NIFK18010U Mapping Food and its Structures (Offered for the last time in the academic year 2019-20)

Volume 2019/2020
Education

MSc Programme in Integrated Food Studies

Content

The course “mappings foods and its structures” aims at providing the student with a broad design frame-of-reference for the theoretical, methodological and practical work with analyzing and creating innovative food products. This will be based on an integration of knowledge on consumer experience, gastronomy and food design thinking.

This course focuses on the integrated understanding of what could be called “food design innovation”. The purpose of this course is to unfold and explore the so-called “design strategic” dimensions related to the structures of certain food products. Thereby giving the student theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and creative competences on how to unfold the aesthetic dimensions of foods.

The course wil  give a basic introduction to central theory, analytical models and creative design tools for describing, evaluating and predicting the design of food products. But also, a series of individual and group based exercises introducing the student to hands-on experience on developing products that can be applied in different food events, and encourage them to reflect upon how interdisciplinary collaborations and product design related food – i.e. packing, labelling, brands, and utensils influence the food-design.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge and understanding

  • Should have basic knowledge about the aesthetic-analytical dimensions of food-design and food-product innovation.
  • Should be able to identify methodologies and creative tools related to the techniques, theories and practices of food-design and food-product innovation presented in the course.
  • Should have knowlede of  historical as well as contemporary key-artefacts (i.e. packaging, labels, brands, campaigns, machines or utensils) related food-design and food-product innovation.

 

Skills

  • Should be able to identify, analyse and evaluate a given product, brand, packaging, structure or technique related food-design and food-product innovation within the overall historical framework, and based on knowledge and comprehension of the theories and methodologies presented in the course.
  • Should be able to relate this interdisciplinary aesthetic-analytical understanding with an innovative production practice in food companies.
  • Should be able to argue and elaborate on the specific design choice
  • Should be able to structure and apply general the basic communication techniques, analytical models and graphical creative tools related the disciplines of food-design and food-product innovation for presented in the course for presentation/portfolio work.
  • Should be able to plan, generate and perform a portfolio with a proposal for a Food-design and its Food-product innovation in relation to their chosen problem and framework.

 

Competences

  • Should independently demonstrate an overview - and a basic understanding of the different theoretical, methodological and practical-creative elements presented within the course.
  • As part hereof the student should be able to discuss and evaluate the quality and relevance of existing theory and methods presented in the course, and be able to put this into perspective relative to their own portfolio work.
  • Should also be able to reflect on and judge existing food-design and food product innovations, and use this knowledge to predict future needs and potentials related food, as well as in a qualified way manage to apply it to different their own portfolio work.
Literature

See Absalon for a list of course litterature.

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
The course is organized as a series of lectures and two larger workshops, including group work and with student interaction expected through various exercises.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Exam
  • 0,5
  • Exam Preparation
  • 9
  • Laboratory
  • 9
  • Lectures
  • 31
  • Practical exercises
  • 32
  • Preparation
  • 32
  • Project work
  • 24
  • Total
  • 137,5
Oral
Individual
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Feedback by final exam (In addition to the grade)
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)
Credit
5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 20 minutes
The exam format for the course is an individual oral exam. No time for preparation.
Exam registration requirements

A portfolio work is a prerequisite for attending the exam

Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examiners.
Re-exam

Similar to ordinary exam.

If the portfolio has not been handed in prior to the ordinary exam, it should be handed in three weeks prior to the reexam.

Criteria for exam assesment

See Learning Outcome.