BSc (Hons) in Food With Nutrition

Year one (Level 4) modules

• Biological Techniques
• The Microbial World
• Food and Nutrition
• Nutrition and Exercise for Health
• The Business Environment
• Sustainability in Life and Work

Year two (Level 5) modules

• Human Nutrition
• Food Analysis
• Research Skills for Food with Nutrition
• Food Product Development
• Microbial Applications and Biotech
• Future Food: Food and Nutrition in the 21st Century
• Biology Work Placement
• Environmental Management
• Health: Mind, Body, Society
• Science Journalism and Publishing
• Understanding Classrooms
• Professional Placement Year

Year three (Level 6) modules

• Dissertation Planning for Food with Nutrition
• Dissertation Publication for Food with Nutrition
• Food Safety
• Global Trends in Food, Preservation and Packaging
• Plants and People
• Environmental Practice
• Medical Biology
• Epidemiology and Public Health
• Food and Nutrition in Practice
• Enterprise: Creating Your Own Business
• Creativity and Digital Technologies in Education
• Publishing Industry Project

What you'll learn

Overview

The course focuses on the food chain and issues that are important to consumers, such as nutrition and safety. We’ll equip you for professional life, with skills that will make you attractive to employers.

We offer a supportive, close-knit working environment. Class sizes are small. Staff and students are on first name terms, and you’ll be assigned an Academic Advisor from day one.

You’ll graduate with:

• A deep understanding of the impact of food provision
• An understanding of the role of nutrition on health
• Familiarity with the scientific principles and laboratory techniques used in the examination and analysis of food
• An informed attitude to ethical and environmental concerns associated with food production.

Course structure

Year one
In your first year, you'll build a science base, learning fundamental concepts of human biology, microbiology, anatomy and physiology. You'll learn about consumer perceptions of the food supply chain with particular reference to nutritional, environmental and ethical issues. You'll develop your practical, study and ICT skills.

Year two
In year two, you'll gain more detail in topics you covered in your first year, while laying the foundations for your dissertation in your final year.

You'll develop:

• your understanding of the interaction of diet and other lifestyle factors that affect individuals, communities and population groups, in the development and/or treatment of disease
• your methods of enquiry and critical evaluation of the appropriateness of different approaches to solving problems
• the skills and techniques required to undertake primary and secondary scientific research in food science, food technology and nutrition.

You'll also explore food quality and new food product development, and you’ll have the option to complete a work placement module.

Year three
In your final year, you'll critically evaluate the national and international concepts of risk assessment and their application at all stages of the food system. You'll evaluate issues and concerns over food provision, and conduct a primary research investigation. You can opt to collaborate with an organisation in the food and nutrition sector for an independent project.

How will I be assessed?

Many assessments on this course mimic the tasks, ways of working and reporting that are used by the food and nutrition sector. Experiencing these ways of working will help prepare you for employment, whether that's in industry, or as a consultant, teacher or researcher.

Assessment methods include essays, reports, case studies, seminar presentations, examinations, group work, and independent study projects. There's an approximate 50/50 split between coursework/presentations and exams.

Examples of assessments

Year one

• Food diary
• Development of a smoothie
• Communication of a food issue (report)

Year two

• Students develop an affordable standard range healthy option convenient food for a supermarket
• Dietary review
• Food analysis report
• Group research project

Final year

• Independent project – dissertation
• Hazard analysis of critical control points (HACCP) report
• Practical report on food preservation and packaging
  

Employers such as Oasis Foods, Kerry Foods, Leatherhead Food Research, Coldwater Seafoods and Ferndale Foods have recruited graduates from this course.

Students have gone into roles including:

• Food Development Technologist
• Research Technician
• Assistant Scientific Officer
• Nutritionist
• Product Developer
• Quality Controller
• Teacher

How will I be taught?

You’ll be taught by our core team of lecturers in lectures, seminars, case studies, practical workshops, and educational visits. You’ll benefit from visiting lecturers who’ll give you insight into their areas of expertise. We’ll encourage you to gain relevant work experience. In your final year you’ll undertake an independent study which will further enhance your transferable and employability skills.

The majority of modules have associated practical classes. We’ll equip you with important practical skills not only in laboratory techniques, but also in data handling and problem solving, use of IT, and communication skills such as presentations and report writing.

Course length

Three years full time, or four years full time with professional placement year. Part time available.