Course Structure
Learning Outcomes:
- Integrate knowledge from various sources to learn independently about the macro and micronutrients making up food, their main biochemical function within the body to prevent diseases and the effects on the body in case of deficiencies,
- Learn independently about the body organs involved and their physiological functions within the assimilation and breakdown of food within the body.
- Instruct others about general biochemistry in relation to the various functions involved in digestion, absorption and metabolism of nutrients, as well as about the role of hormones (endocrine), healthy microbes (immunology) and metabolic pathways involved in the whole metabolic regulation process.
Mode of Teaching:
Lectures/ synchronous & asynchronous forums
Mode of Assessment:
Exam (70%); MCQ (30%)
Total Contact Hours:
45
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
0
Self-Study Hours:
75
Assessment Hours:
30
Learning Objectives:
- Integrate knowledge from various sources and make judgements on the most important issues related to food science and technology;
- Demonstrate autonomy in learning about the main issues related to food microbiology;
- Instruct others on the role of marketing in food labelling and nutritional claims and the main laws relating to food and food labelling;
- Integrate knowledge from various fields to learn about the main policies regarding nutrition from a national and international perspective.
Mode of Teaching:
Lectures/ synchronous & asynchronous forums
Mode of Assessment:
Exam (60%); MCQ (40%)
Total Contact Hours:
30
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
0
Self-Study Hours:
55
Assessment Hours:
15
Learning Objectives:
- Integrate knowledge from various fields to make judgements on the main nutritional problems with children of different ages, adolescents until the age of 16 to 18, adults and elderly citizens.
- Act independently and recommend appropriate measures to deal with the nutritional problems of the different age groups in small groups as well as on a national basis, to reduce the incidence of certain diseases and health conditions.
Mode of Teaching:
Lectures/ asynchronous forums
Mode of Assessment:
2K Assignment (100%)
Total Contact Hours:
45
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
0
Self-Study Hours:
75
Assessment Hours:
30
Learning Objectives:
- Demonstrate autonomy in learning about how to build professional relationships with people (other healthcare professionals, students, patients, relatives, guardians and other interested parties) both within and outside the clinical setting
- Use communication and coaching skills as appropriate to fit the needs of the particular clients within the various settings, and assume responsibility for decisions taken and choices made.
- Work within a team setting of professionals for the benefit of patients/individuals with diverse needs and medical conditions, in different settings.
- Manage team meetings as appropriate with different clients and professionals.
- Write clear and understandable reports with which the professional will be able to communicate client information to colleagues as required.
Mode of Teaching:
Lectures/ asynchronous forums / Practical
Mode of Assessment:
1K Assignment (50%); logbook (50%)
Total Contact Hours:
15
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
60
Self-Study Hours:
15
Assessment Hours:
10
Learning Objectives:
- Integrate knowledge from various sources and make judgements on the various food guide pyramids – older and newer versions, and the healthy plate model.
- Instruct others to choose between healthy food options and unhealthy food options, for all food groups.
- Develop learning skills to enhance knowledge on the common food options available in case of food allergies, discuss metabolism, and plan a healthy diet that improves metabolism;
- Identify and use different nutritional screening tools, including the calculation of BMI and BMR, and carry out nutrient calculation requirements for persons with different conditions
- Integrate knowledge from different fields make judgements on Fad and other ‘modern’ diets.
Mode of Teaching:
Lectures/ asynchronous forums / Practical
Mode of Assessment:
2K Assignment (45%), MCQ Exam (15%) & Logbook (40%)
Total Contact Hours:
40
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
100
Self-Study Hours:
40
Assessment Hours:
20
Learning Objectives:
- Integrate knowledge from various fields and make judgements with limited information on the place of food in our and the social impact it has on Maltese people (sociology of nutrition) as compared to other foreign persons and foreign cultures.
- Manage family persons or colleagues effectively by guiding them to make decisions about how to deal with their altered body image – obesity, underweight, eating disorders or other conditions (psychology of nutrition).
- Instruct others on the best or most appropriate method of feeding, when normal feeding cannot be maintained.
- Instruct others on the different options of artificial feeding depending on the particular needs of a person, keeping in mind the psychological and physical impact it will have on his life.
- Integrate knowledge from various sources to gain a deep understanding of the impact of human psychology on their dietary habits and behaviours.
Mode of Teaching:
Lectures/ asynchronous forums
Mode of Assessment:
Presentation (60%)& 1K Assignment (40%)
Total Contact Hours:
15
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
0
Self-Study Hours:
20
Assessment Hours:
15
Learning Outcomes:
- Demonstrate independent learning about the various research methods (qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods) and make decisions about the most important research design for your proposed research (dissertation)
- Integrate knowledge from various sources and make judgements on evidence- versus person-based practice
- Analyse and integrate key findings from research to understand major influences on nutritional practice.
- Critically evaluate and discuss evidence-based and person-based practices in response to identified client needs, and implement evidence-based practices as they relate to specific nutritional contexts
- Discuss critically the concept of evidence-based practice in the area of nutrition and dietetics versus person-based practice
Mode of Teaching:
Lectures/ asynchronous forums
Mode of Assessment:
3K Dissertation Proposal (80%) & Presentation (20%)
Total Contact Hours:
60
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
0
Self-Study Hours:
110
Assessment Hours:
30
Learning Objectives:
- Integrate knowledge from various sources to learn about the major public health challenges related to nutrition and how they can be prevented
- Integrate knowledge from various sources to understand the role of epidemiology in informing public health campaigns.
- Instruct others on the key principles of designing, implementing and evaluating interventions related to nutrition and health, as well as communicating and evaluating health promotion and disease prevention approaches.
- Develop learning skills to reflect on the ethical conduct in health promotion campaigns
- Integrate knowledge from various sources to learn about the various factors that influence a community’s food and dietary behaviour (including but not limited to food skills and food systems) and the effect of public health campaigns on the community’s food and dietary behaviours and choices.
Mode of Teaching:
Lectures/ synchronous/asynchronous forums
Mode of Assessment:
1.5K Assignment (70%), MCQ (30%)
Total Contact Hours:
30
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
0
Self-Study Hours:
55
Assessment Hours:
15
Learning Objectives:
- Have multidisciplinary knowledge on the food chain and the evolution of food and dietary habits throughout the years
- Act independently and learn about the major food preferences and dietary habits and customs of races, tribes and cultures in the world and the public health challenges and problems related to such diversities.
- Integrate knowledge and make judgements on the nutritional implications of omitting certain food from or including certain food in the diet of certain cultures depending on their cultural and religious habits
Mode of Teaching:
Lectures/asynchronous forums
Mode of Assessment:
2 hr exam (100%)
Total Contact Hours:
30
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
0
Self-Study Hours:
55
Assessment Hours:
15
Learning Objectives:
- Act independently and learn to use food composition data to analyse diets with the use of computer software, and also learn to use different nutritional software and other available databases that can facilitate nutritional assessment and creation or analysis of diets. Moreover, one is to learn how to execute basic laboratory work related to food analysis in a laboratory setting.
- Integrate knowledge from various sources, implement and make judgements on the various dietary and nutritional assessment techniques that can be implemented
- Act independently and learn to use IT responsibly and maintain integrity, confidentiality and security when dealing with data;
- Integrate knowledge from various sources and carry out a practice placement in nutrition independently and liaise with other healthcare professionals as necessary to obtain a better outcome;
- Act independently and professionally by carrying out the placement following the Code of Conduct, Practice and Conduct set by the relevant Council to safeguard all the moral, ethical and legal rights of the patients.
- Demonstrate managerial skills to lead and manage clinics, meetings and other events.
Mode of Teaching:
Placement/asynchronous forums
Mode of Assessment:
2.5K Assignment (40%), logbook (60%)
Total Contact Hours:
55
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
250
Self-Study Hours:
30
Assessment Hours:
15
Learning Outcomes:
- Demonstrate independent learning about the various research methods (qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods) and make decisions about the most important research design for your proposed research (dissertation)
- Integrate knowledge from various sources and make judgements on evidence- versus person-based practice
- Analyse and integrate key findings from research to understand major influences on nutritional practice.
- Critically evaluate and discuss evidence-based and person-based practices in response to identified client needs, and implement evidence-based practices as they relate to specific nutritional contexts
- Discuss critically the concept of evidence-based practice in the area of nutrition and dietetics versus person-based practice
Mode of Teaching:
Lectures/ asynchronous forums
Mode of Assessment:
3K Dissertation Proposal (80%) & Presentation (20%)
Total Contact Hours:
60
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
0
Self-Study Hours:
110
Assessment Hours:
30
Learning Objectives:
- Integrate knowledge from various sources to learn about the major public health challenges related to nutrition and how they can be prevented
- Integrate knowledge from various sources to understand the role of epidemiology in informing public health campaigns.
- Instruct others on the key principles of designing, implementing and evaluating interventions related to nutrition and health, as well as communicating and evaluating health promotion and disease prevention approaches.
- Develop learning skills to reflect on the ethical conduct in health promotion campaigns
- Integrate knowledge from various sources to learn about the various factors that influence a community’s food and dietary behaviour (including but not limited to food skills and food systems) and the effect of public health campaigns on the community’s food and dietary behaviours and choices.
Mode of Teaching:
Lectures/ synchronous/asynchronous forums
Mode of Assessment:
1.5K Assignment (70%), MCQ (30%)
Total Contact Hours:
30
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
0
Self-Study Hours:
55
Assessment Hours:
15
Learning Objectives:
- Have multidisciplinary knowledge on the food chain and the evolution of food and dietary habits throughout the years
- Act independently and learn about the major food preferences and dietary habits and customs of races, tribes and cultures in the world and the public health challenges and problems related to such diversities.
- Integrate knowledge and make judgements on the nutritional implications of omitting certain food from or including certain food in the diet of certain cultures depending on their cultural and religious habits
Mode of Teaching:
Lectures/asynchronous forums
Mode of Assessment:
2 hr exam (100%)
Total Contact Hours:
30
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
0
Self-Study Hours:
55
Assessment Hours:
15
Learning Objectives:
- Integrate knowledge from various sources and judge the anatomical symptoms related to specific conditions or procedures related to nutrition and the gastrointestinal tract (whilst acknowledging the role of genetics), and the ethical issues that may arise related to the specific conditions or procedures.
- Instruct others on follow-up care related to specific conditions or procedures discussed during the module.
- Act independently and learn about the legal issues related to caring for persons suffering from specific conditions or undergoing procedures discussed during the module.
- Identify the roles of different healthcare professionals and specialised personnel in diagnosing, treating, caring for and rehabilitating persons suffering from specific conditions or undergoing specific procedures discussed during the module.
- Integrate knowledge from various sources to describe tests useful or necessary to diagnose specific conditions prior to, or following nutrition-related procedures, whilst at the same time gaining knowledge about the basic pharmacology used in patient care.
Mode of Teaching:
Lectures/synchronous/asynchronous forums
Mode of Assessment:
Assignment (70%); MCQ (30%)
Total Contact Hours:
45
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
0
Self-Study Hours:
75
Assessment Hours:
30
Learning Objectives:
- Integrate knowledge from various sources to understand and judge the different types of artificial feeding methods in view of the benefits of, indications, risks and complications involved in the different kinds of enteral and parenteral feeding methods.
- Instruct others on methods of limiting or avoiding contamination in enteral and parenteral nutrition.
- Act independently to identify the most appropriate feeding methods for short, medium- and long-term feeding.
Mode of Teaching:
Lectures/ asynchronous forums
Mode of Assessment:
2 hr exam (100%)
Total Contact Hours:
30
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
0
Self-Study Hours:
55
Assessment Hours:
15
Learning Objectives:
- Integrate knowledge from various sources to make judgements on the main ethical issues and dilemmas that a person might deal with while feeding (normal vs. artificial feeding) in view of the factors that influence people before, while or after eating.
- Integrate knowledge from various fields and make judgements with limited information on the main ethical issues that a person encounters when needing specialised, limited or specialised and clinical nutrition.
- Learn independently about the issue regarding ‘To feed or Not to feed’ in a home, hospital or institution and about ‘extraordinary measures’ in relation to feeding.
Mode of Teaching:
Lectures/asynchronous forums
Mode of Assessment:
Presentation (30%); 2 hr exam (70%)
Total Contact Hours:
30
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
0
Self-Study Hours:
55
Assessment Hours:
15
Learning Outcomes:
- Plan and undertake a research project.
- Consult numerous sources to develop a thorough understanding of the chosen subject area within the realm of Nutrition.
- Use correctly various research methods (qualitative, quantitative) to address the research questions of their dissertation.
- Collate and critically and critically interpret results from primary and secondary data collection and present them in a logical manner.
- Effectively communicate knowledge in a scientific manner through the writing of a high-quality dissertation.
- Provide recommendations based on research findings.
Mode of Teaching:
Lectures/asynchronous forums
Mode of Assessment:
15K Dissertation (100%)
Total Contact Hours:
40
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
50
Self-Study Hours:
560
Assessment Hours:
100
Learning Outcomes:
- Act independently and learn to perform nutritional assessments and interventions
- Integrate knowledge from various sources and make judgements on the various regulatory guidelines for long term care and perinatal nutrition according to the guidelines set by established institutions and organisations
- Plan, implement and participate in the delivery of nutrition education programs, educational campaigns, group education and counselling, and gain an understanding of program development and evaluation
- Participate in out-patients visits and deal with the main conditions such as diabetes, weight management and renal education.
- Gain experience in healthcare foodservice and catering settings, integrating food and hygiene procedures to prevent food contamination
- Act independently and learn to use IT responsibly and maintain integrity, confidentiality and security when dealing with data
- Deal with clinical problems of a nutritional nature while communicating effectively with clients and other healthcare professionals and staff
Mode of Teaching:
Placement/asynchronous forums
Mode of Assessment:
3K Assignment (40%) logbook (60%)
Total Contact Hours:
55
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
640
Self-Study Hours:
35
Assessment Hours:
20
Learning Outcomes:
- Plan and undertake a research project.
- Consult numerous sources to develop a thorough understanding of the chosen subject area within the realm of Dietetics.
- Use correctly various research methods (qualitative, quantitative) to address the research questions of their dissertation.
- Collate and critically and critically interpret results from primary and secondary data collection and present them in a logical manner.
- Effectively communicate knowledge in a scientific manner through the writing of a high-quality dissertation.
- Provide recommendations based on research findings.
Mode of Teaching:
Lectures/asynchronous forums
Mode of Assessment:
15K Dissertation (100%)
Total Contact Hours:
40
Supervised Placement and Practice Hours:
50
Self-Study Hours:
560
Assessment Hours:
100
* The structure of the course will vary slightly in full time.
