Optional modules will allow you to tailor the programme to your own interests and gain the key skills required for specific disciplines, such as entrepreneurship, public health, the food industry, physical activity, and nutrition in health and social care settings.
This means that alongside gaining first-hand experience on work placements, you will be provided with the ideal preparation for a range of careers working in the food, nutrition, health promotion or leisure industries.
You will also be equipped with the knowledge and skills to work safely and effectively in these environments, using a range of equipment and techniques, on the practical sessions throughout the degree.
Real world experience
Opportunities to gain real world experience outside of Edge Hill University are an integral part of the course. This degree has a placement element embedded to help you to gain skills and experience in a relevant workplace environment.
We have a strong variety of partnerships with local and national organisations, charities and service providers, offering opportunities to work with and learn from these organisations. Whether it be gaining experience working in the food and leisure industries, local authorities, charitable organisations, the NHS, parenting organisations, health promotion, or even schools, you will be equipped to enter a variety of nutrition-related roles within both the public and private sector. There is also the opportunity to complete a sandwich year where you can go and work within an area of interest for 12 months, developing your employability skills further.
On successful completion of your degree, you will be eligible to apply for Direct Entry as a Registered Associate Nutritionist (ANutr) with the Association for Nutrition (AfN). Registration with the AfN demonstrates that you have received a sound underpinning of scientific knowledge in evidence-based nutrition. It also enables you to join the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists, the only register of qualified nutritionists recognised by Public Health England, NHS Choices and NHS Careers.
Whatever additional opportunities may arise to enhance and develop your future, we will support you.
Innovation and entrepreneurship
Ever thought about setting up your own business? Release your inner entrepreneur, be immersed in innovation, and explore the basics of business, marketing and communication on our optional third year module, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Delivered in consultation with the Edge Hill Business School, this module considers the current and future growth areas in terms of nutrition related business such as sports nutrition and corporate wellness and offers the opportunity to significantly enhance your employability and future career aspirations. Have a business idea for a healthy food company, or for delivering nutrition awareness in sports and other settings? You can make these visions and business ideas more of a reality on this unique module.
“This module enables students to gain knowledge of some of the key facets involved in working as a freelance nutritionist following graduation and beyond. It is responsive to the current challenges and opportunities that nutritionists in the 21st Century are likely to face. Entrepreneurship is exciting and challenging. The students who choose this module have come up with some amazing and very relevant innovations. As a result of this module, many have gone on to, very successfully, run their own businesses – ranging from setting up their own food product business, selling board games, setting up websites and working freelance within education and health promotion.”
Hazel Flight, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader in Nutrition and Health
The choco-preneur
As part of her course, Abigail Baldwin was encouraged to take the Innovation and Entrepreneurship module which asks students to create the recipe for a food product. Being a long-time vegetarian, she saw a gap in the market for a vegan chocolate bar that tastes as good as the real thing.
She set about designing and coming up with a chocolate bar but felt she needed a little extra help and contacted famous Wigan based chocolate shop Choc Amor for some advice. Owner Paul Williams kindly opened his doors for Abigail to visit his shop and learn more about how their chocolate is created.
Fascinated by the science behind nutrition after attempting to get “beach body ready” before a holiday, following advice she found on Instagram. Abigail found herself losing far too much weight and wanted to make sure she didn’t do the same thing again.
“The chocolate bar I created is called Alma which means nourishing for the soul. I worked with Choc Amor who invited me into their shop and taught me a lot about how they produce their chocolate as well as what flavours complement one another and what ingredients are best to use. It really helped me with the recipe for my product. I was also trained in organoleptic testing and undertook a product development masterclass. Alongside this I worked with a graphic designer to have my packaging and logo designed for Alma.”
My dissertation was ‘Examining the relationship between the frequency of Instagram use and eating habits in young adults living in the UK’. I think there’s so much dangerous advice out there about what people eat. It was writing about this that has cemented my decision to apply for a master’s next year specialising in disordered eating so one day I can go on to help people. I can’t thank Edge Hill enough for all the support I’ve had during my degree and all the friends on made on the course. It’s been a great three years.”
Abigail Baldwin, BSc (Hons) Nutrition & Health
“Abigail went above and beyond in relation to this gaining experience in a real chocolate shop and putting huge amounts of thought to create a product you could easily see on the shop floor. I really hope that one day she gets to create her chocolate bar for real.”
Hazel Flight, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader in Nutrition and Health
May 30, 2022
