Health Sciences (HS)

BS in Public Health and Nutrition (8 Semester Degree Plan)

Introduction

Public Health Nutrition focuses on the promotion of good health through nutrition and the primary prevention of nutrition related illness in the population. Public Health seeks to improve human health by applying knowledge on how to prevent diseases, how to protect populations from harm and how to promote healthy living. Nutrition is the study of the relationship between food and human health. Healthy food choices and lifestyles can prevent diseases; unhealthy food can cause or contribute to diseases, while certain diets can even treat diseases.

The UAE has, in its vision, addressed the need for actions to improve a number of major public health concerns in the country such as tobacco use, traffic injuries, maternal and child health, diabetes, overweight and heart diseases and thereby recognized the need professionals with extensive knowledge in the field.

Public health and nutrition is impacting the national key performance indicators as stated in the UAE vision document. Successful Public Health Nutrition practice requires an interdisciplinary approach involving different stakeholders such as ministries, businesses, schools, healthcare providers, public relations, media and communication among others. A BS in Public Health Nutrition is a 4 year program including the general education. The science courses serve as a foundation in the degree. This is followed by courses in public health and nutrition.

Public Health Nutrition graduates can pursue a career in the health care sector, in ministries and municipalities, sport clubs, nutraceutical companies, NGOs, research centres, health authorities, schools, food safety and health promotion.

We are welcoming students to the BS in Public Health Nutrition who has a passion for improving people’s life through science, public health and nutrition.

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) of BS in Public Health Nutrition

Upon successful completion of the program requirements the student will:

• Critically evaluate evidence and contextual factors obtained from reliable sources to produce well-reasoned decisions and interventions in public health and nutrition.
• Demonstrate a substantive understanding of major concepts and practices in nutrition and public health, and will evaluate how these concepts.
• Demonstrate highly developed visual, oral and written communication skills in order to convey complex public health and nutrition information and practices to a variety of audiences and practices can be applied appropriately at a local and global level.
• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the methods and approaches used in public health and nutrition to collect and analyze data, and will apply knowledge and skills effectively to conduct research.
• Demonstrate high standards of professional integrity and ethics, will recognize the need for further learning, and will engage respectfully with people of diverse cultures, abilities, and backgrounds.
• Exhibit effective leadership and management skills and sensibilities required to work efficiently, independently and in teams.

Minors

Minor in Public Health

Introduction
Public Health is the science of protecting and improving the health of families and communities through the promotion of healthy lifestyles, research for disease and injury prevention, and detection and control of infectious and non-communicable diseases. The UAE has, in its vision, addressed the need for actions to improve a number of major public health concerns in the country such as tobacco use, traffic injuries, maternal and child health, diabetes, overweight and heart diseases and thereby recognized the need professionals with extensive knowledge in the field.

Successful Public Health practice requires an interdisciplinary approach involving different stakeholders such as ministries, businesses, healthcare providers, public relations, media and communication among others.

A Minor in Public Health provide students with the fundamental knowledge of principles, applications, and skills needed to develop a firm appreciation of health and disease prevention at the population level, and to use this knowledge to transform the experience of their major education into innovative approaches for solving problems related to public health.

We are welcoming students who are graduating in other degrees like business, media and communication, education, psychology or environmental science to enrol in the Minor in Public Health, to be better prepared for a career life in their respective field. The minor consists of 6 courses and a total of 18 credit hours.

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the minor requirements the student will:

• Obtain deeper understanding of the discipline of public health
• Describe the direct and indirect effects of major public health initiatives
• Identify a public health problem in terms of magnitude, person, time and place
• Understand the impact of global trends on public health related problems and systems
• Apply the public health core functions in the analysis of public health problems
• Explain how availability, acceptability, and accessibility of health care differ across diverse populations
• Appreciate the importance of collection and dissemination of public health information Courses included in a Minor in Public Health.

Elective courses

Public Health and Nutrition is for everyone. ZU students who are majoring in other degrees than Public Health and Nutrition are welcome to choose elective courses from the Department of Health Sciences. Courses that do not require any prerequisites include the introductory courses in Nutrition (NUT-205) and Public Health (PBH-267).