Dietetics and Leadership MSc
Study level: Postgraduate
Qualify as a dietitian in just two years with this innovative blended learning degree leading to eligibility to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.
Year of entry
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Duration
2 years full-time
Course code
HLST269
Start date
January 2024
We are no longer accepting applications for our January 2024 intake for this course. This page will be updated once dates for the 24/25 academic year are released.
Course overview
Qualify as a dietitian in just two years with this innovative blended learning degree leading to eligibility to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
- Blended learning allows you to access study materials and attend online classes from home or from the workplace. You will be required to come to Coventry University campus on some occasions throughout the course in order to use Coventry University’s state-of-the-art simulation and teaching facilities4.
- Put theory into practice with full-time practice-based placements2 as well as simulation and scenario-based learning to create an interactive and inspirational learning experience.
Joint Top Modern University for Career Prospects
Guardian University Guide 2021 and 2022
5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities
QS Stars University Ratings
Top 5 UK Student City (Coventry)
QS Best Student Cities Index 2023Why you should study this course
- The course will be delivered using an enquiry-based learning approach which allows you to develop an ethical, flexible and creative approach to problem solving in dietetics whilst enabling you to develop a wide range of leadership and academic skills to meet the expanding role and diverse career pathways of dietitians within the contemporary healthcare setting.
- Simulation will allow the practical development of core knowledge, skills, and behaviours, and will provide you with an authentic learning experience through the use of specialist resources including Coventry University’s hospital wards and therapy suites in a safe and supportive environment.
- Leadership skills are embedded throughout the course, enabling you to inspire and guide others towards building and achieving a shared vision to help address a range of diet-related conditions and optimise service users’ health and well-being through diet and lifestyle change.
- Develop culinary skills at our campus-based kitchens and apply theory of dietary recommendations to practice through menu planning, recipe adaptation, and an exploration of cultural and therapeutic foods.
- Additional qualifications in food hygiene (Level 2 food safety certificate accredited by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health) and leadership (Level 7 certificate in strategic management and leadership practice awarded by the Chartered Management Institute) are included in the course at no extra cost.
Accreditation and Professional Recognition
This course is accredited1 and recognised by the following bodies:
Health and Care Professions Council
This course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council for the 2022 intake.
British Dietetic Association (BDA)
This course is accredited by the British Dietetic Association (BDA) for the 2022 intake.
What you'll study
You will gain a thorough understanding of the scientific knowledge relating to nutrition, food, and diet therapy which underpins the management of health, wellness, well-being, and disease. You will examine the approaches that have positive effects on behaviour and enable people to improve their health through diet and lifestyle. You will undertake placements in a range of settings where dietitians work, including clinical and where available non-clinical settings such as within the public health sector which is an approach which the British Dietetic Association recognises is valuable to the profession.
You must pass all modules accumulating 180 credits to be awarded the MSc in Dietetics and Leadership and to be eligible to apply for HCPC registration.
All placement modules must be passed in order to be eligible to apply for registration with the HCPC.
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
How you'll learn
The course will be delivered utilising a blended learning approach which gives you the flexibility to access learning at home or at the workplace, as well as being able to take advantage of the simulation and teaching facilities that Coventry University has to offer.
You will learn though a combination of on-line lessons, discussions and simulation activity and some on-campus teaching. at Coventry University campus for practical sessions.
You will be part of a supportive community of staff and fellow students who interact extensively to ensure you develop the communication and collaboration skills required in the profession.
You will be able to use our campus-based kitchens to apply the theory of dietary recommendations and dietary modification to practice.
Teaching contact hours
The amount of time you will spend learning will differ in each semester. You will mostly learn online with a mix of synchronous and asynchronous teaching but will be required to come to Coventry University campus at times during the course. In year 1 you will typically have around 12 hours contact time per week, which will decrease in year 2 as you become a more autonomous learner. Practice-based placements are full-time and will normally be Monday to Friday lasting approximately 35 hours per week.
As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2022/2023 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Assessment
The assessments are designed to reflect the work you will undertake as a dietitian, so in addition to academic assignments you will also undertake presentations, develop menus and be assessed on your practical dietetic skills.
In practice, dietitians are required to demonstrate a high level of clinical reasoning, communication, service development and leadership skills. They are also required to articulate these decisions in a variety of formats such as written reports, presentations, and digital media. The assessment strategy is therefore designed to reflect these demands.
International experience opportunities
You will have the opportunity to take part in Collaborative Online International Learning activities where you will work with students from other universities to collectively explore and evaluate nutrition and dietetic related problems. You will be able to explore and discuss how students in other countries approach issues in a different way, and perhaps be able to apply some of these techniques to your own practice. You will be able to examine cuisines, lifestyles, values, and behaviours from different cultures as part of the course to enrich your critical and evaluative dietetic reasoning and skills as well as to enhance your critical understanding of dietetic practice.
You will be able to examine cuisines, lifestyles, values, and behaviours from different cultures as part of the course to enrich your critical and evaluative dietetic reasoning and skills as well as to enhance your critical understanding of dietetic practice.
This innovative course has been designed to help learners achieve their aspirations of becoming a dietitian and to deal with the dynamic demands within the profession. This course has been structured around an enquiry-based learning approach to allow for an authentic learning experience and to ensure leadership skills and qualities are embedded throughout. During the course, critical thinking and reflection are encouraged in order to develop not only your dietetic practice as an autonomous healthcare practitioner but also the wider profession and to consider the role of leadership and professionalism within dietetics.
Entry requirements
Fees and funding
2023/24 tuition fees.
| Student | Full-time | Part-time |
|---|---|---|
| UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man | £9,250 per year | Not available |
| EU | £9,250 per year with EU support bursary** £18,600 per year without EU support bursary** |
Not available |
| International | £18,600 per year | Not available |
For advice and guidance on tuition fees3 and student loans visit our Postgraduate Finance page.
We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.
The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:
- Any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
- Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).
*Irish student fees
The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.
**EU support bursary
Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in-line with that of UK students. Students studying a Degree with a Foundation Year with us are not eligible for the bursary.
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How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Your fee status determines your tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available to you. The rules about who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees for higher education courses in England are set by the government's Department for Education. The regulations identify all the different categories of student who can insist on paying the home rate. The regulations can be difficult to understand, so the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided fee status guidance to help you identify whether you are eligible to pay the home or overseas rate.
If you meet all the criteria required by any one category, including any residence requirements, your institution must charge you the home rate. You only need to find one category that you fit into.
Facilities
You will have access to a range of facilities4 including campus-based kitchens and the healthcare simulation building.
SuperLab
The Alison Gingell Building contains a state-of-the-art SuperLab. The lab's facilities include equipment for microscopy, DNA testing and more.
Specialist equipment
Specialist industry-standard facilities include analytical equipment such as Gas Chromatography and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography machines. You will also have access to facilities for texture profile analysis of food and drink.
Academic support
No matter which degree you’re studying, you’ll find a lot of support on campus including the Centre of Academic Writing and sigma, which offers mathematics and statistics support.
Careers and opportunities
On successful completion of this course you will meet the requirements to apply to the HCPC for registration as a dietitian and apply for roles working in the profession in a variety of settings including the health service.
Once registered with the HCPC, you will be well prepared to apply for roles as a dietitian either within the health service or privately. You could also consider working in industry or in media.
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