The plan is approved by the Board of Directors at Akershus University College , March 1, 2005

1. GENERAL COMMENTS

Programme objectives
The Bachelor programme in Public Nutrition aims at enabling the students to acquire knowledge and skills needed for addressing nutritional problems and challenges in a society. The students should become change-agents for improving nutritional outcomes in societies, based on a critical and scientific approach. The graduated students qualify for working with public nutrition in the public or private sector, or national/international organisations, and for continued Master studies.

Admission requirements
Admission requirements are general entry requirements for universities and colleges of higher education in Norway .

2. ACADEMIC PROGRAMME

Learning objectives
After the study, the students should be able to assess and analyse the nutritional situation in a population group and to analyse associations between nutrition, society and health. This requires knowledge and insights about the relationship between diet, nutrition and health. It also entails an understanding of people's livelihood and factors that may influence their diet and nutritional situation both locally, nationally and globally. Furthermore, the students should be able to plan, implement and evaluate interventions to improve the nutritional situation for various groups. The students will be introduced to a range of scientific methods relevant to public nutrition, in order to develop a critical approach to their own and other peoples work in the field, and should at the end of the study be able to transform scientific knowledge about food and nutrition into action.

Mode of learning
The described objectives will be achieved through a variety of learning activities integrating theory and practice. These include lectures, dialogue, discussions, group work, individual reading, writing papers, projects, excursions, presentations, practical laboratory and kitchen work, etc. The study employs process and problem based learning where the students are active with support and supervision from the staff.

The programme
Public nutrition is multidisciplinary in recognising the important health, economic, social and cultural aspects of food and nutrition. Nutrition and food sciences form the core of the study, whereas elements from other natural sciences as well as social sciences are also included.

Assessment and examination
The study programme consists of 15 modules. The students' achievement of the defined learning objectives is assessed for each module. The type of module examination varies from module to module (see table below), and may include written exams, home exams, oral exams, or practical tests, individually or in groups. The assessment might also be based on a set of assignments (“map exam”), where each assignment must be passed in order to pass the module.

The grades for the modules are given as pass/fail or on a scale from A to F, where F is fail.

International focus and exchange
The study programme has an international profile, which will enable the students to work in a multi-cultural society, nationally and globally. The students are encouraged to take parts of the third year of the study at an approved institution abroad. International students can apply for exchange periods within the study programme subsequent to agreement of required level, duration and required subject areas and/or projects.

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