Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Nutrition and Diet Therapy (Face-to-Face)

NFS 4050-01

Course: NFS 4050-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: ASNS
CRN: 30042

Course Description

A theoretical and practical base for diet modification & nutritional therapy in a variety of disease states. The course will include basic pathophysiology and medical terminology.

Required Texts

  • Required Textbook: Nutrition & Diet Therapy, 9th Edition; DeBruyne, Pinna & Whitney ISBN-13: 9781305110403
  • Library 2-hour reserve: Krause’s Food and the Nutrition Care Process, 13th Edition; Mahan, Escott-Stump, Raymond

Learning Outcomes

SUU Essential Learning Outcomes
  1. Critical Thinking: Students demonstrate disciplined processes of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating nutrition information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.
  2. Digital Literacy: Students strategically and responsibly employ appropriate technologies to explore, create, collaborate, and organize in a digital context.
  3. Inquiry & Analysis: Inquiry: Students systematically explore issues, objects or works through the collection and analysis of evidence that results in informed conclusions or judgments. Analysis: Student break complex topics or issues into parts to gain a better understanding of them.
Course Objectives

At the completion of the course, the successful student will be able to:

  1. Define and apply key elements of the Nutrition Care Process including screening, assessment, intervention, implementation, evaluation and follow-up
  2. Identify the basic pathophysiology of nutrition-related diseases
  3. Describe nutrition therapy for a variety of disease states
  4. Explain potential interactions between food and medicinal/herbal supplements
  5. Synthesize and critically evaluate peer-reviewed research related to nutrition and disease
  6. Summarize the state of current nutrition knowledge in an APA-formatted research paper

Course Requirements

Exams
  1. There will be 4 exams offered this semester. Three exams will be given during the semester. The fourth exam will be given during the final exam period. Each exam is worth 100 points. Exams may not be taken late, however, any student may take an exam early if prior arrangements are made with the instructor.
  2. All exams will be taken in the SUU Testing Center, ELC second floor. Testing center hours vary by the day. Please make a note of daily changes to opening and closing times. Please see for testing center requirements. If you need an alternate location for exams, please contact me.
  3. The lowest exam score will be dropped from your final grade. This could be the final exam.
Assignments & Quizzes
  1. Assignments will be submitted via Canvas, and must be received by 11:59 pm on the due date. Late assignments will be accepted for 7 days past the due date for a 50% penalty.
  2. Quizzes, either announced or unannounced, may be given during the semester. Students who are not in class when an unannounced quiz is given will not be able to make it up.
  3. Computer problems are not an acceptable excuse for late work.
  4. Mercy submission: each semester, one assignment may be submitted as a mercy submission (details in Canvas).
Research Article Reviews & Research Paper
  1. You will learn to read research articles, evaluate the strength of research articles, write research article reviews, and write a research paper in which you use describe the relationship between a specific disease state and nutrition.
  2. You will complete a rough draft and a final version of research article reviews.
  3. You will complete a rough draft and a final version of a research paper. You will be asked to provide peer feedback on two other student research papers.
  4. You will have access to Writing Fellows for assistance with this research and writing project.
  5. Specific requirements & due dates for the research paper will be provided when the assignment is explained in detail.
NFS 4050 Job Search Assignment

Objective: The purpose of this assignment is two-fold: for you to become more familiar with course content and policies, and for you to relate the course content to a potential future career.

To complete this assignment, please do the following:

  • Read the syllabus.
  • Make a list of the knowledge and skills that you expect to gain as a result of this class.
  • Go to any job-related search website and find 2 jobs that are interesting to you. If possible, find a job description for your dream job. You can look for jobs on other sites as well.

Suggested job-search websites:

  • ihirenutrition.com
  • simplyhired.com
  • monster.com
  • careerbuilder.com
  • indeed.com
  • jobs.utah.gov
  • usajobs.gov
  • higheredjobs.com
  • ncaamarket.ncaa.org/jobs
  • linkedin.com
  • hospitalrecruiting.com
  • mdsearch.com

Read the job descriptions for each of the two jobs.

Using the syllabus as a guide, write a one- to two-page summary that explains how the knowledge and skills you anticipate acquiring will prepare you to be successful at each of the jobs you researched.

Please format your paper as follows: Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced, 1” margins.

This assignment will be graded as follows:

  • Discussion of the knowledge and skills you expect to gain in this course (obtained by reading the syllabus) - 4 points
  • Discussion of two job descriptions that are of interest to you, and how knowledge from this class will prepare you for these jobs - 4 points
  • Grammar & spelling - 1 point
  • Formatting & length requirement - 1 point
Assignments and Points
Grading (based on percentages)
93 – 100 = A90 – 92 = A-87 – 89 = B+83 – 86 = B80 – 82 = B-77 – 79 = C+
73 – 76 = C70 – 72 = C-67 – 69 = D+63 – 66 = D60 – 62 = D-59 and below = F

AssignmentsPoints Available
Assignments & In-Class Quizzes
Job Search Assignment10
Practice Problems- Ch 14.25
Possible in-class quizzes, readings or additional assignmentsUp to 100
Research Project (Due dates for all assignments related to this research project will be provided later)
Down's Syndrome Research Article Review - 1st Draft25
Down's Syndrome Research Article Review – Final Submission25
Meeting with Writing Fellow to discuss research articles15
First draft of research paper + peer evaluation40
Writing Fellow evaluation15
Final submission of research paper80
Exams (4 at 100 points each, one dropped exam)300
Total Points~600

Course Outline

This course provides students with information on different disease states with the emphasis on medical nutrition therapy for each. This course also includes reviewing research articles and writing papers on chosen topics pertaining to course material. 

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

  • Assignments will be submitted via Canvas, and must be received by 11:59 pm on the due date. Late assignments will be accepted for 7 days past the due date for a 50% penalty.
  • Quizzes, either announced or unannounced, may be given during the semester. Students who are not in class when an unannounced quiz is given will not be able to make it up.
  • Computer problems are not an acceptable excuse for late work.
  • Mercy submission: each semester, one assignment may be submitted as a mercy submission (details in Canvas).

Attendance Policy

Attendance points will be given for each day of in person class attended. Please inform instructor prior to scheduled class time if you will be missing a class. No make-up attendance points offered. Some class sessions will be held remotely and attendance points not awarded for those days.

Prerequisites

Additional Course Policies and Information
Pre-requisites

Pre-requisites: NFS 1020, NFS 2020, CHEM 1210/1215

Student Responsibilities

Readings and attendance

  1. Complete all assigned readings prior to class each day.
  2. Attend class regularly and participate actively in class discussions. Although attendance is not mandatory, students who complete assigned readings and attend class regularly typically gain knowledge and critical thinking skills, and are better prepared for advanced education and careers in health-related fields.
Miscellaneous
  1. Please be courteous to the instructor and to other students.
  2. Please do not bring children to class. If appropriate child care is not available, please arrange to have a classmate take notes and pick up handouts.
  3. Please turn cell phones to silent and do not answer them during class. Please refrain from use of your cell phone or laptop in any way that distracts you or others from class participation.
  4. Grades for all assignments will be posted in Canvas. It is your responsibility to verify that your grade has been correctly recorded within 1 week of the grade being received.
  5. Retain all graded material until the end of the semester (in the event of a grade discrepancy).
  6. Please read the Department of Agriculture and Nutrition Appropriate Use of Technology in the Classroom Policy which can be found at

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.