The Department of Human Nutrition at the University of Otago is the longest established department of its kind at a New Zealand University and one of the best known in the Southern Hemisphere. We are the only New Zealand University to offer a Sport and Exercise Nutrition programme (undergraduate and postgraduate) as well as Foodservice management and International nutrition at undergraduate. Undergraduate degrees, BSc, BSc(Hons) in Human Nutrition and BAppSc, BAppSc(Hons) in Sport and Exercise Nutrition are offered, as well as a range of postgraduate options in Human Nutrition and Sport and Exercise Nutrition at Postgraduate Diploma, Masters and PhD level. The Department of Human Nutrition is the first to offer a Master's of Applied Science in Advanced Nutrition Practice – providing practical real word experience.
The Department also provides postgraduate Distance study in Human Nutrition.
Our team have a wide range of special interests in fields including:
- Public health and community nutrition
- Foodservice management
- Sports nutrition
- International nutrition
- Maternal and infant nutrition
- Nutritional biochemistry and metabolism
- Nutritional aspects of coronary heart disease and diabetes
- Lipids in health and disease
- Nutritional aspects of trace elements, in particular iron, zinc, selenium, fluoride and iodine
- Food insecurity
- Dietary assessment methodologies
- Māori and Pacific Island health and nutrition
Read more about the careers you can follow in Human Nutrition.
Research Partners
The Department of Human Nutrition makes a major contribution to the discipline of nutrition both nationally and internationally. We are privileged to carry out many research projects in collaboration with other departments and institutions both within the University and overseas.