| CODE | FSN1021 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Nutrition and Dietetics Practice | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Food Science, Nutrition and Dietetics | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit begins with an overview of the professions of nutrition and dietetics, including the roles and responsibilities of professionals, pathways to registration, and ethical standards. Following this, students will engage in practical sessions to develop essential skills such as conducting anthropometric measurements and performing dietary analysis using food composition tables and introductory software tools. Introductory sessions in culinary nutrition will focus on essential food hygiene practices, safe food handling, basic kitchen skills, and exploring the preparation and nutritional value of commonly consumed foods. Guided supermarket visits will provide students with hands-on experience in food labelling, nutrient quality and budgetary considerations. Study-Unit Aims: The aim of this study-unit is to introduce first-year students to the field of nutrition and dietetics, including professional requirements. Students will also acquire foundational practical skills in nutrition assessment, dietary analysis, and food preparation to support their academic and professional development. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Explain the roles and responsibilities of nutritionists and dietitians, and outline the pathways to professional registration; - Describe the principles of anthropometric measurements, including body composition and their applications in nutrition assessment; - Discuss the significance of portion size estimation in dietary planning and nutritional analysis; - Identify key elements of food labelling and composition during food selection processes; - Recognise the importance of dietary analysis and food preparation in promoting health and preventing disease. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Discuss the professional standards required in the field of nutrition and dietetics; - Perform anthropometric measurements; - Estimate food portion sizes accurately using standard tools; - Interpret food labels and food composition data effectively; - Safely handle and prepare food following basic food hygiene and kitchen practices; - Conduct basic dietary analysis using food composition tables and software tools; - Collaborate effectively in group activities and communicate findings clearly through reports and presentations. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Aspden, W., Caple, F., Reed, R., Jones, A., & Weyers, J. (2011). Practical skills in food science, nutrition and dietetics (1st ed.). Pearson. ISBN 9781408223093. - Marcus, J. B. (2025). Culinary nutrition: The science and practice of healthy cooking (2nd ed.). Academic Press. ISBN 9780443160042 (print), 9780443160035 (eBook). |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Practical | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Claire Copperstone Petra Jones (Co-ord.) Melania Spiteri |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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