Syllabus
Master of Science in Applied Nutrition
APN 735 Nutrition Leadership, Community Nutrition and Wellness – Fall B 2017
Credits - 3
Description
Nutrition behavior, public health implications of nutrition status, nutrition education initiatives and leadership in the nutrition and wellness fields will be examined. Development of educational materials and programs for a range of settings will be explored and dissemination of professional education materials for a variety of audiences will be emphasized.
Materials
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
Program Objectives
- Develop and utilize nutrition concepts and best-practices for nutrition and health promotion initiatives
- Apply core research principles to measure the nutrition status and environment of individuals and communities
- Develop communications and collaboration strategies with representatives from government, non-profit, community, and business entities regarding nutrition initiatives
- Interpret and modify explanations of complex nutrition concepts for various audiences
- Research, develop and disseminate evidence-based and theory-driven educational materials and work-products at an audience appropriate level for topics related to nutrition and health promotion
Course Outcomes
- Adapt and apply leadership theories and advocacy best-practices for effective management of community nutrition and wellness programming.
- Interpret and utilize evidence-based nutrition science and nutrition education research findings for the development of community nutrition program initiatives.
- Plan and implement community needs assessment tools and capacity building strategies in coordination with representatives from government, non-profit, community, and/or business entities as it relates to community nutrition and wellness initiatives.
Assignments
Key Assessments:
- Community Needs Assessment: Report
- Community Needs Assessment: Executive Summary
- Community Needs Assessment: Presentation
Smaller Assignments:
- Strengths Assessment: Leadership Style
- Community of Interest Email
- Scholarly Literature Review
- Focus Group or Key Informant Primary Data Gathering
- Community Nutrition Intervention Evaluation
- Nutrition Program: Letter of Funding Inquiry
- E-Portfolio Reflection
Discussion Board:
You will be required to participate in discussions. Initial posts are due on Sundays, and responses are due by Tuesday. If the initial post and response are not submitted within the discussion week you will be given a zero. Posts submitted after the discussion week will not be graded.
Your success in the course relies on robust discussion, critical thinking, and peer-response. Weekly posts responding to prompts posed are meant to facilitate a deeper understanding of the broader themes of the course as well as enrich the readings, handouts, and lectures. Your initial response should be no less than 400 words. Peer-responses should be no less than 200 words and must be thoughtful, contain compliment as well as constructive criticism, and maintain a professional tone.
Furthermore, in regard to all assignments, please observe the following:
- All assignments must be completed using AMA formatting where appropriate.
- All times refer to Eastern Time (ET).
- All questions about assignments, and all questions in general, should be sent through email.
Writing Statement
As professionals in the field, you will consistently be expected to clearly and concisely articulate advanced concepts for diverse audiences at a variety of educational levels.
Graduate students are expected to produce their best quality work, including screening their work prior to submission for clarity, grammatical, spelling, formatting and mechanical issues.
While there is often a portion of each assignment’s rubric dedicated specifically to grammar, spelling, mechanics, and formatting, it is critical to understand that failure to submit work that has been adequately proofed may result in a reduction of points in other areas of the rubric. These may include, but are not limited to metrics rating professionalism or content knowledge and synthesis; work submitted in graduate courses should provide evidence of strategic reading, writing, and academic speaking skills essential for success in the discipline.
Grading Policy
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Grade Breakdown
| Student Syllabus Contract | 1 |
| Strengths Assessment: Leadership Style Assignment | 6 |
| Community of Interest Email | 4 |
| Scholarly Literature Review Assignment | 8 |
| Focus Group or Key Informant Primary Data Gathering | 12 |
| Community Nutrition Intervention Evaluation Assignment | 8 |
| The Community Needs Assessment | 12 |
| Executive Summary | 6 |
| The Community Needs Assessment: Presentation | 13 |
| Nutrition Program: Letter of Funding Inquiry | 8 |
| Discussion Board | 16 |
| Course Reflection/-Portfolio Piece | 6 |
| 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 |
Schedule
Weekly Dates
Week One: 06/26-7/2
Week Two: 7/3-7/9
Week Three: 7/10-7/16
Week Four: 7/17-7/23
Week Five: 7/24-7/30
Week Six: 7/31-8/6
Week Seven: 8/7-8/13
Week Eight: 8/14-8/18
Major Due Dates
| Week 1: Strengths Assessment: Leadership Style Assignment | Tuesday, 7/2 |
| Week 2: Community of Interest Email | Tuesday, 7/9 |
| Week 4: Scholarly Literature Review Assignment | Tuesday, 7/23 |
| Week 5: Community Nutrition Intervention Evaluation Assignment | Tuesday, 7/30 |
| Week 6: Focus Group or Key Informant Primary Data Gathering | Tuesday, 8/6 |
| Week 7: The Community Needs Assessment: Report | Tuesday, 8/13 |
| Week 8 The Community Needs Assessment: Presentation | Friday, 8/16 |
| Week 8: Nutrition Program: Letter of Funding Inquiry | Saturday, 8/17 |
| Week 8: Course Reflection/E-Portfolio | Saturday, 8/17 |
| Week 8: The Community Needs Assessment: Executive Summary | Sunday,8/18 |
| Discussion Board | Every Sunday and Tuesday |
Note: To access Modules 1 and 8 you will need to complete a brief survey.
Week 1: Focus on Leadership
Weekly Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Distinguish between the characteristics of a manager and the characteristics of a leader
- Relate how personal strengths influence personal leadership style
- Identify the differences between networks, alliances, and coalitions
- Relate how nutrition issues might be addressed by networks or coalitions
Lectures
Lecture 1: Characteristics of Effective Leaders
Readings
Chapter 16 and 18 in course text
See course for additional readings
Assignment
Strengths Assessment: Leadership Style Assignment
Discussion
Introductions and Professional Nutrition Networks, Alliances, and Coalitions
Week 2: Focus on Applying Nutrition Science to Public Health
Weekly Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Discuss why nutrition policies, programs and practice must be evidenced-based
- Identify key points in how nutrition policy may be influenced
- Review and assess scholarly literature
Lectures
Lecture 2: Developing Advocacy Skills
Readings
Chapter 1 and 3 in course text
See course for additional readings
Assignment
Community of Interest Email
Scholarly Literature Review Assignment
Discussion
Evidenced-based Nutrition, Nutrition Public Policy, Programs and Practice.
Week 3: Focus on Role of Federal and State Agencies in Public Health Nutrition
Weekly Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Identify how national public health nutrition programs influence community health
- Identify primary programs that provide health and nutrition education
- Apply nutrition and health resources from a federal agency to the community level
Lectures
Lecture 3: Public Health Matters
Readings
Chapter 4 in course text
See course for additional readings
Assignment
Scholarly Literature Review Assignment is due from Week 2.
No additional assignment due this week.
Discussion
Federal Agencies, Measuring Policy and Environmental Change in Obesity Prevention
Week 4: Focus on Community Needs Assessment and Capacity Building
Weekly Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Explain the rationale for community needs assessment
- Identify the steps in conducting a community needs assessment
- Compare assessed needs with the capacity of existing services to meet the needs and identify unmet needs
- Identify community services providing food and financial assistance, nutrition education, and medical assistance to at-risk populations
Lectures
Lecture 4: Conducting a Focus Group
Readings
Chapters 5 and 7 in course text
See course for additional readings
Assignment
Focus Group or Key Informant Primary Data Gathering Assignment
Discussion
Identify An At-Risk Population Within Your Community
Week 5: Focus on Intervening to Change the Community’s Eating Behaviors
Weekly Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Identify factors influencing eating and lifestyle behaviors
- Discuss short- and long-term intervention strategies for improving dietary behavior
- Evaluate social marketing as a strategy to influence health behavior
Lectures
Lecture 5: The Blue Zone Project
Readings
Chapter 8 in course text
See course for additional readings
Assignment
Community Nutrition Intervention Evaluation Assignment
Discussion
Social Marketing
Week 6: Focus on Planning, Implementing and Evaluating Nutrition Services in the
Community
Weekly Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Identify and discuss three primary types of planning
- Explain the usefulness and application of ecological models and consumer-based models
- Utilize effective evaluation methods (in assessing Nutrition Services)
Lectures
Lecture 6: Challenges of Implementation
Readings
Chapter 6 in course text
See course for additional readings
Assignment
Focus Group or Key Informant Primary Data Gathering Assignment due from Week 4.
Discussion
Planning and Evaluating Nutrition Services, Program Planning Models
Week 7 Focus on Promoting the Public’s Nutritional Health
Weekly Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Define and recognize risk factors for chronic disease and the implications for nutrition
- Identify and discuss levels of health prevention and health promotion
- Understand how nutrition services may be delivered to primary care settings
Lectures
Lecture 7: Lessons Learned from Worksite and Community Wellness Programming
Readings
Chapter 10 and 12 in course text
See course for additional readings
Assignment
Executive Summary of Community Needs Assessment due.
No other assignment due this week.
Discussion
Executive Summary, Telehealth and Telenutrition
Week 8 Focus on Managing and Marketing Nutrition and Wellness Programs
Weekly Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Identify and understand major sources for funding public health nutrition services
- Assess impact and effectiveness of a nutrition education program
- Recognize and apply qualitative and quantitative types of data in assessing Nutrition Programs and Initiatives
Lectures
Lecture 8: Art and Science of Grant Writing
Readings
Chapter 15, 17 and 19 in course text
See course for additional readings
Assignment
Nutrition Program: Letter of Funding Inquiry
This assignment is due Saturday of Week 8.
The Community Needs Assessment is also due Saturday of Week 8.
Discussion
Community Needs Assessment and Course Reflection
Student Resources
Online Student Support
Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.
Questions? Visit the Student Support Applied Nutrition page
UNE Libraries:
- Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Blackboard/Brightspace.
- Applied Nutrition Database
- Library Tutorial: Find an article
- Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.
UNE Student Academic Success Center
The Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of services to support your academic achievement, including tutoring, writing support, test prep and studying strategies, learning style consultations, and many online resources. To make an appointment for tutoring, writing support, or a learning specialist consultation, go to une.tutortrac.com. To access our online resources, including links, guides, and video tutorials, please visit:
Information Technology Services (ITS)
- ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673
Accommodations
Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.
Policies
AMA Writing Style Statement
In keeping with the requirements of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, the American Medical Association (AMA) Manual of Style, 11th edition is the required writing format for this course and is available at both UNE libraries under the title "AMA Manual." Additional support for academic writing and AMA format is provided throughout the coursework as well as at the UNE Portal for Online Students.
Online resources: AMA Style Guide
Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool
The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.
Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in AMA citation and academic writing.
You can learn more about Turnitin in the Turnitin Student quick start guide.
Technology Requirements
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements
Course Evaluation Policy
Course surveys are one of the most important tools that University of New England uses for evaluating the quality of your education, and for providing meaningful feedback to instructors on their teaching. In order to assure that the feedback is both comprehensive and precise, we need to receive it from each student for each course. Evaluation access is distributed via UNE email at the beginning of the last week of the course.
Attendance Policy
Online students are required to submit a graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. If a student does not submit a posting to the graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET, the student will be automatically dropped from the course for non-participation. Review the full attendance policy.
Late Policy
Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.
Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.
Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures
The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.
UNE Course Withdrawal
Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.
Academic Integrity
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
- Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
- Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
- Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.