Nutrition and Health Through the Life Stages

Our nutritional needs evolve as we move through life. As a baby, child, and adolescent, what we need are the raw materials for rapid growth. As adults and elderly people, we need healthy food to prevent illness and protect us from the frailty of old age.

On this online microcredential from the University of Aberdeen, you’ll delve into the interconnections between diet, human development, and public health. Learning from applied health specialists, clinical practitioners, and expert scientists at the university’s Rowett Institute, you’ll develop the skills and expertise you need for careers in nutrition and nutritional research.

You can use the credits you gain through this microcredential to build towards a master’s degree from the University of Aberdeen.

Delve into nutrition and our evolving nutritional needs

The primary aim of this course is to provide an overview of the interconnected fields of nutrition and human development. Focusing on a new phase of life in each week – beginning at conception, through childhood and adulthood, and into old age – you’ll understand how our nutritional needs evolve as we grow.

You’ll delve into the latest developments in nutritional science, and examine core areas including metabolic studies, cell biology, and the study of patterns in diets among individuals and cohorts.

Examine the role of diet in the development of diseases

Once you’ve understood how our nutritional needs change throughout our lives, you’ll look further into how good nutrition can prevent or mitigate health risks. You’ll understand the role diet plays in the development of diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular disease.

The programme will play particular attention to the ways in which early life experiences can influence the risk of developing disease later in life.

Develop your research and evaluation skills

Throughout the microcredential, your learning will be enhanced and supported by the cutting-edge nutritional research carried out at the Rowett Institute. You’ll also learn to develop the skills you need to conduct your own research.

Analysing a wide range of contemporary sources, you’ll learn how to select and critically appraise scientific literature, understand scientific reports, and form your own judgement on a piece of evidence.

By the end of the microcredential, you’ll be ready to apply nutritional evidence in careers across health, sport, and a wide range of other sectors.

How will this microcredential help to develop my career?

This course provides advanced expertise in health, nutrition, and nutritional research, as well as critical thinking skills and the ability to interpret and evaluate scientific evidence. These are all skills that can be applied in any number of sectors.

It will be particularly suitable for graduate students or scientists keen to conduct nutritional research, or professionals working in healthcare, industry, or government, who want to expand their expertise in nutrition and public health.

With the certificate you earn at the end of the programme, you’ll be in demand with recruiters in any number of sectors and industries.

How will I be assessed?

You’ll complete three entirely online assessments designed to test the skills and knowledge you have gained throughout the course: an essay (worth 30% of your final grade), a class test (worth 30% of your final grade), and two reports (worth 25% and 15% of your final grade each).

Will I receive university credits?

Yes, you’ll earn 15 Level 11 credits at postgraduate level from the University of Aberdeen. You can use these credits to build towards a Master’s degree in Applied Health Sciences (MSc), Clinical Nutrition (MSc), or Public Health (MPH) from the University of Aberdeen.