Dietetics and Nutrition

An understanding of the nutritional status of the individual is of key importance in the ongoing quest to develop a healthier population, both in Scotland and the wider world. To this end it is essential to have a provision that can both reduce the occurrence of the major diseases and improve the quality of life of those who have, in some cases, a severely debilitating illness. It is to this end that the education and training of both Public Health Nutritionists and Dietitians, respectively, is essential.

The link between promoting a better understanding of the importance of nutrition, in both healthy individuals and those suffering from a specific illness, is obvious and that is why one of the key strengths of the teaching here at Queen Margaret University is the shared, core teaching that both groups of students engage in.

Why QMU?

QMU is a leading provider of courses in Dietetics and Nutrition and, at postgraduate level, we offer an MSc Dietetics and an MSc Public Health Nutrition. The Dietetics, Nutrition & Biological Sciences subject area has an established reputation for high-quality teaching and research with an ‘Excellent’ rating in the national assessment of teaching quality. Similarly, our achievements in research and other scholarly activities have been recognised in the national research assessments. Students are at the core of our priorities and we aim to enrich both the teaching and the academic environment for them. We emphasise development of independence and effective group-working in students while offering the academic and personal support to help individuals fulfil their full potential. We aim to be flexible and responsive to the requirements of our students.

Professional links

Our location by Edinburgh positions us close to many of the leading players in both national and local government, as well as many large hospitals, companies and research laboratories and government offices. The link to our hospital partners across Scotland is essential to ensure that our dietetics students have access to the high-quality placement experiences that are at the core of their training with us. The staff within Dietetics and Nutrition has very close links with the dietetic profession across Scotland and the rest of the UK. Regarding Public Health Nutrition, the high number of policy and decision makers that are found in the Edinburgh area, together with many local community nutrition projects, offers the ideal setting in which to provide a teaching environment for our Public Health Nutrition students.

Our approach to learning and teaching

At postgraduate level, we appreciate that you will come to us with a whole host of skills and knowledge that you have acquired from a previous undergraduate degree or work experience. We anticipate that you will draw on your previous knowledge and skills to enhance both your learning and that of your fellow students. Our courses are taught by a variety of methods including lectures, seminars, tutorials and we believe that as a student you will benefit from a variety of interesting ways to learn, participate and share experiences and opinions with classmates. One of the key aspects of the teaching methods is to provide the ideal environment to enhance the critical analysis and reflective skills of our student group.

Facilities

The students studying on the postgraduate Dietetics and Nutrition courses have access to a number of specialist areas to enhance their learning experience, including a postgraduate area in the learning resource centre and a clinical skills laboratory.

Career prospects and guideline salaries

Our courses:

»PgDip/MSc Dietetics

»MSc Public Health Nutrition

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