Food For a Healthy Planet II (UNIB20014)

Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

Availability
Semester 2
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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: 20 March 2025

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: 20 March 2025

Assessment

DescriptionTimingPercentage

Report

  • 1200 words
Week 530%

Research essay

  • 1200 words
Week 930%

Examination

  • 2 hours
During the examination period40%

Attendance at a minimum of 80% of tutorials

Hurdle requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 80% of tutorials  		N/A

Last updated: 20 March 2025

Dates & times

  • Semester 2
    Principal coordinatorMohan Singh
    CoordinatorNanette Esparon
    Mode of deliveryOn Campus (Parkville)
    Contact hours36 hours including two one-hour lectures and a one-hour tutorial per week
    Total time commitment170 hours
    Teaching period28 July 2025 to 26 October 2025
    Last self-enrol date 8 August 2025
    Census date 1 September 2025
    Last date to withdraw without fail26 September 2025
    Assessment period ends21 November 2025

    Semester 2 contact information

    mohan@unimelb.edu.au

    nesparon@unimelb.edu.au

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: 20 March 2025

Further information

Last updated: 20 March 2025