News

Monday 25 June 2007

Consumer focus for new University course

Do you think community wellbeing is important? Does the health and safety of animals need protecting? Are you interested in protecting people from the dangers of scams, fakes and frauds? These are just a few of the issues being covered as part of a new Consumer Protection foundation degree (FdSc) at Nottingham Trent University.

The two-year Consumer Protection course, followed by an optional BSc (Hons) final year top-up is accredited by the Trading Standards Institute and will run from the University’s School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences.

A key feature of the course will be the focus on consumer protection as it relates to the food industry, agriculture, and animal health and welfare. The course could lead to a career within the Trading Standards Service or other public sector organisations, or to employment in the private sector as consumer protection specialists. Opportunities could also arise within the media, quality management, retail and marketing.

Modules will include scientific and legal principles; forensic and fieldwork skills; animal health and welfare; agriculture and feedingstuffs; food standards and consumer issues and controversies. Modules for the BSc (Hons) final year top-up cover consumer psychology; consumer rights protection; the management environment and product safety and quality management.

As part of the course, students will also have the option of undertaking a series of work placements leading to the University award of a Certificate in Professional Skills. They will be able to use the skills and knowledge gained on the course in a work environment - such as with a local authority alongside trading standards professionals, or with a company in the private sector.

Academic Team Leader for  Environment at Nottingham Trent University, Julia Davies, said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer this new course. Consumer issues are never out of the news – from mobile phone scams to the sale of counterfeit goods or even concerns over bank charges. It is so important that people’s rights are protected. Our degree will arm graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to play an important role in consumer protection.”

ENDS

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