Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences : Nutrition and Foods with NDTR-mission, values, goals and objectives
Mission
NAU Nutrition & Foods/NDTR degree utilizes learner-centered educational strategies that prepare graduates for practice as a Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, Registered to apply their knowledge in practical settings. Graduates evaluate and apply nutrition research to design interventions, counsel individuals and the public about nutrition; facilitate and support behavior change; advocate for sustainable food practices, and serve as community nutrition resources.
The NAU Nutrition and Foods program provides a range of future opportunities, including:
- Designing individual nutritional therapies to address specific health issues, such as unhealthy weight, diabetes or hypertension
- Developing facility-wide nutrition programs for health care, educational, correctional and other institutions
- Increasing public awareness of proper nutritional standards and habits
- Improving the accuracy and comprehension of food labels
- Ensuring the safety of our food supply
- Researching how changes in diet (such as reducing salt intake) affect health (by reducing blood pressure)
- Working with food manufacturers to improve the nutritional quality of prepared foods.
Values
- Excellence in Education: We are committed to providing outstanding instruction and innovations for the advancement of high quality education in nutrition & foods.
- Service, Caring and Empathy: We encourage generosity in providing service to advance our university and to promote the health and well-being of the communities we serve. In addition, we are committed to providing service to nutrition & foods professionals at state, national, and international levels. We value efforts to understand those we serve and encourage expressions of kindness and compassion.
- Scholarship: We value research, discovery, and such scholarly activities as the scholarship of teaching and learning. We believe that professional writing, presentations at professional conferences, and efforts to obtain external grant funding are important and worthwhile activities for nutrition & foods faculty members.
- Freedom of Expression and Mutual Respect: We value an atmosphere in which all may express their opinions. We value freedom of expressions and the free exchange of ideas. We value the spirit of mutual respect in relationships with students, faculty, administrators, and people in communities we serve. We value collegiality, courteousness, teamwork, collaboration, cooperation, and civil and respectful communications.
- Integrity: We are committed to adhering to our professional standards of ethics. In all endeavors, we value honesty among peers and students.
Goals and objectives
Goal #1
To prepare nutrition & foods/NDTR graduates to apply their knowledge in practical settings.
- Program Completion: A minimum of 80% of NAU students complete NDTR program/degree requirements within 150% of the program length (or 3 years).*
- Graduate Employment: At least 50% of program graduates will be employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields or matriculate to graduate school within 12 months of graduation.*
- Field Work Experience: In supervised experiential learning course (NTS 408), 80% or more of the preceptors will report satisfaction with student knowledge and skills.*
- Sitting for Registration Exam: At least 50% of graduates will sit for the NDTR exam within 12 months of graduation.
- Registration Exam Pass Rate: 80% of graduates over a five-year period will pass the CDR credentialing exam for nutrition and dietetic technician, registered within one year following the first attempt.*
- At least 80% of NAU NDTR graduates report confidence in nutrition screening and nutrition education.
Goal #2
To prepare graduates to evaluate and apply nutrition research to design interventions, counsel individuals and the public about nutrition; facilitate and support behavior change; advocate for sustainable food practices; and/or serve as a community nutrition resource.
- Employer Satisfaction: At least 80% of employers will indicate that program graduates were ‘prepared’ or ‘very prepared’ for their first position as a NDTR professional.*
- Undergraduate Capstone Project: To evaluate and apply nutrition research to design interventions, counsel individuals and the public about nutrition; facilitate and support behavior change; advocate for sustainable food practices; and/or serve as a community nutrition resource as demonstrated in their capstone project (NTS 456C), graduates will receive a grade of 80% or better.
- Graduate Satisfaction: 80% of NAU NDTR graduates are confident in ability to communicate in writing, speaking, counseling and answering questions about Nutrition and Foods to a variety of individuals and group audiences.
- At least 90% of students will report satisfaction with career advising and preparation received from faculty and staff.
- At least 70% of alumni will report that the supervised experiential learning experience prepared them for their careers.
*Program outcome data is available upon request. Contact kathleen.thames@nau.edu
The BS-NDTR program will consist of two tracks: local and remote. All coursework and supervised experiential learning expectations will be the same for the two tracks. There are limited sites available in the greater Flagstaff area for supervised experiential learning NTS 408. Therefore, students are encouraged to locate and secure sites near their home, where they are hoping to gain employment after graduation, or in another location of interest.
Students are responsible for finding their own supervised experiential learning sites. There are a limited number of supervised experiential learning sites in Flagstaff. Students are provided with a list of supervised experiential learning site options as part of the supervised experiential learning course application process. SEE the NTS 408 Planning Schedule and Student Handbook for process details.
Local Track
This track will consist of those students who complete supervised experiential learning within 100 miles of the NAU campus. The limited sites share space with the MPH-Nutrition students. If students desire to use one of those sites, students will be required to rank the order of preference for the location. If multiple students want the same site, and the preceptor desires to have input on selection, preceptor input (which may require students to submit a resume or participate in an interview) is considered before student placement. Otherwise, placements are randomly selected based on the number of students each site is willing to support.
If a student would like to work at a site within 100 miles of campus that is not currently an approved site, the Supervised Experiential Learning Coordinator must approve. See the Student Handbook for procedures and details for this process.
Remote Track
This track will consist of all students who complete supervised experiential learning more than 100 miles from the NAU campus. Students will need to provide contact information for the desired site to the Supervised Experiential Learning Coordinator, who will then determine if the site meets the program’s requirements for supervised experiential learning. See the Student Handbook for procedures and details for this process.
Graduation requirements from NAU are here: https://www5.nau.edu/policies/Client/Details/37
The NAU BS in Nutrition and Foods – NDTR Program follows the same schedule as the traditional NAU academic calendar: https://nau.edu/registrar/important-dates/