Major Learning Goals

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Major Learning Goals

The department faculty has agreed on a list of 11 outcomes or activities that all graduates from the various curricula in FSHN should be able to accomplish successfully. In addition, the faculty has compiled a list of program-specific outcomes or activities for each major; these relate to the technical content of the respective majors. The outcomes for Dietetics were developed from the competencies listed by the American Dietetic Association. The outcomes for Nutritional Science include many of these. The outcomes for the Food Science and Technology and Food Science and Industry options of the Food Science major were developed from the outcomes listed in the education guidelines of the Institute of Food Technologists. The Consumer Food Science option shares several of these outcomes.

General Department Outcomes can be grouped into four categories:

Communication

C. 1. Communicate effectively with others in one-on-one, small-group, and large-group situations.
C. 2. Prepare and deliver effective presentations (orally and in writing) of technical information to food science and nutrition professionals.
C. 3. Prepare and deliver effective presentations (orally and in writing) of technical information to the general public.

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

P. 1. Successfully solve multidisciplinary problems as part of a team.
P. 2. Successfully solve complex problems on your own.
P. 3. Locate and accurately interpret current research literature.
P. 4. Summarize and accurately interpret data generated by yourself or others.
P. 5. Critically evaluate information on food science and nutrition issues appearing in the popular press. This includes distinguishing facts from claims, detecting bias, identifying sources of conflict, and evaluating assumptions.

Social Concerns and Ethics

S. 1. Conscientiously apply your profession's code of ethics in your work.
S. 2. Discuss the social, multicultural, and environmental dimensions of issues facing professionals in your field.

Technical Skills

T. 1. Demonstrate a high level of technical competence in your field of study, so that you can perform successfully in a graduate program, supervised practice program, or entry-level professional position.

Program-Specific Outcomes include specific required technical skills:

Dietetics

1. Demonstrate how to locate, interpret, evaluate and use professional literature to make ethical evidence-based practice decisions.
2. Use current information technologies to locate and apply evidence-based guidelines and protocols. 
3. Demonstrate effective and professional oral and written communication and documentation and use of current information technologies when communicating with individuals, groups and the public.
4. Demonstrate assertiveness, advocacy and negotiation skills appropriate to the situation.
5. Demonstrate counseling techniques to facilitate behavior change.
6. Locate, understand and apply established guidelines to a professional practice scenario.
7. Identify and describe the roles of others with whom the Registered Dietitian collaborates in the delivery of food and nutrition services.
8. Use the nutrition care process to make decisions, to identify nutrition-related problems and determine and evaluate nutrition interventions, including medical nutrition therapy, disease prevention and health promotion.
9. Apply knowledge of the role of environment, food and lifestyle choices to develop interventions to affect change and enhance wellness in diverse individuals and groups.
10. Apply management and business theories and principles to the development, marketing and delivery of programs or services.
11. Determine costs of services or operations, prepare a budget and interpret financial data.
12. Apply the principles of human resource management to different situations.
13. Apply safety principles related to food, personnel and consumers.
14. Develop outcome measures, use informatics principles and technology to collect and analyze data for assessment and evaluate data to use in decision-making.
15. Explain the impact of a public policy position on dietetics practice.
16. Explain the impact of health care policy and administration, different health care delivery systems and current reimbursement issues, policies and regulations on food and nutrition services.

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Food Science and Technology and Food Science and Industry

1. Explain the chemistry underlying the properties of various food components.
2. Discuss the major chemical reactions that occur during food processing and storage.
3. Select appropriate techniques to solve specific problems in food analysis.
4. Correctly use appropriate laboratory techniques in food chemistry and food analysis.
5. Discuss the important pathogens and spoilage microorganisms in foods, the most likely sources of these organisms, and the conditions under which they grow.
6. Explain the effects of common food processing systems and food storage conditions on survival and growth of microbial contaminants.
7. Discuss the response of microorganisms to environmental stress factors, and the principles of sanitation practices to control microorganisms.
8. Discuss the role of beneficial microorganisms in foods and their use in fermentation processes.
9. Correctly use appropriate laboratory techniques to enumerate, isolate, and identify microorganisms in foods.
10. Explain spoilage and deterioration mechanisms in foods.
11. Discuss the basic principles of food preservation methods, including high and low temperature, drying and water activity control, high pressure, extrusion, fermentation, and aseptic processing.
12. Identify and describe the appropriate unit operations required to produce different types of food products.
13. Perform mass and energy balances for a given food process.
14. Discuss the properties and uses of various packaging materials.
15. Discuss basic principles and practices of cleaning and sanitation in food processing operations, as well as requirements for water utilization and waste management.
16. Interpret statistical data as used in food science applications.
17. Use appropriate computer software to perform required tasks or solve problems in food science.
18. Conduct appropriate sensory evaluation tests to answer specific questions regarding food attributes or consumer preferences.
19. Describe techniques that can be used to monitor quality of raw ingredients and final products.
20. Locate and interpret government regulations regarding the manufacture and sale of food products.
21. Summarize and critically discuss current topics of importance in food science.
22. Explain functions of specific nutrients in maintaining health.
23. Identify what foods are good sources for what nutrients.
24. Apply principles from the various facets of food science and related disciplines to solve practical, real-world problems.

Consumer Food Science

1. Explain the chemistry underlying the properties of various food components.
2. Discuss the major chemical reactions that occur during food preparation and storage.
3. Apply food science knowledge to describe functions of ingredients in food.
4. Demonstrate basic food preparation skills.
5. Modify recipe/formulation for specific purposes, such as nutrient enhancement, quality improvement, and ingredient substitution.
6. Discuss the important pathogens and spoilage microorganisms in foods.
7. Explain the effects of common food preparation methods and food storage conditions on survival and growth of microbial contaminants.
8. Discuss the principles of sanitation practices to control microorganisms.
9. Explain spoilage and deterioration mechanisms in foods.
10. Describe techniques that can be used to monitor quality of raw ingredients and final products.
11. Discuss basic principles and practices of cleaning and sanitation in food preparation operations.
12. Discuss basic principles of common food preservation methods.
13. Interpret statistical data as used in food science applications.
14. Use appropriate computer software to perform required tasks or solve problems in food science.
15. Conduct appropriate sensory evaluation tests to answer specific questions regarding food attributes or consumer preferences.
16. Locate and interpret government regulations regarding the manufacture and sale of food products.
17. Summarize and critically discuss current topics of importance in food science.
18. Explain functions of specific nutrients in maintaining health.
19. Identify what foods are good sources for what nutrients.
20. Apply marketing and advertising principles to describe consumer behavior in food selection.
21. Apply principles from the various facets of food science and related disciplines to solve practical, real-world problems.

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Nutritional Science

1. Apply your knowledge of biochemistry to human nutrient metabolism.
2. Apply your knowledge of physiology to human nutrient metabolism.
3. Use oral and written communication in presenting an educational session for a group.
4. Use appropriate computer software to perform required tasks or solve problems in nutrition.
5. Interpret medical terminology.
6. Interpret laboratory parameters relating to nutrition.
7. Screen individuals for nutritional risk.
8. Counsel individuals on nutrition.
9. Summarize and critically discuss current topics of importance in nutrition.
10. Explain the rationale for nutrient intake recommendations across the lifespan.
11.  Interpret health implications of nutrition-related data.
12. Interpret statistical data used in nutritional science.
13. Identify what foods are good sources for what nutrients.
14. Apply food science knowledge to functions of ingredients in food.
15. Calculate and/or define diets for health conditions addressed by health promotion/disease prevention activities or uncomplicated instances of chronic diseases of the general population, e.g., hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and diverticular disease.
16. Apply principles from the various facets of nutritional science and related disciplines to solve practical, real-world problems.

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