Conditional upon approval by the Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.
Summary
- Degree offered: Graduate Diploma
- Registration status options: Part-time
- Language of instruction:
- English
- Academic units: Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Nutrition Sciences
Program Description
The Graduate Diploma in Food Policy and Regulatory Affairs focuses on the fundamentals of transforming complex scientific information into relevant international, national, and provincial policies and regulations regarding food. Public health challenges in the areas of food quality, safety and nutrition will be used to illustrate the key knowledge, competencies and expertise required in today’s food policy-maker.
Other Programs Offered Within the Same Discipline or in a Related Area
- Master of Science Nutrition and Food Biosciences
Fees and Funding
- Program fees:
The estimated amount for university fees associated with this program are available under the section Finance your studies.
- To learn about possibilities for financing your graduate studies, consult the Awards and financial support section.
Notes
- Programs are governed by the academics regulations in effect for graduate studies.
- In accordance with the University of Ottawa regulation, students have the right to complete their assignments, examinations, research papers, and theses in French or in English.
Program Contact Information
Academic Office, Faculty of Health Sciences
125 University Private, Room 242
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1N 6N5
Email: healthsc@uOttawa.ca
For the most accurate and up to date information on application deadlines, language tests and other admission requirements, please visit the specific requirements webpage.
To be eligible, candidate must:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in food science, nutrition science, health sciences, biology, biochemistry, microbiology, biomedical science or related disciplines with a minimum average of 70% (B) calculated according to the University of Ottawa guidelines.
Note: International candidates must check the admission equivalencies for the graduate diploma they received in their country of origin.
- Provide a statement of interest and curriculum vitae.
Language Requirements
You must understand and be fluent in the language of instruction, English.
Candidates whose first language is not English must provide proof of proficiency in the language of instruction.
Note: Candidates are responsible for any fees associated with the language tests.
Notes
- The admission requirements listed above are minimum requirements and do not guarantee admission to the program.
- Admissions are governed by the academic regulations in effect for graduate studies.
Graduate Diploma
Students must meet the following requirements:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory Courses: 1 | ||
| NUT 5105 | Current Challenges in Food Safety and Nutrition | 3 Units |
| NUT 5106 | Fundamentals of Food Risk Analysis | 3 Units |
| NUT 5107 | Fundamentals of Public Health Policy Development | 3 Units |
| NUT 5108 | Research and Seminars | 3 Units |
| 3 optional course units from: | 3 Units | |
| Experiential Learning Internship Placement 2 | ||
| Applied Food Policy and Regulation Analysis | ||
Note(s)
Research Fields & Facilities
Located in the heart of Canada’s capital, a few steps away from Parliament Hill, the University of Ottawa is among Canada’s top 10 research universities.
uOttawa focuses research strengths and efforts in four Strategic Areas of Research:
- Creating a sustainable environment
- Advancing just societies
- Shaping the digital world
- Enabling lifelong health and wellness
With cutting-edge research, our graduate students, researchers and educators strongly influence national and international priorities.
Research at the Faculty of Health Sciences
Research at the Faculty involves many important aspects of health, including women's health, health in the elderly, health needs of francophones in a minority context, Aboriginal health, physical activity and health, multiple interventions in population health, palliative care, rehabilitation and functional autonomy, health and technology, and evidence based practice.
The Faculty of Health Sciences is involved in the following Research Centres and Institutes:
- LIFE Research Institute
- Music and Health Research Institute
- Centre for Research on Health and Nursing
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Black Health
The Faculty of Health Sciences has strong collaborations with the region’s hospital-affiliated research institutes:
- The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
- The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute
- The Bruyère Research Institute
- The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research
- L’Institut du Savoir Montfort
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute
For more information, refer to the list of faculty members and their research fields on Uniweb.
IMPORTANT: Candidates and students looking for professors to supervise their thesis or research project can also consult the website of the faculty or department of their program of choice. Uniweb does not list all professors authorized to supervise research projects at the University of Ottawa.
NUT 5105 Current Challenges in Food Safety and Nutrition (3 units)
Development of critical analysis and strategic thinking skills by analyzing current literature and other resources to explore a variety of challenges encountered in the food industry. Scientific evidence and regulatory questions surrounding topics such as genetically modified foods, food allergens, nutritional quality of the food supply (e.g., trans fat, sodium, sugars). Emerging issues include minimization of antimicrobial resistance, implications of microbiome research on food regulation, climate change and other global impacts on the food supply chain and safety of nanotechnology. Concepts of emotional intelligence, stress management and interpersonal relationships to build food safety culture within the workplace.
Course Component: Lecture
NUT 5106 Fundamentals of Food Risk Analysis (3 units)
Regulatory and voluntary tools used to manage risk in the food industry. Conduct food risk assessment using case studies. Strategies to minimize risk of cases of microbial, chemical and allergen contamination including the application of a decision-making framework for identifying, assessing, and managing health risks. Best practices and novel risk communication tools in the development of a risk management and communication plan. Examination of international food risk analysis activities.
Course Component: Lecture
NUT 5107 Fundamentals of Public Health Policy Development (3 units)
Roles of Canadian federal, provincial, territorial and local departments and agencies with regard to formulation, implementation and enforcement of regulations. Responsibilities of policy-makers, researchers, management and elected officials in policy development and communication. Tools used in scientific evidence-based policy-making. Analysis of complex scientific reports including meta-analyses and surveillance data reports to evaluate the validity and degree of certainty of the evidence supporting scientific and epidemiological questions. Using social research tools, to assess the impact of public health policies on stakeholders and consumers.
Course Component: Lecture
NUT 5108 Research and Seminars (3 units)
Develop awareness of current food and nutrition topics which involve government policy and regulatory interventions to address issues for public health. Learn and use appropriate methods and approaches to research, gather, interpret and contextualize the evidence in support of a topic of interest. Explore and effectively disseminate how evidence-based food and nutrition policies/regulations can address issues for public health. Best practices learned in the previous NUT courses will be used to guide policy/regulatory recommendations. Project findings will be presented to fellow students, professors and guest evaluators. A component on career planning with a focus on soft skills such as communication and emotional intelligence will be used to prepare participants for their experimental learning internship.
Course Component: Lecture
Prerequisite: 6 university course units from NUT 5105, NUT 5106, NUT 5107.
NUT 5109 Experiential Learning Internship Placement (3 units)
Apply knowledge gained in the classroom in a real-life work environment through the completion of a project or work package during a paid or unpaid internship consisting of a minimum of 135 hours conducted over a period of up to 12 weeks. Submit a report at the end of the placement describing how the required competencies were acquired through the internship activities. Recruitment in a federal government department, a provincial government department, an appropriate non-government organization, a food company or other suitable environment through a competitive process.
Course Component: Work Term
Prerequisites: NUT 5105, NUT 5106, NUT 5107, NUT 5108. Students receive a grade of S (satisfactory) or NS (non-satisfactory).
NUT 5110 Applied Food Policy and Regulation Analysis (3 units)
The applied analysis is an in-depth development and critical analysis of relevant and current issues facing food policy-makers. The topic of the applied analysis is approved by the supervisor and the Assistant Director of Graduate Studies and Research. The applied analysis consists of an extensive paper reflecting intensive research and rigour in the subject matter relevant to the interdisciplinary, field of food policy and regulatory affairs and encompassing the fields of nutrition, microbiology, law, social sciences, and consumer behaviour. The final paper is assessed by the supervisor and an evaluator.
Course Component: Research
Prerequisites: NUT 5105, NUT 5106, NUT 5107, NUT 5108. Students receive a grade of S (satisfactory) or NS (non-satisfactory).