Document Actions

Nutritional Sciences and Home Economics / Ecotrophology (M.Sc.)

Taught in German

Overview

Bild zur Illustration: Ökotrophologie
Bild zur Illustration: Ökotrophologie
Overview

What impact do social trends such as digitalisation, climate change and demographic shifts have on our diet? How sustainable is our consumption? How can we change our eating habits, and how does this affect the body, the mind, the environment or our society? The Master’s programme in Ecotrophology, which builds on the Bachelor’s programme of the same name, addresses these and similar complex issues. It examines the entire food system from the perspectives of nutritional and social sciences.

 

Overview

Nutritional sciences combined with social sciences: ecotrophology brings these two worlds together. The Master’s programme further deepens knowledge in both disciplines, allowing students to specialise in specific areas. If, after completing your Bachelor’s degree, you would like to learn more about exciting topics such as behavioural change, sustainable consumption, nutritional medicine or quality assurance in food provision – or even conduct your own research – then this Master’s programme is the perfect choice for you. Compared to the Bachelor’s programme, the Master’s programme is designed to focus on scientific work. You will learn how to conduct your own research by creating questionnaires, designing experiments and so on.

Whether you’re aiming to pursue a PhD after your Master’s degree or wish to work in management at a service company, the Master’s programme provides you with the best possible preparation for working with academic articles and conducting your own research.

Nutritional topics such as human nutrition or the analysis and evaluation of biochemical processes in the human body are included in the curriculum, as are psychological, economic and sociological approaches to the subject of nutrition.

  • Nutrition communication and counselling
  • Consumer behaviour
  • Sustainable nutrition
  • Sociology of nutrition
  • Supply and quality management

Accreditation

since 28 September 2007

Composition of the Study Programme

Duration of studies 4 Semester 120 Credit Points (CP)

Duration of Studies

4 Semesters - 120 Credit Points (CP)

Composition of the Study Programme

Composition of the Study Programme

The programme consists of 8 core modules (compulsory modules) and 8 specialisation modules (elective modules). Each module is worth 6 CP (4 hours per week) and concludes with an in-course examination. The marks achieved in the individual module examinations determine the final degree mark. The programme also includes a Master’s thesis, which corresponds to 4 modules. This demonstrates that you are capable of producing an academic paper independently.

 

The core modules (compulsory modules) are:

  • Specialised Human Nutrition
  • Economics of Food Supply
  • Applied Nutritional Medicine
  • Quality Assurance in Food Provision
  • Statistics and Epidemiology
  • Applied Consumer Research
  • Theories of Consumer Behaviour
  • Food Culture and Communication

 

Individual profile

Developing an individual profile plays a major role in your studies. Our students decide for themselves whether they wish to acquire broad, all-round knowledge or would prefer to specialise, and whether they want their studies to be more practice-oriented or academically and theoretically focused. Profile modules can be chosen from the full range of courses offered by Faculty 09 or even from other faculties at JLU.

By selecting specific profile modules, students can acquire the following specialisations, which are indicated on their degree certificate:

  • Communication and Counselling
  • Sustainable Nutrition

The profile modules required for each specialisation are listed on this overview page.

 

Practical relevance

In addition to choosing practice-oriented modules, students have the opportunity to undertake a work placement to gain in-depth insights into professional life. The MP-196 ‘Work Placement’ module is worth 12 credits and can be selected as a profile module. Students gain initial professional experience and receive guidance on their personal career prospects. The faculty's internship office maintains a database of suitable companies and organisations and supports students in their search for a suitable internship placement.

 

Profile modules

Broad-based knowledge or specialisation – both are possible. Our students are in control; they tailor their degree programme to their individual interests from the full range of options we offer. From a selection of over 120 modules, students can choose profile modules from topics such as the following:

  • Human nutrition
  • Dietetics
  • Biochemistry and molecular biology
  • Nutritional medicine
  • Nutrition and the immune system
  • Food sciences
  • Molecular nutrition research
  • Communication and counselling
  • Nutrition and environmental psychology
  • Consumer behaviour
  • Sociology of nutrition
  • Market theory
  • Agricultural, food and environmental policy
  • Business administration

Modules from other research fields within the faculty can also be selected, e.g. agricultural production and its impact on the environment, applied microbiology, soil science, insect biotechnology, crop production and breeding, and animal husbandry.

The exact titles and descriptions of the profile modules can be found on the Modules page.

Application

Commencement of Studies in the Winter and Summer Semester

Commencement of studies

Summer semester and winter semester

Application: Entrance requirements

Entrance Requirements

The Master’s programme in Nutritional Sciences and Home Economics / Ecotrophology is a consecutive programme. This means that you will need a relevant Bachelor’s degree for admission. To provide clearer guidance, so-called relevant Bachelor’s degrees have been defined. Applications with other degrees are also welcome – in such cases, the examination board will assess on an individual basis during the application process whether the academic requirements for admission are met. The following are currently considered relevant:

  • Vocational Education and Training
  • Catering and Hospitality Services
  • Nutrition and Food Sciences
  • Nutrition Management and Dietetics
  • Nutritional Sciences
  • Nutrition and Supply Management
  • Ecotrophology
     

Knowledge of English is required

Knowledge of English at B2 level is required, as the specialist literature is predominantly in English. Formal proof is not required.

Application not limited

Application for admission and registration

  • The intake capacity of this degree programme is not limited internally by the university.
  • Applications must be received by the JLU Student Secretariat by 15th January for the summer semester and 15th July for the winter semester. More on this...
  • Special regulations apply to foreign applicants or those who gained their university-entrance qualifications abroad. Read more...

Career Options

Career Options

Career Options

As a graduate, you will be a generalist in the field of nutrition and will be able to specialise through the programme’s specialised modules. You will be ideally qualified for complex tasks and roles at the interface between different sectors, whether in the private sector, the public sector or as a self-employed professional. This opens up a wide range of career opportunities in a variety of fields, such as:

  • Quality assurance and product development
  • Nutritional counselling and therapy
  • Marketing, press and public relations
  • Management in hospitals and care facilities
  • Management in communal catering, hotel and restaurant businesses
  • Research and teaching
  • Specialist journalism
  • and more

Further information on potential career fields can be found on the website of the BerufsVerband Oecotrophologie – VDOE.

 

Doctoral Studies at JLU

Doctorate possible with a Master's degree for the degree Dr. rer. nat.

 

Graduate Centres

International Giessen Graduate Centre for the Life Sciences

International

International: incomings

Information about studying at Justus Liebig University Giessen (incomings)

International Office
General counseling of international students
Dr. Saltanat Rakhimzhanova, Patrycja Zakrzewska

Goethestr. 58, Room 38
35390 Giessen

Contact and office hours

Further Information

Further Information: Documents

PDF documents for the courses of study

Broschure of faculty 09 (in German)

 

Examination- and study regulations

 

Courses offered in the course catalogue

Links

Master's Degree Programmes of Faculty 09

taught in English

 

taught in German

Any Questions

Any Questions?

Information- and advisory services of JLU can be found under the category “contact” on this page!

Contact

Subject Advisor
Subject Advisor

Prof. Dr. Stefan Wahlen
Department of Consumer Research, Communication and Food Sociology
Senckenbergstr. 3 (Zeughaus)
35390 Giessen
Phone: +49 (0)641 - 99 39340
Office hours: on appointment
E-Mail: Stefan.Wahlen@fb09.uni-giessen.de


Team for Studies and Doctorates of Faculty 09
studies

Links
Links

Central Study Advisor
Central Student Services

Directions and welcome desk