Comprehensive Course Structure
The curriculum for the Food and Nutrition program is meticulously structured to provide a balanced blend of theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and industry exposure. The 4-year duration is divided into 8 semesters with core subjects, departmental electives, science electives, and laboratory components.
| Semester | Course Code | Course Title | Credit Structure (L-T-P-C) | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FND-101 | Introduction to Food and Nutrition | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 1 | FND-102 | Basic Chemistry for Food Science | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 1 | FND-103 | Biology for Nutrition | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 1 | FND-104 | Food Microbiology Lab | 0-0-3-1 | - |
| 2 | FND-201 | Organic Chemistry | 3-0-0-3 | FND-102 |
| 2 | FND-202 | Biochemistry of Food and Nutrition | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 2 | FND-203 | Human Physiology | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 2 | FND-204 | Food Analysis Techniques Lab | 0-0-3-1 | - |
| 3 | FND-301 | Food Processing Technology | 3-0-0-3 | FND-201 |
| 3 | FND-302 | Nutritional Pathology | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 3 | FND-303 | Food Safety and Quality Management | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 3 | FND-304 | Advanced Microbiology Lab | 0-0-3-1 | FND-104 |
| 4 | FND-401 | Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 4 | FND-402 | Sustainable Nutrition Practices | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 4 | FND-403 | Public Health Nutrition | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 4 | FND-404 | Research Methodology Lab | 0-0-3-1 | - |
| 5 | FND-501 | Advanced Food Analysis | 3-0-0-3 | FND-204 |
| 5 | FND-502 | Nutritional Epidemiology | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 5 | FND-503 | Food Marketing and Consumer Behavior | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 5 | FND-504 | Capstone Project I | 0-0-6-2 | - |
| 6 | FND-601 | Nutrigenomics | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 6 | FND-602 | Food Packaging Technology | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 6 | FND-603 | Food Policy and Regulation | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 6 | FND-604 | Capstone Project II | 0-0-6-2 | - |
| 7 | FND-701 | Special Topics in Nutrition Science | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 7 | FND-702 | Industry Internship | 0-0-12-4 | - |
| 8 | FND-801 | Thesis Research | 0-0-12-6 | - |
Advanced Departmental Electives
Departmental electives offer students the flexibility to explore specialized areas within Food and Nutrition:
- Nutrigenomics: Explores how genetic variations affect nutrient metabolism and disease susceptibility. Students learn about gene expression analysis, SNP detection, and personalized nutrition strategies.
- Food Packaging Technology: Covers innovative packaging materials, shelf-life extension methods, and sustainable packaging solutions. Includes hands-on experience with modern packaging machinery and lab testing protocols.
- Food Policy and Regulation: Analyzes food safety laws, regulatory frameworks, and compliance standards at national and international levels. Students engage in policy formulation exercises and case studies of regulatory enforcement.
- Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals: Focuses on bioactive compounds in foods, their extraction methods, therapeutic applications, and market trends. Includes laboratory work on standardizing nutraceutical formulations.
- Sustainable Nutrition Practices: Addresses environmental sustainability in food systems, alternative protein sources, organic farming, and climate change impacts on nutrition. Students conduct life cycle assessments and develop sustainable food production models.
- Food Marketing and Consumer Behavior: Studies consumer preferences, branding strategies, and market dynamics in the food industry. Includes practical sessions on product development, advertising campaigns, and retail positioning.
- Public Health Nutrition: Emphasizes community-based interventions, nutrition education programs, and policy development for public health initiatives. Students participate in fieldwork and policy analysis projects.
- Nutritional Epidemiology: Explores statistical methods used in studying nutritional impacts on disease outcomes, cohort studies, and data interpretation. Includes exposure to large-scale epidemiological datasets.
- Food Safety and Quality Management: Focuses on foodborne pathogen control, HACCP principles, laboratory diagnostics, and regulatory compliance. Students gain hands-on experience with hazard analysis tools and quality assurance systems.
- Advanced Food Analysis: Delves into complex analytical techniques such as GC-MS, HPLC, FTIR spectroscopy, and chromatographic separation methods. Includes troubleshooting and optimization of analytical protocols.
Project-Based Learning Philosophy
The department embraces a robust project-based learning model that encourages students to apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings. Projects are designed to simulate real-world challenges, fostering innovation, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
Mini-projects begin in the second year and involve small teams working on specific problems under faculty supervision. These projects typically last 3-4 months and require students to present findings at departmental symposiums.
The final-year thesis/capstone project is a comprehensive endeavor that spans 6 months, requiring students to propose, execute, and document an original research study or applied innovation. Students select mentors based on their area of interest and work closely with faculty members who guide them through the process from concept development to final submission.
Evaluation criteria for projects include research methodology, data analysis, presentation quality, team collaboration, and practical impact. Faculty and external experts review project outcomes, ensuring alignment with industry standards and academic rigor.