Master of Science in Nutrition and Rural Development
Healthy and sustainable diets are a global challenge. While large populations face hunger and undernutrition, overweight and diet-related chronic diseases have taken on pandemic proportions. In addition, changes in nutrition and diets have a significant impact on natural resources and climate change. The MSc Nutrition and Rural Development trains a workforce that can think critically and develop programs to improve diet and nutrition of populations. Using better nutrition and food security as a starting point, students will contribute to sustainable development at household, national and international level.
What
Healthy and sustainable diets are a global challenge. While large populations face hunger and undernutrition, overweight and diet-related chronic diseases have taken on pandemic proportions. In addition, changes in nutrition and diets have a significant impact on natural resources and climate change. Improving nutrition is therefore key to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. To solve the existing nutrition (security) problems worldwide, specialists with an integrated and multidimensional view on development problems are urgently required. The MSc Nutrition and Rural Development trains a workforce that can think critically and develop programs to improve diet and nutrition of populations. Using better nutrition and food security as a starting point, students will contribute to sustainable development at household, national and international level. The programme has an international focus with specific attention to the international dimension of nutrient and food security and challenges faced in high as well as low- and middle income countries. Students come from a diverse background of cultures, technical background and nationalities. During the courses, students collaborate closely to critically assess available evidence, share lessons learned and develop innovative solutions to prevailing problems from community to national and international level.
The general objectives are:
- Obtain the necessary basic knowledge, insight and practical experience in the area of food production, post-harvest handling, transformation, storage, marketing and consumption of food;
- Familiarise with methods and analysis of nutrition research. Specific attention is given to evidence-based approach and the critical analysis of nutrition research findings;
- Ability to identify problems, define the underlying causes and prioritise them to develop, manage and evaluate relevant interventions;
- Acquire the necessary written and oral communication skills to interact with technical experts and others, and to be able to develop and critically evaluate scientific research independently.
The programme fosters knowledge, skills and competencies with regard to nutrition and food security of populations. Courses such as food chemistry, human nutrition, nutrition disorders, food safety, nutritional epidemiology and interventions and dealt with extensively. Nutrition is considered in a multi-disciplinary perspective. As determinants of nutrition are often rooted in other domains such as agriculture, sociology and economic development, nutrition experts should be able to collaborate with other stakeholders to improve diet nutrition and food security.
The programme specifically aims to:
- Foster multi-disciplinary skills and knowledge via a number of general and specific courses that integrate new research and experiences from the field;
- Make students familiar with various international nutrition and food challenges. The program provides the necessary tools to deal with these challenges effectively: A broad and in-depth know-how to analyse nutrition and food security problems in the context of rural development;
- Understanding of recent developments in the area of research and policy with regard to nutrition and food security;
- Offer various means of communication (discussions, policy briefs, presentations...) so students can interact with scientists, policy makers and the society at large;
- Stimulate students towards a life-long learning attitude after graduation;
- Bring students into contact with existing networks and national, international organisation that work in the area of nutrition and food security.
For whom
The admission requirements vary. Depending on your preliminary training, you are either able to enrol directly, or there are additional requirements.
Structure
This MSc Nutrition and Rural Development offers two majors: Public Health Nutrition or Nutrition Security and Management. While the first mainly deals with the public health aspects of nutrition, the second deals,more with the developmental and economic aspects.
The first semester of the first year gives in-depth knowledge in general courses related to nutrition and rural development. This approach aims to establish a common ground between all students of different backgrounds. To tailor the course programme to the individual needs and interests, students can already take one elective course during the first master year. The second year of this programme provides a more in-depth understanding of the specific problems and their solutions for the major they chose. The second year therefore consists of specific courses, a limited list of standard courses per major chosen, another elective course and master’s dissertation research. For the elective courses (including possibilities for an internship) the students may choose other courses offered in programmes at master’s level, at UGent or at an institute cooperating with UGent as long as they enable the student to compile a tailor-made study curriculum enhancing their individual needs or interests.
Labour Market
- Research and education at universities, private or governmental institutions;
- Research in research institutions, private or governmental;
- Development project collaborators (governmental, national or international NGOs, private);
- Food and nutrition policy development, implementation and evaluation;
- Administration of rural and urban projects to improve diet, nutrition or food security;
- Industrial sector i.e. improvement of nutritional contribution of foods or nutritional services; consultancy services
- PhD programmes;
- Overseas project collaborators for local governmental and non-governmental development organisations;
- Involved in Europe in some international organisations, active in the development cooperation field;
- In administration as policy preparatory jobs;
- ...
Quality Assurance
At Ghent University, we strive to educate people who dare to think about the challenges of tomorrow. For that purpose, we provide education that is embedded in six strategic objectives: Think Broadly, Keep Researching, Cultivate Talent, Contribute, Extend Horizons, Opt for Quality.
Ghent University continuously focuses on quality assurance and quality culture. The Ghent University's quality assurance system offers information on each study programme’s unique selling points, and on its strengths and weaknesses with regard to quality assurance.
More information:
Unique Selling Points
- The program builds knowledge on nutrition and rural development: Both quantitative and qualitative aspects are considered, with a particular emphasis on evidence-based approaches and critical appraisal of research to guide and evaluate population nutrition and develop interventions. As such, the program fosters life-long learning and consideration of knowledge and education for development.
- The program has a strong emphasis on hand-on competencies and skills: In various courses, students work in teams and carry out joint planning of proposals and discuss evaluations of interventions. The groups are composed out of students with various nationalities and technical backgrounds. Students learn how to defend group work in interactive sessions and evaluation by peers.
- Multi-perspective focus: The course has a comprehensive focus on nutrition in populations and in the context of food security and sustainable development.
- Applicability: Guest lecturers are invited to discuss experiences and practical challenges of programs and interventions. In addition through the master dissertation, students learn how to define a problem, collect data and develop research informed interventions. Also, students can choose to do an internship, in which the students are exposed to practical challenges when developing programs. As a consequence, alumni are found at different organisations e.g. national governments, United Nations specialised agencies, local and international NGO’s and research institutions across the globe. A considerable share of the students also pursues a PhD.
- Integration of research in education:Lecturers are actively involved in research on food, nutrition and development. This research is conducted in national, European as well as global partnerships. Ongoing research findings feeds into the courses and ensures lectures are up to date with the most recent findings and innovations.
Strengths
- Students have close contact with the lecturers. This includes the tenured academic staff as well as the teaching assistants that take care of the practical courses. Students interact with the staff on both a formal and informal way to discuss research, as well as academic and practical matters related to studying in Belgium.
- Students and lecturing staff collaborate to ensure quality. A study programme committee meets on a monthly basis to discuss matters related to the quality and organisation of the program. Student representatives count for at least 1/3 of the members and have voting rights.
- Educational matters and quality control of the programme are reviewed and guided by an international advisory board. This board contains alumni and representatives from NGO’s, UN agencies as well as academic staff of universities in Europa and the global south.
- A commission at the faculty of bioscience engineering supports the study programme committee to ensure high quality education. Transparent procedures are in place and regular workshops around quality assurance in education, exchange of good practices between lecturers are organised.
- Lecturers in the program are engaged experts from a wide variety of disciplines. They are international leading researchers in the area of nutrition and rural development and combine passion for research with education.
Weaknesses
- he program considers the internship as an integral part of the master program. Albeit not mandatory, students will be even more encouraged to take up an internship in their curriculum. Supported by the staff of the course, students are stimulated to pursue internship options and empowered to develop personal collaborations and networks.
- Exchange with other Master Programs in Europe. The program has identified various linkages with other master programs at UGent and in Europe. Students will be even more encouraged to take courses from other programs and gain additional international experiences.
- To ensure further integration with other (international and national) Master courses at the Faculty, the education commission of the Master in Nutrition and Rural Development will promote the involvement of more lecturers in the education commission and management of the program.
This study programme is accredited by the Accreditation Organization of the Netherlands and Flanders (in Dutch: NVAO). Accreditation was extended following the positive outcome of the institutional review in 2017. A screening of the Education Monitor by Ghent University’s Education Quality Board is planned in the years 2021-2024.
This information was last updated on 01/06/2021.
In case of questions or suggestions with regard to the publicly available information, please contact the study programme.