Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition – BHND (4 Years)

About the Programme

BHND is purely a 4 year, day programme, designed to equip students with practical skills and knowledge in the science of nutrition with the ability of offering evidence-based advice on the use of foods to promote health, manage malnutrition and diet- related illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, which are significant public health concerns. Graduates from the program are employed in: (i) hospitals as nutritionists and dieticians (ii) government ministries, departments and institutions, (iii) international and national NGOs involved in policy development, advocacy and program delivery related to nutrition, (iv) academia as lecturers or researchers, (v) Self-owned companies involved in nutrition & dietetics, processing & marketing of food supplements, functional foods and nutrient dense food, and (vi) consultancy on different aspects of human nutrition, dietetics and wellness.

Justification of the BHND Programme

The Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition and Dietetics (BHND) program plays a crucial role in addressing the pressing nutritional challenges outlined in Uganda’s National Development Plan III (NDP III) and aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Nutrition is inherently intertwined with human development, and this program is pivotal in producing skilled professionals who can contribute to the realization of these goals.

Programme Outcomes

By the end of the program, students will be in position to:

  1. Participate in the change process of health care systems across different sectors

  2. Use basic concepts of leadership, including knowledge of internal and external organisational influences on practice in order to provide continuity of health care delivery

Employment Prospects

The program will produce nutrition and dietetics graduates who will be employed in:

  1. Government and private hospitals as nutritionists and dieticians

  2. Government ministries, departments and institutions e.g Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Ministry of Health (MoH) etc as nutrition and dietetics officers

  3. Research institutions e.g the Uganda Industrial Research Institute, National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) as research officers

  4. International and national NGOs involved in policy development, advocacy and program delivery related to nutrition like: World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) among others.

  5. Academia as lecturers, researchers or graduate students in different universities

  6. Food processing companies as clinical nutrition product sales and marketing personnel

  7. Self-owned companies involved in nutrition & dietetics, processing & marketing of food supplements, functional foods and nutrient dense food products thus creating jobs for themselves and others

  8. Consultancy on different aspects of human nutrition and dietetics.

Nature and Duration of the Programme

The BHND is a full-time day programme. The mode of delivery involves a blended approach of on-line and physical lectures, laboratory practicals and student presentations.

Target Group

The BHND programme targets:

  • Holders of the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (U.A.C.E), or its equivalent, having taken the subject

    combination of Biology, Chemistry or Foods & Nutrition with any other subjects including: Physics, Agriculture, Mathematics or Economics.

  • Holders of a Diploma in Human Nutrition, Home Economics, Food Science, Food Processing Technology, Food

    Technology, Catering, Veterinary Science, Health/Medical disciplines (Fisheries, Aquaculture, Forestry, Agriculture or their equivalent, obtained from a recognized institution.

    Duration of the Programme

    This is a four-year programme with 8 semesters & 2 field attachment terms of 10 weeks each at the end of the 2nd and 3rd years. During field attachment students will be attached to different institutions for supervised clinical nutrition and dietetics internships.

     Designation of the Award

    All successful candidates will be awarded a Degree of Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition and Dietetics of Makerere University.

    Tuition

    The tuition fees for the BHND program per annum will be: (i) 3,650,100 UGX for East Africans
    (ii) 6,758,768 UGX for Internationals

    In addition to tuition, students will be required to pay:
    (i) 900,000 UGX for each of the recess terms in Year 1 and 2.
    (ii) 100,000 UGX per semester in Year 2 and 3 for Internship/Field Attachment administrative costs.

    Admission Requirements
    Admission to the programme will be gained through the following avenues. 3.1.1 Direct Entry

    Candidates seeking admission through this avenue must have obtained the following:
    (i) At least a pass in Mathematics at Uganda Certificate of Education (U.C.E) examination or its equivalent
    (ii) At least 2 principal passes at the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (U.A.C.E) examination or its equivalent in any 2 of Biology, Chemistry and Foods & Nutrition obtained at the same sitting (iii) The minimum weighted points set by the Makerere University Admissions Board.

  • The requirements are the same for international students except that applicants from different education systems will be required to have their qualifications verified by UNEB and NCHE as the case may be.

    Table 4 shows weights of the groups of subjects required for admission to the BHND program through the direct entry

    Weights of groups of subjects at U.A.C.E or its equivalent required for admission to the BHND program through the direct entry

    Group

    Weight

    Subjects

    Essential

    3

    Any two of Biology, Chemistry or Foods & Nutrition

    Relevant

    2

    Physics, Agriculture, Economics or Mathematics

    Desirable

    1

    Sub-Mathematics and General paper

    Others

    0.5

    All others

    Diploma Entry Scheme

Holders of at least a Second Class/Credit Diploma in any of the disciplines below, obtained from a recognized institution, may be admitted to the programme:

  1. Human Nutrition, Home Economics, Food Science, Food Processing Technology, Science Technology (Biology/Chemistry), Catering, Agriculture, Chemistry or Biology,

  2. Health/Medical disciplines such as: Medical Laboratory Technology, Physiotherapy, Anaesthesia, Orthopaedics,

    Clinical Medicine, Clinical Ophthalmology, Environmental Health, Public Health, Dental Public Health, Midwifery, Comprehensive Nursing and Community Health,

  3. Education having studied any of the following: Biology, Chemistry, Agriculture, Home Economics.

Mature Age Scheme

Admission under the Mature Age Entry Scheme may be granted after the candidate has passed the Makerere University Mature Age Entry Exams.

Degree Holders

Under this scheme, applicants should at least have a second-class lower degree in a biological science discipline obtained from any recognised institution of higher learning.

Credit Transfer

For applicants wishing to transfer credits from a recognised institution of higher learning, the Makerere University guidelines on transfer of credits shall apply.

Course Categorization

Courses are categorized as Core, Elective, Pre-requisite or Audited.

Core Course

This is a course which is essential to an academic programme and gives the programme its unique features. A core course is compulsory for all students who have registered for a particular programme and must be passed. Core courses are offered in all the semesters.

Elective Course

A course done to broaden an academic programme or for specialization. It is chosen from a group of courses by the student. All electives must be passed. If passed, it may be substituted for another failed elective.3.2.3 Pre-requisite Course

A course that should be taken, and passed, in preparation for a higher-level course in the same area of study. A student who fails a pre-requisite course shall not proceed to the corresponding higher-level course.

Audited Course

This is a course taken by a student for which a credit/credit unit is not awarded. This course enables the student to follow or understand another course.

Progression
Normal Progress
When a student has passed the assessments in all the courses he/she registered for in that semester. 3.3.2 Probationary Progress

A situation in which a student whose performance is below average for any course taken is cautioned and allowed to proceed to the next semester. A student will be placed on probationary progress if the GP for any course is <2.0 or the CGPA is <2.0. A student on probationary progress must retake the course(s) he/she has failed and obtain at least the Pass Mark (50%) before they can be removed from probation.

Discontinuation

A student shall be discontinued from the programme when he/she:
(i) Accumulates three consecutive probations based on CGPA,
(ii) Fails to obtain at least the Pass Mark (50%) during the 3rd assessment in the same course unit(s) he/she had retaken
(iii) Has overstayed in an academic programme by more than two (2) years

Retaking a Course

A student may retake any course(s) when next offered in order to:

  1. (i)  Pass it if he/she had failed it before (scored below the pass mark of 50%)

  2. (ii)  Improve the grade if the first pass grade was low

When a course is, or courses are, retaken:
(i) A student shall attend all the prescribed lectures/tutorials/practicals/fieldwork in the course
(ii) A student shall satisfy all the requirements for the coursework component in the course or courses and sit for the university examinations in the affected course or courses
(iii) A student shall not be allowed to accumulate more than five (5) retakes at a time
(iv) A final year student whose final examination results have been classified by the School/College Board, and has qualified for the award of a degree, shall not be permitted to retake any course(s)
(v) The better of the two grades a student has obtained in the course(s) shall be used to compute his/her Cumulative Grade Average (CGPA).

(vi) The academic transcript shall indicate that a course was retaken

Certificate of Due Performance

A student who does not have coursework marks shall be denied a certificate of due performance and will not be allowed to sit the University Examinations.

Approval of Examination Results

Examination results are discussed and approved at different levels: Department, School and College academic boards and finally by Senate. Results shall not be regarded as final until they are confirmed by Senate.

Appeals

The University Senate approved guidelines for handling cases of students who are dissatisfied with the marks they have been awarded as follows:

  1. A candidate wishing to appeal against his/her exam results shall do so within 30 days from the date of publication of the final results.

  2. All appeals for re-marking shall be addressed to the Chairperson of the School’s Academic Board/Committee and a copy given to the Lecturer/Instructor concerned.

  3. Candidates shall make their requests in writing and should clearly specify the grounds upon which the appeal is being made including, but not limited to:

    • Miscomputation of marks

    • Bias on the part of the Lecturer/Instructor

    • Marks generally out of step with one’s over-all performance

  4. The School Examinations Committee shall communicate its decisions to the affected student within 14 days of its deliberations.

  5. That from the time the decision to remark is made by the School Examinations Committee remarking should be completed within two weeks and the Dean, on behalf of the College /Schools Board of Studies should approve the new mark awarded.

  6. Thatifacandidatedecidestowithdrawhis/herappealbeforetheCommitteeconsidersit,such withdrawal should be done in writing.

Grading of Courses

A course unit shall be graded out of 100%, assigned letter grades & grade points (GP) as shown in Table 5: Grading System

Marks (%)

Letter Grade

Grade Point

Interpretation

90-100

A+

5

Exceptional

80-89

A

5

Excellent

75-79

B+

4.5

Very good

70-74

B

4

Good

65-69

C+

3.5

Fairly good

60-64

C

3

Fair

55-59

D+

2.5

Pass

50-54

D

2

Marginal pass

45-49

E

1.5

Marginal Fail

40-45

E-

1

Clear Fail

Below 40

F

0

Bad Fail

A student with a grade point ≥2 (letter grade D) in a course unit is considered to have passed it.

Calculation of Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)

The CGPA is calculated using the equation below:

CGPA = ∑(Course GP score × Course Credit Units (CU) ∑ Credit Units for Courses Attempted

Classification of the Award

A BHND graduate can get any of the four classes of a degree shown in Table 6. This academic recognition becomes part of the official record and is noted on the degree certificate of the recipient.

Table 6: Classification of degree award based on CGPA

Semester Load

The programme shall normally be four years. Each academic year consists of 2 semesters of 17 weeks each and two field attachment terms of 10 weeks. The 4th year has no field attachment. The normal semester load shall range from 15 – 21 Credit Units. A full-time student shall not carry < 15 Credit Units and not > 25 Credit Units per semester. The maximum semester load shall be 28 Credit Units to cater for students who have retakes.

Academic Programme Load

The programme will offer 52 courses, 47 of which are cores and 5 are electives. Students will have to take at least one elective in each semester of 4th year. Table 7 shows the core & elective courses per semester.

Degree class

Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)

First Class

4.4 – 5.0

Second Class (Upper)

3.6 – 4.39

Second Class (Lower)

2.8 – 3.59

Pass

2.0 – 2.79