MAERN4100 Energy and Nutrients Course description

Language of instruction: Norwegian

In this course, the students will learn about the metabolism of energy and nutrients. It deals with the sources and functions of important macro and micronutrients, with emphasis on the background for recommending intake of nutrients, in addition to food groups and their content of nutrients. Students will also learn to calculate the content of nutrients in an example diet using an appropriate tool.

To be eligible to write a master's thesis, all courses from the first year of the program must be successfully completed.

The student must have been admitted to the Master’s Programme in Health Sciences and hold authorisation as healthcare personnel.

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 energy metabolism and its regulation mechanisms 
• can explain the function and conversion of and the need for macro and micronutrients
• can discuss common nutritional challenges in various groups of the society
• can discuss advantages and disadvantages within dietary assessment methods

Skills 

The student 

• can assess the nutritional content of food products and compare different food groups’ contribution to the overall diet
• can calculate and assess the content of nutrients and energy in relation to needs using appropriate tools

General competence

• The student can assess and present problems, reasoning and conclusions related to      the conversion of energy and nutrients

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 must have been approved in order for the student to take the examination: 

• A multiple choice test with a minimum of 80% correct answers by the given deadline.

An individual home examination over 48 hours in the form of a case assignment - written report based on a given template. Scope: 2,000 words (+/- 10%).

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

Grade scale A-F.

All examinations are assessed by an internal and an external examiner.

Knowledge

Upon successful completion of the course, the student should:

• have specialized knowledge on the specific areas of a master thesis
• understand scientific writing as a process of both constructing and communicating meaning.
• be able to explain the main stages of the writing process
• understand the role and methods of peer learning and peer review, particularly the "summarize, evaluate, suggest" structure for commenting
• understand the role of revision in writing

Skills

Upon successful completion of the course, the student can:

• clearly define and limit a problem area
• connect his/her own project to relevant literature
• plan and carry out limited research or development projects
• identify types and scopes of results which are required to ensure the claims and conclusions are scientifically valid
• reflect on the decisions made and their consequences for the project
• effectively articulate scientific problems through writing
• give and receive peer-feedback
• effectively revise writing

General competence

Upon successful completion of the course, the student can:

• apply knowledge and skills in new areas and carry out advanced projects
• carry out comprehensive independent study
• contribute to the innovation of their field
• discuss their work in an the context of interdisciplinary engineering and ethics
• apply their research and writing knowledge and skills in other contexts
• independently conceptualize, delineate, and execute other academic writing processes that result in effective discipline-appropriate texts.