Applied Human Nutrition - 2012 entry

Azhar Hasan

I chose this MSc as it combines the study of human nutrition with food science, unlike other universities I looked at.

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Course content

MSc students are required to complete 180 M-level credits (ie all the following modules). PGDip students are required to complete 120 M-level credits (ie all modules excluding the research project) and PGCert students are required to complete 60 M-level credits.

• Human Nutrition (20 M credits) provides a comprehensive overview of the different nutrients required by humans throughout the life cycle and their sources in food in the UK and worldwide. It also critically evaluates methods used to assess nutrient intake at an individual and population level. The relationship between lifestyle and body composition will also be covered.
• Food Science (20 M credits) covers the properties of food components and their role in foods. It specifically addresses the measurement of food quality (including nutritional composition and manipulation), sensory and physical attributes, microbiological aspects of food production and preservation, new product development and the role of functional foods.
• Research Methods (20 M credits) provides a foundation and training in fundamental research methods, from literature searching, experimental planning and design to data analysis and presentation. Assessment is by coursework only.
• Nutrition, Physical Activity and Health (20 M credits) examines the relationships between nutrition, physical activity and health outcomes in humans. In particular, the influence of diet and physical activity on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and obesity will be considered along with counselling and goal-setting for diet, nutrition and exercise.
• International Nutrition (20 M credits) covers nutrition in the context of world health. It examines current international nutrition problems and their social context in developing countries, together with their treatment and prevention. It is oriented to a practical approach for their control. The subject gives emphasis to mother and child health and nutrition.
• Current Research in Sport, Exercise and Nutrition (20 M credits) explores contemporary research in nutrition and sport and exercise. The class will promote discussion of latest findings from peer-reviewed journals through directed and independent reading of relevant literature.
• Research Project (60 M credits) involves original research in the study of a specific topic in nutrition. Past research projects include the effect of cocoa beverages on blood pressure, nutrient losses in cooking, and fruit and vegetable consumption of the elderly cf WHO guidelines. The choice of topic is by negotiation between you and an appropriate member of teaching staff acting as supervisor.

Please note: as courses are reviewed regularly, the list of modules may vary from that shown here.

Faculty

Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

Department

Department of Sport and Health Sciences

Course length

Full-time: MSc: 12 months, PGDip: 8 months, PGCert: 8 months
Part-time: MSc: 24 months, PGDip: 20 months, PGCert: 8 months

Teaching location

Headington Campus, Gipsy Lane

Start date

September 2012

UKPASS code

P027796

Entry requirements

In order to successfully complete a postgraduate course, applicants are usually expected to have (or be about to attain) at least a second class honours degree in a related scientific subject from a recognised institution of higher education. If you do not have these academic qualifications, you could still be offered a place on this course if you can show evidence of the potential to succeed based on professional and/or related experiences. 

Scholarships and funding

For general sources of financial support, see:

• funding for students from the UK and EU
• funding for students from outside the EU

Why Oxford is a great place to study Applied Human Nutrition

As a student in Oxford you'll be at the heart of the UK's most successful economic region and in a centre for leading industries, which provides you with a host of learning and potential career opportunities.

Because Oxford is one of the world's great academic cities, it is a key centre of debate, with conferences, seminars and forums taking place across education, science, the arts and many other subjects. For example, nutrition students can join an inter-university forum looking at the social, psychological and medical issues on foods.

In addition to our own excellent libraries and resource centres, our postgraduate students have access to the world-renowned Bodleian Library, the Bodleian Law Library and the Radcliffe Science Library.

Support for students studying Applied Human Nutrition

• Supervision from internationally recognised academics
• Part-time opportunities for students based in the workplace
• Excellent facilities giving access to the latest technology
• A mixture of funded and self / externally funded places
• High-profile research events

How Brookes supports postgraduate students

Supporting your learning

From academic advisers and support co-ordinators to specialist subject librarians and other learning support staff, we want to ensure that you get the best out of your studies.

Personal support services

We want your time at Brookes to be as enjoyable and successful as possible. That's why we provide all the facilities you need to be relaxed, happy and healthy throughout your studies.

Departmental research highlights

We have a number of research strengths and exciting projects currently underway in the Functional Food Centre.  We recently hosted the first UK International functional food conference showcasing the science, claims and marketing of functional foods. This provided a fantastic opportunity to showcase our research alongside that of our international collaborators and delegates. 

We have included a selection of our research work below.

Dr Miriam Clegg, Research Fellow in Functional Foods

I am Research Fellow in the Functional Food Centre. I lead on the Current Research in Sport Exercise and Nutrition module and supervise MSc research projects. As well as teaching, the primary role of my job is research. Key areas include satiety, gastric emptying, energy expenditure and glycaemic response. I try to understand how these factors interact with each other for different food types and ingredients. The aim is to develop foods that increase energy expenditure and satiety and lower glycaemic response and gastric emptying which would inevitably help in the prevention and treatment of obesity.

Key publications:

• Clegg, M. and Shafat, A. (2010). Energy and macronutrient composition of breakfast affect gastric emptying of lunch and subsequent food intake, satiety and satiation. Appetite 54:517-23.
• Clegg, M. E., McKenna, P., McClean, C., Davison, G.W., Trinick, T., Duly, E. and Shafat, A. (2011). Gastrointestinal transit, post-prandial lipaemia and satiety following 3 days high-fat diet in men. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 65:240-6.

Dr Simon Wheeler, Lecturer in Human Nutrition

As a PhD student and then lecturer at King's College London, my research involved looking at the relationships between maternal diet, nutrition and pregnancy outcomes in 500 teenagers from inner-city areas of London and Manchester. The results showed how important it is to consume adequate amounts of folic acid during pregnancy as those teenagers that had lower amounts of folate in their diet and in their blood were much more likely to deliver a smaller, growth-restricted baby. I am continuing to pursue this interest in nutrition during pregnancy at Oxford Brookes by exploring the potential benefits of functional foods as a way of improving maternal and fetal outcomes.

As for teaching, I currently lead the International Nutrition module (P16502) during the second semester, which deals with under nutrition in less developed countries. Many mothers, infants and young children in these countries are chronically undernourished, which impairs their growth and development and in turn makes them much more susceptible to potentially lethal infections such as measles, tuberculosis and diarrhoea. The module explores the underlying reasons for under nutrition and the many ways in which evidence-based nutritional interventions can reduce mortality and improve health and development.

Key publications:

• Wheeler, S. J., Poston, L., Baker, P.N. et al. (2011). Maternal plasma fatty acid composition and pregnancy outcome in adolescents. Br J Nutr. 105:601-10.
• Baker, P.N., Wheeler, S.J., Sanders, T.A. et al. (2009). A prospective study of micronutrient status in adolescent pregnancy.Am J Clin Nutr. 89:1114-24.

Dr Sangeetha Thondre, Research Fellow in Functional Foods

I am interested in exploring the link between nutrition and food science. Of particular interest are the functional compounds present in cereal grains such as soluble dietary fibre and polyphenols. The way they interact and behave with other compounds to impart beneficial physiological effects is of key importance in the development of new functional food products. On the master's programme I am involved in teaching as well as supervision of a number of MSc projects.

Key publications:

• Thondre, P.S., Ryan, L. and Henry, C.J.K. (2011). Barley beta-glucan extracts as rich sources of polyphenols and antioxidants. Food Chemistry 126:72-77.
• Thondre, P.S. and Henry, C.J.K. (2011). Effect of a low molecular weight, high purity beta-glucan on in vitro digestion and glycemic response. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, In press, DOI: 10.3109/09637486.2011.566849.

Research areas and clusters

• Effect of ginger on GI of foods
• Effect of cocoa beverages on blood pressure
• Nutrient losses in cooking/processing
• Epilepsy and the effect of diet
• Fruit and vegetable consumption of elderly cf WHO g/lines
• Investigation of the effect of soya milk on tea antioxidants
• The effect of breast feeding on menarche
• Uncharacterised foods and serum antioxidant levels in nutrition
• Nutritional interventions in children
• Cyclic hormone levels and their effect on appetite and metabolism