INTERNATIONAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION - 2025/6

Module Overview

The module develops the students’ understanding as to the translation of nutrition science into population health, policy and guidelines.¿ It gives a global perspective on nutrition related public health issues of current concern, and aims to develop critical thinking and application.¿ The module is taught by a combination of internal and guest lecturers providing insight from a national and international perspective  

Module provider

School of Biosciences

Module Leader

LAMBERT Helen (Biosciences)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

Previous attendance of MHUM001, MHUM002 and MHUM0003  

Module content

In this module, students learn about key issues in PHN, inequalities in heath and the wider determinants of health.  They learn how to access and use current sources of information for Public Health, including the Public Health Outcomes Framework and National Diet and Nutrition Survey, and are introduced to Nutrition Policy and food labelling. The UN Sustainable Development Goals are introduced and linked to food security and sustainability, as well as issues in global nutrition, nutrition in emergency settings and sustainable development.  

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

None

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate:
 
Critical thinking and application of knowledge and skills gained to current international and national public health issues 
 
Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of: 

• 2 pieces of coursework:
   


• One will be a UK-related written assignment, and will demonstrate the ability to find and use relevant health and nutrition data and apply this critically to a current public health issue.


• The second will relate to an issue of international relevance, and be in the form of a written report.

 
 
Formative assessment 
 
This will take place informally during teaching sessions and tutorials, and through formative quizzes. 
 
Feedback 
 
Written feedback within 3 weeks of submitting coursework, with the option of  individual verbal feedback following this.  

 

Module aims

• To introduce the theoretical concepts of public health nutrition including national and international food and nutrition policies, organisations and guidelines
• To review the important strategies for design, planning and evaluation of PHN initiatives, related to UK population and policy
• To explore examples of where such strategies are being implemented locally and nationally
• To provide a working knowledge of the collection and use of nutritional information from surveys with particular reference to nutritional surveillance in the UK
• To provide an overview of food regulation and labelling in the UK
• To introduce the issues of food security and sustainability of supply in the UK and globally
• To explore current thinking on the relationship between nutrition, climate change and sustainable food systems
• To introduce the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their importance for all aspects of Public Health Nutrition, in the UK and globally
• To introduce the key issues in international nutrition, stimulate understanding of their underlying causes and context, and become familiar with aspects of nutrition intervention in challenging environments.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The¿learning and teaching¿strategy is designed to: 
 
Enable students to develop the knowledge, skills and critical thinking to be able to engage with nutrition-related public health issues in different contexts, through using current data applied to real situations. 
 
Engage students with different learning backgrounds and maximise their learning by drawing on their own experiences and contributions to group discussions. 
 
Students will learn how and where to access data, evaluate its relevance and apply their knowledge to current problems through “hands-on” practical sessions and supported preparation for relevant assignments. 
 
Students will begin to integrate what they have learnt in previous modules, for example their knowledge of nutrition in heatlh and disease, and nutrition through throughout the life-cycle, with their understanding of public health issues. 
 
The¿learning and teaching¿methods include: 
 

Lectures, active learning/discussion sessions, practical data sessions and online resources. Students are invited to contribute to discussions from their own background and experiences and are encouraged to be actively involved in problem solving, thus developing their own judgement and opinions. 

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MHUM004

Other information

How this module aligns to the 5 pillars of the curriculum  

Digital Capabilities:  Skills in using digital resources gained in previous modules (such as using SurreyLearn, literature searching, online learning and presentation tools) are built on during this module.  In addition, students are introduced to online tools used for public health including Public Health England’s Fingertips tool (Public Health Outcomes Framework) and databases including NDNS and the WHO’s Global Health Observatory.  

Employability: The module equips students to work in the Public Health domain by developing key knowledge, skills and understanding.  Knowledge is gained of Public Health policies, past and present, how these are developed, and their application at a local and national level.  Skills are developed in sourcing and using data which is used routinely by those working in Public Health, and applying these to current “real life” issues. Understanding of the context of nutritional problems nationally and internationally equips students to apply their knowledge to a variety of roles. External speakers provide up-to-date information on opportunities to work in Public Health in the UK and overseas.    

Global and cultural capabilities: The module is based on a global perspective, centred on the universal application of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and acknowledging that these are equally relevant nationally and internationally.  Students develop an understanding of inequalities in health, and the underlying causes of inadequate nutrition worldwide.  Factors influencing food choice are explored, promoting an awareness of the diversity of lived experience and culture affecting these.  Invited speakers contribute to a diverse global perspective.  Students are encouraged to share experiences and knowledge from their own cultures and backgrounds, and to respect and value differences in experience. 

Resourcefulness and resilience: This modules builds on skills and behaviours gained in previous modules.  Independent learning, critical thinking and problem-solving is extended through application of learning to “real-life” problems and situations, using current Public Health data.  Confidence is gained through appreciating the relevance of this learning to future pathways and possible employment.  The final Classroom Debate assignment encourages an openness to new perspectives, exploring different priorities, and incorporating other viewpoints into the written report. The ability to engage and ask pertinent questions also forms part of this assessment, which, in addition, includes an element of peer assessment.  

Feedback on assignments specifically refers back to that from coursework in previous modules, and forwards to the upcoming project dissertation.  As in other modules, there is the opportunity for these to be discussed one-to-one. 

Sustainability: An appreciation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals is integral to all aspects of this module.  An understanding of the relationships amongst the different SDGs is addressed in the teaching and assessed in the coursework. Seminars and tutorials give students the opportunity to explore specific topical aspects of sustainability including the National Food Strategy, the EAT Lancet recommendations for “planetary health”, sustainable development, and factors affecting food security in the UK and across the world.   

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.