Competences

CE55 Presentation and defense before the University Court of a final degree project, consisting of an exercise of integration of the received formative contents and the acquired competences.

Content

1. Introduction and context within the Degree

The Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, which establishes the organization of official university studies, indicates that all the official Degree courses should conclude with the preparation and defense of a Final Research Project that should be part of the Degree curriculum. The Final Research Project has a transversal meaning and pretends that the students can apply most of the educational content provided at the Degree.

The Final Research Project must be done individually and supervised by a professor; either belonging to University of Lleida or by an external tutor with proven experience in Nutrition

The development of the Final Research Project must encourage and promote the acquisition of transversal skills that are intrinsically related to the formation of a healthcare professional and should facilitate the student to acquire to:

• Learn how scientific knowledge is generated
• Learn and use the scientific method
• Develop capacities for critical reasoning 
• Develop the ability to interpret results in simple experimental designs.
• Use the information rationally and apply it to solve problems 
• Acquire bibliographic reference skills 
• Acquire the capacity for synthesis and the ability to perform clear and concise information obtained from a specific topic.
• Being able to perform group-work, acquire a sense of organization and initiative.
• Acquire skills to learn independently and continuously.
• Acquire communication and teaching skills 
• Ability to apply the basic nutrition knowledge acquired during the degree
• Integrate the values ??and attitudes of the code of ethics of the profession and promote ethical reflection

2. Themes and topics of research

The main objective of the Degree of Human Nutrition and Dietetics is to educate and promote well trained professionals for the development of activities oriented to the planning of dietary programs for individuals and specific groups, appropriate to their physiological and pathological needs, and according to the principles of health promotion and protection, disease prevention and nutritional and dietary treatment whenever required. In this sense it describes six potential areas of professional activity in the field of nutrition, which are listed below:

• Clinical practice setting
• Food management and quality control 
• Food development and innovation 
• Food and nutrition security
• Catering
• Community nutrition and public health
• Basic nutrition

3. Tutor selection

Tutors could be selected within the University of Lleida community professors that are recognized in performing research activities related to the field of nutrition in any of the previously described areas. The coordination will make available to the students a list with proposals to carry out the TFG with the corresponding tutors. But the choice of the tutor (who meets the aforementioned requirements) will be the responsibility of the student.

In either tutoring,  the Request for Approval of the Final Research Project Theme (Annex 1) should be submitted to the Coordination of the Degree of Human Nutrition and Dietetics for its approval. 

The TFG tutors will be responsible:

1. Ensure that TFGs meet the formal, theoretical and technical requirements for each type of work.
2. Authorize the defense of work, certifying that you are in a position to defend yourself
3. Monitor the compliance of the bio-ethical requirements implied by the realization of the TFG
4. To be part of the TFG Oral Defense Evaluation Court, together with two more teaching members

4. Preparation and presentation of research works

Research works of an informative scientific nature must be submitted to the Coordination of the Degree of Human Nutrition and Dietetics at least 1 month before the date of the General Call for the Defense of End of Degree Work.

The typology of the works includes:

1. Preparation of a research study. It consists of the realization by the student of the protocol of an unpublished research work encompassed within the 6 fields of action of the professional of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. (Recommended)
2. Review, cataloging and bibliographic search work. It consists of a critical and documented evaluation of the state of the question of a specific topic of basic or applied research within the 6 fields of action of the nutrition and dietetics professional. Works based on meta-analyzes of published results that are of interest in the field of Human Nutrition and Dietetics are included in this modality.
3. Innovation or related entrepreneurship in the field of human nutrition and food. This modality includes business ideas or plans related to products, processes or business activities or the preparation of patent documentation (Know-how) related to the field of human nutrition and dietetics.
4. Design of a research project. It consists of preparing a written basic or applied research project that must follow the models and forms established in the competitive calls.
5. Scientific dissemination project. It consists of the elaboration of informative material, using written communication or tics, of a scientific topic or theme that has a social interest and that is aimed at the general public. In addition, all the works presented must follow the following formulation scheme

Written Final Research Projects must be submitted to the Coordination Degree of Human Nutrition and Dietetics at least one month before to the expected date for its oral defense. All papers must be developed with the following scheme:

• Summary (1 page per each required language -Spanish, Catalan, english/other)
• Introduction-Background 
• Justification and hypothesis
• Research Objectives
• Methodology
• Results
• Discussion of Results
• Conclusions
• Bibliographic references
• Annexes (if needed)

Once Written Final Research Projects have been prepared, they will be presented in person to the coordinator of the subject in digital format as well as 3 paper copies (2 for members of the court and 1 for the tutor). Together with the written project the student must present the work data document (Annex 2) as well as the authorization document for the presentation of the work signed by the work tutor (Annex 3).

In case it is not possible due to socio-sanitary situations generated by the new SARS-CoV-2 (Covidien-19) pandemic or others that may arise; Students will present only the electronic copy of the work as well as the work data document and signed tutor authorization, through an activity that will be opened for this purpose on the virtual campus.

Written Final Research Projects will be evaluated previous its oral defense. Written projects that do not pass the evaluation stage will not have the permission for its oral defense and should be resubmitted for its approval.

Two annual calls for oral presentation will take place (June -July/ September). The commission will select an ad-hoc tribunal for the oral defense evaluation.

5. Evaluation

The evaluation of the Final Degree Project consists of 2 parts:

• The written presentation of the research work and,

• The defense of this research work in court

The written work will account for 40% of the final grade and will be evaluated by 3 professors assigned to the Bachelor's Thesis (Supervisor (6%) plus two non-supervising professors of the work (17% each)).

The following weighting will be applied to each section::

•  Summary (10%)
• Background / Introduction (30%)
• Hypothesis statement and Justification (5%)
• Methodology (10%)
• Results and discussion of results (35%)
• Conclusions (10%)

The evaluation panel for the oral defense of the Final Degree Project will consist of 3 members (Tutor / plus two non-tutors of the work). Each member will carry out an individual evaluation of the work presented and the final grade will be the average of the three members of the tribunal. The oral defense will have a weight of 60% of the final grade. The following aspects will be taken into account:

• Materials and effectiveness of the presentation (10%)
• Clarity of presentation and use of scientific language (50%)
• Resolution of doubts and questions (40%).

ONLY THOSE STUDENTS WHO DEFEND THEIR THESIS IN JULY WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE MAXIMUM GRADE OF HONORS (Matricula d'honor).