Jade Carter

Hi, I’m Jade and I’m a second-year BSc Sport and Exercise Nutrition student here at Hartpury University.

Realising my true passion

This degree was the perfect choice for me, as it combines my passion for nutrition with my lifelong interest in sport.

I first came to Hartpury as an equine student. While it was amazing to experience new things on the equine degree, playing for the Sports Academies and getting involved in extra sports opportunities made me realise my true passion. So, I changed my career route and have never looked back.

Valuable experience to succeed in the future

My course is designed to give me the knowledge and practical skills to set me up for working in the industry. We use of the state-of-the-art facilities in the Sports Academy to put the theory into practice.

In the human performance laboratory, I am able to test different supplements on athlete performance. While the on-site kitchen gives me the change to take our athlete nutritional recommendations and transform them into a meal plan.

I feel I am gaining valuable experience and foundations to succeed at my future career.

A typical day

My days at Hartpury are always different, which I really enjoy. I have a mixture of theory lectures and practical sessions spread over four days of the week.

I love that we study a variety of modules. My favourites are Applied Nutrition and Health Related Exercise. We also have lots of optional modules to choose from, such as Sports Psychology. This allows me to tailor my studies to my interests and future career aspirations.

I also have access to a wide range of athletes of varied sporting disciplines through Hartpury’s well-established Sports Academy teams. It’s a fantastic way to practice what we learn in lectures.

I gather information on the athletes and their aspirations, then I assess their current nutritional intake and provide recommendations for improvement, under lecturer guidance, to help them reach their goals.

Supported in my studies

The staff are very supportive and take time to know you as a student, which makes the experience of university so much friendlier.

I get plenty of support through the Achievement and Success Centre (ASC). My assigned study skills tutor helps me understanding my assignment briefs, working through journal articles, and planning for deadlines. These sessions have been really beneficial in helping me to achieve my best, throughout my degree.

Since coming to Hartpury, I have really grown as a person. I have developed essential life skills and built confidence in myself. I can now picture what my future might look like and know I have the capability to achieve it.

My career goals

In the future, I see myself working with amateur and elite athletes, helping them not only achieve their nutritional goals but excel at their sport.

I am also considering postgraduate study as an opportunity to progress further in my field. This will allow me to expand my knowledge by working in the health sector, and then focusing on athletes with health conditions.