Today's clinical nutrition and dietetics experts have an expanding field of career opportunities. For instance, the current rise in life-style related conditions and diseases has been identified by international and national government agencies and programmes as requiring nutritional interventions for their prevention and management. The expanding older population requires nutritional care to prevent and manage lifestyle-related conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, frailty, sarcopenia and osteoporosis. The creation of links between nutrition, health and community development provide opportunities for health promotion through nutrition interventions in many community settings, including pre-schools, schools, services for older people and those with disability and mental illness. Within the acute hospital setting, the effective management of chronic and acute medical and surgical conditions and the prevention and treatment of disease-related malnutrition are critical, wherein effective nutritional management is central to reducing the personal and economic costs associated with poor nutrition and health. The importance of nutrition to optimise sports performance is increasingly recognised with many career opportunities in this area.
The MSc in Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics is a full-time programme, designed for graduates who wish to develop expertise in areas ranging from the promotion of nutrition and health throughout the lifespan through to the management of clinical nutrition in community, primary care and acute settings. Moreover, practitioners in medicine, nursing, physiotherapy and the other health and social care professions, as well as practitioners in sport and exercise science have a need for evidence-based expertise in nutrition, health promotion and clinical nutrition so that they can manage clients and patients in a manner that permits optimal client/patient outcomes.
At the end of the programme, students will have developed the integrated scientific, clinical, psychological, communication, multidisciplinary team working and professional proficiencies that underpin a career in clinical nutrition and dietetics. The MSc Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics aims to train graduates eligible to apply to the Dietitians Registration Board (CORU) for registration as a dietitian.
Course Description
-This full time programme is designed to be completed over two academic years.
-Lectures will normally be held on Mondays - Fridays.
-Assessment strategies include continuous assessment, assignments, projects and examinations.
-Exit routes from this programme include a Graduate Certificate and a Graduate Diploma in Clinical Nutrition. Graduates availing of these exit routes will not be eligible to apply to the Dietitians Registration Board (CORU) for registration as a dietitian.
-UCD expects that students who register for its programmes are in a position to commit to attending and being available on scheduled programme and assessment dates.