AP0711 - Contemporary Issues in Food and Nutrition

Lectures and seminars will be used to discuss relevant policies and processes with the students. The ways in which policies are formulated and their impact on populations will be developed by the in-class review of current case studies allowing for debate of these wider implications.
There is an emphasis on independent learning and students will be required to read and evaluate current primary literature to support their evaluation of specific food policies.

You will be supported in this module by the module tutor who will provide a lecture series designed to develop your knowledge and raise questions regarding changing policy and contemporary issues. Your learning will also be supported by the student-led discussions and debates in small group seminars and there will be group tutorial to dicuss the development of your assessment ideas. Directed independent study tasks will allow you to engage more widely with the subject matter.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. Appraise a current health, food or nutritional policy of relevance to a given country on a given issue
2. Critically evaluate the scientific basis of a contemporary issue of interest relating to contentious issues in the current food arena.
Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
1. Analyse and criticise appropriate published material from scientific and popular media sources
Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
1. Translate complex scientific issues for a lay audience.

All learning outcomes will be summatively assessment by coursework in which you will evaluate a contemporary issue of relevance to the food and nutrion sector. As part of this task you will be required to write a lay audience summary of your findings, a common requirement in scientific writing. Students will be advised of a word length up to a maximum of 3000 words. This will assess all learning opuitcomes.
Progress will be discussed with tutors and peers in seminar sessions allowing for formative feedback. Formative assessment will require students to informally present their draft assessment when you will either get written or verbal feedback.
Individual written feedback will be provided on all summative assessment plus verbal feedback during seminars

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This module gives students the opportunity to examine a current issues relating to the food system and consumer behaviour. The student will be encouraged to critically analyse policies and their associated issues in relation to consumers, industry and Government. Lectures and seminars will introduce national and international policy makers and case studies will be used to illustrate the process of policy formulation and the impact that policies have in a wider context. The assessment will allow students to individually assess an issue and consider the wider implications of these ever-evolving challenges