Sports and Exercise Nutrition MSc

Module Aims
This module aims to develop the student’s understanding of the different physiological systems and concepts of the human body. Students will be able to develop an appreciation of how these systems contribute to normal physiological functioning during homeostasis and imbalance.

Module Content

• Musculoskeletal system, including power and strength
• Cardiovascular system, respiration and aerobic fitness
• Neuro-endocrine system
• Immune system
• Fluid, electrolyte balance and thermoregulation
• Principles and components of fitness

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate a systematic, extensive and comparative knowledge and understanding of the importance of an in-depth knowledge of physiology and health.
2. Critically evaluate current research and advanced scholarship in human physiology.
3. Undertake critical evaluation of scenarios involving human physiology in sport and exercise and interpret these into current employment.
4. Demonstrate a critical evaluation of the literature and successful decision awareness in human physiology to formulate appropriate solutions for the student’s practice; evidence-based decision making.
5. Reflect on learning from prior experience, challenge preconceptions, remove subject and function boundaries in order to holistically integrate new knowledge to complex or novel situations.

Module Aims
This module aims to develop the student’s practical and theoretical skills essential to understand the digestive system and the requirements of human nutrition to optimise health, especially in the terms of the relevant evidence-based guidelines and the latest research relating to food and health.
The student will develop analytical skills to enable them to assess the adequacy of nutritional intake as applied to general populations and subgroups of populations to include ethnicity and/or cultural differences. An awareness of the effect of nutrient deficiencies and excesses on health and an appreciation of the role of diet in various nutrition related diseases will be developed.
The student will also be provided with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of professional conduct, good working practice and competency in nutritional assessment.

Module Content

• Digestion, absorption and excretion
• Energy, macronutrients
• Micronutrients
• Dietary assessment and recommended intakes
• Contribution of nutritional deficiencies to disease
• The effects of disease on nutrition requirements

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate a systematic, extensive and comparative knowledge and understanding of nutrients, the metabolism thereof and their role in health.
2. Critically evaluate current issues and research in human nutrition.
3. Demonstrate a critical knowledge of the unique complexities of nutrition and the human mechanisms supporting this.
4. Undertake critical evaluation of scenarios involving human nutrition in sport and exercise and interpret these into current employment.
5. Critical evaluation of the literature and successful decision awareness in human nutrition to formulate appropriate solutions for the student’s practice; evidence-based decision making.

Module Aims
This module aims to develop the student’s theoretical understanding and appreciation of the integration between physiological and biochemical responses to physical activity. This will include analysis and assessment of testing methods available. It also aims to help students develop the knowledge and skills to translate the principles of Sport and Exercise Nutrition into foods and eating patterns appropriate to client lifestyles.

Module Content

• Carbohydrate metabolism
• Lipid metabolism
• Protein and amino acid metabolism in muscle
• The regulation of ATP synthesis in skeletal muscle
• Physiological adaptations to exercise
• Laboratory techniques and field testing in sport and exercise nutrition

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate a systematic, extensive and comparative knowledge and understanding to select relevant laboratory and field-testing techniques for the assessment of health and performance within the scope of practice of a sport and exercise nutrition practitioner.
2. Take an international and ethical/sustainable perspective on nutrition practices in exercise.
3. Merge theoretical facts, ideas and critically evaluate nutrition literature in support of sport and exercise.
4. Application of combined professional knowledge with nutrition skills to improve exercise nutrition delivery in complex situations.
5. Exercise of initiative, personal responsibility and ethical decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations.

Module Aims

• This module aims to develop the student’s practical and theoretical skills essential to designing, delivering and monitoring performance nutrition programs for different sporting modalities. Students will be taught to examine the influence of nutrition on sport and exercise performance and to explore the role of nutritional strategies during the preparation for, participation in and recovery from exercise. It also aims to help students develop the knowledge and skills to translate the principles of Sport and Exercise Nutrition into foods and eating patterns appropriate to the lifestyle of athletes with the aim of optimising performance at training and/or competition.

Module Content

• Intake prior to training or competition
• Intake during training or competition
• Post exercise or training recovery
• Hydration
• Metabolic effects, efficacy, health, safety and legal aspects of ergogenic aids
• Nutritional education of athletes

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically evaluate the theoretical basis for the metabolic effects, efficacy, health, safety and legal aspects of ergogenic aids of all kinds including pharmacologically active agents, sports foods, sports drinks, and supplements.
2. Demonstrate a critical awareness of current issues in sport and exercise nutrition informed by research and novel practice in the field.
3. Demonstrate originality, insight and critical/reflective practice to solve problems and create innovative sport and exercise nutrition.
4. Apply combined professional knowledge with nutrition skills to improve sport and exercise nutrition delivery in complex situations.
5. Critical evaluation of the literature and successful decision awareness in sport and exercise nutrition to formulate appropriate solutions for the student’s practice; evidence-based decision making.

Module Aims
This module aims to develop the student’s theoretical knowledge of body composition. This includes the process of assessment, recommendations for different sporting modalities and the influence of diet configuration on body weight regulation.

Module Content

• Body composition and its assessment
• Body composition and its regulation for health
• The effect of body Composition on sport performance
• Enhancing muscle mass
• Decreasing fat mass
• The impact of psychological, physiological and health effects of changing body composition on the athlete

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate a systematic, extensive and comparative knowledge and understanding of the physiological, environmental and behavioural factors that influence body composition, with a particular focus on dietary composition and intake (both generalised and individualised), and its impact on health & performance.
2. Merge theoretical facts, ideas and critically evaluate sport and exercise literature in support of body composition.
   3.Critically discriminate in the selection and use of evidence and techniques to address complex problems in sport and exercise settings involving body composition.
3. Critically evaluate real-life sport and exercise nutrition dilemmas involving body composition, and interpret these into current employment.
4. Reflect on learning from prior experience, challenge preconceptions, remove subject and function boundaries in order to holistically integrate new knowledge to complex or novel situations.

Module Aims
This module aims to develop the student’s knowledge, interpretation and practical skills essential to sport related nutritional considerations. Students will be taught on various approaches to address relative energy deficiency in sport, the female athlete, the travelling and injured athlete; as well as nutritional support for the disabled, young and ageing athlete. Students will be guided through the approach of weight making sports, e.g. boxing, mixed martial arts, jockeys, etc.

Module Content

• Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S)
• Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) - female athlete
• Travelling athlete
• The injured athlete
• Special populations
• Making weight (boxing, MMA, jockeys etc)

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically formulate sport and exercise nutrition advice for an individual, taking into account the demands of the chosen sport, the sport related nutrition considerations, and the individuality of the participant.
2. Analyse, and demonstrate an understanding of how and when to refer problems (e.g. medical, nutritional, psychological) outside your area of expertise.
3. Demonstrate critical awareness of current issues in sport and exercise nutrition, informed by research and novel practice in the field.
4. Undertake critical thinking/reflection to provide judgement and suitable courses of action related to sport and exercise nutrition.
5. Reflect on learning from prior experience, challenge preconceptions, remove subject and function boundaries in order to holistically integrate new knowledge to complex or novel situations.

Research Methodologies and Critical Appraisal

• To help students recognise, understand, interpret and apply methods used in healthcare research and critically appraise the various methodologies specific to research in the subject area.

Professional Project

• To develop students’ ability to critically appraise specific areas of clinical, research and/or organisational practice and develop skills in independent research, study and writing for publication.

Content summary: Research Methodologies and Critical Appraisal

• Terminology used in epidemiology and research studies such as prevalence, incidence, sensitivity, specificity, false positive and false negatives.
• Interpreting graphical representation of epidemiological and statistical data such as Kaplan-Meier curves, forest plots and meta-analyses.
• Calculations used in the assessment of research data such as relative risk, absolute risk and number needed to treat. Statistical tests and their applications including t-tests, ANOVA and chi-square.
• Qualitative research methods.
• Fundamentals of evidence-based practice and its application into the clinical setting.
• Principles of health economics, audit and quality improvement/assurance systems.
• Establishing patient registers and the value of disease-specific registers.
  Research into educational principles for both healthcare practitioner and patient.

Content Summary: Professional Project
This module will depend on the creation of a piece of work based upon a specific clinically related project relevant to the student’s practice. This project may comprise:

• Literature review and appraisal of the evidence.
• Audit of practice including organisational or clinical.
• Review and implementation of evidence-based practice.
• Qualitative or quantitative research (formal research involving human subjects is not anticipated).
• Case(s)-based and quality of service review with critical appraisal.
• Case report, review of literature and organisational assessment.

Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding:

• Select and apply different methodological perspectives and tools to answer research questions in the field.
• Critically analyse and interpret relevant research in the subject area.
• Design and undertake a research/development project.
• Critically evaluate practice and suggest improvements or change.
• Incorporate knowledge of the research process in developing services appropriately.

Cognitive skills:

• Critically analyse and interpret research to assess its application to delivery/service development.
• Design and undertake a professional project related to the field of practice in order to produce an extensive piece of literature which may be suitable for peer-reviewed publication.

Transferable/practical skills:

• Create evidence-based recommendations to add to the knowledge base of the subject area.
• Demonstrate critical evaluation skills enabling an in-depth critique of the academic literature.
• Demonstrate the ability to create academic work of a publishable standard.
• Evaluate ethical considerations in research and the process of engagement with ethical committees.