Sports and Exercise Nutrition

Module Aims
This module develops advanced understanding of the fundamentals of sports and exercise nutrition in a variety of settings, enabling students to evaluate and apply evidence-based nutritional strategies for optimising athletic performance, recovery, and body composition through macro/micronutrient manipulation, hydration protocols, and strategic meal timing.

Module Content

• Fundamentals of Sports Nutrition and Energy Systems
• Macronutrients in Sports Performance: Timing, Type, and Amount
• Micronutrients and Their Role in Exercise Metabolism
• Hydration Strategies and Electrolyte Balance
• Body Composition Assessment and Nutrition Planning
• Recovery Nutrition and Meal Timing

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically appraise current scientific evidence on macronutrient and micronutrient functions and requirements in sport and exercise settings, to formulate context-specific, evidence-informed nutritional strategies for performance, recovery, and body composition, within the learner’s professional scope of practice.
2. Design and evaluate personalised nutrition interventions that integrate hydration protocols, body composition assessment, and nutrient timing, to support exercise metabolism and recovery in varied populations, recognising the limits of one’s own scope of practice.

Module Aims
This module develops clinical competencies and perspectives in sports nutrition, enabling students to assess, design and implement evidence-based nutritional interventions for diverse populations, with particular focus on managing common medical conditions within specific groups of the sports/fitness subjects, and optimising nutrition across different physiological states and recovery scenarios.

Module Content

• Nutritional Assessment and Care Planning in Athletes
• Managing Medical Conditions in Athletic Populations
• Female Athlete Considerations and RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport)
• Performance Nutrition for Different Body Compositions
• Ageing Athletes and Masters Sports Nutrition
• Injury Recovery and Rehabilitation Nutrition

Learning Outcomes

1. Integrate and critically evaluate physiological, clinical, and nutritional data to develop comprehensive care plans that address health and recovery goals in athletic populations with varying medical conditions, within the learner’s scope of professional practice.
2. Design and justify evidence-based nutrition interventions tailored to diverse athlete populations, considering physiological and performance-related factors related to the learner’s scope of practice.

Module Aims
This final module develops advanced professional competencies in sports nutrition practice, enabling students to design, implement and evaluate evidence-based nutrition strategies across different sporting contexts, while critically appraising supplementation protocols and integrating contemporary nutritional approaches with athletic training cycles.

Module Content

• Sport-Specific Nutrition Programming (Endurance vs. Power vs. Team Sports)
• Supplementation in Sports: Evidence-Based Approaches
• Competition Nutrition and Weight Management Strategies
• Performance Testing and Nutritional Monitoring
• Integrating Nutrition with Periodised Training Programmes
• Contemporary Issues and Future Directions in Sports Nutrition

Learning Outcomes

1. Design, implement, and critically evaluate sport-specific nutritional programmes, integrating evidence-based supplementation protocols and performance monitoring tools to optimise outcomes within the bounds of the learner’s professional scope of practice.
2. Critically appraise and synthesise emerging research and contemporary debates in sports nutrition, to inform the development of innovative, periodised nutrition strategies that align with athletic training cycles and evolving professional practices.

As each Medical Council has their own rules/regulations with regard to Postgraduate study we recommend that you contact your local Medical Council with regard to recognition.

Upon completion of the course the University would invite you to a graduation ceremony and provide your certificate which makes no reference to the fact that the course was studied online and is therefore typically recognised the same as any other UK University qualification.

Rest assured, the overall Postgraduate Diploma carries a total of 1,200 CPD points, with the MSc an additional 600 CPD points, and all official certifications are issued directly by the University.

When you study one of our programmes you may be surprised to find that there are no lectures or seminars. Your learning will be self-directed meaning that rather than being told information you find it for yourself (with tutor guidance and support). We do this via a series of clinically rich scenarios which your tutor will post on our academic forum which you and your classmates will research, respond to and discuss.

You will be assessed through the Academic Forum, Reflective Journal and Assignments. Learning will be carried out using our online learning platform: Moodle.

You can study whenever and wherever you want - our programmes are totally flexible to fit around your other work and life commitments.

The course is specifically designed so that part of your study is the application of theory to practice in your day job.

We typically suggest that students aim to log into the Moodle platform daily. We recommend a "little and often" approach for reading, reflection and/or posting. High achieving students will typically spend 1-2 hours dedicated to their studies a day; 10 hours per week is sufficient time to spend on the platform.

Those who cannot dedicate more time than once/twice per week may struggle with the demands of this postgraduate programme.

Yes, everything is done entirely online through our learning platform, Moodle. You do not need to attend the University.

All of our courses are delivered in English, so proficiency in the English language is essential for success. If English is not your first language, we require proof of competency as part of your application. We accept the following as proof of English Language skills:

We Accept a Range of English Language Qualifications
While IELTS and TOEFL are among the most commonly used English tests, we understand that students come from diverse backgrounds — and we’re happy to work with you to accept a wide range of other recognised English language qualifications.

We accept IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
Our most commonly accepted test, IELTS is globally recognised and widely used for university admissions.

We accept TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
Another widely accepted test, TOEFL assesses your reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in an academic setting.

We accept English Medium of Instruction (EMI) Letters
Many of our international students provide an EMI (English Medium Instruction) letter from their previous institution. This letter should confirm that you were taught in the medium of English. It is a popular and widely accepted form of proof, especially if you have completed prior academic studies in English.

Our University partners Requirements
The University of South Wales accepts an overall score of 6.0 (minimum of 5.5 for each band) and The University of Buckingham accepts an overall score of 6.5 (minimum of 6.0 for each band).

Our Flexible Instalment Plan is designed to offer ultimate flexibility to pay for your programme. You have the choice of two payment options:

Make an Upfront Payment in Full: For those who prefer to settle their fees upfront, you can pay the full amount at the beginning of your programme.

Interest-Free Payments: Alternatively, you can choose to spread your payments out with interest-free instalments every month for the duration of your course.

These options are separate from our existing lending partners, which you can explore further on our programme pages. We believe that education should be accessible to all, and our Flexible Instalment Plan is just one of the ways we are committed to supporting you in your academic journey.

We currently offer two discounts: the Early Bird Discount and the Action Taker Discount. The Early Bird discount allows you to save up to £500 or more, available only to self-funders and is a limited-time offer that runs for the entirety of November for the March cohort or the entirety of May for the September cohort. Our Action Taker Discount allows you to save up to £150 off for PGCert and £250 off for PGDip/2-year MSc programmes. To qualify for Action Takers, you must pay the deposit within 7 days of acceptance.

For Early Bird Discounts, the discount is visible if your application and acceptance are completed within the required timeframe. For Action Taker Discounts, it will reflect once conditions are met.