Course Summary
The Postgraduate Diploma in Science in Sports and Exercise Nutrition at the Institute of Technology Sligo offers the chance to upskill in the area of sports nutrition. This programme is delivered part-time and online allowing you the freedom of gaining a qualification while continuing in your current employment.
The aim of the course is to produce sports nutritionists who are strongly focused on the science behind the subject, and who also have experience of the practicalities of delivering the latest evidence based guidance to individuals and teams who are looking to maximise the sports performance benefits of nutrition to complement their training programmes.
This course covers the key principles of exercise physiology and sports nutrition and aims to develop critical awareness of topics across these areas of study. It also explores important issues within sports nutrition such as the use of supplements and ergogenic aids and critically analyses the key evidence for and against their use and reported implications for exercise performance.
Graduates of this course may progress to complete the Master's in Science in Sports and Exercise Nutrition.
Key Course Information
Nutrition plays a key role in an athletes training and preparation for competition and most sports now recognise the integral role that nutrition plays in achieving success. This online programme provides graduates with the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and competencies required to work in this exciting and evolving area at an advanced level. The course is ideally suited to exercise professionals wishing to complement their exercise practice with applied nutrition skills, as well as those interested in using exercise nutrition to improve the health of the general public.
Study Time - For online courses, it is very important that you allocate enough study time to your online course to stay focused, reduce stress and achieve your goals. For part-time online or blended learning, it is recommended that you should try to allow for 5-6 hours per week per 5 credit module to your studies.
Live Lectures - Our online courses have about 2-3 hours of live lectures per week (but this can vary per programme). The rest of your study time consists of independent learning, communicating with your lecturers and classmates and carrying out assignments.
Live lectures normally take place between 6pm and 10pm, Monday to Thursday but this may vary depending on the availability of specific lecturers. If the Live Classroom scheduled times for the live online lectures do not suit you, recordings will be made available through Moodle.
Application Closing Date : 15th August 2025
Entry Requirements
Applications with a 2.2 Honours award in a relevant discipline (Nutrition, Dietetics, Sport Science, Health, Public Health, Allied Health or a cognate area as deemed suitable by the programme committee) may apply.
Applicants who do not meet this entry criterion may be considered through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). RPL is a process that may allow you to gain admission to a programme or to receive exemptions / credit from some parts of a programme based on demonstrated learning that you may have achieved through another programme of study or through your work and career. Further information is available through www.atu.ie/recognition-of-prior-learning which is our dedicated RPL portal or by contacting our admissions team at admissions.sligo@atu.ie.
Career Opportunities
The aim of this course is to enable students to develop an advanced level of subject knowledge and research experience, as well as a comprehensive range of transferable academic and practical skills. Career choices for qualified Sport and Exercise Nutritionists can include leading sports nutrition programmes for individual athletes, sports teams and recreational athletes, providing nutritional support for physical activity or weight management initiatives, working with local, national or international sporting bodies or nutrition companies, leading research into specific areas which utilise nutrition to improve performance, food product development as well as nutritional support to national governing bodies and sports organisations.
Further Study
Graduates of this course may progress to complete the Master's in Science in Sports and Exercise Nutrition.
Testimonials
"My name is Audrey Colreavy, I have worked as a physiotherapist with the HSE for over 20 years. I choose to do the on line two year masters in Health Promotion in ATU Sligo for a number of reasons, it allows me to continue working full time, I am able to attend the lectures on line from my home, if I cant attend live they are all recorded so I can work around family,work,life commitments. The on line library access and moodle platform are fantastic. The lecturers are only an email away and always reply promptly to queries. There is no time lost travelling to lecturers or reduced working hours needed. The modules are all applicable to my learning needs and continuous professional development requirement of CORU, as a health and social care professional."
Audrey Colreavy, Graduate of Master's degree in Sport and Exercise Nutrition
Programme Fees
Academic Year 2024/25 Fees
Total Programme Fee: €4,200
To help make the payment of fees more manageable for students who are self-funding their studies, tuition fees can be paid through payment instalment plans at ATU Sligo. For further information on instalment plans, please visit our Fees and Funding webpage.
If you apply and are approved for an online course at ATU Sligo, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of €250 to secure your place. Your deposit will then be credited against the course fees once you are registered as a student. Students at ATU Sligo are also eligible to claim tax relief at the standard rate for tuition fees.
For further information and guidance about Fees and Funding for online and part-time courses at ATU Sligo, click here.
If you are seeking to take your exams online, and you meet the eligibility criteria (overseas students and those with extenuating circumstances), an additional examinations fee will apply. For further information, please visit our Examinations webpage.
Course Format
Semester 1
| Title | Credits |
|---|---|
| Nutrition, Health and Fitness Assessment | 10 |
| Exercise Physiology and Metabolism [E] | 10 |
| Essentials in Human Nutrition [E] | 10 |
| Human Nutrition and Exercise Physiology and Metabolism [E] | 10 |
Semester 2
| Title | Credits |
|---|---|
| Nutrition and Performance | 10 |
| Professional Skills for Sports Nutritionists | 10 |
Semester 3
| Title | Credits |
|---|---|
| Advanced Performance Nutrition | 10 |
| Research Methods for Sports Nutrition | 05 |
| Statistical Analysis for Nutritional Research | 05 |
[E] = Elective Module. Modules subject to availability.