Course syllabus for

Professional development and communication in nutrition science, 5 credits

Professionell utveckling och kommunikation inom nutritionsvetenskap, 5 hp
This course syllabus is valid from autumn 2024.
Please note that the course syllabus is available in the following versions:
Autumn2024 , Spring2025
Course code
4NT026
Course name
Professional development and communication in nutrition science
Credits
5 credits
Form of Education
Higher Education, study regulation 2007
Main field of study 
Nutrition Science 
Level 
AV - Second cycle 
Grading scale
Pass with distinction, Pass, Fail
Department
Department of Medicine, Huddinge
Decided by
Education committee BioNut
Decision date
2024-03-05
Course syllabus valid from
Autumn 2024

Specific entry requirements

At least grade pass for the course "Diet and health - scientific evidence, recommendations and sustainability" (4NT000, 4NT021) within the Master's Programme in Nutrition Science.

Objectives

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

  • communicate nutrition science through a popular science text aimed at the general public.
  • analyze a real case of a popular science message communicated in the media and be able to discuss this both from a nutrition science perspective and a digital media strategic perspective.
  • orally communicate a nutrition science topic aimed towards media or the general public.
  • reflect on ethical aspects of popular science communication through various media (including social media) to convey messages related to nutrition and health.
  • briefly apply basic tools in entrepreneurship to plan a possible innovation in the nutrition field.
  • reflect on possible career paths in nutrition-related areas.

Content

In this course, the student will get training in communicating nutrition science to the general public and to media in different contexts. This includes popular science writing, as well as public speaking, storytelling, and presentation techniques. The course deals with how diet and health messages are spread and communicated in media, including social media, and how these channels can be used to communicate scientific information. The course also includes basics of entrepreneurship, applied in nutrition science areas. The students will also get an opportunity to reflect on different career paths in nutrition-related areas inside and outside academia.

Teaching methods

This course consists of seminars, workshops, group work, journal club, lectures, exercises and discussions.

Examination

The examination consists of an individual written assignment (graded Pass with distinction/Pass/Fail), oral presentation (graded Pass/Fail) and an individual reflection on their own professional development (graded Pass/Fail). To pass the course, all assignments must fulfil the criteria for Pass. Final grade is based on the individual written assignment. The grading criteria for all examinations are provided on Canvas.

In the case a student fails an assignment, the assignment can be complemented to get a Pass on that individual assignment or question. The assignment can be resubmitted a maximum of five more times. After six failed assignments, no further examination opportunities will be given for that assignment. If the student has not submitted complementation at given deadline, grade Fail is given. A student who has failed two examinations for a course or part of a course, is entitled to have another examiner appointed unless special reasons speak against it.

Compulsory participation:
Group work, journal club, workshops, and seminars 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 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 there are special reasons, or need for adaptions 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 complementation of or exemption from compulsory activities, etc. Content and learning outcomes as well as the level of expected skills, knowledge and abilities must not be altered, removed or lowered.

Other directives

The course language is English.

This course replaces the course Professional development and communication in nutrition science, 5 credits (4NT005) and cannot be included in a degree together with the latter course.

Literature and other teaching aids

Reports, articles and other prescribed literature are listed at course start and will be available electronically.