Nutritional sciences
Bachelor of Science (B. Sc.)

Nutritional science is a scientific discipline that deals with scientific issues relating to nutrition, health, communication and consumption, with people at the centre.

Nutritional sciences are based on natural sciences and biomedicine and include Business Administration and Economics, communication and social sciences. Research and application are interdisciplinary in nature.

Since the 1960s, nutritional science or trophology has been an independent study programme in Germany. The specialisation has been established in Mönchengladbach since 1971.

In the winter semester 2016/17, the new Nutrition Sciences degree programme will be launched, separated from Oecotrophology, further developed and even more focused on the fields of nutritional science.

Standard time to degree: 6 semesters plus optional 1 internship semester
Academic degree: Bachelor of Science (B. Sc.)

Taking into account the general study objectives (§ 58 HG), the studies are intended to impart application-related content on the basis of scientific knowledge.

Nutrition knowledge, communication, management, counselling

The degree programme prepares students for the application of science in the living and working world and creates the prerequisites for a Master's degree programme.

Graduates are able to analyse processes and problems in the field of Nutrition and Health, and can develop practical solutions to problems while taking into account extracurricular references

Knowing, communicating, managing and advising on nutrition

• Quality assurance in communication: being able to argue and scientifically justify special food ingredients
• Concept and text for nutrition-related customer information in advertising agencies, the press department of a company or in the customer relations department of a retail company
• Creating training documents for the sales force in the food trade or pharmaceutical industry
• Concept and realisation of product training courses, e.g. in the organic market, at health food stores, at food discounters
• Concept and realisation of employee training at a provider of senior citizens' facilities, a provider of diet food or a retail chain
• Examination of the range of diets on offer and development of menus for a provider of senior citizens' facilities
• Advising a day-care centre provider on nutritional concepts, nutritional education measures, staff training, etc.
• Leading prevention courses as part of workplace health promotion programmes
• Individual counselling of clients on all nutrition-related health issues
• Leading adult education courses on all health and nutrition issues
• Counselling patients as part of nutritional therapy, e.g. for diabetes, Crohn's disease, phenylketonuria, allergies, histamine intolerance, etc.
• Collaboration in the therapeutic team of a rehabilitation clinic, a medical care centre or a clinic
• In the dietetic food industry, in the nutrition industry or in the food industry, advising companies internally on the composition of foods or food supplements - updating in line with changing scientific findings
• Analysing study results and communicating internally or externally, e.g. for a pharmaceutical company or a provider of tube feeds
• Writing and examiner of nutrition-related content for a health insurance company's website
• Professional support for advertising measures of a food producer or an association of suppliers
• ...

Nutrition knowledge, communication, management, counselling

The studies are focussed on the following topics:
Nutrition, Health, Consumption and Communication

The studies prepare students for qualified tasks in the following industries

• Nutrition industry
• Dietetic food industry
• Healthcare industry
• Pharmaceutical industry
• Suppliers of supply facilities
• Communication industry
• Counselling and training

Typical tasks after advanced course in nutrition communication:

argue products in need of explanation | promote and sell | communicate extensively |

Customer Relationship - Sales - Marketing - Media

Typical tasks after advanced course in Nutritional Management:

Analysing, organising and optimising processes | acting in an interdisciplinary manner | guiding and advising facilities |

School networking centre - Daycare centre coach - Care for the elderly

Typical tasks after advanced course in Nutrition and Health Counselling:

Analyse, advise, coach on Nutrition and Health issues |
Nutritional therapy | Interdisciplinary work |

Therapeutic team - individual counselling - group coaching

Typical tasks after advanced course in human nutrition:

Be familiar with issues relating to scientific-medical, nutritional research | Establish application references |

Dietetic food industry - pharmaceutical industry - medical-scientific department - scientific product support - study support

see § 3 of the examination regulations

• Interest in people and their health, their living environment
• Interest in food and its importance for human nutrition
• Basic understanding of natural and social sciences Curiosity - wanting to know how nutrition works
• Ability to communicate - being able to observe, perceive and communicate
• Ability to think about topics in a networked way
• Want to bring together findings from different disciplines