Course syllabus for Degree Project in Nutrition Science

Specific entry requirements

At least 135 credits from courses within the Bachelor's programme in Nutrition Science, Including 22.5 credits in chemistry courses (of which at least 7.5 credits in biochemistry), and at least 15 credits from the course Cell and Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Genetics. In addition, at least the grade Pass in the courses Physiology, Anatomy and Histology, Nutritional Physiology, Nutritional Epidemiology and Statistics, and Assessment Methods for Diet, Energy Metabolism and Body Composition is required.

Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• formulate a clear and well-defined objective for a research project.
• plan, carry out and document a research project within given time frames and available resources.
• conduct the project in accordance with Karolinska Institutet’s guidelines for ethically sound research.
• search for, read and critically evaluate relevant scientific literature, and synthesise and interpret this literature in relation to their own research question.
• analyse and interpret collected data, and critically discuss results and conclusions as well as their generalisability.
• write a scientific report.
• present, explain and discuss research findings orally in dialogue with others.
• discuss the societal and ethical aspects of the project and make relevant judgements based on these perspectives.
• demonstrate insight into the concept of scientific rigour.

Content

The course consists of a scientific project within the field of nutrition science, which may take the form of an empirical study (including the analysis of previously collected data) or a systematic literature review. A project plan is written by the student in collaboration with the supervisor and must be approved by the course director before the project begins. Students are encouraged to find a supervisor and a project within nutrition science that aligns with their interest. Nutrition science is an interdisciplinary field encompassing molecular mechanisms, clinical research, epidemiology and public health at the population level. The course also includes a series on scientific inquiry provided by Stockholm University.

Teaching methods

The project work is done under supervision, but with a certain degree of independence. Depending on where the project is taking place, participation in seminars, meetings and other similar activities may be included. A compulsory seminar in research ethics is included as well as a compulsory half-time follow-up. The course also includes a mandatory series on scientific inquiry.

Examination

The course is examined through a written project plan (graded Pass/Fail), as well as a written report, an oral presentation and discussion of the report, and an oral opposition of another student’s report, which are assessed as a whole and graded Pass with Distinction/Pass/Fail. The examiner determines the final grade following consultation with the supervisor and the grading teacher, based on the execution of the project and the final presentation. The seminar series in scientific inquiry is examined through a written assignment (graded Pass/Fail). To pass the course, all assignments must fulfil the criteria for Pass.

Submission of the written report after the specified deadline will result in the student forfeiting the opportunity to obtain the grade Pass with Distinction.

Students who have not passed the course after their first presentation (written or oral) are entitled to rework their report and/or presentation and participate in five more presentations within a two-year period from the end of the course.

Compulsory participation:

In order to begin the work, the student, in collaboration with the supervisor, must write and submit a project plan for the proposed project (a PM), that must be approved by the examiner before the project can be started. A seminar in research ethics, the mid-term follow-up, the presentation of the degree project, and the seminar series in scientific inquirey are compulsory.

The examiner assesses if and, in that case, how absence from compulsory parts can be compensated. Before the student has participated in all compulsory parts or compensated absence according with the examiner's instructions, the student's study results cannot be finalized. Absence from a compulsory activity may result in that the student cannot compensate absence until the next time the course is given.

If, at or after the mid-course follow-up, it becomes evident that the student has deviated significantly from his/her work commitments in agreement with the supervisor, which seriously complicates the project and the supervision, tthe examiner can in advance decide to give a grade of fail for the student.

If there are special reasons, or need for adaptation for a student with a disability, the examiner may decide to depart from the syllabus's regulations on examination form, number of examination opportunities, possibility of completion or exemption from compulsory educational elements, etc. Content and learning objectives as well as the level of expected skills, knowledge and abilities must not be altered, removed or lowered.

Other directives

Parts of the teaching may be conducted in English.

Literature and other teaching aids

Mandatory literature:

• Gert Helgesson, Forskningsetik. 2:a upplagan. Studentlitteratur, 2015. ISBN: 9789144088495

The course literature consists of relevant textbooks, scientific articles, and reports selected by the student in consultation with the supervisor.