UnitLevel 1Undergraduate

NUT1021 Fundamentals of human nutrition

Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

NUT1021 Fundamentals of human nutrition is a level 1, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, offered in 2026 in Semester 1 and Semester 2 at Malaysia. It has no prerequisites and unlocks 5 units, leading on to 13 units in all.

Credit points: 6
Offered in 2026: Semester 1, Semester 2; Malaysia
Assessment: Exam 40%; and 2 other tasks
Workload: 12 hours; per semester

This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.

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Requisites

Before NUT1021

No prerequisites or corequisites.

After NUT1021

5 units list NUT1021 as a prerequisite or corequisite.

Overview

This unit presents students with an introduction to the concepts of human nutrition and food science and forms the basis of Theme 1 – Foundation of Medical, Food and Nutritional Sciences.

The unit provides you with an introduction to the history of nutrition, issues around food sources, as well as addressing the physiological function of digestion.

The unit also examines the role of macronutrients and micronutrients in human health, as well as addressing issues surrounding bioavailability and toxicity levels of certain nutrients.

Offerings in 2026

Teaching period	Campus	Mode
First semester	Malaysia	On campus
Second semester	Malaysia	On campus

Assessment

Oral presentation (15min oral presentation)Presentation
20%
Annotated Bibliography + Written Report (2700 words, group)Written
40%
Exam (1 hour and 30 mins + 10 mins reading time)Examination
40%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Learning outcomes

When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

1
Identify and explain the sources and recommended intake of macro and micronutrients, their physiological functions, bioavailability, toxicity, and roles in the human body.
2
Describe the process of digestion and the metabolism of nutrients in the human body.
3
Identify and describe the importance of non-essential nutrients and water in human health.
4
Explain the purpose of food composition tables for nutritional assessments, interventions and policy development.
5
Describe the major nutrition-related health problems affecting human populations across the globe including Malaysia.
6
Identify dietary recommendations and guidelines across population groups.

Workload and teaching

Lectures36 hours
Workshops18 hours
Tutorials18 hours
Teaching approachActive learning

6 hours of teacher directed study per week, including 3 hours of lectures and 3 hours of tutorials/workshops.
6 hours per week of self-directed study.
Total per week = 12 hours

For full details of the teaching approach to this unit, please refer to Moodle.

Learning resources

Required resources

See Moodle for details about required resources.

Contacts

Chief Examiners: Associate Professor Snigdha Misra
Unit Coordinators: Dr Ramlah Mohamad Ibrahim

Common questions

What are the prerequisites for NUT1021?

NUT1021 has no prerequisites.

What can I take after NUT1021?

NUT1021 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 5 units, including NUT1026, NUT1028, NUT2022, NUT2029 and NUT2030. Those lead on to 13 units in all.

When is NUT1021 offered?

In 2026, NUT1021 runs in Semester 1 and Semester 2 at Malaysia.

How much work is NUT1021?

The handbook expects about 12 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.

Does NUT1021 have an exam?

Yes. The exam is worth 40% of the final mark, alongside 2 other tasks.

More details

Credit points: 6
Level: 1
Study level: Undergraduate
Faculty: Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Organisational unit: Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences Malaysia

Type: Coursework
EFTSL: 0.125
Student contribution: SCA Band 2
Study abroad: Not available
Handbook years: 2021 2022 2023 2024 202520262027