PhD)
  • Academic jobs in universities (including lecturer, researcher)

Lifelong career support

Our career support doesn’t stop when you graduate.

You have access to our free careers service while you study, and beyond.

  • 1:1 appointments
  • CV checks
  • Interview prep
  • Job opportunities

Fees and funding

Master of Science

180 credits

£16,820

This indicative cost is based on 180 credits of study over two years, starting in September 2025.

Postgraduate Diploma

120 credits

£11,120

This indicative cost is based on 120 credits of study over two years, starting in September 2025.

Postgraduate Certificate

60 credits

£5,420

This indicative cost is based on 30 credits of study per term, starting in September 2025.

The fees quoted above are based on you starting your studies with us in the 2025/26 academic year.

Our indicative costs include a 5% fee rise each year.

Pay as you go

This is a pay-as-you-go qualification.

You do not have to pay the full tuition fee upfront.

You can spread the cost and pay as you go, term by term.

How it works

  • You decide how many credits to study for each term.
  • At the start of term, you pay only for the credits you’re taking that term.
  • This gives you control over your costs and workload for each term of your qualification.

Your personalised cost breakdown

Use the degree scheduler to plan your studies and see your cost breakdown, term by term.

Choose the University of Aberdeen for your online nutrition degree

Unique expertise

Learn from tutors and scientists at the forefront of nutrition studies, publishing research into gut health, metabolism and obesity.

Nutritional health pioneers

Study with the Rowett Institute. Governments and the food and drink industry have turned to us for research for decades.

Find out more about Rowett research

NHS and alumni discounts

NHS staff get 10% off this online degree. University of Aberdeen alumni get 20% off.

Entry requirements

MSc, PgDip and PgCert

  • A 2:2 (lower-second) honours degree in Biological Sciences or Life Sciences
  • or equivalent research or field experience.

These are our minimum entry requirements. They are given as a guide and do not guarantee entry.

Short course route to online MSc Clinical Nutrition

If you do not meet these entry requirements, or are not ready to commit to a full MSc, you may be able to use our online short courses as a route into this degree.

Find out about our short course route to entry

Apply for this programme

Start month
September or January
INDICATIVE COST
£16,820

This indicative cost is based on 180 credits of study over two years, starting in September 2025.

Apply via our Applicant Portal
Added to your wishlist