Why study Health, Nutrition & Fitness at Hope?
BSc Health, Nutrition & Fitness is a Single Honours programme at Liverpool Hope that will provide you with a unique opportunity to develop an appreciation of the role of nutrition in the health and fitness of individuals, local and national communities and global populations. Health, Nutrition & Fitness encompasses key government policies and the global agenda of tackling obesity and coronary heart disease through improving levels of physical activity and dietary intake.
This programme is therefore ideally placed to generate graduates who are equipped with the knowledge, skills and motivation to help people make informed choices in terms of their own health, and who can contribute to the development of supportive environments for the promotion of health in the 21st century.
Considerable emphasis is also placed on developing individuals who value the thoughts and opinions of others and are able to foster a collaborative approach to tackling health issues.
What will I study?
The curriculum is balanced and varied and will enable you to develop transferable skills of flexibility, critical thinking, research and communication, highly valued by employers.
Level 1
This comprises two 60-credit courses which run through the academic year.
- Fundamentals in Health provides core academic knowledge in biological, psychological and sociological approaches to health.
- Nutrition and the Human Body takes an applied approach to how the human body works, including key areas of digestion and nutrition. This course includes aspects of biochemistry that are key to understanding the role of structure and function of biological molecules in context.
Level 2
Four courses which are designed to continue the ‘holistic’ approach to addressing health issues are offered at Level 2.
- Perspectives in Health has firm foundations in biology, psychology and sociology, considering a range of topics from these perspectives.
- Human Metabolism and Physiology is an applied module considering the role of nutrients in fuelling the processes of the human body alongside societal influences on nutrition.
- Researching New Public Health takes an interrogative approach to public health policy with particular emphasis on health promotion, education and policy development within an ethical framework.
- Physical Activity, Health and Nutrition allows you to apply your knowledge of the cardiovascular and muscular systems, taking an applied approach to understand measures of energy expenditure, body composition and exercise capacity in health and disease.
Level 3
Specialist modules are delivered by tutors in Sport, Health and Nutrition based on their individual research interests. Currently the courses offered are:
- Human Nutrition
- Promoting Health in the 21st Century
- Evaluating Physical Activity, Fitness and Sports Performance
- Research Dissertation
The curriculum is designed to enable you to demonstrate your increasing confidence in critically evaluating the role of nutrition and fitness in addressing health inequalities. In addition, you will be provided with the opportunity to acquire basic qualifications in health and safety and also first aid. These aspects are included to fill ‘skills gaps’ identified by employers.
How will I study?
Health, Nutrition & Fitness are all applied subjects with learning centred on case studies, group discussions and tutorials. Students are encouraged to take a biopsychosocial approach to their learning; by studying the subject from these perspectives you will become comfortable with the working of the human body and the impact of many influences including society, government policy and the environment.
How will I be assessed?
There is a wide variety of assessment types to provide everybody with an opportunity to succeed. These will include case studies, essays and pieces of group-work such as posters and oral presentations. Students are also given the opportunity to develop their own interests through specialised assessments, for example in a research dissertation.
What do our graduates do?
The programme produces graduates who are employable in a range of healthcare and leisure settings and who are well equipped for further study in vocational areas including dietetics. In particular graduates are well suited to the following roles: health information officer; link worker; project support officer; research assistant; community action plan coordinator; family development worker; activity counsellor.
