HSN309 - Food Policy and Regulation
Unit details
| Year | 2025 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Jessica Kempler |
| Prerequisite: | HSN101 |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | Nil |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | 5 X 2 hour online seminars in weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 9 |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
Content
This unit is designed to provide students with an understanding of how food policy and regulation affects the different components of the food system, including food production, processing, marketing, consumption and nutritional health. Food policy is critically important for public health due to its role in food security and sustainability, healthy eating and obesity prevention. The unit also examines food regulation. Food regulation is used by governments to protect the public against potential risks associated with developments in the food system and is also a particularly powerful policy tool for promoting public health benefits by determining the composition and labelling of food products. Case studies including food fortification and food labelling, food security and sustainability and obesity prevention will be reviewed.
Learning Outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Explain why food policy and regulation are important from health, environmental, economic and social equity perspectives. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Analyse, critique, and compare evidence-informed public health nutrition policy instruments in Australia and overseas; and use these to formulate best-practice policy recommendations to address contemporary public health nutrition challenges. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO3 | Explain Australia’s food regulatory system, including governance structures, risk analysis frameworks and the process for setting and adapting food standards; and apply this to food policy advocacy activities such as applications to change the Food Standards Code. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO4 | Interpret and critique key requirements of the Food Standards Code and their practical implications in the context of food production and labelling in Australia; and analyse food products for compliance with the Food Standards Code. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
Assessment
| Assessment description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Oral presentation | Narrated presentation and written transcript (500 words equivalent) | 15% |
|
| Assessment 2: Written assignment | 1800 words | 35% |
|
| Assessment 3: Case study analysis | 500 words | 20% |
|
| Assessment 4: Short answer questions and reflection | 1200 words equivalent | 30% |
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The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for HSN309 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.