Human Nutrition (DN262/HMS1)

The early years focus on core sciences and general food and health modules, which build your knowledge of biological systems and their application to human nutrition. In third year you complete a ten-month Professional Work Experience (PWE) placement. Final year focuses on specific areas of human nutrition.

Students spend an average of 40 hours a week attending lectures and tutorials, participating in laboratory workshops, and undertake independent study.

A combination of end-of-trimester written examinations and continuous assessment is used. In third and fourth year, you’ll complete comprehensive research projects.

The Human Nutrition Programme at UCD is accredited by the Association for Nutrition.

Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

A 10-month PWE programme allows you to graduate with the skills necessary to enter the working world.

Opportunities for international study exist through the PWE component and, upon graduation, through world-class research groups in international universities.

Graduates have found employment in:

• The food industry
• Nutrition research
• Health promotion

You can also train as a public health nutritionist through further study and/ or applied practice. A number of students also progress to postgraduate taught study each year with the MSc in Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics programme at UCD a particularly popular option.

Building a healthy world is a core strategy for UCD and the internationally recognised research groups in food and health have resulted in substantially increased recruitment into PhD and MSc (research) posts.

Non-EU Undergraduate Fee information can be found here.

UCD offers a number of competitive undergraduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD undergraduate degree programme. For information on Undergraduate Scholarships, please see the UCD International Scholarships webpage.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals present a collective roadmap for fostering peace and prosperity for both people and the planet, both now and in the future. In the Human Nutrition program, students delve into the foundations of nutritional knowledge within the framework of these UN Sustainable Goals. At its core, nutrition is about the interplay between food and our health. And in a sustainable food system, the provision of a diet that maintains health and prevents disease is paramount.

As an integral part of the program, leading experts guide students to explore various aspects relevant to sustainability. These include food production, processing, consumption, and their impact on global resources and the environment. The vision of sustainability within the Human Nutrition Program aligns with the ethos of the UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science. Here, the teaching and research programs span the entire food chain, from on-farm food production to human nutrition and health, offering a diverse range of career opportunities for graduates in Ireland and internationally. In addition to this the programme relates to the relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s): 

• Zero Hunger (SDG 2)
• Good Health and Well-being (SGD3)
• Quality Education (SDG4)
• Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG8)
• Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12)
• Climate Action (SDG 13)
• Life Below Water (SDG 14)
• Life on Land (SDG 15)

I’m a student from Spain, studying my third year of Human Nutrition at UCD. Going to UCD has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. At first, it is difficult to leave everything behind, but it is amazing how we can quickly start developing a new life in a different country.

UCD is a huge campus and is always full of people. There are a lot of activities going on during the week and when the weather is nice you can really enjoy the green areas on campus. There are lots of international students here and it has been really great getting to know them. Studying at UCD has been a great experience and I would recommend to anyone to study here and to enjoy living in the amazing city of Dublin.

Miriam Mitxelena, Spain