This course is designed to enable students to obtain in-depth knowledge and enable them to critique the role of diet and nutrition and dietary requirements of different age groups throughout the lifecycle in the prevention of disease and maintenance of optimal health and wellbeing.
In particular, the content of the course considers the nutritional requirements across the lifespan, how nutritional status is determined and considers the application of energy and nutritional recommendations for specific target groups to develop a published resource.
The course aims to provide students with deep knowledge and understanding of nutritional requirements through the lifecycle for the promotion and maintenance of optimal health and wellbeing and prevention of disease.
This 20-credit, master's level (Level 7) course is a module on the MSc Human Nutrition. Any credit gained on this course can be counted towards the master's degree.
Dates and times
Running on a Monday afternoon between 1-4 pm on:
- 29th January 2024 to 31st May 2024.
Location
This course will be delivered in-person at St Mary’s University main campus, Twickenham.
Prices
The full cost is £917 excluding the course assessment.
Participants can opt to take the course assessment at an additional cost of £250. The deposit cost is £50 which is payable upon application. The course fee excludes refreshments and accommodation. Information on accommodation on campus or in local hotels can be provided upon request.
Please ensure you can commit to the scheduled dates as unfortunately we are unable to give refunds.
St Mary's University alumni receive a 20% discount.
Content
- Pre-conceptual nutrition. Diet and lifestyle recommendations and nutrient requirements for preconception. Epidemiological evidence linking nutrition and fertility and the role of body fatness and reproductive function.
- Pregnancy. Includes developmental origins of disease, physiological changes, maternal weight gain on pregnancy outcomes, as well as energy and nutritional requirements and foods to avoid during pregnancy.
- Lactation. Nutritional requirements and concerns for breastfeeding mothers, nutrition content of breast milk substitutes, and the WHO code on the marketing of breastmilk substitutes.
- Infancy and toddlerhood. The introduction of first foods, the options of traditional and baby-led weaning, energy and nutrient requirements and importance of establishing healthy eating patterns in infants and toddlers, and development and prevention of possible food allergies and intolerances.
- Childhood. Energy and nutrient needs for growth and development (importance of certain nutrients for bone and dental health); use of growth charts, childhood obesity, and the School Food Plan.
- Adolescence. Physiological changes and energy and nutrient needs during puberty, challenges to establish healthy eating patterns in adolescents.
- Overview of eating disorders and ways to support people who suffer from these.
- Old age. Energy and nutrient requirements of the elderly, factors affecting food choice and special concerns such as living alone, disability, and disease.
Lead Tutor
Dr Eirini Kelaiditi – Senior Lecturer in Nutrition
Eirini is the Course Lead for MSc Public Health and MSc Chronic Disease Management and teaches across four programmes. Eirini is a Dietitian and her background is in Nutritional Epidemiology. Her main teaching interests focus on Research methodologies, Nutrition in Health and Disease and Nutrition Throughout the Lifecourse.
Requirements
Students will normally be expected to have achieved a 2:1 or a good 2:2 (or equivalent) from a UK University in biosciences or evidence of recent academic study, or a period of professional experience with responsibilities in a relevant field.
International students should check our country-specific pages for equivalents. If English is not your first language you will need to achieve an IELTS score of 6.5 or above.
Without appropriate evidence, such as a degree certificate, you will not be eligible for this course.
Assessment
Participants who complete and pass the course assessments will receive a certificate of accreditation at master’s level.
For participants who choose not to undertake the assignments, a certificate of attendance will be provided.
This course will be assessed through a critical assessment of NDNS data compared to DRVs for a negotiated target group (2,500 words), as well as the development and production of an ‘Eatwell’-style photographic resource for a negotiated target group.
Award
Upon successful assessment, learners will be awarded 20 masters level (Level 7) academic credits. Credits may be transferred onto existing master's degrees at St Mary’s University.
Book your place now
For more information about this course please contact the Short Courses team: