Earn qualifications in nutrition

Go beyond FutureLearn and earn graduate qualifications in nutrition.

We offer online short courses that can lead to a Masters degree and Registered Associate Nutritionist status.

Build qualifications with these online courses

Do you work in the food sector but lack a nutrition background?

This free online short course is here to help you fill that knowledge gap.

Designed for the food sector and delivered by the Rowett Institute, this course gives you access to some of the UK’s leading experts in nutrition and their latest research.

Join us online anytime to learn about:

the psychology of eating
influences on eating behaviour
the impact of our food choices on health, the environment, and the economy.

You’ll use evidence-based information to assess the impact of food choices. And you’ll learn how to find and evaluate the data you need to support evidence-based decision making in your sector.

Who can join our online eating behaviour course?

This course is designed for anyone interested in food and eating as a form of behaviour.

It provides you with an opportunity for professional development within the food sector, helping you get up to speed with the latest industry knowledge.

What you’ll study

Your course topics

The impacts of eating behaviour

How do we measure and monitor food choices?
Impact of food choice on health and environment
Economics of food choice

Psychology of food choice

What controls our appetite?
Socioeconomic factors
Consumer behaviours

Determinants of eating

Dual process model of eating
Is it all in my head?

Behaviour change: From theory to evidence

Changing consumer behaviour
How to translate evidence into practice

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to...

Discuss the relationship between diet and health, and the role of the food sector within this complex system.
Use evidence-based information to assess the impact of food choice on health, the environment and economy.
Identify and describe the key factors that influence food choice and eating behaviour.
Investigate the psychology of eating behaviour and how it applies to consumer behaviour.
Discuss how an individual food choice or a company’s food strategy can impact health, the environment or economy to improve health and reduce risk of chronic disease.

How you’ll study

Online learning

Our distance-learning Food Choice and Behaviour course is a four-week course you can start anytime. It’s delivered flexibly online via FutureLearn.

You can study with us anywhere in the world and manage your study hours to suit you.

Your teaching

This course is taught at undergraduate level.

You’ll learn in FutureLearn’s study platform, through a mix of:

bite-sized videos
audio
long- and short-form articles
practical activities.

In every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

Your tutors

You’ll learn from UK-registered nutritionists, health psychologists, academics and researchers from the Rowett Institute and the University of Aberdeen. The Rowett Institute is one of Europe’s most prestigious nutrition research centres. Read about the Rowett Institute.

Study hours

You’ll spend around five hours per week on this course.

Your teaching team

Professor Alex Johnstone

Alex is a registered UK nutritionist and consultant for the food sector. She currently leads an innovative Scottish Government-funded research programme, examining human appetite control, weight loss, and obesity, with a focus on the role of protein.

View Alex’s profile

Marta Lonnie

Marta is a PhD student and Teaching Fellow at the Rowett Institute. She’s been studying human nutrition for almost a decade. Marta’s actively researching the role of nutrition to support health.

View Marta’s latest blog post

Where this will take you

Earn a qualification in nutrition

If you’re keen to learn more and earn graduate qualifications in this area, check out our range of credit-bearing online nutrition courses:

Online short courses in nutrition

These flexible short courses help you earn university credits towards postgraduate qualifications in nutrition, including Masters qualifications.

View all online nutrition courses.

Masters degrees in nutrition

Careers

Upskill in your career in the food sector

This focused nutrition course is designed to help you develop your career in the food or drink industries.

Equipped with fresh skills and specialist training, you could progress within or towards a role in:

new-product development
food technology
food science.

Continuing professional development (CPD)

Your employer or professional institute may recognise this course for CPD hours. Talk to your employer or institute to find out more.

Keep learning for free

Further your knowledge and add more skills to your CV with our suite of free online nutrition courses:

All are flexible four-week FutureLearn courses delivered by our expert Rowett Institute nutritionists.

Why choose the University of Aberdeen for online nutrition science courses?

Fits around full-time work

This course is designed to fit around work. With flexible hours and 24/7 study access.

Nutritional health pioneers

Study with the Rowett Institute. Governments and the food and drink industry have turned to us for research for decades.

Find out more about Rowett research

You’re in expert hands

We’ve been delivering online and distance learning for decades.

Still not sure? Ask us a question

Apply for this course

Start date: Any time
Cost: Free

Join course on FutureLearn

Added to your wishlist