EXERSCI 206 : Exercise Nutrition
Science
2025 Semester Two (1255) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
This course provides scientific background for understanding human nutrition as it applies to sport and exercise. It introduces principles of physiology and biochemistry that underpin diets and nutritional practices for physical activity. The course examines the fundamentals of nutrition, macro- and micro-nutrients, fluids, dietary supplements, and drugs in sport. Practical skills include quantifying nutritional status, critically evaluating dietary practices, and examining the scientific basis of supplements. The course uses a blended learning system, with online knowledge topics and quizzes followed by 2-hour laboratory seminars each week.
If you are interested in understanding the science and application of nutrition to support a physically active lifestyle, or enhance athletic performance, then you will find the skills developed in this course useful.
Course Requirements
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 2: | Sustainability |
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 7: | Collaboration |
| Capability 8: | Ethics and Professionalism |
Learning Outcomes
- Recall the basic physiology and biochemistry underpinning nutrients and their metabolism. (Capability 3)
- Demonstrate how nutritional practices can improve exercise training and performance outcomes. (Capability 3, 4 and 5)
- Apply techniques of dietary assessment to quantify nutritional status. (Capability 3, 4, 5 and 6)
- Evaluate the efficacy of diets and dietary supplements. (Capability 2, 4, 5, 7 and 8)
- Design and communicate individualised and periodised nutritional interventions. (Capability 4, 5, 6 and 8)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Final Test | 40% | Individual Test |
| Mid Semester Test | 20% | Individual Test |
| Assignments | 40% | Group & Individual Coursework |
| 3 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||||||
| Final Test | ||||||||||
| Mid Semester Test | ||||||||||
| Assignments | ||||||||||
Key Topics
Learning is organised within seven modules:
1. Introduction & background
2. Fundamentals
3. Nutritional Status
4. Macronutrients
5. Micronutrients and Fluids
6. Dietary supplements & drugs in sport
7. Personalised nutrition
During class, students will develop knowledge topics and learn practical skills related to each module. Students will complete three coursework assignments and participate in the appraisal of classmates' work.
Special Requirements
This course has no compulsory activities or assessments that must be completed in order to pass the course.
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in. Each week you can expect up to 2 hours of online material, a 2-hour class, 3 hours of reading and thinking about the content, and 3 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience or Online
This course is offered in two delivery modes:
Campus Experience
Attendance is expected at weekly classes to complete skills-based learning activities. Attendance on campus is not required for the mid-semester and final test. The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
Online
Attendance is expected at scheduled weekly online classes to complete skills-based learning activities and these will be recorded. Attendance on campus is not required for the mid-semester and final test. Where possible, study material will be available at course commencement. This course runs to the University semester timetable and all the associated completion dates and deadlines will apply.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Student Feedback
During the course Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the staff responsible for the course and staff-student consultative committees.
At the end of the course students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback.
Your feedback helps to improve the course and its delivery for all students.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Copyright
The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.
You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.
The delivery mode may change depending on COVID restrictions. Any changes will be communicated through Canvas.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.