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Food For a Healthy Planet II (UNIB20014)
Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable (login required)(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 2
Overview
Availability | Semester 2 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
This interdisciplinary subject recognises and explores the intricate link between food, human health, and the sustainability of our planet. As the world is becoming increasingly urbanised and citizens are becoming more affluent, people are turning towards unhealthy “Western-style” diets characterised by high-energy, nutrient-poor processed and refined foods. This shift in dietary patterns has led to an increased morbidity burden due to obesity and other non-communicable diseases. Thus, there is an urgent need to address diet-related health problems created by under/over-nutrition and poor dietary practices by tackling the underlying scientific, technological, policy, regulatory, cultural, and economic determinants, and obstacles to creating healthy food and food systems.
Human diets inextricably link health and environmental sustainability. The present food system is one of the main causes of resource depletion and unacceptable environmental impacts, and is responsible for one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, meeting nutritional needs for improved health while staying within “planetary boundaries” is the biggest challenge for humanity.
Solving the problem of providing enough healthy food for all while maintaining environmental health requires a radical shift to a global food system that needs to draw on knowledge and skills from the many disciplines of both Science and Humanities.
Eminent scholars will teach students from across the full range of disciplines in arts, biosciences, nutrition, medicine, agricultural science, and economics, plus practitioners from the food, nutrition, farm industry and the natural resource sector. Students will learn and develop methods to frame and discuss complex food and health-related issues through team exercises with fellow students.
Intended learning outcomes
On the successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- Explain the significant challenges of feeding in healthy ways the growing global population in the coming decades whilst preserving the health of global natural environments
- Critically evaluate and discuss the role of governments, commerce, and civil society in improving food systems for better public health outcomes
- Discuss the inextricable link between food safety, nutrition and food security and appreciate the burden of foodborne diseases on human health and economies
- Discuss potential effects of nutritional choices on cognition, emotion, and immunity
- Analyse links between food practices and cultural, ethnic, and geographical identities in multicultural societies
- Discuss food as a deeply rooted expression of identity, values, and way of life
Generic skills
On completion of the subject, students should be able to:
- Think critically and integrate interdisciplinary knowledge
- Be able to critically assess information from a range of sources and assess its quality and relevance to questions under consideration.
- Demonstrate both written and oral communication skills
- Participate in a discussion group and develop a logical argument to support a particular position
- Participate effectively as a member of a team
- Plan work, use time effectively and manage projects and tasks
Last updated: 17 May 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 17 May 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Report
| Week 5 | 30% |
Research essay
| Week 9 | 30% |
Examination
| During the examination period | 40% |
Attendance at a minimum of 80% of tutorials Hurdle requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 80% of tutorials | N/A |
Last updated: 17 May 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 2
Principal coordinator Mohan Singh Coordinator Nanette Esparon Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 36 hours including two one-hour lectures and a one-hour tutorial per week Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 22 July 2024 to 20 October 2024 Last self-enrol date 2 August 2024 Census date 2 September 2024 Last date to withdraw without fail 20 September 2024 Assessment period ends 15 November 2024 Semester 2 contact information
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 17 May 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
A reading pack will be produced and made available through the LMS
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Breadth Track Feeding the World's Population Breadth Track Wine and Food - Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Biomedicine
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Bachelor of Design
- Bachelor of Environments
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art)
- Bachelor of Music
- Bachelor of Science
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 17 May 2024