Nutritional Sciences

Course details

The PG Dip Nutritional Sciences is a full-time programme running for 9 months from the date of first registration for the programme.  UCC has a long history of teaching and research in food and nutritional sciences and now is amongst Europe’s largest multidisciplinary education and research institutions with world-class academics working in all aspects of the food and nutritional sciences.

Course Details

Modules will be chosen with the approval of the Programme Board depending on the student's background. Students take 60 credits as follows:

Core Modules

• NT6104Library Project in Nutritional Sciences (10 credits)
• NT6106 Current Topics in Public Health Nutrition (10 credits)
• NT6107 Integration and Regulation of Nutrient Metabolism (5 credits)
• NT6108 Sensory Analysis in Nutrition Research (5 credits)
• NT6109 Minerals in Health and Disease (5 credits)
• NT6110 Food Security and Implications for Human Nutrition (5 credits)
• NT6111 Advances in Vitamins and Other Dietary Bioactives (5 credits)
• NT4005 Selected Topics in Nutrition (5 credits)

Students submit their library in April.

Elective Modules

Students select 10 credits from the following: 

• NT3001 Clinical Nutrition (5 credits)
• NT3002 Food Toxicology (5 credits)
• NT3009 Determinants of Food Choice and Eating Behaviour (5 credits)
• NT3014 Assessment of Nutritional Status (5 credits)

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Conduct a comprehensive literature search using all available resources of seminal and recent research in a specified topic
• Analyse, synthesise and summarise information critically, including published research or reports, and write a well-constructed and concise scientific report.
• Explain the principles of, and apply in practice, techniques used in nutritional sciences research;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between nutrition and the development of disease and disorders;
• Demonstrate the importance of nutrition to facilitate optimum physical and mental development and maintenance of health throughout life;     
• Apply critical thinking skills to solve problems in nutrition;
• Communicate effectively on nutrition-related issues with different stakeholders;
• Demonstrate the capacity to undertake lifelong learning.

Assessment

Assessment is by End of Year Written Examination, Continuous Assessment, In-class presentation, In-class tests, laboratory write-ups and Library Projects.