Nutrition and Dietetics (ND)

This course is designed to provide the student with an in-depth understanding of digestion, absorption and metabolism of the macronutrients. Course content includes: cellular metabolism; the process of digestion and absorption; carbohydrates, fiber, lipids, protein, fluid balance, energy balance and body composition, as well as athletic performance. The course is designed to be taken in the first year of the M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics rogram and meets relevant knowledge requirements of The Accreditation Council for Educaiton in Nutrition and Dietetics to prepare students to become Registered Dietitian Nutritionists.

This course provides students with an introduction to using an integrative and functional approach to nutrition. Course content includes metabolic wellness and biomarkers, cultural food pyramids and the Mediterranean diet, improving communication and working as a interdisciplinary team, nutrition assessment of metabolic and nutritional balance (e.g. microbiome, fiber and vitamins), the interconnection of gut and immune health, elimination diets, cardiometabolic syndrome and dietary considerations for inflammation mediators and oxidative stress, xenobiotic exposure, detoxification and biotransformation, hormone health and its relationship with insulin resistance and adrenal dysfunction, nutrition for hormone balance, nutritional impact on neurological and mental health, and the impact of various cooking methods, acids and bases on the functions of macro and micronutrients.

This course serves to prepare students to transition to entry level practitioners and to increase their awareness of issues facing the profession. Course content includes: the dietitian scope of practice and code of ethics; communication skills, leadership styles, self-assessment and goal setting, participation in professional organizations, reimbursement issues, and trends impacting the profession.

This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of the roles, requirements and metabolism of the micronutrients. Course content includes: fat soluble vitamins; water soluble vitamins; major minerals; minor minerals; and, nutraceuticals.

This course provides students with a strong focus on culinary nutrition for disease states, prevention and wellness throughout the lifespan. Students will prepare and evaluate meals in the culinary lab for various life stages, including preconception; pregnancy; lactation; infancy; toddler and preschooler; child and preadolescence; adolescence; adult; and older adult. Students will gain culinary skills and knowledge related to creating and implementing appropriate dietary interventions for prevention and treatment of nutritionally relevant conditions throughout each stage of the lifecycle.

This course provides students with background knowledge and introductory experiences in food service systems management. Course content includes: the food service industry; types of food service operations; hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP); menu planning; budgeting; purchasing, receiving and storage; recipe modification; facility design and equipment; and quality improvement.

This course provides students with foundational knowledge and introductory experiences in nutritional assessment. It is designed to be taught simultaneously with MNT I in order to enhance student understanding of the Nutrition Care Process and how it relates to common chronic diseases. Course content includes: an introduction to the Nutrition Care Process; ADIME documentation; eNCPT terminology; comparative standards for nutrient intake; methods for measuring dietary intake; anthropometrics and body composition analysis; Nutrition Focused Physical Exam (NFPE); and identification and appropriate classification of malnutrition in pediatric and adult patients. Students will have the opportunity to practice patient interaction skills in simulation settings and clinical documentation in ADIME format.

This course is designed to be taught simulataneously with Nutrition Assessment (ND 560) to effectively combine assessment knowledge and skills with the medical nutrition therapy (MNT) principles of disease pathophysiology, chronic disease management, and evidence-based practice. Course content includes: an introduction to clinical dietetics and the role of the clinical dietitian on the healthcare team; fluids, electrolytes and acid-base balance; immune system and stress response, pharmacology; genomics; disorders of energy balance, foundations of pathophysiology—the cornerstones of understanding medical nutrition therapy; and nutritionally relevent diseases and conditions that impact various of body systems, including: cardiovascular, endocrine, respiratory, renal, hepatobiliary, upper and lower GI systems, and oncologic disease processes.

This seminar is designed to complement and enhance the practical knowledge and skills gained through supervised practice in food service management settings. Weekly online, synchronous meetings serve as a platform for students to engage in critical discussions, reflect on their experiential learning, enhance professionalism, and develop team work and communication skills. Students will have the opportunity to practice food service management related calculations in order to help them prepare for the RDN exam. Students will concurrently complete 150 hours of on-site supervised practice experience in retail, school, or institutional food service production and management settings.

This course provides students with background knowledge and introductory experiences in community and public health nutrition. Course content includes: community nutrition and public health; U.S. food assistance programs; cultural influences and public health nutrition; an international perspective on public health nutrition; community nutrition programs; legislation impacting food and nutrition; and the role of the food industry in food choice.

This course provides students with background knowledge and introductory experiences in nutrition education and nutrition counseling. Course content includes: theories of behavior change; developing effective nutrition education programs; communication skills; Motivational Interviewing techniques; goal setting and behavior change strategies; group facilitation and counseling skills; cultural sensitivity and awareness; and professionalism.

This seminar is designed to complement and enhance the practical knowledge and skills gained through supervised practice in clinical and community nutrition settings. Weekly online, synchronous meetings serve as a platform for students to engage in critical discussions, reflect on their experiential learning, enhance professionalism and develop team work and communication skills. Students will participate in several in-person skills labs and collaborate on an interprofessional case study with students in other health profession programs within CHP. Students will concurrently complete either 300 hours of on-site or hybrid supervised practice experience in community nutrition settings -OR- 350 hours of on-site supervised practice experience in clinical (acute/sub-acute care) settings.

This course builds on the foundations of nutrition assessment (ND 560) and MNT I (ND570) to apply the students’ knowledge of medical nutrition therapy (MNT) principles of disease pathophysiology, chronic disease management, and evidence-based practice. The students will further explore complex disease states, special populations, clinical judgment, and presentation of case studies. Topics will include: Eating disorders, Nutrition Support, Critical Care Nutrition, Pediatrics, Metabolic Disorders, Burns/Trauma, Palliative Care, Ethics and Quality of Life.

This course will introduce students to the fundamentals of research in nutrition and dietetics. While in this course, students will explore study designs used to approach a variety of research questions, evaluate the existing literature in areas of interest, explore data collection and analysis methods, establishment of evidence-based practice, and the art and science of research communication.

This seminar is designed to complement and enhance the practical knowledge and skills gained through supervised practice in clinical and community nutrition settings. Weekly online, synchronous meetings serve as a platform for students to engage in critical discussions, reflect on their experiential learning, enhance professionalism, develop teamwork and communication skills, and practice resolving conflicts. Students will participate in professional organizations to support relevant initiatives and engage in DEI training sessions and discussions. Students will concurrently complete either 300 hours of on-site or hybrid supervised practice experience in community nutrition settings -OR- 350 hours of on-site supervised practice experience in clinical (acute/sub-acute care) settings.

This course allows students to explore the relationships between food and culture, develop and evaluate recipes and menus, assess acceptability and affordability, and accommodate the cultural diversity and health needs of various populations, groups and individuals. Course content includes: an introduction to food and culture; traditional health beliefs and practices; intercultural communication; food and religion. Students will explore traditional food ways of Northern, Central and Southern Europe; Russia and Ukraine; Africa; Mexico and Central America; South America; Caribbean Islands; Native Americans; regional North America; East Asia; Southeast Asia; South Asia; and Pacific Islands.

The capstone serves as a culminating project that demonstrates students’ cumulative learning throughout the program and showcases their knowledge in a particular area of nutrition and dietetics practice. Students may chose to write a cookbook chapter containing recipes developed for a particular condition or disease state and target population -OR- develop a proposal for a service, a workshop, program, or other intervention that can help improve the health and well-being of a target population. Capstones will include a thorough literature review and summary of scientific evidence and needs assessment of target population addressing resources, barriers, and supports. All projects must reflect cultural sensitivity and the ethics and principles of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This course is an independent study course in which students will meet in-person as a group on three occasions as well as periodically in small groups with the instructor via zoom to discuss ideas, outlines and drafts. Students will submit a draft of their capstone at the end of this course.

The capstone serves as a culminating project that demonstrates students’ cumulative learning throughout the program and showcases their knowledge in a particular area of nutrition and dietetics practice. Students may chose to write a cookbook chapter containing recipes developed for a particular condition or disease state and target population -OR- develop a proposal for a service, a workshop, program, or other intervention that can help improve the health and well-being of a target population. Capstones will include a thorough literature review and summary of scientific evidence and needs assessment of target population addressing resources, barriers, and supports. All projects must reflect cultural sensitivity and the ethics and principles of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This course is an independent study course in which students will meet in-person as a group on three occasions as well as periodically in small groups with the instructor via zoom to discuss ideas, outlines and draf Students will present a poster of their final capstone projects to peers, department faculty and the CHP community.

This seminar is designed to complement and enhance the practical knowledge and skills gained through supervised practice in nutrition elective settings of the student’s choice. Weekly online, synchronous meetings serve as a platform for students to engage in critical discussions, reflect on their experiential learning, demonstrate negotiation skills, enhance professionalism, and engage in activities that are necessary for successful transition from student to entry level practitioner, such as billing and coding for nutrition services and preparing professional development portfolios. Students will perform self-assessment of learning, leadership and cultural orientation styles, advocate for professional opportunities, mentor others and articulate the value of precepting others. Students will be required to attend online RDN exam study sessions throughout the semester. Students will be concurrently placed in supervised practice rotations in nutrition elective settings of their choice for a minimum of 200hrs.