Objectives

The bachelor's degree in nutrition provides research-based knowledge about the relationships between diet and health at the individual and societal level. Students will gain broad knowledge of and experience with a number of methods used in nutrition work and dietary research. The bachelor's programme focuses on basic medical competence, human metabolism and preventive nutrition work at the individual and societal level, but the students will also get an introduction to clinical nutrition and nutrition work in the health and care sector. The course of study qualifies for admission to the master's degree in clinical nutrition, which gives authorisation as a dietitian.

Contents

The first year of study deals with basic biomedical subjects and an introduction to nutritional science, with teaching in biochemistry, cell biology, statistics and nutrition.

The second year of study deals with the construction of the body with courses in anatomy, physiology and nutrients. Other important elements include knowledge of foods and their origin, properties and use, and how diet affects behaviour and mental and somatic health.

In the third year of study, students learn about research methods in nutrition for clinical and experimental research, as well as about organisation and political management from a nutrition perspective. Nutrition in different phases of life, for groups with special needs and in connection with lifestyle-related diseases is central in the third year of study. In addition, the students receive an introduction to clinical nutrition and 4 weeks of continuous clinical practice in the primary healthcare service. It also includes writing a bachelor's thesis in this academic year.

The programme includes a combination of lectures, laboratory teaching, seminars, group work, clinical practice in the primary healthcare service and interprofessional practice in daycare facility or other institution for children. The students follow parts of the teaching together with other health science students the first three semesters.

A candidate who has completed his or her qualification should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge skills and general competence:

Knowledge:

Candidates will..

• acquire a broad knowledge of the structure, turnover and effect of macronutrients and micronutrients on the body's functions
• acquire a broad knowledge of energy metabolism and the importance of physical activity in nutrition-related conditions and diseases
• acquire a broad knowledge of appetite regulation and how physiological, psychological and social factors and external stimuli affect hunger, satiety and food intake
• acquire a broad knowledge of the structure, properties, uses and content of nutrients and their importance in the diet
• acquire a broad knowledge of the diet and the most common religious and cultural dietary considerations
• acquire a broad knowledge of the causes, occurrence and consequences of nutrition-related diseases and conditions of persons of all ages and life stages
• acquire a broad knowledge of the prevention of the most common non-communicable diseases, and their significance for society, and variations in prevalence over time
• acquire an in-depth knowledge of food and nutrient recommendations and of the basis for the preparation of dietary advice for healthy people in the different phases of life, and their significance for society, and variation in prevalence over time
• be able to analyse the diet at the individual, group and population level against recommendations and guidelines relevant to nutritional work
• be able to analyse and be critical of how health-promoting and preventive nutrition work and policies are developed and organised nationally and internationally.
• be able to apply knowledge of methods for changing diet at group and population level as well as methods for evaluating public health intervention.
• know the methods of research in nutrition such as dietary examinations and nutritional epidemiology.
• acquire a broad knowledge of basic biological mechanisms and how human functions are regulated, with special emphasis on what is important for the development of disease or injury

Skills:

Candidates will..

• be able to analyse and relate critically to nutritional issues and trends in the media, and evaluate these in relation to evidence-based nutritional work
• be able to analyse and relate critically to various sources of information and technologies and reflect on the effect of these on nutrition and health
• be able to analyse existing overarching nutritional issues and contribute to strategic work at different levels within the health and care sector and society in general.
• be able to use knowledge in psychology to recognise normal and disturbed eating behaviour
• be able to analyse and be critical of how health-promoting and preventive nutrition work and policies are developed and organised nationally.

General competence:

Candidates will..

• be able to apply their knowledge and skills to plan, implement and evaluate health-promoting and preventive nutrition measures in different population groups.
• acquire new knowledge and make professional assessments, decisions and actions in line with evidence-based practice. The candidate will also be able to document and communicate their professional knowledge
• be able to apply their knowledge and skills to understand the connections between health, education, work and living conditions, and can apply this in their service, both to individuals and groups in society, to contribute to good public health and work inclusion
• be able to communicate dietary advice to the entire population or to groups of the population as part of health-promoting and preventive nutrition work.

All courses in the program are mandatory. It is not possible to change the education plan or the order of the exams without prior approval. Most subjects in the study have compulsory teaching.

Courses in the programme: https://ekstern.filer.uib.no/mofa/studie/referat/Programutvalg%20ernaring/Annet%20ern%c3%a6ring/Oppbygging%20av%20bachelor%20i%20ern%c3%a6ring.pdfOppbygging av bachelor i ernæring.pdf (uib.no)

The courses must be completed in a determined sequence. It is not possible to change the education plan or the sequence of courses without faculty approval in advance. Please consult the supplementary rules to § 2-2 (2j), § 7-3 (2) and § 8-2 (3) in the University of Bergen's bylaws on studies.

If a student lacks a passing result in a subject after the regular exam and the associated continuation exam, the student will be moved down to the class below. This also applies if the student has valid absences for one or both of the exams. This also applies if the student lacks approval of compulsory course activities and by consequence is not alloved to sit for the exam in the subject. Please consult the supplementary rules to §6.6 (2) in the University of Bergen's bylaws on studies.

To ensure that the students/candidates have the necessary knowledge, qualifications and general competence, a wide range of forms of assessment are implemented throughout the course of study:

Written exam and written home exam. Most courses have digital assessment. In addition, oral exams, presentations and group submissions are carried out. The programme of study ends with a Bachelor's thesis.

The programme qualifies for a master's programme in clinical nutrition, other master's programmes in nutrition and for a professional career in nutrition.

Students who do not wish to continue their studies can work in the public and private sectors, in the food industry and information bureau. Work tasks can be preventive health work, dissemination and product development.