Program Purpose

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The Nutritional Science Program develops informed and productive nutrition scientists who personally and professionally utilize scientifically proven nutrition principles to make meaningful contributions to the discipline, to families, communities, and nations. The human nutrition discipline includes the rigorous, scientifically based study of the processes by which we assimilate nutrients and dietary nutrient factors that influence health and prevent disease.

Graduates of the Nutritional Science Program will:

1. Excel in health professional schools, graduate programs in nutritional science and related disciplines, or other professional pursuits;
2. Maintain personal and professional growth through skills acquired for continued acquisition of new scientific knowledge;
3. Apply ethical and moral values in their professional pursuits and personal lives.

Curricular Structure

Catalog Information

 

Learning Outcomes

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Diet in Health and Disease

Explain the role of dietary choices and interventions for optimizing health and preventing or ameliorating chronic disease and malnutrition.

Nutritional Science Fundamentals

Identify the chemical structure of nutrients, their food sources, functions, and the scientific basis for nutrition requirements and dietary recommendations. Describe the processes of digestion, absorption, transport, and metabolism and the metabolic consequences of nutrient deficiencies, interactions, imbalances and toxicities.

Nutritional Assessment

Assess nutritional status of individuals or populations.

Research

Search, interpret, and summarize peer-reviewed scientific literature. Evaluate nutritional claims for accuracy. Design research for nutritional science that includes ethical considerations of using human and animal subjects.               

Evidence of Learning

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The Nutritional Science B.S. program uses the following tools to evaluate the accomplishment of learning objectives: instructor assessment at the course level (exams, in-class and before-class quizzes, homework, chapter summaries, research papers and participation in class discussions), evaluation of mentored experiences (presentations, reports, abstracts, and publications). Assessments of specific learning outcomes are kept by individual professors. Results of surveys and exit interviews, are maintained in the program director's office. Results are shared with program faculty for program assessment and improvement.

Direct Measures

1. Performance in individual courses that emphasize science-based and applied nutrition.
2. Instructor evaluations of course work, including research papers, written exams, oral presentations, quizzes, reading responses, homework, IRB and IACUC tutorials.

Indirect Measures

1. Applications to and acceptance rates at graduate schools and health professional schools for students seeking further education.
2. Job placement figures for those graduates seeking employment.
3. Graduating student exit surveys.
4. Post graduation alumni surveys.

Learning and Teaching Assessment and Improvement

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Assessment methods are described for courses, and their results, along with data from surveys, graduate school acceptances, and exit interviews, are discussed among faculty on an ongoing basis, but at least annually during University Conference meetings. Correspondence between assessments and educational outcomes is reviewed and adjusted as necessary. Recommendations for changes in course purpose, goals, or learning outcomes are agreed upon by NS faculty. Progress on recommended improvements is tracked through regular NS Program faculty meetings and during the Annual University Conference.