BSc (Hons) Food Science, Nutrition and Wellbeing

Year 2 Core Modules

You must study and pass all four core modules​

Brief description

This module develops the understanding of physicochemical characteristics and functionalities of macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and lipids) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and their changes during freezing, cooking and processing. The functionalities and applications of commonly used food additives are included. This module also develops basic chemistry laboratory and scientific writing skills. Active engagement in the module will contribute to the development of Intellectual, Professional, Personal and Digital Abertay Attributes.

Indicative content:

1. Basic chemistry
2. Chemical structure and physicochemical properties of water, macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and lipids) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals)
3. Physiochemical and nutritional changes of macronutrients and micronutrients during freezing, cooking and processing
4. Food additives – functionalities and applications
5. Basic food analysis techniques

Brief description

A practical based module in which students develop an understanding of functionality of food ingredients and develop food handling skills and apply them in the design and promotion of a multi component food recipe.

Indicative content:

1. Fundamental Food Handling and demonstration Skills
Fundamental food handling skills and understanding of how ingredients interact in recipes. Develop ability to modify recipes in order to confidently prepare and demonstrate multi-component recipes
2. Theoretical underpinning of recipe development for specific groups
Food Ingredients, recipe modification and recipe writing, nutritional guidelines Food demonstration skills

Brief description

The physicochemical characteristics and functionalities of macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and lipids) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and their changes during freezing, cooking and processing. Learn the functionalities and applications of commonly used food additives and develop basic chemistry laboratory and scientific writing skills.

Indicative content:

• Basic chemistry.
• Chemical structure and physicochemical properties of water, macro-nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and lipids) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).
• Physiochemical and nutritional changes of macronutrients and micro-nutrients during freezing, cooking and processing.
• Food additives – functionalities and applications.
• Basic food analysis techniques.

Brief description

Learn the concepts of public health, development of public health policy and key public health issues. Fundamentals of epidemiology also to be explored. 

Indicative content:

• Food and nutrition policy: Framework of national and local policy and guidelines; models of good practice.
• Health policy and public health: What is health policy? State intervention in health. Development of Green Papers/White Papers/Guidelines for health/Targets and implementation. Influences of global health policy. Structure of public health agencies.
• Policy implementation: Implementation of food and nutrition policy in educational establishments, community food initiatives, local authorities and health services.
• Fundamentals of epidemiology: e.g. concept, measuring disease frequency, study designs for public health.

Brief description

The techniques required to test food using analytical, physico-chemical and sensory analysis techniques.

Indicative content:

• Physicochemical characterisation of foods: pH and titratible acidity, salt analysis using flame photometry, water content and water activity, colorimetry, turbidity measurement, texture analysis using empirical instruments (bostwick consistometer, texture analyser).
• Spectrophotometry, Chromatography and mass spectrometry.
• Sensory evaluation techniques (discrimination tests, ranking, descriptive and affective testing including accompanying statistics).
• Method development for NPD, quality control and quality assurance.

Year 2 Microcredentials - Term 2

If you are a Direct Entrant (new student) to this year of study and have not previously taken module ABE101, then you MUST take ABE201 as part of your Microcredential selection. If you have previously taken ABE101 then you are NOT permitted to take ABE201.

Please choose a total of TWENTY credits worth of microcredential (ABE) modules in Term 2.

Brief description

Throughout the microcredential you will become familiar with university systems (including the virtual learning environment), consider what attributes make a successful student and develop key successful student habits.

Indicative content

• Navigating Abertay Systems: Be introduced to and understand how to engage with Abertay systems and tools such as MyLearningSpace, MS Teams, OASIS, MyAbertay etc.
• Expectations of University and You: Explore your own and the universities expectations of you and of the university; Consider the code of conduct; independent learning; blended learning; how university is structured; health and safety; and the Abertay attributes.
• Understanding and Searching Information: How scholarly information is generated and disseminated, key characteristics of different information types. Planning, using, and refining appropriate search strategies; online search tools; using a range of web and database search functionality. 
• Successful Student Behaviours: Develop strategies to key successful student behaviours including Defeating Procrastination, Time Management, Notetaking and preparing for classes, Growth Mindset, Accessing student support and opportunities.
• Referencing: Understand what is meant by academic integrity, plagiarism, and the need for appropriate referencing; creating reference lists and in-text citations; use of referencing tools to manage information.
• Sounding Academic: Explore what lecturers mean by “academic style” and “the right language”; Understand what is meant by and how to learn the rules of academic writing characteristics. Consider how this differs between college and university; Learn how to paraphrase. Explore how assessments, marking and feedback works at university.
• Evaluating Information: Using appropriate quality criteria to critically evaluate information from any source to determine authority and bias.

Brief description

This microcredential provides you with the space and time to develop your skills in designing, planning, delivering, and showcasing an artefact responding to the societal issue. The microcredential is flexible and you will have a choice of what and how you create your response.

Indicative content

• The Big Issue: You will be introduced to the big society issue that will be the focus of your artefact response. Learning materials available will help you consider your response to the challenge.
• Developing Ideas: You will think creatively as to how you will respond to the big issue. You will consider your intended artefact aims, outcomes and target audience. 
• Responding to the Challenge: Resources and guidance will be available as you respond to the challenge and create your artefact.
• Preparing for the Showcase: Guidance will be available on how best to showcase your artefact for the assessment. You will develop your presentation skills to support you in showcasing the artefact. 
• Showcase Event: You will attend a showcase event and present your artefact.

Brief description

You will discuss a range of anti-racist approaches and how they apply within the context of professional communications. You will examine case studies and scenarios to identify the nature of bias in society explore ways to be anti-racist especially in professional communications.

Indicative content

• Racial Bias in Society: Using case studies and scenarios to discuss various forms of racism in society, you will explore the need for anti-racist practice in professional communications. 
• Classification of Anti-Racist Practice: This section compares different anti-racists approaches applied across several contexts. You will discuss the challenges and benefits of each approach. You will identify barriers to implementation of anti-racist practice.
• Discuss Anti-Racist Approaches for Successful Professional Communications: You will be introduced to various communications frameworks (e.g. the humanity-centric framework) and will explore scenarios for the application of these frameworks in a range of professional contexts.
• Embedding Anti-Racism in Digital and Social Media Communications: How can you discuss matters of race and anti-racism on digital and social media while maintaining a professional persona. We will examine cases for best practices and explore ways to avoid bigoted language in digital communications. 

Brief description

In this module you will study two ways of analysing language: (i) a basic introduction to conversation analysis and discourse analysis as applied to ordinary talk/texting, and (ii) and introduction text mining, based on identifying patterns and developing insights from text-based data available on the Internet (e.g., social media data, online texts, online reviews etc).

Indicative content

• Conversation Analysis and Talk and Text as Action: A brief overview of the CA focus on language as action; an examination of how people talk in terms of questions, answers, invitations, excuses, justifications etc.; an examination of texting, emojis, misunderstandings.
• Text Mining: Introduction to text mining and its uses in a social sciences and business context; Online data sources; The text mining process: data collection, pre-processing and analysis; effectively communicating and visualising insights from textual data.

Brief description

By the end of this microcredential, you will be able to evaluate and select machine learning algorithms and AWS services to be appropriately applied to different business problems.

Indicative content

• Introduction to Machine Learning: What is ML? ML process, business problem solved with ML, ML tools, Amazon SageMaker, ML challenges, supervised learning (regression, classification), unsupervised learning (clustering, dimensionality reduction), reinforcement learning, etc.
• Implementing a ML pipeline using Amazon Sage Maker: Formulating ML problems, collecting and securing data, extracting, transferring and loading data, evaluating your data, finding corelation, feature engineering, data cleaning, dealing with outliers, training, deployment, performance evaluation, hyperparameters and model tuning.
• Forecasting: Time series analysis, Amazon Forecast, Implementing a forecast model, Stock Predictions.
• Computer Vision: Facial Recognition, Image and Video Analysis, Dataset Preparation.
• Natural Language Processing: Amazon Comprehend, Polly, Translate, and Lex, Creating a chatbot, Alexa, etc.

Brief description

This online module will support you to get familiar with sustainability and introduce you to tools that can help you to understand and reduce your climate impact. By increasing your sustainability self-awareness, you will be able to make a positive difference in your own life, and in the organisations and communities around you.

Indicative content

• What is sustainability and how is it linked to Climate Change?: We define sustainability, enhancing understanding of the links between society, economy, and environment. Climate change is explained and linked to sustainability. We provide clear accessible information about the reliable science of climate change. We describe the need efforts towards limiting human-induced global warming (limiting cumulative CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions). 
• Global Sustainability: We introduce the United Nations Sustainability Goals (SDGs). The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. 
• Personal Sustainability: The WWF environmental footprint tool is a great way to start your personal sustainability journey. The planet is in crisis - from climate change to the pollution in our oceans and devastation of our forests. It's up to all of us to fix it. Take your first step with our environmental footprint calculator. 
• Community Sustainability and Climate Resilience: Community climate resilience comes in many forms. In this topic we introduce ideas which can provide multiple benefits of people, planet, and prosperity. We showcase inspiring examples whereby working with natural processes (Biophilic design, blue and green infrastructure) we can connect people with nature to improve their well-being and quality of life, whilst simultaneously tackling climate change and storing carbon.
• Global Solutions: What is the world doing about it? What impact do Global Climate and Biodiversity agreements (COP26 etc) really have? What’s happening here? Where are the challenges and the good news stories? We showcase positive initiatives focussed on progress.

Brief description

By the end of the module, you will know more about key aspects of nutrition and health and be better equipped to identify and tackle the barriers that prevent you from eating well.

Indicative content

• Healthy eating on a budget: This topic will show you that healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive! You will be given basic nutritional knowledge, as well as skills and practical tips to be able to eat a healthy diet on a budget. You will then be able to develop your own menu and share it with your peers, so you learn from us as well as from each other.
• Prebiotics, probiotics and health: You will learn about the importance of our microbiota on health, and how what we eat can modulate it. You will be provided with cooking tips and will be able to develop your own fermented foods for better gut health.
• Fat or sugar, which is worse?: You may have heard that fats are bad for our health, or perhaps you have heard it is all about the sugars? You will learn about the role of both sugars and fats in our diet; what makes them good or bad for health and the science behind it. You will be given the tools to assess your own sugar and fat intake as well as tips to implement the changes you need to eat better. 
• The British diet vs Mediterranean diet: What is a Mediterranean diet and what are its real benefits? Is it just a diet or a pattern? Can we get the same benefits as those living in Mediterranean countries? In this topic, you will explore how feasible it is for us to adopt the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle, considering the seasonality of ingredients as well as sustainability. 
• What drives our food choices?: How healthy do you think your diet is? Do you find it easy to eat well? With this topic you will become more aware of our obesogenic environment, of how the food industry talks to us, and how the media report nutritional claims. You will learn to look more closely and more critically at your environment, so you can make healthier decisions.

Brief description

This microcredential will help you to refine your current writing skills through the analysis and discussion of a range of texts and exercises, enabling you to then apply these techniques to assignments for your other modules.

Indicative content

• Speaking the language: How to develop your academic and professional vocabulary: understanding the genre; understanding your reader’s expectations.
• Meeting expectations: Why different assignments have different requirements: decoding instructions; selecting appropriate writing techniques.
• Tightening up the nuts and bolts: How to improve your writing accuracy: reviewing key grammar and punctuation issues; improving your editing and proofreading.
• Standing on the shoulders of giants: How to borrow from the greats: reviewing the principles of citing sources; using writing techniques to incorporate research into writing.

Brief description

This module will help you develop a better understanding of the difference between media reporting and scientific evaluation. It will equip you with the skills to look beyond sensational stories related to human behaviour and dig deeper into a topic area to validate the evidence.

Indicative content

• Paranormal Beliefs and Experiences: Is Extrasensory Perception Real? Is there really evidence that we can predict the future?
• Myths about the Brain: Can repressed memories be recovered in therapy? How easily are false memories created? What are the implications for the justice system? 
• Myths about our Mind and Body: Is the key to success in everyday life simply a case of posing like a powerful superhero? 
• Myths about Language: Does being bilingual make you smarter and keep your brain younger? Are bilingual people less likely to get dementia as a result of this lifelong brain training?

Brief description

Through this microcredential you will gain an insight into what the world of work may look like in the (near) future. This includes developing a knowledge of how the economy and labour market evolves and why individual skills-sets and employability are so important and intrinsically linked to this process.

Indicative content

• The future of work: What will the future of work look like? What is used to predict how the world or work will change? Can the future of the economy and of work be accurately predicted? 
• Key factors that influence change: Identifying some of the key factors that influence how the world of work and our economy evolves and changes.
• The key role of skills and personal employability: The emergence and decline of skills: skills are fundamental to the economy (and graduate employers). What skills will be most in demand and/or be most valuable to our economy in future and why? Understand the importance of skills to the economy (and to graduate employers) at both the macro and micro level. Know what specific new skills are emerging and becoming more valuable and sought after, (as others are in decline) for our modern economy and graduate labour market. 
• Labour market information - what is it for?: Labour market Information is hugely important to our understanding of our economy at any given time: and also, in looking at the present and past to help predict future growth, opportunities, shortages and skills gaps. Recognise the importance of key Labour Market Information (LMI). Have the ability to source and use key Labour Market Information (LMI). Understand how to use accurate Labour Market Information as a tool to help their own personal development and future career planning. 
• What now?: Some help and steer – suggestions to you may wish to use your new knowledge and insight to help with your own career aspirations, planning and personal/professional development while at university.

Brief description

Some businesses have the sole focus of making money whereas others exist to also make a difference. Social enterprises are becoming more popular, and recognisable, and are making an impact across the world. From supporting the homeless, to giving waste products a second life, social enterprises are fighting for various causes. 

Indicative content

• What is a social enterprise and how does it function?: What the definition of a social enterprise is with examples from different sectors.
• How do social enterprises identify problems to tackle?: How social enterprises decide on what they will tackle and how they will do it. 
• How do you gather evidence that there is a problem requiring a solution?: Way in which you can gather evidence and data to validate the idea for a social enterprise. Determining needs and wants within a category. 
• How to identify skills and knowledge gaps: Understanding the skillsets within a founding team to fulfil the tasks required to start a social enterprise. 
• How to understand the problem you are trying to solve: Knowing the problem, you are trying to solve and how this effects the target customers the social enterprise is aimed at. Looking at the issues in a customer-focussed way. 
• How to develop a social impact plan: What is involved in a social impact plan and how to put one together. 

Brief description

This module will introduce you to the study of AI and Society. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a set of technologies and concepts and can be understood as using computers and software to denote problem-solving capacities and knowledge acquisition (intelligence) which otherwise we believe only belongs to natural beings such as humans.

Indicative content

• Introduction to the core concepts: A brief introduction to the concepts of “artificial”, “intelligence” and “society”. 
• Introduction to the problem of AI and Society: A discussion of where the problem of the impact of AI on Society comes from, presentation of some of the original debates and examples.
• Contemporary debates: A discussion of the contemporary debates about the impact of AI on Society, with examples.

Brief description

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how has it shaped our past and present? These are questions we will explore on a guided tour of AI from the past to the present and the future. You will develop a better understanding of what AI is and isn’t.

Indicative content

• Historical AI: Tracing the historical development of “traditional” AI systems including aircraft autopilots, expert systems, and accounting/financial software.
• Current AI: Covering the contemporary generation of AI technologies in areas such as speech recognition (e.g., Alexa, Siri) and recommendation systems (e.g., Amazon, YouTube). Examples will be drawn from Health, Sport, Games, Engineering, Business, Law and Computing. 
• Future AI: Exploring the limitations of today’s AI when it comes to general intelligence and contextual adaptation. Examples will be drawn from Health, Sport, Games, Engineering, Business, Law and Computing.
• My AI: How AI will impact your future, and how you can use AI to help you achieve your career goals.  Reflection on how AI may inform your subject area going forward.

Brief description

This microcredential is aimed at you, if you have an interest in technology but are not experts. The microcredential will develop your digital safety and how to stay safe online.

Indicative content

• Threat Landscape: Cyberattacks and online threats. System vulnerabilities. Social Engineering. Rights and computer laws.
• Authentication: Password security. Biometrics. MFA and Password managers. Good practices for authentication.
• Secure Communication: Web browser security. Certificates and trust. Effective encryption. Secure communication methods.
• Personal Information Privacy: Information leakage. Personal information privacy and open-source intelligence. Device encryption and security. Security mindfulness.
• Malware: Types of malware. Identifying malicious software. Malware propagation techniques. Malware removal and preventative measures.

Brief description

This microcredential will help you to develop and build your own confidence in applying numeracy skills in real world situations.

Indicative content

• What is my GPA and how likely am I to get a First? (BASIC NUMERACY): Calculation and manipulation of data using Percentages, Indices (Powers), Roots, Probability, and simple equations. 
• The power of prediction (GRAPHS): Straight line graphs, Gradients, Equations of a straight line, Intercepts. Drawing graphs - Linear equations, Distances between points. Simultaneous linear equations.  
• Love a good puzzle (ALGEBRA): Changing subject of formulae. Factorisation - common factors, Difference of two squares, Trinomials. Solving simultaneous equations by Substitution and Elimination.
• Advanced power of prediction (FUNCTIONS): Introduction to functions – Linear and Quadratic and solving quadratic equations. Factorising Quadratic equations.
• Love a good triangle (TRIGONOMETRY): Trignometric functions - Sine, cosine and tangent. Trignometric formulae.

Brief description

In this microcredential, you will learn more about how digital media production professionals in the UK and China are working together to reduce barriers and identify new opportunities for collaboration and growth.

Indicative content

• History and future of videogames in China: Focussing on the videogame sector as a case study of Chinese digital creative industries, how has the videogames market and industry developed in China, how is the Chinese videogames economy currently constituted, and what does the future hold?
• Consumer trends and audience preferences: What is popular with audiences in China? What can we note about preferences in terms of narrative content, aesthetics, play styles etc. when compared with other markets?
• Policy and regulation: What unique regulations or limitations are imposed on digital media within China, and what similarities are there with other national and transnational regulations? How is creative content development and publishing shaped by policy in China? What social and ethical challenges are presented by regulation, in China as well as in the UK?
• Transnational working and co-production: How is digital creative content conceived, developed, and released by professionals working across borders? What are the challenges for small and independent creative studios, compared with multi-nationals with studios based in and outside China?
• Publishing in China: How do digital media content like videogames make it to market in China? What processes and requirements must creative businesses be aware of, and how do developers find, connect to, and work with Chinese publishers? How to consumers in China access content, including on grey markets?
• Challenges and success: Hear from UK and Chinese professionals on the China market, co-operation, the hurdles they cleared, and how they found success.

Brief description

Increasingly, the role of creativity in supporting and maintaining wellbeing is being researched and celebrated. This module will introduce you to the current theory in this area, as well as a range of creative resources shown to be helpful for both self-care and the support of others.

Indicative content

• Why does creativity matter?: An introduction to why creativity matters when it comes to mental health.
• Your brain on words: The place of stories in their various forms as a resource for wellbeing.
• Engaging the senses: The potential of tools such as music and art for self-care.

Year 3 Option Modules

In Term 1, you must study and pass three modules from the six modules below. You must choose FOD307 if you plan to choose FOD302 in Term 2. Do not select FOD307 if you plan to choose FOD308 and SPS408 in Term 2. 

Brief description

Preparation for your Placement period and for research skills.

Indicative content:

• Briefing sessions: Issues re: induction, confidentiality, Health and Safety, realistic expectations and assessment. Prior to start of placement you, the employer and placement tutor will agree task(s) involved in the learning opportunities to be developed and expected outcomes.
• CV writing
• Development of reflective learning techniques
• Data Handling and Numeracy Skills: Basic statistics for food science: parametric tests: t tests, (independent, one sample, paired t-tests, Shapiro wilks normality test, Levene’s homogeneity of variance test); non parametric tests: Kruscal Wallis, Mann Whitney test; linear regression, test for associations.

Brief description 

A practical module providing research tools and theoretical enquiry into consumer orientated reasons for poor dietary choices and the potential technical and psychological solutions.

Indicative content 

• Satiety/obesity and CVD explored in terms of drivers of consumption: Genetic and ageing differences in sensory perception explored. Supertasters (bitter reception/ fat taste – CD36) Chewing strategies and satietyBiomarkers, hormones and receptors e.g. satiety Cognitive factors] Sociological approach
• Research methods: Methodological review of techniques – strengths and weaknesses. e.g. Attitudinal scoring does it predict behaviour ? Working knowledge on a variety of techniques Basic report writing skills. Accuracy, Data presentation and analysis, Experimental critique, and Report Structure
• Solutions/interventions Psychological, medical and technical solutions investigated

Brief description

This module provides you with knowledge about interactions of nutrients with other components (non-nutrient food components; gene and drug interactions). The module gives also information about methods used for assessment of the nutritional status and an introduction to nutritional genomics.

Indicative content

• Introduction to nutritional genomics: 1 – Genetic fundamentals 1.2 – Genetics and Nutrition (Nutrigenomics & Nutrigenetics)
• Food-Drug interactions: 2.1 – Drug use and nutritional Status 2.2 – Drug effects on Food and Nutrients 2.3 – Food and Nutrient effects on drugs 2.4 – Alcohol (as a drug)- absorption, metabolism and effects on health
• Non-nutrient components in foods: 3.1 – Bioactives and their metabolic activity 3.2 – Main Classes of anti-nutrients and their effect on nutrient’s bioavailability 3.3 – Adverse reactions to Food/Food components
• Functional Foods: 4.1 – Definition of Functional Foods and their health benefits 4.2 – Functional Foods (Prebiotics and Probiotics) 4.3 - Functional Components
• Laboratory data in nutrition assessment: 5.1 – Indicators of Protein-Energy Malnutrition (undernutrition- starvation and chronic undernutrition) 5.2 – Inflammation and Biochemical Assessment 5.3 – Markers of vitamins status (overview of function and deficiency) 5.4 – Markers of iron status (overview of function and deficiency)

Brief description

Introduction to the basic unit operations and food processing technologies used in the food and drink manufacturing industry.

Indicative content:

• Basic processing concepts for example: Heat transfer; thermal properties of food, modes of heat transfer, modes of heating; mass balance; flow of liquids; size reduction and mixing.

Brief description

The issues related to the management of food safety and quality systems in food environments, throughout the food supply chain.

Indicative content:

• Contamination of foods and its prevention: Bacteriology, physical, chemical and microbiological contamination of food and its prevention. Carry out risk analysis, identify hazards and indicate suitable controls.
• Safety management: Assessment of existing HACCP plans, design and implementation of new HACCP plans and safety management systems.
• Legislation and other requirements: Food Safety Act 1990, EC Regulations, Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations, FSA, European Food Safety Authority, BRC and ISO standards, hygienic design of food premises.

Brief description

You are provided with a 10 week unpaid work placement that provides practical experience of the world of work in food and consumer studies. This gives an opportunity to develop useful employability and interpersonal skills.

Indicative content:

• Briefing: Final preparation for placement building on an earlier module, Professional Practice.
• Placement: Individual learning experiences will vary depending on the organisation/agency to which you are attached. You undertake a 10 week unpaid work placement. You are visited at least once during your placement period by a university supervisor.
• Debriefing: Follows immediately upon completion of the period of work placement and is designed to offer guidance to help you transfer your learning experience back into the university-based setting and for consideration of future learning.

Brief description

In this module you will learn the principles of assessment and exercise programming, examine acute and chronic outcomes of training to improve health and undertake several physiological/fitness tests. You will also learn how to use the fitness tests results to plan, implement and evaluate individualised and safe evidence-based exercise programmes that will help clients achieve their health goals.

Indicative content

• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the theoretical and scientific basis of health related fitness testing and training.
• Explain and critique acute and chronic responses to exercise.
• Critically appraise and be proficient in a range of assessments of health related fitness.

In Term 2, you must choose either FOD302 or FOD308 and SPS408.

Brief description

The placement is a planned part of your education. It is designed to complement and extend the academic programme and provides an opportunity for you to accept responsibility for your own personal and professional development, learning and training.

Indicative content

• Briefing: Final preparation for placement building on Professional Development for Placement and Research module - in semester 1 (FOD307)
• Placement: Individual learning experiences will vary depending on the organisation/ agency to which a student is attached. Each student will undertake an unpaid work placement during Term 2.
• Debriefing: Follows immediately upon completion of the period of work placement and is designed to offer guidance to the student in order to better enable them to transfer their learning experiences and to future learning.

Brief description

The Lifestyle Management module is designed to enhance communication skills to support behaviour change intervention strategies that are used to elicit lifestyle change to promote positive health and wellbeing. 

Indicative content

The aim of this Module is to provide the you with: Effective communication, Self-awareness, Listening skills
Management skills: Practicalities of management, administration and organisation of client.
Behaviour Change: Identify Influences on behaviour. Understanding and assessing behaviour, Individual behaviour and motivation, Determinants and factors that impact on behaviour and motivation.
Time management: Aspects of time management. Changing time management. Effective planning.
Goal Setting: Identifying Goals. Developing Practical Realistic goals. Short long term goals. Achieving goals.
Behaviour Change Models: Models of behaviour change. Social cognitive theory, relapse prevention model, ecological theories of behaviour, stages of readiness. Moderators mediators of change. Behaviour change process.
Promoting Adherence: Self efficacy. Social Support. Behaviour change skills, Impact of habitual behaviour, Factors that affect adherence. Overcoming barriers.

Year 4 Core Modules

You must study and pass SCN421 in Term 1 and SCN422 in Term 2

Brief description

This module provides you with the theoretical underpinning required to pursue a detailed investigation of a research topic of choice. It explores the qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and the range of statistical analysis techniques used in conducting research, as well as the development of project management skills.

Indicative content

• Introduction to Research: The nature and purpose of research; different types of research (quantitative qualitative, mixed methods, developmental, practice based) and their mapping within different philosophical paradigms (positivism, interpretivism, pragmatism); strengths and weaknesses.
• Dealing with Practical Issues: The research process; identifying a research topic and setting research objectives; developing a research strategy; characteristics of a good research project; ethical issues in conducting research.
• Searching and Reviewing the Literature: The purposes and main steps of a literature review; searching, evaluating, organizing and synthesizing the relevant literature; and, writing a literature review and managing bibliographic records. In addition, developing research questions for qualitative and quantitative research; and identifying characteristics/attributes.
• Data Collection and Analysis: Approaches to data collection and analysis (quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, iterative); questionnaire design; populations, samples, and sampling methods; data Mining.
• Writing your Research Proposal: Identifying a research problem or issue, the purpose of the research and the main research question(s); choosing the research strategy and methods; writing a research proposal. In addition: discussing findings, formulating conclusions, making recommendations, and reporting; planning, executing, writing up, and submitting a dissertation.
• Descriptive Statistics for Quantitative and Qualitative Data: Summarizing and visualizing data sets; finding trends in data and formulating a research hypothesis.
• Introduction to Probability and Statistical Inference: Basic concepts of probability and probability distribution; discrete and continuous random variables; basic probability distributions; introduction to the hypothesis testing procedure.
• The Hypothesis Testing Procedure: Parametric and non-parametric tests; Chi-squared Test for Association; Independent Sample t-Test; One and Two Way Analysis of Variance ANOVA; power calculation and sample size estimation
• Correlation and Regression: Relationship between two numeric variables, dependent and independent variable; Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient; Simple Linear Regression.
• Multiple Regression: Multiple Regression Analysis and introduction to the General Linear Model.

Brief description

This module allows you to develop your own intellectual processes and communication skills in the pursuit of research goals substantially defined by you.

Indicative content

• Project Work: Effectively and efficiently conduct the project into a specific aspect of your discipline, under the supervision of a named academic or academic team.
• Project Log /Lab Book: Keep accurate records of your work in an appropriate format.
• Communication of findings: Produce a final project report within the discipline specific guidelines. Present the outcomes of the research project by means of a poster presentation.

Year 4 Option Modules

You must study and pass two option modules in Term 1 and one option module in Term 2. You can only take one of the modules marked with an asterisk if not taken in Year 3. Please see Programme Leader for advice/approval.

Brief description

This module will cover methods use in nutritional epidemiology with its limitations and benefits. The module will provide information related to design, implementation and analysis of epidemiologic studies that address questions of dietary intake and nutritional status.

Indicative content

• Nutritional and physical activity assessment methods (revision and limitations)
• Nutrition epidemiology – an overview.
• Study designs in nutritional epidemiology.
• Biomarkers in nutritional epidemiology.
• Methods to establish link between diet and chronic diseases.
• Measuring exposure and outcomes
• Biostatistics (applied to nutritional epidemiology).
• Significance of evaluation of nutrition in maintaining and driving public health agendas.

Brief description

A project-based module. Gain the skills in applying qualitative and quantitative techniques to conduct a product development project (up to concept and businesses plan stage) in the food industry.

Indicative content:

• Food New Product Development theory and practice: RG Cooper stage gate model and food modifications. Idea generation and screening. Ideas, concepts and specifications (the development). Concept development and screening “me too”, incremental and radical innovation in the food industry. Factors critical for successful food new product development.
• Consumer research: Primary and secondary market research. Qualitative and quantitative consumer research for NPD. Focus groups for concept building, developing and screening. Shop surveys.
• Business plan: Own label versus branded. Basic financial appraisal of NPD project. Appropriate marketing and price strategy. Introduction to scale up and production issues from and NPD perspective.
• Food ingredients: Modern food ingredients explored. Food additives – functionality, interactions. Raw materials managed.

Brief description

This module will examine the role of physical activity for special populations. It will examine how participation in physical activity has the potential to enhance physical, social and mental health and well−being. The challenges of getting different population groups to engage in physical activity will also be examined.

Indicative content

• Guidelines: Population physical activity guidelines.
• Benefits: Physical, social and mental health benefits associated with physical activity
• Needs and Challenges: Identification of Physical activity needs and challenges associated with engaging different groups in physical activity.
• Participation: Examine participation trends associated with different populations
• Exploration of attitudes, beliefs and values: Exploration of attitudes, beliefs and values of different populations regarding physical activity.

Brief description

Introduction to the basic unit operations and food processing technologies used in the food and drink manufacturing industry.

Indicative content:

• Basic processing concepts for example: Heat transfer; thermal properties of food, modes of heat transfer, modes of heating; mass balance; flow of liquids; size reduction and mixing.

Brief description 

A practical module providing research tools and theoretical enquiry into consumer orientated reasons for poor dietary choices and the potential technical and psychological solutions.

Indicative content 

• Satiety/obesity and CVD explored in terms of drivers of consumption: Genetic and ageing differences in sensory perception explored. Supertasters (bitter reception/ fat taste – CD36) Chewing strategies and satietyBiomarkers, hormones and receptors e.g. satiety Cognitive factors] Sociological approach
• Research methods: Methodological review of techniques – strengths and weaknesses. e.g. Attitudinal scoring does it predict behaviour ? Working knowledge on a variety of techniques Basic report writing skills. Accuracy, Data presentation and analysis, Experimental critique, and Report Structure
• Solutions/interventions Psychological, medical and technical solutions investigated

Brief description

This module provides you with knowledge about interactions of nutrients with other components (non-nutrient food components; gene and drug interactions). The module gives also information about methods used for assessment of the nutritional status and an introduction to nutritional genomics.

Indicative content

• Introduction to nutritional genomics: 1 – Genetic fundamentals 1.2 – Genetics and Nutrition (Nutrigenomics & Nutrigenetics)
• Food-Drug interactions: 2.1 – Drug use and nutritional Status 2.2 – Drug effects on Food and Nutrients 2.3 – Food and Nutrient effects on drugs 2.4 – Alcohol (as a drug)- absorption, metabolism and effects on health
• Non-nutrient components in foods: 3.1 – Bioactives and their metabolic activity 3.2 – Main Classes of anti-nutrients and their effect on nutrient’s bioavailability 3.3 – Adverse reactions to Food/Food components
• Functional Foods: 4.1 – Definition of Functional Foods and their health benefits 4.2 – Functional Foods (Prebiotics and Probiotics) 4.3 - Functional Components
• Laboratory data in nutrition assessment: 5.1 – Indicators of Protein-Energy Malnutrition (undernutrition- starvation and chronic undernutrition) 5.2 – Inflammation and Biochemical Assessment 5.3 – Markers of vitamins status (overview of function and deficiency) 5.4 – Markers of iron status (overview of function and deficiency)

Brief description

The issues related to the management of food safety and quality systems in food environments, throughout the food supply chain.

Indicative content:

• Contamination of foods and its prevention: Bacteriology, physical, chemical and microbiological contamination of food and its prevention. Carry out risk analysis, identify hazards and indicate suitable controls.
• Safety management: Assessment of existing HACCP plans, design and implementation of new HACCP plans and safety management systems.
• Legislation and other requirements: Food Safety Act 1990, EC Regulations, Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations, FSA, European Food Safety Authority, BRC and ISO standards, hygienic design of food premises.

Brief description

In this module you will learn the principles of assessment and exercise programming, examine acute and chronic outcomes of training to improve health and undertake several physiological/fitness tests. You will also learn how to use the fitness tests results to plan, implement and evaluate individualised and safe evidence-based exercise programmes that will help clients achieve their health goals.

Indicative content

• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the theoretical and scientific basis of health related fitness testing and training.
• Explain and critique acute and chronic responses to exercise.
• Critically appraise and be proficient in a range of assessments of health related fitness.

Brief description

This module explores the role of nutrition on the prevention and management of a variety of diseases.

Indicative content

• Risk factors for major causes of illness - use of epidemiological and intervention studies to characterise risk factors for major causes of morbidity and mortality
• Principles of the management of diseases (e.g. cancer, anaemia, diabetes type 2, gastrointestinal disorders; metabolic disorders)
• Role of Nutrition in the prevention of diseases
• Dietary intervention strategies
• Nutrition support (e.g. enteral and parenteral nutrition)

Brief description

The development and design of a product formulation and production process for a defined food product concept, and the production and marketing of the product at pilot scale.

Indicative content

• Product Development: Kitchen Scale development of a concept through to development of a commercial formulation.
• Experimental Design: Application of experimental design in food prototype and pilot scale development of a food product.
• Upscaling: Upscale of kitchen formula for generating large enough number of units for market evaluation.
• Market Evaluation: Quantitative consumer market evaluation.
• Feasibility Assessment: A study of the requirements and feasibility of factory scale manufacture, including financial analysis and food safety considerations.
• Additional Concerns: Consideration of ethical, legal and social issues, including product and plant safety and environmental impact.
• Commercialisation: Commercialisation and product launch.

Brief description

The Lifestyle Management module is designed to enhance communication skills to support behaviour change intervention strategies that are used to elicit lifestyle change to promote positive health and wellbeing. 

Indicative content

The aim of this Module is to provide the you with: Effective communication, Self-awareness, Listening skills
Management skills: Practicalities of management, administration and organisation of client.
Behaviour Change: Identify Influences on behaviour. Understanding and assessing behaviour, Individual behaviour and motivation, Determinants and factors that impact on behaviour and motivation.
Time management: Aspects of time management. Changing time management. Effective planning.
Goal Setting: Identifying Goals. Developing Practical Realistic goals. Short long term goals. Achieving goals.
Behaviour Change Models: Models of behaviour change. Social cognitive theory, relapse prevention model, ecological theories of behaviour, stages of readiness. Moderators mediators of change. Behaviour change process.
Promoting Adherence: Self efficacy. Social Support. Behaviour change skills, Impact of habitual behaviour, Factors that affect adherence. Overcoming barriers.