Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

This module aims to introduce students to the classification, composition and provenance of the main food commodities in the context of nutrition and healthy eating guidelines, and consider agricultural and industrial food chains from a UK and global perspective. Students will also consider food security, sustainability and food ethics.

Outline Of Syllabus

Teaching and learning will include the following areas:

Food groups, sub-classifications and characteristics; National healthy eating guidelines; Climate, soils and land use; food supply chain and sustainable development (farm to fork); globalisation of the food chain; food portion sizes of commonly consumed foods and food products; relative costs of foods; food ethics and quality assurance.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

At the end of the module, student will be able to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of the classification of the key food commodities
2. Discuss the complex relationship between plants, animals, land and their products
3. Describe and discuss the influence of physical, financial and policy factors on the relationship between individual food choice, and food sustainability and security.

Intended Skill Outcomes

At the end of the module, student will be able to:
1. Apply critical analysis to the diverse influences on agri-food systems and individual food choice
2. Show effective literature-based research skills

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Teaching will consist of present in person lectures/workshops to support core theoretical aspects of the module and to assess/support application of theory into meaningful practical terms. All workshops, practicals, group discussions, seminars, enrichment activities and field visits will support student engagement and learning.

Directed research and reading will enable students to understand theoretical material which will be developed in greater detail during workshops and practical classes.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Semester 1 exam will assess students’ knowledge on food commodity groups and current healthy eating guidelines. Students will have to ensure they have a comprehensive knowledge on each of the food commodity groups and an in-depth understanding of healthy eating guidelines in order to pass. A formative digital exam will provide students with the opportunity to become familiar with the types of questions posed in the summative examination and will act as a revision tool and prepare students for the final exam.

The written exercise in semester 2 will take the form of an essay and assess students understanding of key concepts covered throughout the module. This assessment will enable students to demonstrate their ability to critically analyse concepts relating to the food chain in combination with providing an educated dialogue, thus assessing students true understanding.




MDiet candidates must obtain an overall mark of 40 or above to pass the module, however, if the module has more than one assessment students must also achieve a mark of at least 35 in each component of the assessment to pass the module.

General Notes

N/A