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LocationDomesticInternational
Online
Study Period4
Study Period4

Unit description

Explores the links between food and health, and how food can play an important role in contemporary medicine. Students will understand the nutritional composition of food. They learn about diet composition, that is, the quantities of different types of food that are consumed, and its impact on nutrition and health – both physical and mental. This unit highlights the interaction of both food composition and diet composition in the broad context of lifestyle choices for nutrition and health.

Unit content

Module 1: Introducing different types of diets

Module 2: Role of food in complementary and integrative medicine

Module 3: Contaminants in food

Module 4: Role of diet and food composition in health

Module 5: Organic food consumption and health: dietary intervention studies

Module 6: Whole-body health: Gut microbiome and nutrition

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:GA1GA2GA3GA4GA5GA6GA7
1Compare the composition of a range of diets for their nutritional value and contribution to healthIntellectual rigour
2Critically appraise the influence of primary production, storage and processing methods on the nutritional composition of food.Intellectual rigourKnowledge of a discipline
3Critically appraise the impacts of diet composition and food composition in the context of lifestyle choices on nutrition and healthIntellectual rigourLifelong learning

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. Compare the composition of a range of diets for their nutritional value and contribution to health
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
  2. Critically appraise the influence of primary production, storage and processing methods on the nutritional composition of food.
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
  3. Critically appraise the impacts of diet composition and food composition in the context of lifestyle choices on nutrition and health
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA5: Lifelong learning

Prescribed texts

  • No prescribed texts.
Prescribed texts may change in future study periods.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching method
Structured online learning N/A (N/A)
Assessment
Presentation10%
Written Analysis35%
Diet comparison55%
Notice

Intensive offerings may or may not be scheduled in every session. Please refer to the timetable for further details.

Southern Cross University employs different teaching methods within units to provide students with the flexibility to choose the mode of learning that best suits them. SCU academics strive to use the latest approaches and, as a result, the learning modes and materials may change. The most current information regarding a unit will be provided to enrolled students at the beginning of the study session.

Fee information

Domestic

Commonwealth Supported courses
For information regarding Student Contribution Amounts please visit the Student Contribution Amounts.

Fee paying courses
For postgraduate or undergraduate full fee paying courses please check Domestic Postgraduate Fees OR Domestic Undergraduate Fees

International

Please check the international course and fee list to determine the relevant fees.

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