The aims of this course are described in Ministerial Order CIN/730/2009 of 18 March, establishing the requirements for the recognition of official university degrees qualifying their holders as Professional Dietitians-Nutritionists.

Graduates must:

A) Hold professional values, attitudes and behaviour:

1. Accept the essential elements of the profession, including ethical principles and legal responsibilities; and exercising the profession in accordance with the principles of social justice and respect for individuals, customs, beliefs and cultures.

2. Exercise the profession within the framework of respect for other healthcare professionals, and acquire teamwork skills.

3. Maintain and update professional knowledge and skills, and understand the importance of continuous independent learning with regard to new ideas, products and techniques in nutrition, together with the importance of  quality.

4. Understand the limits of the profession, identifying situations where inter-disciplinary treatment or referral to another professional is required.

B) Develop communication and information-handling skills:

5. Develop the ability to communicate in an effective manner, both orally and in writing, with patients, healthcare and industry professionals and the media, and know how to use information and communication technologies effectively, particularly as related to nutrition and lifestyle.

6. Understand, evaluate, use and apply sources of information concerning nutrition, diet, lifestyle and healthcare.

7. Know how to prepare reports and fill out records related to the professional activity of a Dietitian.

C) Understand and apply food sciences:

8. Identify and classify foods. Know how to analyse and establish their composition, properties, nutritional value, the bioavailability of nutrients, sensory characteristics and the changes foodstuffs undergo as a consequence of technological and culinary processes.

9. Understand the basic processes involved in the preparation, transformation and preservation of animal and vegetable foodstuffs.

10. Prepare, interpret and use food composition graphs and databases.

11. Understand food microbiology, parasitology and toxicology.

D) Understand and apply Food and Health Sciences:

12. Understand the function and bioavailability of nutrients, nutritional needs and recommendations, and the basics of calorific and nutritional balance.

13. Evaluate the relationship between food and nutrition and assimilate this knowledge in health processes.

14. Apply scientific knowledge of physiology, physiopathology and nutrition to diet planning and counselling for individuals and groups, throughout their life cycle and independently of their health status.

15. Design and implement nutritional status evaluation protocols and identify nutritional risk factors.

16. Interpret nutritional diagnoses, evaluating the nutritional aspects of clinical histories and preparing diet plans.

17. Understand the structure of hospital nutrition services and departments, identifying and performing the functions of a Dietitian-Nutritionist within a multi-disciplinary team.

18. Participate in the organisation, management and implementation of different modalities of hospital alimentation and nutritional support, and out-patient dietetic-nutrition treatment.

E) Understand the basics of Public Health and Community Nutrition:

19. Understand the structure and role of national and international health organisations and systems with respect to the role of the Dietitian-Nutritionist.

20. Participate in the design, implementation and validation of epidemiological nutritional studies, and take part  in the planning, analysis and evaluation of alimentation and nutrition intervention programmes in a range of environments.

21. Promote a healthy lifestyle and the prevention of nutrition-related and lifestyle-related disorders, by participating in the nutritional education of the population.

22. Collaborate in the planning, development and implementation of alimentation, nutrition and food safety policies, based on the needs of the population and health protection.

F) Develop managerial, legal guidance and scientific skills:

23. Advise on the development, commercialisation, labelling, information and marketing of food products in accordance with social needs, scientific knowledge and current legislation.

24. Interpret administrative reports and dossiers in relation to food products and ingredients.

G) Develop the ability to supervise food quality and collective catering:

25. Participate in the management, organisation and development of food services.

26. Prepare, control and cooperate in the planning of menus and diets adapted to the characteristics of the groups for whom they are intended.

27. Participate in ensuring the quality and safety of food products, installations and processes.

28. Provide hygienic-sanitary and dietetic-nutritional training to persons involved in catering services.

H) Develop the ability to carry out critical analysis and research:

29. Acquire basic research training, including the formulation of hypotheses, collecting and interpreting data in order to solve problems, following scientific methods, and understanding the importance and limitations of scientific thinking in health and nutritional matters.

• Credits
• Distribution of credits by subject type
• General course programme
• Optional subjects and routes

CREDITS

Subjects in the Degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics, each worth 6, 7.5 or 9 European ECTS credits, are organised into semesters.  Specifically, students are required to take 30 credits per semester and 60 credits per year, for a total of 240 credits over four academic years.

In order to make the course compatible with other activities, students are allowed to take a part-time course consisting of 30 credits per academic year.

DISTRIBUTION OF CREDITS BY SUBJECT TYPE

GENERAL COURSE PROGRAMME

The first year includes core subjects from the Health Sciences related to Human Nutrition.  By taking these subjects, students acquire the core professional skills indicated in Order CIN/730/2009, of the 18^th March, which establishes the requisites for authorising officially recognised university degrees which qualify holders for professional practice as Dietitian-Nutritionists.  The first year of studies has been designed in accordance with current legislation and includes 36 ECTS from the discipline of Health Sciences, comprising the subjects Human Anatomy, Biology, Statistics, Physiology, Biochemistry and Psychology, 6 credits from another discipline (Science) and the remaining 18 ECTS to complete the 60 core credits correspond to subject matter designed by the proponents with the following rationale:

Introduction to Health Sciences

The incorporation of a subject such as Introduction to the Health Sciences enables the future graduate of Human Nutrition and Dietetics to locate the discipline within its natural framework of the Health Sciences.  Using a diachronic methodology, the student is familiarised with the conceptual and methodological premises which enable an understanding of the health-illness duality, and a connection is established between human nutrition and dietetics and the other disciplines and specialisations comprising the Health Sciences.  Furthermore, a series of professional skills are developed which provide students with the tools necessary to tackle problems arising from the terminology used in the Health Sciences, and to understand the process of production, dissemination and retrieval of scientific information.  On the basis of this introductory unit and the subject matter it contains, cross-disciplinary skills are developed, such as techniques in scientific practice, which are of great use to the student in the activities and skills addressed in other subjects throughout the degree course.

Food and Culture

As an introductory unit, Food and Culture enables the future graduate in Human Nutrition and Dietetics to understand and analyse the different aspects intrinsic to food and culture, taking a comprehensive and enriching approach which, from a historical perspective, integrates anthropological and social aspects, thus complementing the biological perspective.  Through an analysis of the historical evolution of food strategies and conditioning factors, and the social and cultural meaning of food, students will be able to locate human nutrition and dietetics knowledge in the socio-cultural and historical contexts within which they will need to apply their skills once in professional practice, whilst remaining aware of the determining factors of food and nutrition underlying these aspects.

Interview Techniques and Nutritional Advice

Communication with patients and their families is one of the basic factors in satisfaction with health care.  This aspect is systematically undervalued in studies of perceptions of quality of health care.

Satisfaction with communication is an end in itself, and the scientific literature has consistently demonstrated that this is a fundamental determinant of patient compliance with health advice, and improves intuition and clinical diagnosis.

This unit has been taught as an optional course for many years on the degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Alicante, and is very popular with students, who have recommended that as part of the reform it should become an obligatory subject.  The course develops student attitudes and skills in interviewing and communication, consolidated over the following academic years.

In the second year, knowledge and handling of food, ingredients and food products are studied in greater depth.  Also addressed are the issues of food processing and transformation, food safety, hazard control and quality management of the entire process, with the aim of protecting the consumer. At the end of the second year, students are introduced to the Science of Nutrition, Dietetics and Health, initially through a study of the healthy individual, introducing the student to an understanding of nutritional needs throughout the life cycle and identifying the bases of a healthy diet.  At the beginning of the third year, the course continues to examine subject matter related to the Science of Nutrition, Dietetics and Health. Nutritional needs in specific circumstances are addressed, studying a dietetic approach to health problems, knowledge of clinical pharmacology and the interactions between pharmaceuticals and nutrients in greater depth.  Specialisation is possible in the final year.  Students are provided with two basic tools for integrating professional skills: the basics which will enable students to base their practice on scientific evidence, and tools for intervention in the health of the population through nutritional education.  The legal and ethical limits of dietetic practice are also addressed.   At the end of their studies, students will have obtained sufficient maturity to choose between the different optional routes offered, and to study different nutritional scenarios in greater depth.  Optional subjects have been structured around four routes, containing three subjects each: Sports nutrition, food quality, food, nutrition and population, and lastly, new demands in nutrition and special circumstances.   

The remaining 6 optional credits can be chosen from among the subjects corresponding to the other routes.

All these subjects will enable the student to prepare the final project, and facilitate the integration of knowledge, skills and attitudes. Prior to evaluation for the final project, the student must provide evidence of ability in a foreign language.  Among other forms of accreditation, the minimum necessary requirement at the University of Alicante is to have attained level B1 of the European Framework of Reference for Languages, and this requirement may be raised in the future.

OPTIONAL SUBJECTS AND ROUTES

Optional subjects have been structured around four routes, containing three subjects each: Sports nutrition, food quality, food, nutrition and population, and lastly, new demands in nutrition and special circumstances.

The remaining 6 optional credits can be chosen from among the subjects corresponding to the other routes.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT (IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

Students who study an undergraduate degree at the University of Alicante must confirm a minimum level of B1 in a foreign language (a B2 is recommended) in order to obtain the diploma.  

The required language level is in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. 

The language accreditation requirement can be obtained previously or at any time during university studies. However, the language requirement will be necessary in order to be able to assess the final year project.

The different forms of obtaining such language requirement can be consulted in the additional information in this section.  

+info

LANGUAGE TEACHING COMPETENCE CERTIFICATE

Students who want to have a career in non-university teaching when they finish their studies are recommended to obtain the teaching competence certificate (Valencian and/or foreign languages).

This certificate can be obtained by taking specific itineraries in your university studies or by taking the UA teaching competence course in Valencian, German, French and English.

+info

FINAL YEAR PROJECT (TFG)

All the official undergraduate degrees must be completed by preparing and defending a final year project, which must be done in the final phase of the studies and be aimed at the assessment of competences associated to the degree.

The final year project must be an original, independent and personal work. The elaboration of it may by individual or coordinated. Each student will prepare this project under the supervision of a tutor, allowing students to show the received training content in an integrated many, as well as the acquired competences associated to the undergraduate degree.

In order to register in the final year project, students must comply with the requirements established in the “Regulations for continuation studies for students registered in undergraduate degrees at the University of Alicante”. Among the requirements established to be able to register in the final year project, a minimum of 168 credits must be passed in undergraduate degrees with a total of 240 credits, and a minimum of 228 credits in undergraduate degrees with a total of 300 credits or more.

In order for the final year project to be assessed, a B1 level of a foreign language (B2 is recommended) must be confirmed.

+info

• Access routes
• Procedure for applying for admission
• Number of places and pass marks

ACCESS ROUTES

Admission to this degree course is open to any applicant who meets one of the following entrance requirements:

1.     SPANISH BACCALAUREATE (LOMCE) UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAM (PAU): Although students can access university by means of any Baccalaureate specialization, the recommended one is Sciences.

Admission scores for this degree can be improved by taking the specific modules of the University Entrance Exam (PAU) as indicated in the table below with their respective weightings.

TABLE 1

2.     PREVIOUS BACCALAUREATES WITH OR WITHOUT A PASS IN THE UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAM (PAU): Students who have completed their Baccalaureate under previous education systems and have passed the PAU will be able to use the mark obtained in their application.

However, students can take specific exam modules during the voluntary PAU exam period in order to improve their admission score as shown in table 1. They can also sit for the obligatory PAU exams, in which case they will have to take all the exams scheduled during this period.

3.     VOCATIONAL EDUCATION: Vocational educational qualifications such as senior technician, senior technician of plastic arts and design, or senior technician in sports is the preferred professional area although access to this degree may be through any professional field.

Admission scores can be improved by taking the PAU exam in up to 4 of the modules in table 1.

4.     STUDENTS FROM EDUCATION SYSTEMS IN COUNTRIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION OR OTHER STATES WITH WHICH SPAIN HAS AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT: Accreditation is required and issued by Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED).

Students can sit for exams in subjects included in the Pruebas de Competencias Específicas (PCE), organised by the UNED, in order to improve their admission score up to 14 points as indicated in the weightings in Table 1.

5.     STUDENTS FROM FOREIGN EDUCATION SYSTEMS: Prior to applying for the validation of their foreign Baccalaureate, students may sit for up to 4 exams in subjects offered by the Pruebas de Competencias Específicas (PCE) organised by UNED (at least one subject from the core subjects).

The weightings indicated in table 1 will be applied to core and/or optional subjects.

6.     OTHER: University degrees and other similar qualifications. University entrance exam for students over 25 (preferential option: Health Sciences). Access on the basis of professional experience (applicants over 40 years of age). Access to applicants aged 45 years or more by means of an exam.

Weightings of the subjects of the specific phase of the Proof of Access to the University (PAU) in the previous years

High School Diploma Subjects

Academic Years 2010-11 2011-12

0.1

0.2

x

x

x

x

x

x

Academic Years 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15

0.1

x

0.2

x

x

x

x

Academic Years 2015-16 2016-17

0.1

0.2

x

x

x

x

x

x

PROCEDURE FOR APPLYING FOR ADMISSION: PRE-ENROLMENT AND REGISTRATION

• Anticipated number of places offered during the first pre-enrolment session: 100 

• In order to apply for a place, the procedure and pre-enrolment periods established each year must be observed.  It is normally necessary to pre-enrol, and two pre-enrolment periods are established for this.  The first period, or phase A is held in mid-June and the second, or phase B, is held in mid-September.  During the second period, places may only be applied for on courses which have not been filled following phase A.  Places are awarded on the basis of the preferences, criteria and reserve quotas established by current legislation. Information concerning the application procedure  (Pre-enrolment).

• Applicants admitted to a course must formally register within the timescale established annually in the enrolment calendar (usually at the end of July and the end of September). Registration Information.

NUMBER OF PLACES AND PASS MARKS

• "Pass marks" indicated correspond to the results of the first adjudication of June.
  
• The definitive marks can be inferior to the here collected.

PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

Regulated profession for professional practice as:

–Dietitian Nutritionist

IMPLEMENTATION TIMESCALE

TIMESCALE

Bridging course

It is envisaged that implementation of the Bridging Course enabling diploma holders to obtain a Degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics will begin in the academic year 2010-2011, and will be offered until academic year 2012-2013.

CREDIT EQUIVALENCE BETWEEN PREVIOUS COURSES AND THE NEW COURSE PROGRAMME

Those students who do not wish to adapt their studies to the Degree course are entitled to four official examination periods in the two academic years following the phasing out of teaching on the Diploma course.  Once these examination periods have terminated, those students who have not successfully completed the course and wish to continue their studies will be required to take the Degree course, according to the established system of credit equivalence.

A Bridging Course will be established for holders of the Diploma in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the Nursing University College of Alicante.

Students who have completed the Diploma will be assigned 183 ECTS credits towards the Degree course.

Optional subjects successfully completed on the Diploma course will be recognised as optional credits on the Degree course.

DEGREE IN HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS. SYLLABUS SUMMARY

Internal Quality Assurance System (SGIC) of the Title

• Structure of the Centre for Quality
  • Comission of Internal Quality Guarantee
  • Other Commissions  
• Handbook SGIC
• Procedures
  • Strategic (PE)
  • Key (PC)
  • Support (PA)
  • Measurement (PM)

• Management of the SGIC (Access to ASTUA)

Follow-up of the Title

• Self-reports UA
• External reports AVAP 
• Other reports
• Improvement Plans
• Progress and Learning Outcomes