Masters applications for 2025 entry are now closed.
Applications for September 2026 will open on Wednesday 24 September. Applications are now open for programmes with a January 2026 start. View our programmes »
| UCAS code |
1234 |
| Duration |
1 year full time
2-3 years part time |
| Entry year |
September 2026 |
| Campus |
St Luke's Campus
|
| Discipline |
Sport and Health Sciences
|
| Contact |
|
Overview
- Learn from world-renowned experts in metabolism, physiology and nutrition - core to elite sports and exercise performance, at a world-leading institution in sports nutrition.
- Discover a bespoke, contemporary course designed to give you transferable skills, evidence-based critical thinking, and the flexibility to succeed across diverse career pathways in the fast-moving world of sports nutrition.
- Train in advanced labs and research kitchens designed for practical learning in sport and exercise nutrition.
- Gain unparalleled depth in theoretical scientific foundations, paired with cutting-edge research methods and laboratory techniques unmatched at Masters level.
- Develop real-world skills through elective modules to complement core content; including, leadership, employability training, business and industry placements.
- Graduate with a rare blend of scientific knowledge, broader academic and applied skills, ready for diverse careers in sport and exercise nutrition.
1st in the UK for world-leading research in Sports Science
Top 40 in the world for Sports-related subjects
Top 5 in the UK for Sports Science
1st in the UK for world-leading research in Sports Science
Top 40 in the world for Sports-related subjects
Top 5 in the UK for Sports Science
Entry requirements
2:1 or above in a related discipline (Nutrition, Physiotherapy, Sports Science).
Please also see our guidance on essential documentation required for an initial decision on taught programme applications.
Entry requirements for international students
English language requirements
International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.
Course content
Push the boundaries of sport and exercise nutrition with this new MSc at the University of Exeter – designed to give you cutting-edge scientific knowledge and the practical skills to apply it. This programme combines unrivalled academic depth with hands-on training in state-of-the-art laboratories and research kitchens, taught by world-leading experts in one of the top global departments in the field.
Our unique multidisciplinary approach lets you shape your learning, with optional modules in sustainability, business and employability. You’ll graduate not only as a confident scientist but as a well-rounded, industry-ready professional.
Whether your ambitions lie in elite sport, health and wellbeing, nutrition consultancy, or performance research, this MSc is your launchpad into a rapidly expanding sector. Blending academic excellence with real-world application, it prepares you to become a future leader in this exciting and evolving field.
The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.
Compulsory modules
| Code | Module |
Credits |
|---|
| SHSM061 |
Fundamentals of Sport and Exercise Nutrition | 45 |
| SHSM006 |
Laboratory Techniques in Physiology | 30 |
| SHSM059 |
Nutrition for High Performance | 30 |
| SHSM025 |
Dissertation (Journal Article) | 60 |
Optional modules
| Code | Module |
Credits |
|---|
| SHSM030 |
Research Methods and Analytical Procedures | 15 |
| SHSM037 |
Sport and Exercise Medicine Placement | 15 |
| ESS3706 |
Integrated Physiology and Adaptation to Physical (in)activity | 15 |
| HPDM205 |
Public Health Nutrition | 15 |
| HPDM122 |
Planetary Health | 15 |
| HPDM123 |
Behaviour Change | 15 |
| HPDM120 |
Leadership Strategy and Change | 30 |
Fees
2026/27 entry
UK fees per year:
£12,200 full-time; £6,150 part-time (2 years); £4,100 part-time (3 years)
International fees per year:
£28,900 full-time; £14,450 part-time (2 years); £9,650 part-time (3 years)
Scholarships
The University of Exeter offers a wide range of scholarships to support your education, with £7 million available for international students applying to study with us in the 2026/27 academic year, including our prestigious Exeter Excellence Scholarships *. We also provide awards for sport, music and other achievements, as well as regional and partner scholarships with organisations such as Chevening, The Beacon Trust and the British Council. For more information on scholarships and other financial support, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.
University of Exeter Alumni Scholarship
We are pleased to offer University of Exeter alumni beginning a standalone postgraduate programme in 2026/27 with us a scholarship towards the cost of your tuition fees. Full details can be found here.
*Terms and conditions, including deadlines, apply. See our website for details..
Teaching and research
How will I learn?
Learning on this MSc course will be underpinned by academic excellence and cutting-edge research. Students will develop advanced research methods for the robust evaluation of data and gain laboratory skills essential for establishing scientific rigour. A strong focus will be placed on applying this knowledge in practical, real-world contexts to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Throughout the programme, students will benefit from access to world-class experts, exceptional laboratory facilities, and opportunities for applied learning. This comprehensive approach ensures students are fully prepared to meet the scientific and professional demands of the sport and exercise nutrition field.
Assessments
MSc students will be assessed through a variety of methods to reflect the broad skill set required in sport and exercise nutrition. Traditional academic exams will evaluate understanding of fundamental scientific principles, while laboratory skills will be assessed through hands-on tasks and formal scientific reports. Students will have the opportunity to undertake a cutting-edge research project, where they will be assessed on study design, data collection, analysis and scientific writing. Additionally, there will be options for assessments focused on the practical application of performance nutrition, ensuring students are equipped with both academic knowledge and real-world, professional competencies.
Read more
Professor Benjamin Wall
Dr Alistair Monteyne
Professor Francis Stephens
Professor Benjamin Wall
Prof. Benjamin Wall graduated from the University of Birmingham in Sport and Exercise Sciences in 2006 before taking up a PhD position in the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Nottingham. Benjamin’s PhD research examined the integration of fat and carbohydrate metabolism during exercise in humans.
In 2010, Benjamin moved to Maastricht University in the Netherlands to undertake post-doctoral training This research focused on the mechanisms underlying muscle loss under varying conditions (e.g. ageing, inactivity) or muscle gain in response to anabolic stimuli (e.g. exercise training). Moreover, a key emphasis was placed on developing nutritional- and/or exercise-based strategies to attenuate muscle loss or augment muscle hypertrophy in a variety of situations, with an ultimate goal of improving health and/or performance in different populations.
Benjamin joined the School of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Exeter in 2014 as a Lecturer in exercise physiology and nutrition, and he now a full professor at Exeter and his current research focusses on the role of (in)activity and nutrition in health and performance.
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Dr Alistair Monteyne
Dr Monteyne is a nutritional physiologist whose research focuses on skeletal muscle health, ageing, and sports performance. He completed his PhD at the University of Exeter, where his work demonstrated that the fungal-derived protein mycoprotein robustly stimulates postprandial muscle protein synthesis, and that non-animal-derived proteins support resistance training adaptations in both young and older adults. These findings have contributed significantly to the field of sports nutrition, particularly in the context of sustainable and plant-based diets.
Dr Monteyne joined the School of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Exeter in 2023 as a Lecturer in nutritional physiology. His recent work has helped reshape current understanding of dietary leucine’s role in muscle protein synthesis and the utility of ketone monoester supplements in reducing postprandial glycaemia in individuals with type 2 diabetes. He has published in leading journals in nutrition and physiology and has been invited to present his work at multiple international conferences in these fields.
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Professor Francis Stephens
Professor Francis Stephens research focuses on how our muscles metabolise nutrients when we are physically active and inactive, and why these processes become perturbed as we age or develop diseases such as type 2 diabetes. His PhD and post-doctoral positions at the University of Nottingham highlighted for the first time the role of muscle carnitine availability in the regulation of skeletal muscle fat and carbohydrate metabolism in humans. He then moved to Exeter in 2016 and was promoted to Professor of Exercise Physiology and Metabolism in 2019. His current muscle metabolism research, within the newly refurbished state-of-the-art Nutritional Physiology Research Unit, has led to the development of various sports nutrition products. He has authored original peer-reviewed research and review articles in international journals, published several book chapters on sports nutrition, been invited to present at numerous international nutrition and physiology conferences, and have advised on sports nutrition supplementation studies for elite athletes.
Profile page
Careers
Graduates can pursue diverse careers including Sports Nutritionist or Dietitian, working with athletes to optimise performance and recovery. Roles also include Exercise Physiologist, Health and Wellness Coach, and Performance Nutritionist. Opportunities exist as Corporate Wellness Consultants, Nutrition Consultants for sports organisations and in Sports Nutrition Product Development. Some may become Strength and Conditioning Coaches, Fitness Instructors, or Personal Trainers integrating nutrition knowledge. Others work in research, education, or as nutrition and health entrepreneurs, sharing expert advice with wider audiences. This MSc equips you for a dynamic, growing industry with varied pathways in sport, health, and wellness.
