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Course Outline

NUT102 Food in Society

Course Coordinator:Rachael Thurecht (rthurech@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Nutrition and Dietetics

2026Trimester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

 Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

This is a general food and nutrition course that will interest you if you are studying Nutrition/Dietetics, and other health related science programs. This course focuses on understanding food and nutrition issues, considering a wide range of factors that influence what and how people eat including historical, socio-demographic, ecological, economic and political factors. The influence of culture and ethnicity on food use, food choice and preparation is explored. You will gain an understanding of food supply, food regulation and food and nutrition policy/guidelines in the Australian context.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Pre-recorded videos, readings and associated activities. 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Workshop. 2hrs Week 1 12 times

Course Topics

  • Historical, socioecological, environmental, economic and political influences on food choice
  • Culture, ethnicity, religion and food
  • Food regulation and food and nutrition related policies and guidelines
  • Food industry, marketing and the media
  • Food supply & food systems
  • Introduction to reflection
  • Introduction to critical appraisal of information

What level is this course?

100 Level (Introductory)

Engaging with discipline knowledge and skills at foundational level, broad application of knowledge and skills in familiar contexts and with support. Limited or no prerequisites. Normally, associated with the first full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1 Describe and analyse the multifactorial influences on the food choices of individuals, population groups, and vulnerable sub-populations Knowledgeable
Sustainability-focussed
2 Describe food supply in Australia and evaluate community, national and global food systems Knowledgeable
Sustainability-focussed
3 Discuss Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, identities and traditional knowledge systems Empowered
Ethical
Engaged
4 Apply and critically reflect on an experience to identify personal skills, knowledge & learning gained Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
5 Develop tailored nutrition communication to a specific audience Creative and critical thinker
Communication

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Not applicable

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

NUT211

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Formative feedback will be provided in workshops to assist students to reflect on academic progress.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1a Examination - not Centrally Scheduled Individual 15% 
40 minutes
 Week 4 Online Test (Quiz)
All 1b Examination - not Centrally Scheduled Individual 15% 
40 minutes
 Week 10 Online Test (Quiz)
All 1c Examination - not Centrally Scheduled Individual 20% 
40 minutes
 Week 12 In Class
All 2 Journal Individual 50% 
750 words
 Week 11 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1a:Food choice short test
Goal: 
The goal of this task is to demonstrate your understanding of the multiple factors that influence food choice, describe the food supply in Australia and evaluate community, national and global food systems. You will also demonstrate that you can review and evaluate information with a scientific and systematic approach.
Product: Examination - not Centrally Scheduled
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Online quiz consisting of multiple-choice and short answer questions (open for completion for 24 hours).
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Recall factual information and summarise important elements relating to influences on food 
choice
 1
2 
Describe food supply in Australia and evaluate community, national and global food systems
 2
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving
All - Assessment Task 1b:Food choice short test
Goal: 
The goal of this task is to demonstrate your understanding of the multiple factors that influence food choice, describe the food supply in Australia and evaluate community, national and global food systems. You will also demonstrate that you can review and evaluate information with a scientific and systematic approach.
Product: Examination - not Centrally Scheduled
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Online quiz consisting of multiple-choice and short answer questions (open for completion for 24 hours).
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Describe and analyse the multifactorial influences on the food choices of individuals, population groups, and vulnerable sub-populations
 1
2 
Describe the food supply in Australia and evaluate community, national and global food systems
 2
3 
Discuss Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, identities and traditional knowledge systems
 3
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving
All - Assessment Task 1c:Food choice short test
Goal: 
The goal of this task is to demonstrate your understanding of the multiple factors that influence food choice, describe the food supply in Australia and evaluate community, national and global food systems. You will also demonstrate that you can review and evaluate information with a scientific and systematic approach.
Product: Examination - not Centrally Scheduled
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Quiz consisting of multiple-choice and short answer questions to be completed in person in class.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Describe and analyse the multifactorial influences on the food choices of individuals, population groups, and vulnerable sub-populations
 1
2 
Describe food supply in Australia and evaluate community, national and global food systems
 2
3 
Discuss Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, identities and traditional knowledge systems
 3
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving
All - Assessment Task 2:Eco-friendly food challenge blog
Goal: 
The goal of this assessment task is to engage in active learning through reflection on experience.
Product: Journal
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Your blog will reflect on your experience of undertaking a three-week 
eco-friendly food challenge. 

During the three-week challenge you will be provided with opportunities to reflect on your challenge,which will scaffold the development of your blog post. 

At the end of week 11 you will be required to submit a 750-word blog. 

Your blog will include:
1) A description of your goal and experience/s during the three-week challenge
2) Critical reflection on the key skills or knowledge or learning you gained (questions will be provided to guide your reflection). 

Your blog should be pitched at your blog ‘followers’, using lay language and first person, but should follow academic conventions (e.g. referencing other work, using credible information sources).
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Describe an original idea and develop weekly goals in relation to an eco-friendly food challenge
 2 4
2 
Reflect upon various aspects of your experience and key learnings pertaining to an eco-friendly food challenge
 4 5
3 
Convey ideas clearly and fluently in written form
 5
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Applying technologies

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

There are no required/recommended resources for this course.

Specific requirements

Not applicable

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.  

For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: 

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