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FDSC41020

Academic Year 2025/2026

Food Security (FDSC41020)

Subject:
Food Science
College:
Health & Agricultural Sciences
School:
Agriculture & Food Science
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Alessandra Marcon Gasperini
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
Online
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

The module Food Security (FDSC41020) examines global food and nutrition insecurity across developed and developing contexts, analysing all six dimensions of food security: availability, access, utilisation, stability, agency, and sustainability. Moving beyond production-focused perspectives, the module investigates how structural inequalities, institutional systems, and global shocks, such as climate change, pandemics, supply chain disruptions and conflicts, can affect nutrition security.

Learners will explore the historical evolution of food security concepts, from entitlements and vulnerability to sustainable livelihoods and resilience, and consider how these frameworks shape interventions. A food systems and systems-thinking approach is used to reveal interconnections with sustainable production, processing, transport, and distribution. Different actions needed to ensure the future of food security, proposed and initiated by the authorities, agencies and governments across the globe are also addressed in the module

Through lectures and case-based tutorials, students will critically assess complex and emerging challenges, apply tools and methods for measuring food insecurity, and evaluate strategies and policies for improving outcomes in vulnerable populations and communities. Learners will develop a holistic understanding of the drivers, impacts, and solutions to food insecurity in diverse contexts.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module, learners will be able to:

1. Explain the main components of food security and assess its impact on health and well-being.
2. Analyse food security threats and evaluate government and agency policies to address them.
3. Compare the historical evolution of food security concepts and approaches, and explain how they shape current initiatives.
4. Examine food security challenges in different geographical and socio-economic contexts.
5. Apply a food systems approach to assess how all elements of modern food systems influence food security and design effective solutions.

Indicative Module Content:

Food security; Resilience; Household security; Food Accessibility; Food Availability; Sustainability; Food system; Globalisation; Climate change; Sustainable Development Goals; Humanitarian crises; Covid-19;

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Tutorial

6

Autonomous Student Learning

96

Online Learning

18

Total

120


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
TEACHING AND LEARNING APPROACHES
The module uses a range of teaching and learning methods, including recorded lectures, reflective learning, enquiry and problem-based learning, and interactive tutorials. Students will build on existing knowledge and apply it by creating authentic pieces of work. Reflective and enquiry-based approaches will be used to deepen understanding, while active learning will be a key feature of the interactive tutorials.

All material (slides, recorded lectures, assignments, instructions) will be available in Brightspace. Students are responsible for attending/watching the lectures, reading lecture material as suggested, completing homework and assignments. Students are advised to note any questions they may have on the material and ask these during lectures dedicated to this, or speak to the module coordinator and/or tutor.

REFERENCING
All coursework and assignments in the module must follow the Harvard Referencing Style. Both in-text citations and a full reference list are required to acknowledge all sources. Proper referencing is essential to avoid plagiarism and to allow others to locate and evaluate the research. Guidance and examples are available on the UCD Library resource 'Cite Them Right' and in the Brightspace page of the module.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Students are responsible for ensuring the academic integrity of all assessments submitted in this module, in accordance with the UCD Plagiarism Policy. The module coordinator will take all necessary steps to verify the integrity of submitted work.

USE OF GENERATIVE AI TOOLS
The use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and Large Language Models (LLMs) is prohibited for any coursework, assessments, or submissions in this module unless explicit permission has been granted by the module coordinator. Unauthorised use, or failure to properly acknowledge and cite these tools when permitted, will be considered plagiarism and academic misconduct under UCD’s Academic Integrity Policy.

POLICY UPDATES
All policies, related documents, and forms are subject to amendment. Students should regularly consult the UCD Registry, Secretariat and Library websites for the most current versions of policies, regulations and guidelines.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Individual Project: Policy Innovation Project: identify an issue in food security, develop an evidence-based solution, and record a short presentation presenting the project. Week 7, Week 9 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
40
No
Reflective Assignment: Individual written essay exploring own experience with food security connected with concepts or frameworks from the module. Week 12 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
15
No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Two online quizzes throughout the module to assess understanding of key module concepts. Each quiz includes multiple-choice (MCQs), short-answer (SAQs), and data analysis/interpretation questions. Week 6, Week 14 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
45
No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 1 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Béné, C. and Devereux, S. (2023) Resilience and food security in a food systems context. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.

Kerr, W.A. (2023) Food security: availability, income and productivity. Northampton: Edward Elgar Publishing.

HLPE (2017) Nutrition and food systems. A report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security. Rome: HLPE.

Montalbano, P. and Romano, D. (2022) ‘Vulnerability and resilience to food and nutrition insecurity: A review of the literature towards a unified framework’, Bio-based and Applied Economics, 11(4), pp. 303–322. doi:10.36253/bae-14125.

Pinstrup-Andersen, P. (2009) ‘Food security: definition and measurement’, Food Security, 1(1), pp. 5–7. doi:10.1007/s12571-008-0002-y.