Regulations for Postgraduate Courses in Public Health Nutrition

1. Candidates must satisfy the Regulations for Admission to Degree Courses as specified in Section IV of the General Regulations. In addition, the normal requirement for entry to the courses shall be a registrable professional qualification in dietetics or nutrition or graduate and/or postgraduate qualifications and experience in nutrition/dietetics. Candidates with other qualifications may be accepted by the Faculty Board.

2. Candidates shall be registered for one of the following: the degree of Master of Science (MSc), the Postgraduate Diploma, or the Postgraduate Certificate of the University of Southampton.

3. The course shall be of a modular, CATS-based nature. Candidates shall be full-time or part-time and follow a number of individual modules that contain seminars, course work and practical problem-solving work. Six instructional course modules will be available; candidates registered for the MSc will be required, in addition, to complete a written examination, research project and viva voce examination. Each instructional module shall be credited with 12 CATS M level points. The minimum period of time allowed in which students may complete the MSc shall be 15 months, the maximum 5 years.

4. Candidates shall be examined in a series of assessments at specified times, within a specified period at the end of each module or the course of study for which the candidate is registered. Candidates who do not achieve a satisfactory standard may be permitted to resubmit an assignment for assessment within a specified period (normally one month).

5. To qualify for the award of the Postgraduate Certificate candidates shall be required to complete two instructional modules satisfactorily and reach a total of 24 CATS M level points.

6. To qualify for the Postgraduate Diploma, candidates shall be required to complete six instructional modules satisfactorily, resulting in a total of 72 CATS M level points.

7. To qualify for the MSc, candidates shall satisfactorily complete six instructional modules; they shall then undertake a research dissertation and viva voce examination satisfactorily for a further period of study (48 CATS M level points), and successfully complete a written examination, resulting in a total of 120 CATS M level points.

8. A candidate who fails to satisfy the examiners in the research dissertation or viva voce or written examination may either be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma of the University of Southampton or be permitted, on one subsequent occasion, to resubmit the dissertation, or retake the viva voce or written examination in a form and by a date prescribed by the Faculty Board.

9. Candidates for the MSc degree who satisfy the relevant attendance and assessment criteria may be awarded the qualification with Distinction.