On BSc Nutrition with Food Consumer Sciences with Professional Training you will learn about nutrition and the psychology behind food choice and further your professional skills with a year-long training placement.

Consumers are growing increasingly aware of the effects that diet can have on health, and nutritionists play an important role in ensuring that the information available to them is scientifically sound. They help to ensure that food products are nutritionally beneficial and analyse consumer responses to them.

Our course blends nutritional sciences with training in the psychological aspects of cognition and consumer choices. The Department has strong links with industry, and you can gain valuable professional experience through a year-long paid training placement. If you are interested in working at the interface between companies, health professionals, policy-makers and consumers, then this is the degree for you.

The University of Reading is a world authority on human nutrition, food chemistry, chemical engineering, microbiology and food law. Our staff are actively engaged in world-class research and will tailor their teaching to reflect changing trends and emerging technologies within the sector.

During the first year you will study the fundamentals of human nutrition, food chemistry, food microbiology, cell biology, genetics, human physiology, and psychology. You will then be able to build upon your knowledge by exploring areas such as public health nutrition, the psychology of food choice, consumer behaviour and marketing, and new product development.

You will also gain experience of using key technical skills through sensory evaluation, laboratory-based practicals and working in our pilot-scale food processing plant. During your final year you will carry out an original project as part of one of our existing research groups, enabling you to work alongside world authorities in areas such as food and human health.

The curriculum is accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN), and after graduating you will be eligible to apply to become a registered associate nutritionist with the AfN via the direct entry pathway, providing a clear and respected marker of your status as a nutrition professional. This course is also accredited by the Institute of Food Science & Technology.

**Placement**

Our courses are designed in collaboration with industry partners who support us through our Industry Advisory Board and provide a wide range of work placements for our students.

Our four-year courses give you the opportunity to gain valuable professional experience through year-long paid training placements, in the UK or overseas, where you can expect to earn between £15,000 and £20,000. Students have taken on a variety of roles, including quality assurance, consumer work, food technologists and product development scientists.

You can choose to carry out your placement at a large multinational organisation or a small independent manufacturing or research company. You will be given advice and support on finding the ideal placement, writing your CV and interview skills by our dedicated placement coordinator.

**Careers**

Food is Europe's largest and most buoyant industry, and nutritionists work at the forefront of product development, packaging design and the communication of health messages to consumers.

Our graduates embark on careers within the food industry or a related sector, working for companies such as PepsiCo, Mondel?z, Nestlé, Marks & Spencer, Mars, Unilever and McCormick. You may decide to take your transferable skills into other areas, such as teaching, accountancy or environmental health. Our degrees are also a stepping stone to MSc or PhD study.