Health Sciences

Bachelor of Science in Community Nutrition and Dietetics

The Bachelor of Science in Community Nutrition and Dietetics is a programme that prepares students for careers in nutritional assessment, dietary planning and community health nutrition. Offered at Great Lakes University of Kisumu through the School of Community Health and Development, the programme equips graduates with skills to address malnutrition, promote healthy dietary practices and manage food service operations.

The curriculum covers human nutrition, biochemistry, food science, diet therapy, community nutrition, nutritional assessment, meal planning, food safety and hygiene, public health nutrition, clinical nutrition, nutrition throughout the lifecycle, research methods, food service management, nutrition education and counselling, epidemiology and health promotion. Students develop both scientific knowledge and practical skills in nutrition and dietetics.

Kenya faces a triple burden of malnutrition including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and rising rates of obesity and non-communicable diseases. The programme responds to the need for qualified nutrition professionals who can design and implement nutrition interventions, provide dietary counselling and support public health nutrition programmes in communities, hospitals and institutions.

The programme is delivered through lectures, laboratory sessions, community field practicals, clinical attachment and a research project. Students gain hands-on experience in nutritional assessment, dietary analysis, meal planning and community nutrition education through laboratory work and attachment at hospitals, health centres and community organisations.

Graduates pursue careers as nutritionists, dietitians, community nutrition officers, food service managers, wellness consultants, public health nutritionists, nutrition educators and research assistants in hospitals, health centres, NGOs, county governments, schools, food companies and wellness centres. They can also pursue postgraduate study in nutrition, public health or dietetics.

Prospective students should have strong analytical skills, an interest in health and food science, and a commitment to improving community health. The programme is suitable for students passionate about nutrition and its role in disease prevention and health promotion.

Duration: 4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 324,000
Private, up to: Ksh 130,000
Job market: High

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 3 months
Average class: 30 students
Award: Bachelor

What you study

10 subjects

Human Nutrition
Biochemistry and Metabolism
Food Science and Technology
Diet Therapy and Clinical Nutrition
Community Nutrition and Public Health
Nutritional Assessment
Meal Planning and Dietary Counselling
Food Safety and Hygiene
Nutrition Through the Lifecycle
Food Service Management

Modules

11 in the programme

Introduction to Human Nutrition
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Introduces nutrition principles, macronutrients, micronutrients, dietary requirements, food groups and the role of nutrition in health and disease.
Biochemistry and Metabolism
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers biochemical processes, carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism, enzymes, vitamins and mineral metabolism relevant to nutrition.
Food Science and Food Safety
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers food composition, processing, preservation, food microbiology, food borne diseases, hygiene standards and food safety regulations.
Nutritional Assessment and Epidemiology
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers nutritional assessment methods, anthropometry, biochemical assessment, dietary assessment, nutrition surveys and nutritional epidemiology.
Diet Therapy and Clinical Nutrition
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers therapeutic diets, medical nutrition therapy for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, renal disease, HIV/AIDS, cancer and other clinical conditions.
Community Nutrition and Health Promotion
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers community nutrition programmes, behaviour change communication, health promotion strategies, nutrition policy and community-based nutrition interventions.
Nutrition Through the Lifecycle
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers nutritional needs and dietary recommendations for pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and elderly populations.
Food Service Management
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers institutional food service operations, menu planning, procurement, quality control, budget management and food service staff supervision.
Nutrition Education and Counselling
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers nutrition education principles, counselling techniques, behaviour change theories, communication skills and client-centred dietary counselling.
Public Health Nutrition and Policy
Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers public health nutrition programmes, nutrition policy development, food security, global nutrition initiatives and nutrition in emergency settings.
Research Project in Community Nutrition and Dietetics
Year 4Semester 26 creditsCore
An independent research project on a nutrition or dietetics topic, demonstrating the student's ability to investigate nutrition issues and present findings.

Specialisations

Clinical Dietetics
Focuses on medical nutrition therapy, therapeutic diets and patient counselling for careers in hospitals and clinical settings.
Community and Public Health Nutrition
Specialises in community nutrition programmes, health promotion and nutrition policy for careers in public health and NGOs.
Food Service Management
Focuses on institutional food service operations, menu planning and quality management for careers in food service management.
Maternal and Child Nutrition
Specialises in nutrition during pregnancy, lactation and early childhood for careers in maternal and child health programmes.

A day as a student

A typical day begins with a morning lecture on biochemistry or diet therapy, followed by a laboratory session on food analysis or nutritional assessment techniques. Afternoon sessions may include a community nutrition field visit to a health centre or school, a dietary counselling role-play practical, or group projects designing nutrition education programmes. Students also work on meal planning exercises for different lifecycle stages and clinical conditions.

The trade offs

In its favour

Nutrition is a growing field in Kenya with increasing recognition of the role of diet in preventing non-communicable diseases.
The programme combines community health with clinical nutrition, providing diverse career options in both public health and clinical settings.
Graduates can register with KNDI, giving professional recognition and credibility in the nutrition and dietetics field.

Against it

Nutrition positions in government may be limited, with many roles dependent on NGO funding and project-based employment.
The programme requires strong grounding in biochemistry and physiology, which can be challenging for students without strong science backgrounds.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 349 health sciences courses

Public307k to 324k

307k at Egerton University324k at University of Nairobi

Private100k to 130k

100k at Great Lakes University of Kisumu130k at Kenya Methodist University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

Egerton ~307K (educationnewshub). UoN ~324K (topnews). KeMU ~130K, GLUK ~100K (eafinder).

Students can access HELB loans. Some health-focused NGOs offer internship opportunities with stipends for nutrition students.

Funding options

HELB Loan

Scholarships

1 recorded

HELB Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Kenyan undergraduate students enrolled in accredited programmes at recognised universities

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+
Alternative entry: Diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics or Food Science and Nutrition from a recognised institution.

Chemistry or Physical Sciences
C
Biology or Biological Sciences
C
English or Kiswahili
C
Mathematics or Physics or Physical Sciences
C

How you are assessed

4 components

Continuous Assessment Tests
Written examination30% of the mark
Mid-semester and end-of-semester written tests covering nutrition fundamentals, biochemistry and food science.
Laboratory and Field Practical Reports
Practicum40% of the mark
Assessment of laboratory sessions including food analysis, nutritional assessment and community nutrition field visits.
Clinical and Community Attachment Report
Practicum100% of the mark
Assessment of performance during attachment at a hospital, health centre or community nutrition programme.
Research Project
Project100% of the mark
A final-year research project on a nutrition or dietetics topic, assessed through a written dissertation and oral presentation.

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) and regulated by the Kenya Nutritionists and Dieticians Institute (KNDI). The programme is offered at GLUK's School of Community Health and Development.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) and regulated by the Kenya Nutritionists and Dieticians Institute (KNDI). The programme is offered at GLUK's School of Community Health and Development.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

Nutritionist
High demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 150,000
Assesses nutritional needs, designs nutrition programmes, provides dietary advice and supports community health initiatives in hospitals, NGOs and county governments.
Dietitian
High demandKsh 55,000 to Ksh 180,000
Provides medical nutrition therapy, designs therapeutic diets and counsels patients with clinical conditions in hospitals and healthcare facilities.
Community Nutrition Officer
Moderate demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 120,000
Implements community nutrition programmes, conducts nutrition education and supports maternal and child nutrition initiatives in communities.
Food Service Manager
Moderate demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 130,000
Manages food service operations in hospitals, schools or institutions, overseeing menu planning, food safety, procurement and staff supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as nutritionists, dietitians and community nutrition officers in hospitals, health centres, NGOs, county governments and food companies across Kenya.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Nutrition and dietetics is just about telling people what to eat.
The programme covers biochemistry, metabolism, clinical nutrition, public health, food science and research, requiring deep scientific knowledge to design evidence-based nutrition interventions.
Nutritionists and dietitians are the same as food scientists.
Nutritionists and dietitians focus on human nutrition and health, while food scientists focus on food processing, preservation and product development. Both are distinct professions with different training.
There are no jobs for nutrition graduates in Kenya.
Kenya's growing burden of non-communicable diseases and persistent malnutrition creates demand for nutrition professionals in hospitals, county governments, NGOs, schools and the food industry.
Community nutrition is only about feeding programmes.
Community nutrition encompasses nutrition assessment, behaviour change communication, policy advocacy, programme design and evaluation, addressing diverse nutrition challenges from stunting to obesity.