MAVIT4800 Personalized Nutrition Course description

Language of instruction: Norwegian 

It is known that individuals respond differently to intake of the same food. Much of this individual response can be explained by individual gene variants, epigenetics, gut microbiota and exposure to environmental factors. Personalised nutrition is nutritional advice adapted to individuals or groups of ‘similar’ individuals. The nutritional advice is therefore based on the individual’s biology in interaction with the environment. Personalised nutrition is a discipline related to personalised or precision medicine, where also individual variations form the basis for preventing and treating illness. These disciplines are developing very rapidly due to technological developments and increased knowledge in the field of molecular biology. This course aims to provide an introduction to key concepts and technological methods related to personalised nutrition and medicine. It will also provide an insight into how personalised nutrition can contribute to improve the health of individuals and thereby public health

The student must have been admitted to the Master’s Programme in Health Sciences.

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence: 

Knowledge 

The student

• can discuss important concepts in personalised nutrition and medicine, such as nutrigenomics, nutrigenetics, epigenetics, gene variants (SNPs) and systems biology
• can discuss the causes and significance of individual responses to intake of food and the development of non-communicable diseases
• can describe large-scale biotechnological methods that form the basis for knowledge about individual responses and personalised nutrition and medicine
• can critically discuss ethical and personal data challenges related to personalised nutrition, such as knowledge about gene variants and risk of illness

Skills 

The student

• can critically assess problems related to the use of personalised nutrition
• can discuss social implications of using individual rather than population-based dietary advice

General competence

The student

• can stay up to date on new biotechnological and scientific methods that are important for understanding individual variation and the development of non-communicable diseases
• can communicate the significance of personalised nutrition in a well-founded, scientific manner

The course will be mainly online, except for one seminar on campus during the start of the course. The online course will involve presentations, seminars and supervision. The course will use varied, student-active working methods, individually and in groups. The student is responsible to be up-to-date on activities and academic content in the learning platforms. 

The following coursework must have been approved in order for a student to be permitted to take the examination: 

• Presentation (poster or talk) of a chosen topic in personalised nutrition, individually or in groups of two to three students. 

The student must have passed courses SFB5110 Issues of Child and Adolescent Mental Health and SFB4100 Basics in Systemic Perspectives, before starting practical training.

After completing the course, the student should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence

Knowledge

The student has achieved

• advanced knowledge about the family therapy field and central therapeutic approaches
• deep insight into what works in therapy - including evidence-based practice
• broad knowledge about how personal and professional matters influence each other in the therapeutic session, as well as the consequences of this dynamic on the therapeutic self in relation to other roles

Skills

The student knows how to

• apply relevant perspectives, family therapeutic approaches and practical methodology in change work
• participate in family work in various therapeutic functions, be it main therapist, co-therapist and reflecting team
• work and accommodate complex issues in families
• work cross-sectionally and maintain the participation of families in the work

General competence

The student is able to

• work towards change by applying various central family therapeutic approaches to work with families and individuals, in consultations, supervision and lectures
• reflect over ethical considerations and act according to ethical principles in the work with families
• reflect over own therapeutic position and be able to consider personal aspects of relations in meeting with others in professional settings

The course applies different learning approaches, combining lectures, workshops, group work, supervision and clinical training. Students will join selvdirected learning groups organized by teachers.

The practical training component runs from the third semester, through the three following semesters. 100 hours per semester, with a total of 300 hours.

The practical therapy training consists of immersion in different aspects of therapeutic work under the tutelage of experienced family therapists in approved clinical settings. An individual midway meeting between the supervisor and student is carried out each semester. Each placement setting organizes practice training according to a common plan of progress. OsloMet is responsible for the practical training placement and approval of relevant places. Approval of placement must be given before commencement of clinical training.

The following coursework requirements must have been approved for the student to take the exam:

• Coursework 1: Individual written assignment

The student must submit a written assignment of 1100 words (+/- 10%). The assignment is to be submitted before the start of the practical therapy training period. The coursework must be approved before the student can begin their practical therapy training period. Individual feedback is provided on the coursework. If the written assignment has not been approved, the student will be given one opportunity to submit an improved version by a given deadline.

• Coursework 2: Practical therapy training period

300 hours of practical therapy training must be assessed and approved before the student can present themselves for the exam in the subject. The practical supervisor approves the number of hours.

• Coursework 3: Attendance in teaching/workshops

There is a requirement for mandatory attendance with at least 75% participation in teaching/workshops. If the student has more than 25% absence, it cannot be compensated with coursework, and the student cannot proceed to the next academic year in the master's clinic or present themselves for the exam.

• Coursework 4: Individual practical report

The student submits an individual practical report of 8 pages (+/- 10%) at the end of the practical period. The practical report is approved and signed by the practical supervisor, confirming both the tasks performed and the completed 300 hours. The student must also sign their own report. The practical report must be approved by the course coordinator before the student's practical period is approved. If the practical report has not been approved, the student will be given one opportunity to submit an improved version by a given deadline.

• Coursework 5: Individual reflection note

The student submits an individual reflection note of 2 pages/about 900 words (+/- 10%) on their own work and development through self-driven supervision groups based on their own logging throughout the period. The reflection note is submitted at the end of the supervision group work. If the reflection note has not been approved, the student will be given one opportunity to submit an improved version by a given deadline.

All required coursework must be completed and approved by the given deadline for the student to take the exam.

The exam in the course is an individual portfolio containing two works: 1) an individual portfolio submission and 2) an individual oral exam based on a 15-minute excerpt from a recorded video from the practical therapy training. Both parts of the exam are equally weighted at 50/50. Both exam parts must be passed to pass the course.

1. Portfolio Submission Three components are submitted in one document, which should include the following:

• A written presentation of the video recording. The presentation should be 3/4 to 1 page long.
• A verbatim transcript of the dialogue in the 15-minute video clip.
• A genogram (family tree) of the family. This can be drawn on a separate sheet.

The portfolio must be passed to be eligible for the oral exam.

1. Oral Exam The oral exam lasts for 1 hour per candidate. The examination is based on the portfolio submission, the video recording from the practical therapy training, and the curriculum from all three years of study.

The oral examination is based on a 15-minute excerpt from a video recording of the student's clinical work, where the student is the primary therapist. The recording is done in the final term of the practical therapy training period. In the family conversation filmed for the exam, there should be at least two generations of the family present. The video recording should be brought by the candidate on an encrypted USB drive on the exam day.

If the student fails, the student must select a different sequence from the already submitted recording for re-examination and submit a new portfolio in accordance with the new recording.

If the student cannot attend the oral exam due to illness or other compelling reasons for absence, the same recording and the already submitted portfolio can be used for the postponed exam.