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. The course is designed to be taken in the first year of the MS in Nutrition and Dietetics program and meets relevant knowledge requirements of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics to prepare students to become registered dietitian nutritionists.

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 using electronic health record software.

This course builds on the foundations of nutrition assessment (ND 560) to apply the students’ knowledge in the medical nutrition therapy (MNT) principles of disease pathophysiology, chronic disease management, and evidence-based practice. The course begins with an introduction to clinical dietetics and the role of the clinical dietitian on the healthcare team. Then, students will be introduced to the foundations of pathophysiology—the cornerstones of understanding medical nutrition therapy. Next, the students will further explore common chronic diseases that are omnipresent in the US healthcare system; and this course will conclude with disease states that have significant nutritional implications due to their impact on the gastrointestinal system. With this clinical foundation, students will progress to Medical Nutrition Therapy II (ND 630), where they will further explore complex disease states, special populations, clinical judgment, and presentation of case studies.

This course provides students with 150 hours of supervised practice in the area of retail, school or institutional food service, production and management. Students will complete supervised practice in assigned facilities with designated preceptors. Students will be concurrently enrolled in a hybrid seminar with University faculty to further support their supervised practice experience. The course is designed to fulfill the competencies required by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) to be eligible to sit for the entry level registered dietitian nutritionist examination.

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. The course is designed to meet relevant knowledge requirements of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics to prepare students to become registered dietitian nutritionists.

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 course provides students with 350 hours of supervised practice in the area of in-patient medical nutrition therapy; either in an acute care or sub-acute care setting. Students will complete approximately 24 hours of supervised practice each week for 15 weeks in assigned facilities with designated preceptors. Students will be concurrently enrolled in a hybrid seminar with University faculty to further support their supervised practice experience. The course is designed to fulfill the competencies required by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) to be eligible to sit for the entry level registered dietitian nutritionist examination.

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: Organ transplant, 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 course provides students with 300 hours of supervised practice in an area of community nutrition. Students will complete these hours in assigned facilities with designated preceptors. Students will be concurrently enrolled in a hybrid seminar with University Faculty to further support their supervised practice experience. The course is designed to fulfill the competencies required by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) to be eligible to sit for the entry level registered dietitian nutritionist examination.

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.

This course provides students with experience conducting a brief research project. Course content includes: statistical analysis of data; techniques for presenting research; oral presentation of research; and, written presentation of research. The course is designed to be taken in the second year of the MS in Nutrition and Dietetics program and meets relevant knowledge requirements of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics to prepare students to become registered dietitian nutritionists.

This course serves as the second half of the of the capstone course and is an independent study course. Students will meet as a group on several occasions to continuing revising their drafts and finalize their capstone project for submission. The capstone serves as a culminating project that demonstrates students' cumulative learning throughout the program and showcases their knowledge in a particular area of concentration. Culinary nutrition students may write a cookbook chapter containing recipes appropriate for a specific culture who are managing a particular disease state in order to promote healthful eating habits; or, a business plan for a culturally specific food establishment, complete with menu and budget. Food policy/food justice students may write a program proposal that addresses a policy issue or a grant proposal for an advocacy program or nutrition service that impacts the health and wellbeing of the public. All projects must embody cultural competence and reflect the ethics and principles of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Students are expected to submit their final completed capstone project at the end of this course.

This course provides students with 200 hours of supervised practice in an area of the students’ choosing. Students will complete these hours in assigned facilities with designated preceptors. Students will be concurrently enrolled in a hybrid seminar with University Faculty to further support their supervised practice experience. The course is designed to fulfill the competencies required by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) to be eligible to sit for the entry level registered dietitian nutritionist examination.