Syllabus

Master of Science in Applied Nutrition

APN 781: Food and Nutrition Operations Management Lab (New)

Credits - 1

Description

In the dietetics lab series, MSAN students in the dietetics program will conduct Supervised Experiential Learning (SEL) hours. In the lab series, Faculty and Preceptors will assess competencies. Students will work to demonstrate professional skills and values in all interactions with their site preceptors, CPS faculty and staff, their peers, and community members. Through reflective writing exercises, students will self-assess their skills, behaviors, and attitudes. Topics such as clinical skills, communication skills, leadership and management skills, professionalism, conflict resolution, teamwork and integrity will be explored. Cases and real-world examples will be used to facilitate discussions.

Students are responsible for working with the Assistant Director, Graduate Program in Applied Nutrition, to arrange acceptable Preceptors and SEL sites before signing up for the course. 

This version of APN 781 applies to students in the Fall 2026 cohort or later.

Materials

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

Supervised Experiential Learning

The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) released the Future Education Model Accreditation Standards for Graduate Degree Programs (GP) in nutrition and dietetics. These accreditation standards integrate didactic coursework with supervised experiential learning in a competency-based curriculum designed to prepare nutrition and dietetics practitioners for future practice.

ACEND Competencies and Performance Indicators:

• PI 1.2.1 Conduct and interpret community/population-based needs assessments considering all relevant factors. 

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• PI 4.1.1 Oversee the purchasing, receipt, and storage of products used in food production and services
• PI 4.1.2 Analyze the workflow design and recommend modifications or approval for implementation
• PI 4.1.3 Develop an operational plan that considers budget, inventory control, staffing needs, and daily tasks

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• PI 5.1.1 Use critical thinking through a systematic process that evaluates multiple variables and leads to an informed decision
• PI 5.1.2 Incorporate the thought process used in critical thinking models and frameworks (for example, decision trees, theories, system analysis, ethical decision-making frameworks)
• PI 5.2.1 Engage in self-reflective practice to develop and maintain ongoing competence and professional behaviors 
• PI 5.2.3 Adhere to nutrition-related legislation, regulations, and standards of practice
  PI 5.2.5 Identify and take steps to manage unethical, incompetent, or unsafe behavior
• PI 5.2.6 Practice in a manner that respects others
• PI 5.3.1 Apply leadership and management theories and frameworks to inform decisions and behaviors
• PI 5.3.3 Apply principles of emotional intelligence, including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management 
• PI 5.3.4 Reflect on situations and critically evaluate outcomes and possible alternate courses of action
• PI 5.3.5 Provide and receive constructive feedback to support professional development and seek feedback for personal growth
• PI 5.3.6 Model behaviors that maximize group participation by consulting, listening, and communicating clearly
• PI 5.4.1 Use effective and ethical communication skills and techniques to achieve desired goals and outcomes
• PI 5.4.2 Facilitate intraprofessional and interprofessional collaboration
• PI 5.4.4 Use communication skills to influence or produce a desired outcome during negotiations or conflict resolution
• PI 5.4.5 Communicate in a responsive, responsible, respectful, and compassionate manner
• PI 5.5.1 Align quality management activities with the organizational strategic plan, goals, mission, and vision
• PI 5.5.2 Assign responsibilities to various team members according to role and competence
• PI 5.5.3 Set and monitor clear targets for team members, departments, and the organization aligned with common goals and objectives
• PI 5.5.4 Demonstrate an understanding of how individuals and groups interact within the organization
• PI 5.5.5 Evaluate the plan to make modifications to ensure positive outcomes and to meet goals and objectives
• PI 5.5.6 Collect and analyze outcome data to determine if established goals and objectives are met
• PI 5.6.1 Prioritize activities to manage time and workload effectively
• PI 5.6.2 Collect, understand, and analyze financial data to support fiscally responsible decision-making
• PI 5.6.3 Analyze components of productivity systems, including units of service and work hours, and make recommendations
• PI 5.6.4 Analyze the effectiveness of the budget
• PI 5.6.5 Engage in, manage, or lead human resource activities, adhering to applicable laws and regulations

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• PI 6.1.1 Articulate a clear research question or problem and formulate a hypothesis 
• PI 6.1.4 Collect and retrieve data using a variety of methods and technologies
• PI 6.1.5 Analyze research data using appropriate data analysis techniques
• PI 6.1.6 Determine if data support the hypothesis(es) and translate findings into practice implications
• PI 6.2.2 Analyze and formulate a professional opinion based on current research, evidence-based findings, and experiential learning
• PI 6.2.3 Critically examine and interpret research and evidence-based information to determine validity, reliability, and credibility

Professional Behavior Statement

Course Expectations

A student enrolled in the College of Professional Studies is expected to demonstrate professional behavior and conduct by:

• Behaving in a responsible, reliable, and dependable manner — e.g., to manage time well; be on time for assignments, meetings, and appointments; to plan ahead and to follow through with commitments; to cooperate with person(s) in charge of programs; and to take responsibility for absences or missed assignments.
• Demonstrating personal integrity, honesty, and self-discipline – e.g., to be consistent and truthful, to show appropriate personal control, to take on tasks that he/she can manage; to be honest in reports and self-evaluations.
• Projecting a professional image in manner, interpersonal relationships, and writings, including social media, that is consistent with the profession’s accepted contemporary standards.
• Recognizing his/her personal limitations and biases, whether they are intellectual, physical, or emotional; to strive to correct them (e.g., overcome negative behaviors such as procrastination); to learn to be a team member; to adapt to new situations; and to avoid discriminatory conduct or speech.
• Demonstrating the professional and emotional maturity to manage tensions and conflicts which occur among professional, personal, and family responsibilities; e.g., to meet with supposed antagonists to resolve misunderstandings; to get needed help from faculty, student support, tutors, learning assistance professionals, and other qualified persons; to show ability to prioritize appropriately one’s personal, professional, and academic expectations and activities; to accept decisions of persons of authority at the CPS and UNE as well as in the professional environment.
• Demonstrating the ability to exercise sound judgment and to function under pressure – e.g., to request help when needed and to avoid endangering others; to remain focused on the task at hand; to remember that as a student they represent CPS to the greater community at large.
• Demonstrating the ability to self-assess, to continually learn and to learn from mistakes and failures and to heed admonitions and warnings from faculty and administrators (or their staff representatives) of CPS and from preceptors – e.g., to be responsive to feedback and constructive criticism regarding professional behavior and attitude; and to understand the seriousness of academic and disciplinary warnings.
• Demonstrating compassion and respect toward others – e.g., to be respectful of others; to work cooperatively with differences and diversity in personalities and in cultural backgrounds as well as with differences in social and economic status; and to respect the privacy, confidentiality, and individual choice of others.
• Demonstrating respectful behavior at all times toward the faculty, staff, and students.
• Respecting individuals from diverse backgrounds as a part of university education. Prejudices against individuals because of race, ethnic or cultural background, gender, disability, or other personal characteristics will not be tolerated.
• Displaying mature judgment and abiding by the reasonable decisions communicated by faculty and staff. Profane language or disrespectful behavior by students is unacceptable. Misunderstandings, changes in curricula, or mistakes in administrative aspects of the program will occur from time to time. Appropriate mechanisms exist to communicate 30 student concerns about the operation of the college through the program administration, faculty members, and college administrators.
• These standards are taken very seriously and evaluated regularly. Failure to abide by these standards may result in academic warning, prescribed or proscribed actions, probation, or dismissal from the student’s program.

Assignments

In this course, you will be completing Supervised Experiential Learning (SEL) hours in foodservice management settings. You will be interacting with professionals from many different disciplines and will begin meeting and interacting with patients. Presenting as a professional student will be paramount to your success at all supervised experiential learning sites.

You will be responsible for completing site reflections, submitting a log of your SEL hours, and submitting your evaluation(s) of your preceptor(s) at the end of each SEL experience.

SEL Video Reflections

You will submit two brief video reflections on your experiences at your site placement. For each reflection, you will select one of the provided prompts and connect your experience to a competency or Performance Indicator (PI) you are developing.

SEL Project: Food Service Management

In this course, you will complete one SEL assignment that is designed to function as your culminating experience for Food Service Management. Across the FSM hours at your site and through didactic course experiences, you will identify a genuine opportunity for improvement and carry it through a full Plan–Do–Study–Act (PDSA) quality improvement cycle, then document, present, and defend your work.

Midpoint and Final Check-ins

At the midpoint (end of Week 4), you will complete the Midpoint Pulse Check so your Field Coordinator can understand how your SEL experience is progressing and identify any concerns. You will also schedule an in-person midpoint check-in with your preceptor to discuss your progress, strengths, and areas for growth. At the end of your experience, you will complete an in-person final self-evaluation with your preceptor.

Preceptor Evaluation of Student (Competency Assessment)

Your preceptor will complete the competency evaluation form for your SEL experience. At the midpoint (end of Week 4), you must submit your preceptor’s name and work email through the APN 781 (FSM) Preceptor Information form so the evaluation link can be sent. If the information is incorrect, the evaluation will not reach your preceptor. Completed evaluations are submitted directly to the MSAN Dietetics Program Director and your Field Coordinator. You will also receive a copy by email, which you will upload to Brightspace as part of your SEL Documentation.

SEL Documentation

By the end of the course, you will upload the following to Brightspace:

• Your completed Preceptor Evaluation of Student
• Your completed Student Evaluation of Preceptor
• A link to your Competency Map, with the scores from your Preceptor Evaluation of Student entered into the appropriate PIs

Grading Policy

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

Assessment	Points
Student Syllabus Contract	1
Midpoint SEL Video Reflection	6
SEL Assignment: Food Service Management Project	15
Final SEL Video Reflection	6
SEL Documentation: Experiential Site	2
Preceptor Evaluation of Student	70
TOTAL	100

Grade Scale

Grade	Points Grade	Point Average (GPA)
A	94 – 100%	4.00
A-	90 – 93%	3.75
B+	87 – 89%	3.50
B	84 – 86%	3.00
B-	80 – 83%	2.75
C+	77 – 79%	2.50
C	74 – 76%	2.00
C-	70 – 73%	1.75
D	64 – 69%	1.00
F	00 – 63%	0.00

SEL Lab Grading Scale

Number	Grade
5	94 – 100%
4	87 – 93%
3	80 – 86%
2	40 – 79%
1	0 – 39%