Food Nutrition & Health

The Graduate Programmes in Food, Nutrition and Health are aimed at graduates from a variety of disciplines and is suitable for both science and non-science graduates. Students will be educated on the fundamentals of food science and nutrition after which the curriculum enables students to choose topics for more detailed focus.



This programme is delivered and assessed entirely on- line. Minimum registration to the Graduate Diploma is 18 months​. The flexible and online format of the programme enables the majority of students enrolling on the programme to combine studying while in employment.



Hosted by the UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science, the Food, Nutrition and Health programme brings together academic and research staff from across UCD in health-related aspects of food research, including food science, human and public health nutrition, food production, biosystems engineering, food law, consumer behaviour and food safety.



Students will gain an understanding of the nature of food, how it is produced, how it is affected by processing, why we eat, what happens to food when we eat it, and how food components can interact with the functioning of humans. Upon completion of the MSc graduates will be able to apply this knowledge to address nutrition-related problems in different groups, cultures and societies.



Graduates will be educated to a high level in the science of food as it pertains to human nutrition and health.



What Will I Learn?

-Be skilled in proposing and developing solutions to nutrition-related problems as they relate to human health and disease and communicate these to stakeholders, at a professional and appropriate level, utilizing information technology and a range of approaches



-Demonstrate a critical awareness of principles relating to scientific integrity and ethical issues in Food, Nutrition and Health



-Demonstrate competence to acquire, organise, analyse, integrate and critically review information from a wide range of sources relating to issues in Food, Nutrition and Health and construct and defend reasoned conclusions



-Demonstrate effective time management and organization skills



-Have a working knowledge of the structures and theoretical tools that enable efficient team work, in order to generate innovative ideas and know-how to approach their subsequent selection for further development



-Integrate and apply knowledge of key principles underlying Food, Nutrition and Health



-Think independently, show initiative, evaluate and reflect, set tasks and select appropriate and reasoned approaches to solve problems.



NFQ Level: 9 (60 credits)

Level: Graduate Taught

Award: Graduate Diploma

Stage 1 Options - A) Min 1 of:

Core Modules

We advise that students take HNUT 40060 Introduction to Nutrition; FDSC 40500 Chemistry of Nutrients, and FDSC 40530 Principles of Biochemistry in Autumn, Year 1 if possible.

Students should refer to the Food, Nutrition & Health Programme Handbook for further details.

FDSC40500: Chemistry of Nutrients

FDSC40530: Principles of Biochemistry

HNUT40060: Introduction to Nutrition



Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:

Choose nine of the following.

Students choose 45 credits of Option Modules over the course of their programme registration.

Students should refer to the Food, Nutrition & Health Programme Handbook for further details.

FDSC40520: Food Microbiology & Safety

FDSC40920: Plant Foods

HNUT40090: Pathways to Health (O/L)

HNUT40100: Food Regulatory Affairs (O/L)

HNUT40130: Research Design and Statistics

HNUT40150: Nutritional Assessment

PHPS40720: Public Health Nutrition O/L

FDSC40510: Food Chemistry

FDSC40540: Food Process Technology

FDSC40570: Food Marketing (O/L)

FDSC40600: Principles of Sensory Science

FDSC40890: Animal Foods

HNUT40070: Nutrients in the Life Cycle

HNUT40080: Omic Strategies in Nutrition

HNUT40110: Food Quality and Safety (O/L)

HNUT40250: Clinical Nutrition O/L

HNUT40280: Nutritional Physiology

PERS40090: Sport and Exercise Nutrition

PHPS40710: Promoting Consumer Nutrition

The course is aimed at graduates from science-based disciplines with no previous or recent formal educational background in Food Science or Nutrition who wish to up-skill and become competent in this increasingly important and rapidly evolving area.



Applicants must hold a minimum of a Second Class Honours degree in a cognate subject (Science, Engineering or related discipline), or international equivalent.



Applicants with other awards who hold substantial relevant work experience will be considered.



Applicants who do not hold the requisite Science qualification (but who hold a Level 8 Honours degree or equivalent) have been admitted previously and are advised to submit an application for assessment by the Programme Coordinator to determine eligibility.



All applications are assessed on a case by case basis by the Programme Director.



Applicants are asked to provide a CV and Personal Statement with their application, along with Academic Transcripts (non UCD Graduates) and proof of English proficiency if required.



Applicants who would like to take a stand-alone module may do so as an Occasional Student, and should contact the School of Agriculture and Food Science directly for further details on how to apply and cost per module. Email: foodonline@ucd.ie



You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme.



Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page (https://tinyurl.com/2ae2ffax) for further information. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

18 months part-time

Delivery: Online

X620: Graduate Diploma Food, Nutrition & Health

Graduate Diploma



Part-Time: Commencing September 2025

Graduate Taught