MSc in Nutrition and Dietetics

As people become more aware of the significance of a healthy lifestyle, the professions related to nutrition and dietetics have seen a rise in demand from the healthcare sector. As a highly lucrative and well-paid job, a dietician’s profession requires the utmost awareness and professional assistance as they counsel patients and those in need of medical advice. Being a sub-branch of medical science, the nutrition and dietetics stream has various higher study prospects that are interconnected with other niche disciplines of medical science. These include food technology, biotechnology, and biochemistry. Hence, a Master’s of Science degree (MSc) in Nutrition and Dietetics is always well-recommended if you are planning to pursue a professional career in this field.

What is MSc Nutrition and Dietetics?

MSc in Nutrition and Dietetics is a 2-year postgraduate course that primarily focuses on the fundamentals of nutrition and how it impacts the human body in everyday life. This is a well-defined semester-based programme that requires the aspirants to complete their graduation from any recognized college or university with an aggregate of 50% or so. There is a whole range of higher studies and research scope in this field of medical science along with professional job options if the aspirant wants to start a professional career directly after graduation.

Syllabus

With a concise curriculum that focuses on theory as well as practical applications, the MSc in Nutrition and Dietetics courses consists of the following structural modules:

Semester 1

• Clinical Nutrition
• Dissertation
• Financial and food management

Semester 2

• Nutritional management safety for food science
• Computer Application
• Advanced Nutrition: II
• Research Methodology and statistics
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Clinical Nutrition

Semester 3

• Food science
• Diet Therapy I
• Nutrition through developmental stages
• Nutraceuticals and functional foods
• Food Science
• Internship

Semester 4

• Food cost and quality control
• Extra: disciplinary paper (E.D)
• Diet control
• Human Rights
• Advanced Nutrition I,
• Community nutrition
• Diet therapy II

Skills Required for MSc in Nutrition and Dietetics

In-depth knowledge of the theoretical principles of Nutrition and Dietetics is not the only requirement for this course. As you will get to experience a whole range of practical situations with patients and clients, there must be other interpersonal skills required for this field. Here are the vital skills necessary for pursuing this program.

• Communication skills – the candidate must be able to communicate with strong verbal and listening skills.
• Time management – as there can be immense pressure from the workload the candidate must learn how to prioritise work over personal issues in many instances
• Interpersonal skills – the candidate must be able to build and develop excellent relationships with the clients/patients.
• Team working skills – as a part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team, it is important for the candidate to have team-building skills for better working relationships.
• Critical thinking and problem-solving – the candidate must be able to disintegrate and explain complex issues in layman’s terms while identifying alternative solutions for them.
• Service Orientation Skills – The aspiring candidate must have a compassionate approach towards people and while dealing with intimate cases.
• Persuasion and Negotiation Skills – to convince patients and clients when there is a problem, the candidate must have a diplomatic mindset and positively persuade them to make the best decisions.
• Judgement and Decision-Making Skills – the candidate must have the ability to predict or make the best possible decisions at the right time.

Eligibility Requirements

Both Indian and foreign colleges/universities require a few basic eligibility requirements due to the intense curriculum of this course. These are as follows:

• The aspirant is required to have a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent from any recognized university or institution.
• The aggregate marks of the aspirant should be a minimum of 50% to be eligible for the admission process
• The candidate must have a Bachelor’s degree in a discipline from the science stream such as BSc Biology, Home Science, BSc Microbiology, BSc Food Science, BSc Life Sciences, and Clinical Biochemistry amongst others.
• Candidates who are appearing for their final year graduation exam can also apply for this course on a provisional basis.
• In terms of a foreign university, the candidate is also required to submit their English proficiency test scores and a valid passport.

Courses in Nutrition and Dietetics

There are a handful of options to choose from when it comes to postgraduate studies in the discipline of Nutrition and Dietetics both in Indian and foreign universities. Here are a few popular ones:

• Clinical Nutrition
• Paediatric Nutrition
• Public Health Nutrition
• Food Science/Technology
• Sports Nutrition/Dietetics
• Gerontological Nutrition
• Renal Nutrition

Top Universities for MSc in Nutrition and Dietetics

Job Prospects and Salary

There are diverse job opportunities after earning a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. Certain aspirants also opt for further research-based education after post-graduation. Here’s a list of all the popular job designations you can opt from after an MSc in Nutrition and Dietetics.

Are you planning to pursue MSc in Nutrition and Dietetics? Our Leverage Edu experts will provide you with end-to-end assistance from application to Visa process. Call us at 1800 57 2000 to book a FREE 30-minutes counselling session today.