Module Specification
An online version of this specification is available to prospective students at
http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/currentstudents/studentinformation/msc_module_handbook/section3_moduledescript/in
dex.html
GENERAL INFORMATION
Module name
Maternal & Child Nutrition
Module code
2440
Module Organiser
Andrew Prentice
Contact email
Andrew.Prentice@lshtm.ac.uk
Home Faculty
Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health
Level
This module is at Level 7 (postgraduate Masters ‘M’ level) of the QAA
Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales & Northern
Ireland (FHEQ).
Credit
LSHTM award 15 credits on successful completion of this module.
Accreditation
Not currently accredited by any other body.
Keywords
Sexual & reproductive health; Child health; Nutrition; Biological factors;
Genetic endowment; Biomedical sciences/disciplines; Food, Research;
Epidemiology; Planning and programming; International/global; Rural; Urban.
AIMS, OBJECTIVES AND AUDIENCE
Overall aim
To outline key issues concerning the feeding of mothers and young children,
and to evaluate the effectiveness of nutrition interventions to improve
maternal and child nutrition.
Intended learning
outcomes
By the end of this module, students should be able to:





Target audience
Demonstrate an understanding of the physiological basis for nutrient
requirements during pregnancy, lactation, infancy and early childhood;
Assess the dietary needs appropriate to each stage;
Summarise the key causes of low birthweight, low breast milk output, and
growth faltering and debate the controversy surrounding specific
nutritional interventions to address these problems;
Compose appropriate nutritional advice regarding the feeding of mothers
and children;
Design and critically appraise a range of interventions to address current
issues in maternal and child nutrition.
This module is intended for those requiring training in basic concepts and
provides an update in maternal and child nutrition issues.
1
CONTENT
Session content
The module is expected to include sessions addressing the following topics
(though please note that these may be subject to change):
















Nutritional requirements in pregnancy;
The determinants of birthweight;
The consequences of low birthweight;
Common disorders of pregnancy;
The impact of prenatal supplementation programmes to improve
birthweight;
Nutritional requirements of lactation;
Determinants of low breast milk output;
Breast feeding biology and immunology;
Breast feeding promotion and support;
Supplementation programmes to improve lactation;
The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHAD) theory;
Infant and child feeding practices in developed and developing countries;
Interventions to improve these practices;
Treatment of moderate and severe malnutrition;
Aetiology and pathophysiology of malnutrition;
Micronutrient interventions for mothers and children.
TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT
Study resources
provided or required
Students will be provided with a Module Handbook/reader. Videos and
lectures will be available on Moodle.
Teaching and learning
methods
The teaching methods used will be lectures, group participation, and
discussions with invited experts.
Assessment details
Students will be asked to interpret a dataset of infant growth records and to
prepare a report in the format of a paper for publication. This assessment
represents 100% of the grade achievable for this module.
For students who are required to re-sit, or granted a deferral or new attempt,
the task will be writing a Short Report based on a choice of one from two
topics.
Assessment dates
Assessments will be due on the last day of the module, Wednesday 10 February
2016.
For students who are required to re-sit, or who are granted a deferral or new
attempt, the next assessment deadline will be the standard Schoolrecommended date in mid/late September 2016.
Language of study and
assessment
English (please see ‘English language requirements’ below regarding the
standard required for entry).
TIMING AND MODE OF STUDY
Duration
The module runs for 5 weeks at 2.5 days per week; this module runs between
Monday morning and Wednesday lunchtime.
2
Dates
For 2015-16, the module will start on Monday 11 January 2015 and finish on
Wednesday 11 February 2016.
Timetable slot
The module runs in LSHTM timetable slot C1.
Mode of Study
The module is taught face-to-face in London. Both full-time and part-time
students follow the same schedule. For full-time students, other LSHTM
modules are available in the other half of the week for the C and D slots.
Learning time
The notional learning time for the module totals 150 hours, consisting of:

Contact time ≈ 56 hours

Directed self-study ≈ 4 hours

Self-directed learning ≈ 40 hours

Assessment, review and revision ≈ 50 hours.
APPLICATION, ADMISSION AND FEES
Pre-requisites
None. Suitable for any candidates fulfilling the School’s general criteria for
entry to MSc.
English language
requirements
A strong command of the English language is necessary to benefit from
studying the module. Applicants whose first language is not English or whose
prior university studies have not been conducted wholly in English must fulfil
LSHTM’s English language requirements, with an acceptable score in an
approved test taken in the two years prior to entry. Applicants may be asked to
take a test even if the standard conditions have been met.
Student numbers
Student numbers are typically 25 per year; numbers may be capped due to
limitations in facilities or staffing.
Student selection
This module is compulsory for MSc Nutrition for Global Health students.
Partial Registration (partial participation) by LSHTM research degree students
is allowed for this module.
Preference will be given to LSHTM MSc students and LSHTM research degree
students. Other applicants meeting the entry criteria will usually be offered a
place in the order applications are received, until any cap on numbers is
reached. Applicants may be placed on a waiting list and given priority the next
time the module is run.
Fees
For registered LSHTM MSc students, fees for the module are included within
MSc fees (given on individual course prospectus pages).
If registering specifically for this module, as a stand-alone short course,
individual module fees will apply.
Tuition fees must be paid in full before commencing the module, or by any fee
deadline set by the Registry.
Scholarships
Scholarships are not available for individual modules. Some potential sources
of funding are detailed on the LSHTM website.
3
Admission deadlines
For 2015-16:

For registered LSHTM MSc students, the module choice deadline (for Term
2 and 3 modules) is Friday 20 November 2015.

If registering specifically for this module, applications may be made at any
time but, as places are limited, early application is recommended. All
applications should be submitted by, at the latest, 8 weeks prior to the start
of the module. Formal registration will take place on the morning of the
first day of the module.
ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT
This module specification applies for the academic year 2015-16
Last revised: 29 May 2015 by Shari Krishnaratne
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel St., London WC1E 7HT.
www.lshtm.ac.uk
4