Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Studying Sport Nutrition in a city I love
For Beth, staying in Leeds for a Masters felt like a natural choice - but it was Leeds Beckett’s hands-on approach and sporting connections that sealed the deal. In this blog, they share their journey through the MSc Sport and Exercise Nutrition course, and how it led to an exciting role in performance nutrition.
I studied MSc Sport and Exercise Nutrition at Leeds Beckett from 2021-2022. Prior to this, I graduated with a nutrition degree from the university of Leeds but I had decided that I wanted to develop my knowledge further and specialise in sport. I wanted to stay in Leeds as I fell in love with the city during my undergraduate degree, but I chose Leeds Beckett due to its great reputation in sport and links to elite sporting teams.
I really enjoyed studying at Leeds Beckett, particularly the practical nature of the course. There was a huge range of research equipment that allowed me to carry out and get involved in exciting projects, rather than just reading about them in a textbook. For my major independent study, I explored the effects of low energy availability on exercise induced muscle damage and delayed onset muscle soreness, under the supervision of Dr Meghan Brown. The university was able to offer me great resources and equipment to support this study and feed my interest in this area of nutrition.
During my studies, I was lucky enough to be accepted on to the applied practice programme, where I was able to apply my knowledge in a practical setting with the Leeds Rhinos netball team. Here, I was mentored by Dr Sarah Chantler, gaining invaluable experience and skills that set me up to work in the performance nutrition industry after graduation.
I now work as a performance nutritionist at Hartpury University and College, where I work within their sports academies to support some of their top athletes. This has been a unique experience for me where I have been able to practice nutrition across multiple sports, including football, netball, golf, rowing, and modern pentathlon. At first, going into this role was daunting but my studies at Leeds Beckett set me up with a knowledge and skill base to confidently deliver nutrition support within sports that I am less familiar with.
My advice to anyone starting a Masters in sport and exercise nutrition is to seek out and grasp any opportunities where you can practice your skills in a practical setting. It’s one thing to have the knowledge, but being able to apply it in different situations is a whole new skill, and getting that experience is what will put you ahead when applying for jobs in the future.
