The world of nutrition has become increasingly controversial in recent decades. With so many diets to choose from and a population-wide quest for the “perfect diet,” understanding the science supporting healthy nutrition has never been more critical. This course will equip you with a foundational understanding of nutritional science. You will learn how to assess nutritional information for scientific rigor and apply that data to case-based learning, giving you opportunities to address nutritional issues in a culturally sensitive manner. You will learn about the role of food in culture, how food metabolizes in the human body, and how to formulate nutritional recommendations for both healthy individuals and those who are living with chronic disease.

Nutritional needs change over a life span. This course equips you with a foundational understanding of nutritional needs of healthy individuals from conception through elderhood. You will learn how to assess nutritional needs based on life stage and develop evidence-based dietary recommendations for diverse populations across the life cycle. You will examine the socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental influences on nutritional needs and preferences. Using simulated nutrition case conferences, you develop valuable skills in culturally sensitive assessment, nutrition education, and development of dietary recommendations.

Health education is a critical tool for the health professional. This course will provide you with valuable career skills in assessing educational needs, planning, delivering, and evaluating culturally competent health education with diverse populations. By learning to apply learning theories and motivational interviewing, you will be equipped to deal with barriers that clients may face. A major focus will be on identifying and dispelling prevalent myths around health and nutrition, particularly those fueled by media and social media. By the end of this course, you will develop a health education intervention that can serve as a model for use in your career.

Health Care Policy, Politics and Power
This course examines the critical role of health care leaders in the policy making arena. Learn more about the federal policy making process, key issues in health policy, and the roles power and politics play in policy development and implementation. Students explore health care reforms and efforts to respond to disparities in health outcomes for vulnerable populations.

Nutrition and Chronic Disease
Nutrition is essential for the prevention of chronic disease and is a central intervention for people already living with chronic disease. This course will provide you with an overview of various chronic conditions and nutrition's role in their prevention and treatment, including: cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, obesity, and more. You will apply your knowledge by completing a project to either prevent or address a chronic condition using nutritional best practices.

Vulnerable Populations
Recent disasters, economic crises, violence against people of color, and the pandemic have shone a harsh spotlight on disparities many experience around healthcare access, economic recovery, housing and food insecurity, and community safety. This course provides you with opportunities to explore theoretical, practical, and creative approaches to eliminating disparities that perpetuate vulnerabilities. You will examine historical perspectives of social justice theory and its application to health outcomes among indigent and underserved communities. Empowerment and community resilience are major facets of this course. You will critique social, individual, environmental, and systemic influences on health and vulnerability, and recommend actions for change.