Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy Seminar Series
Description: This weekly Wednesday series highlights current scientific and policy research in the field of nutrition. Students and faculty are encouraged to attend and actively participate in discussion.
Day/Time: Wednesdays, 12:00 - 1:00 pm.
Location: Jaharis, Behrakis Auditorium, Boston Campus
NUTR 101: Introductory Human Nutrition
To provide an understanding of basic nutrition science to non-science majors and students with a limited scientific background. Students will become familiar with: the principles of diet planning, government standards, and food labeling; the biological functions and food sources of each nutrient; energy balance, weight management, and physical activity; the role of nutrition in chronic disease development; nutrition throughout the life cycle; food safety issues; and current nutrition-related controversies. This course meets the science requirement for undergraduate non-science majors. It is not acceptable for biology credit for biology majors.
NUTR 101A: Introductory Human Nutrition - Online Only
To provide an understanding of basic nutrition science to non-science majors and students with a limited scientific background. Students will become familiar with: the principles of diet planning, government standards, and food labeling; the biological functions and food sources of each nutrient; energy balance, weight management, and physical activity; the role of nutrition in chronic disease development; nutrition throughout the life cycle; food safety issues; and current nutrition-related controversies. This course meets the science requirement for undergraduate non-science majors. It is not acceptable for biology credit for biology majors.
This is an online course that will not meet on campus. All course activities and interactions will occur asynchronously and online through ANGEL, the Friedman School of Nutrition's learning management system. You can take this course from anywhere as long as you have a reliable internet connection (broadband highly recommended). This course is not self-paced and students can expect it to require the same academic rigor as a traditional campus course.
Tufts Summer Session handles enrollment for this course: http://ase.tufts.edu/summer/
NUTR 101B: Introductory Human Nutrition
To provide an understanding of basic nutrition science to non-science majors and students with a limited scientific background. Students will become familiar with: the principles of diet planning, government standards, and food labeling; the biological functions and food sources of each nutrient; energy balance, weight management, and physical activity; the role of nutrition in chronic disease development; nutrition throughout the life cycle; food safety issues; and current nutrition-related controversies. This course meets the science requirement for undergraduate non-science majors. It is not acceptable for biology credit for biology majors. This class is a traditional lecture-based course that requires attendance.
Tufts Summer Session handles enrollment for this course: http://ase.tufts.edu/summer/
NUTR 201: Fundamentals of Nutrition Science
This course presents the fundamental scientific principles of human nutrition. Students will become familiar with food sources; recommended intake levels; biochemical role; mode of absorption, transport, excretion; deficiency/toxicity symptoms, and potential major public health problems for each macro- and micronutrient. The goals for this course are: 1.) to describe the components of a healthy diet, 2.) understand the major nutrition problems that affect individuals and populations, and 3.) understand the scientific basis for nutritional recommendations brought before the scientific and lay communities.
This course is meant for policy students (AFE, FPAN, NutComm and MPH) and may not substitute for NUTR202
NUTR 201-ONL: Fundamentals of Nutrition Science
This course presents the fundamental scientific principles of human nutrition. Students will become familiar with food sources; recommended intake levels; biochemical role; mode of absorption, transport, excretion; deficiency/toxicity symptoms, and potential major public health problems for each macro- and micronutrient. The student goals for this course are: 1.) to describe the components of a healthy diet, 2.) understand the major nutrition problems that affect individuals and populations, and 3.) understand the scientific basis for nutritional recommendations brought before the scientific and lay communities.
Course Syllabus and Course Calendar
This course is meant for policy students (AFE, FPAN, NutComm and MPH) and may not substitute for NUTR202
Students are not required to attend classes, but must have access to a reliable computer and internet connection to download prerecorded lectures and course materials.
MPH 201: Principles of Epidemiology
This course provides an introduction to the epidemiological perspective on health and disease. The course emphasizes the principles and methods used to describe and evaluate the patterns of illness in communities and in population subgroups. Methods and research designs used in the investigation of the etiology of infectious and noninfectious disease are presented. Lecture and laboratory examples illustrate a wide range of contemporary health problems.
NUTR 202-ONL: Principles of Nutrition Science - Online Only
This course presents the fundamental scientific principles of human nutrition. Students will become familiar with food sources; recommended intake levels; biochemical role; mode of absorption, transport, excretion; deficiency/toxicity symptoms, and potential major public health problems for each macro- and micronutrient. The student goals for this course are: 1.) to describe the components of a healthy diet, 2.) understand the major nutrition problems that affect individuals and populations from conception and throughout the life cycle, and 3.) understand the scientific basis for nutritional recommendations brought before the scientific and lay communities.
Course Syllabus and Course Calendar
This course is meant for students in the BMN, EPI and RAK programs. Students required to take NUTR202 may not substitute NUTR201.
Students are not required to attend classes, but must have access to a reliable computer and internet connection to download prerecorded lectures and course materials.
NUTR 203: Fundamentals of Nutrition Policy and Programming: How Science and Practice Interact
Nutrition 203 is a required course that will allow students at the Friedman School to become familiar with policy processes (domestic and international), typologies of policy initiatives (laws, regulations, program interventions, legal restrictions and systems, institutional mandates), and to be able to critically analyze and discuss how policy and science interact with regard to food and nutrition. The class will cover: a) how science influences the policy agenda, and how policy debates influence the scientific agenda; b) the scientific underpinnings of food and nutrition policies; c) how empirical findings in scientific research and operational programming make their way into policy and law; d) debates and controversies in US and international nutrition; e) the range of options for intervention that exist (to improve nutrition), and those that are used; f) how do we know what works best and what the alternatives might be?; g) approaches to problem assessment and measurement; h) success stories in the nutrition pantheon; i) constraints to success (what makes or breaks major program successes), and j) key institutions and organizations involved in nutrition policy and programming in the US and around the world.
Students need to enroll in one of four different section, based on the recitation that works best for their schedule. Each recitation should be capped at 25 students. No recitations will be held during week one of the semester.
- Section -01 Recitation 12:30-1:30, even weeks, Jaharis, Behrakis Auditorium
- Section -02 Recitation 12:30-1:30, odd weeks, Jaharis, Behrakis Auditorium
- Section -03 Recitation 5:00-6:00, even weeks, Jaharis, Behrakis Auditorium
- Section -04 Recitation 5:00-6:00, odd weeks, Jaharis, Behrakis Auditorium
NUTR 204: Principles of Epidemiology
Course examines methods that quantify disease processes in human populations. Topics include study design, sources of inaccuracy in experimental and observational studies, the methodology of data collection, and an introduction to the statistical evaluation of epidemiological data.
NRAK 204: Epidemiology for Nutrition Professionals
The primary purpose of this one-semester hybrid-learning course is to teach students basic epidemiologic concepts and methods and to introduce them to techniques, including dietary assessment methods that are used in human nutrition research. Students will learn to calculate and interpret basic measures of disease frequency and measures of effect, will be introduced to methods for recognizing and addressing sources of error in human studies, and will learn the basics of study design and implementation in nutrition research. Discussions of recent publications will be used to help students apply their understanding of abstract concepts and specific quantitative methods to the interpretation and critique of published work. Research reports from students' countries of origin as well as from other areas will be selected for discussion.
NUTR 205: Communicating Health Information to Diverse Audiences, Part A
The objective of this course is to learn to write articles and on the editing process; the other will focus on pragmatic issues such as choosing topics, judging sources, elements of successful writings, and how to "break in" to the popular press. Note: 10-week course. Enrollment limited to 12.
NRAK 205: Nutritional Biochemistry with Community/Clinical Applications: Macronutrients
Students will explore the fundamental roles of nutrients in biological systems and the implications of nutrient biological functions on food and nutrition policy. Particular emphasis will be placed on the function of nutrients as defined by their chemistry, interrelations among nutrient functions, mechanistic approaches in the analysis of nutrient-disease relationships, and recent advances in the basic sciences related to nutrition and nutrient function. The course will integrate examples of community, clinical and public health policy applications throughout each of the two terms. Published journal articles from the peer reviewed literature, case histories, and public policy documents will form the basis for critical review and discussion.
NUTR 207: Statistical Methods for Nutrition Research (Policy)
Part one of a one-year, two-semester course covering descriptive statistics, graphical displays, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, t test, chi-square test, nonparametric tests, multiple linear regression, multiple logistic regression, experimental design, multi-factor and multiple comparisons procedures. Students will learn how to use Stata statistical analysis software.
NRAK 207: Statistics for Nutrition Professionals
Primary purpose of the course is to teach students how to understand and evaluate statistical results presented in health and nutrition journals. This one-semester course will provide students with an intermediate level understanding of how biostatistics and social science statistics concepts and methodologies are interpreted and presented in published research articles. Topics will include basic experimental design, descriptive statistics, graphical displays, hypothesis testing, nonparametric tests, OLS regression, logistic regression, analysis of variance and covariance, and how to interpret interactions and multiple comparisons.
NUTR 208: Human Physiology
This course will cover the functions of mammalian organisms as we understand them at various levels of organization - organ system, organ, cellular and subcellular levels. Our goal is to provide a working knowledge of the fundamental properties and regulation of these systems so that the student can understand and relate this material to that learned in other basic science courses with particular emphasis on those related to nutrition.
NRAK 208: Management of Health and Nutrition NGOs
Key management concepts and principles for managing nutrition and health programs and organizations will be addressed to equip students to function as program directors and project managers. Case studies and readings will be used to convey a practical understanding of how to manage and coordinate business functions to achieve the goals and objectives of the organization. This course will deal with for-profit, but focus mainly on nonprofit organizations. Topics will include business and project planning, management control systems, financial management, budgeting, performance measurement, pricing and marketing of services, operations management and cost analysis. The course is designed to provide practical tools in areas we believe students need to acquire skills. The course is designed to develop an awareness of how each of these management functions interact and impact the organization.
NUTR 209: Statistical Methods for Nutrition Research (Science)
The first of a two course sequence covering study design, descriptive statistics, graphical displays, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, Student's t test, chi-square test, nonparametric tests, sample size calculations, multiple linear regression, multiple logistic regression, multi-factor experimental design, repeated measures, and multiple comparisons procedures. NUTR 209 generally covers topics through the start of linear regression. Students will make extensive use of SAS for Windows.
NOTE: Students cannot receive credit for both NUTR 209 and its second semester counterpart NUTR 207.
NUTR 210: Survey Research in Nutrition
A methods course focusing on field research in nutrition. Students will learn to identify policy-relevant issues, define hypotheses, and select and combine appropriate methods drawn from nutrition, epidemiology, anthropology, economics, psychology, sociology, education and political science. Students will also learn how to develop research designs, samples and analysis plans, as well as how to construct and pretest the types of instruments commonly used in nutrition research and evaluation. The course will cover interviewer training, quality control, site operations, and data base management.
NRAK 210: Monitoring and Evaluation of Nutrition and Food Security Programs
There is consensus within the nutrition community that inadequate project monitoring and evaluation (M&E) represent a major constraint in domestic and international programmatic efforts to address problems of malnutrition. The absence of sound M&E processes in large numbers of nutrition projects, despite continued evidence of their value in assessing and improving project performance, suggests that many project planners and managers may not yet have the necessary skills or understanding to develop and operate such systems. This course, designed in a hybrid-learning format, is intended to help address this need by training future specialists residing primarily in the United Arab Emirates.
NUTR 211: Theories of Behavior Change and their Application in Nutrition and Public Health Interventions
What motivates people to adopt healthier food and lifestyle choices? This course will explore various theoretical perspectives on nutrition and health-related behavior change. It will include an examination of several individual-based, social-based, organization-based an eco-social theories, including the Health Belief Model, the Theory of Planned Behavior, the Transtheoretical Model, Decision-Making, Social Support, Social Learning Theory, and Diffusion of Innovations. Knowledge of these theories will help inform the design of research and program interventions based on psycho-biological, social, cultural and organizational frameworks. The course emphasizes an understanding of core theory concepts and issues in measurement. In-class workshops will allow for direct application of the theories to students' current research and program intervention interests. The course will provide concepts and tools that can apply not only to the students' own research interests, but also to other courses, such as those focused on nutrition interventions, patient education, persuasive communication, social marketing and mass media. This course should be of great value to students in the Nutrition Communication, Nutrition Epidemiology, Nutrition Intervention Programs and to students in the MS / Dietetic Internship programs.
NRAK 211: Food Policy Fundamentals
This course represents an introduction to food concepts for students enrolled in the RAK hybrid Masters in Nutrition Science and Policy (MNSP). It is a signature of any degree from the FSNSP that students gain an understanding of a mix of policy and biological science issues in their studies. Most of the RAK hybrid MNSP is focused on bench and clinical applications, but some exposure to the principles and practice of policy formation is essential for a well-prepared nutrition professional. This half-credit course will give students limited but critical exposure to issues in food policy, and allow them to understand the role of nutrition scientists in contributing to food policy debates, as well as the ways in which food policy affects their ability to function as clinicians and researchers.
NRAK 212: Nutrition Policy
This course is designed to introduce students to global nutrition policy, to key players within the international/global landscape, current initiatives, debates and discussions in nutrition policy, typologies of policy initiatives, successful flagship interventions, successful dietary guidance systems and nutrition assessment principles. Students will be able to critically analyze and discuss how global policy and science interact with regard to food and nutrition.
The class will cover: a) how science influences the policy agenda, and how policy debates influence the scientific agenda; b) the scientific underpinnings of food and nutrition policies; c) how empirical findings in scientific research and operational programming make their way into policy and law; d) global debates and controversies in nutrition; e) the range of options for intervention that exist (to improve nutrition), and those that are used; f) how do we know what works best and what the alternatives might be?; g) approaches to problem assessment and measurement; h) success stories in the nutrition pantheon; i) constraints to success (what makes or breaks major program successes), and j) key institutions and organizations involved in global nutrition policy and programming.
NRAK 213: Nutrition Communication in a Global Context
The overall goal of this course is to provide students with the expertise necessary to develop health promotion initiatives that rely on effective communication strategies based on current theory. The course combines a comprehensive introduction to current issues, theories, and special topics in nutrition and health communication with a hands-on approach to program development and implementation.
NUTR 214: Statistical Methods for Health Care Professionals
In this course students critically evaluate, compare, interpret, judge, summarize and explain statistical results published in research articles in health and nutrition journals that are influencing nutrition science, research, policy, and clinical practice. Students will also develop an intermediate level ability to analyzing research data with Stata statistical software.
NUTR 215: Fundamentals of U.S. Agriculture
This course covers the major social, institutional and human aspects of the American agricultural system, both as it exists today as well as its historical development. After consideration of agricultural systems in general and of the values that underlie different concepts of agriculture, it covers some of the key historical forces that have made American agriculture what it is today, and the major role of the federal government, both past and present. The next part of the course deals with the economics of American agriculture as a whole and its large-scale structure, followed by an analysis of farming on the microlevel, emphasizing types of farms and farm-scale production economics.
NUTR 216: Management, Planning, and Control of Nutrition and Health Programs and Organizations
Key management concepts and principles for managing nutrition and health programs and organizations will be addressed to equip students to function as program directors and project managers). Case studies and readings will be used to convey a practical understanding of how to manage and coordinate business functions to achieve the goals and objectives of the organization. This course will deal with for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Topics will include business and project planning, management control systems, financial management, budgeting, performance measurement, pricing and marketing of services, operations, management, cost analysis, human resource management, and the development of management information systems. The course is designed to provide practical tools in areas we believe students need to acquire skills.
NUTR 217: Seminar on Program Monitoring and Evaluation
This seminar will provide an introduction to the principles and practice of program monitoring and evaluation, with an emphasis on nutrition and nutrition-related programs in developing countries. By reviewing relevant literature and utilizing case studies in the areas of nutrition, primary health, agriculture and other fields, students will garner basic literacy of the language and tools of evaluation. This seminar will focus both on the theory and practice of conducting program evaluation and will consist of round-table discussions, guest speakers, and applied exercises of critiquing, planning, and writing evaluations. In addition to the course content, the participatory nature of the seminar is important to the overall learning process. Although there will be speakers at several sessions, the course will largely be run by the seminar participants themselves who will shape the curriculum, design assignments, and be expected to bring forth their personal experiences, opinions, and questions to the subject matter at hand.
NUTR 218: Communications Strategies in Health Promotion
A survey of communications strategies in health promotion. This course will provide students with the ability to decide when a health communication initiative is appropriate; to develop health communications programs based on appropriate theoretical foundations; and to select and plan evaluation strategies appropriate for the particular intervention.
NUTR 219: Fundamentals of Food Science
This course will provide students a broad overview of certain aspects of both the U.S. and worldwide food supply. This course is intended to provide students with an understanding of : 1) the basic groups of foods in the food supply and their nutrient profiles; 2) the effects of harvesting, processing and storage; and 3) the important issues affecting food safety. This is an elective course.
NRAK 219: Food Science Fundamentals
This course will provide students a broad overview of certain aspects of both the U.S. and worldwide food supply. This course is intended to provide students with an understanding of: 1) the basic groups of foods in the food supply and their nutrient profiles; 2) the effects of harvesting, processing and storage; and 3) the important issues affecting food safety.
NUTR 220: Introduction to Writing about Nutrition and Health
This introductory course is designed to teach the basic skills necessary to write nutrition- and health-related papers that are clear, accurate, and audience-appropriate. It is a practical review of writing and revision, and will enable students to develop a clear, fluent, and readable style. The course will include both individual and collaborative exercises and will require several writing and editing assignments, as well as rewrites. It is a prerequisite for NUTR 205 and NUTR 306, both of which build on the skills it provides.
NUTR 221: The Global Food Business
The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to the field of international food and agribusiness. Today, international trade in agricultural commodities and foods is a major segment of the world's business. This business continues to grow yearly, motivated by new and potential international trade agreements (GATT, NAFTA), expansion by both established and new multinational companies, and export policies by countries seeking new markets for their growing food and agricultural production. The focus of this course will be to develop in each student a conceptual knowledge of the analytical skills in administration, marketing, business strategy, research, governmental policies and technology that international food business requires today. The course also attempts to analyze the global food business from a transnational perspective, rather than any single nationalistic viewpoint of food and agribusiness. It is designed to meet the requirements of students aiming to enter the international food business world, as well as for students who in their professional careers (e.g., government, legal) will deal with this important sector of international business.
NUTR 222: Gender, Culture and Conflict in Humanitarian Complex Emergencies
This course will examine humanitarian aid in conflict situations from a gender perspective and highlight the policy and program implications that this dimension presents. Topics covered will include the ways in which gender relations are affected by conflict; the relationship between gender and the militarization of societies and communities; violations of human rights and women's rights; women in peace building and conflict resolution; the gender dynamics of aid and post-conflict reconstruction.
NUTR 223: Seminar in Humanitarian Issues
Open for credit only to Master of Arts in Humanitarian Assistance (MAHA) students. This seminar will explore in depth key issues in humanitarian assistance, for example, humanitarian law, ethics, psycho-social interventions, the role of the military, program and agency management, and fund-raising. A hands-on course with an opportunity to discuss in depth much of the theory and academic literature of prerequisite courses.
NUTR 224: Community Food Planning and Programs
Cancelled Spring 2012
This course will cover (domestic) community food programs that focus on or operate at the community or regional level. Such initiatives promote local/regional agriculture and food chain businesses that process, market, and use local or regional food products. In tandem, public sector and NGO initiatives now involve programs and policies with a 'community food' agenda. The content and focus will be on more complex initiatives such as farm-to-institution programs, regional wholesaling initiatives, and food policy councils. A major course objective is to provide practical skills and tools for design, strategic planning, and implementation of these programs, including assessments, research, policy components, and funding. We will also provide contextual analyses and critical perspectives of community-based strategies as alternative food systems models. To strengthen the course, there will be several visiting lecturers with significant expertise on a specific skills topic or community food program.
NUTR 225: Introduction to Modern Biology Techniques
This intensive, short course is designed to familiarize basic science track (BMN, EPI) students with the fundamental techniques used to study biology at the molecular, cell, tissue and whole organism levels. Techniques covered include but are not limited to gas and liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, cell culture and transfection, electrophoresis, western blotting, immunoassays, PCR, transcriptional profiling, cell sorting and modern microscopy and imaging techniques. For each technique, there will be background web-based readings and discussion. Students will be evaluated based on a weekly quiz and their participation in class discussion. This is a required course for all Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition Students.
NUTR 226: The Public Policy of Health Claims for Food
This course examines the United States food policies governing the use of diet and health information in commercial communications. In the mid-1980s, the food industry began, for the first time in modern history, to use health claims in food advertising and labeling. This proved to be a highly effective marketing method for the food industry. However, the industries use of health claims product promotion created public controversy, and policies – a comprehensive new labeling law as well as many new FDA, USDA and FTC regulations– governing food advertising and labeling that use nutritional and medical information. The object of this course is to review current food policies governing health claims and the regulatory regime controlling their use in commercial communications
NRAK 227: Global Nutrition Programs
The goal of this course is to expose students to major global nutrition programs and strategies designed to lessen the global burden of nutrition related morbidity and mortality. Both prevention and treatment options for major nutrition related disorders that dominate contemporary populations will be discussed. This course will cover: a) current debates in the cause, prevention and treatment of global nutrition issues, b) the range of options for interventions that exist, and those actually used, c) the strength of the evidence base underpinning actions, d) approaches to problem assessment, (including the process of considering alternatives according to context), e) examples of successful nutrition interventions, f) constraints to success (what makes or breaks major program successes), and g) key global institutions and organizations involved in nutrition policy and programming.
NUTR 227: International Nutrition Programs
This intensive course provides presentations, readings, and exercises relating to the broad range of nutrition interventions utilized in international programs: growth monitoring and promotion, nutrition counseling and IEC, supplementary feedings and food-based income transfers, household food security and agricultural-based interventions, micronutrient activities, and breast-feeding. The course also covers malnutrition causality, nutrition and structural adjustment, social funds, economic and food aid, active learning capacity and the nutrition transition. Finally students become well versed in program design and appraisal techniques including dynamic models and program constraint assessments, and are responsible for major exercises relating to existing programs in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
NUTR 228: Community and Public Health Nutrition
This intensive course provides presentations, readings and activities related to the broad range of community-based nutrition research, programs and policies in the US today. Public health efforts in communities are implement in many different types of settings, including community non-profit agencies, worksites, health centers, clinics, hospitals, schools, churches, supermarkets, recreational and sports centers, councils on aging/senior centers, and emergency feeding sites. Students will become familiar with community-based research and programs focused solely on nutrition as well as those in which nutrition is one component. Students will engage in skill-building and participatory activities, as well be introduced to case examples of creative and innovative approaches to community nutrition. Through field visits and guest speakers, students will have an opportunity to dialogue with public health experts and practitioners who can influence community nutrition practice. Upon completion of this course, the students will have a toolbox of skills to utilize and apply in a wide range of practice settings.
NUTR 229: Humanitarian Action in Complex Emergencies
This course examines the evolution of the humanitarian action in relation to changes in the operating environment and changes in the international system. This multi-disciplinary course will cover a broad range of subjects, and addresses a number of topics:
- A historical perspective on humanitarian action;
- The normative frameworks of humanitarian action - international humanitarian law, humanitarian principles, and codes of conduct;
- Conceptual frameworks for addressing the protection of life, livelihoods, rights and safety of people caught in complex emergencies;
- The impact of conflicts and the "global war on terror"on humanitarian space and humanitarian action;
- The political economy of conflict and humanitarian aid;
- Methodologies developed to improving the effectiveness and accountability of humanitarian action;
- The evolving structure of the international humanitarian system;
- The ethical and practical implications of incorporating human rights in humanitarian action.
The course will rely on a case-study approach to examining these issues, and students will be involved in developing the case studies for presentation in class. By the end of this course students will be aware of the foundations on humanitarian action (International Humanitarian Law, humanitarian principles, different traditions); the historical, legal, social, political and moral context of humanitarian emergencies; the main analytical frameworks used to understand the causes and consequences of complex emergencies; and major forms of humanitarian responses to complex emergencies. Students will understand the complex relationship between humanitarian action and the international environment, the impact of humanitarian emergencies on social relations, and will have a working knowledge of the principles and standards of accountability for engaging in humanitarian response in complex emergencies.
NUTR 230: International NGO's: Ethics and Management Practice
The course first examines the role and relevance of the non-governmental sector with a view to understanding the concepts underpinning NGO management, accountability and role in society. The course will then focus on a number of key issues essential for the effective running of NGOs. The course will end with an exploration of Southern NGOs and their relationship with the North and the future of international NGOs. This course will introduce students to such essential skills such as strategic planning, advocacy, the use of the press, fundraising, budgets and reading financial statements. It will also explore key questions including the role NGOs play in society and in international development and how and whether they are different from other institutions in society.
This course focuses on key conceptual questions that are essential to understanding NGOs and on practical skills and tools needed for managing them. The course first examines the role and relevance of the non-governmental sector with a view to understanding the concepts underpinning NGO management, accountability and role in society. The course will then focus on a number of key issues essential for the effective running of NGOs. The course will end with an exploration of Southern NGOs and their relationship with the North and the future of international NGOs. This course will introduce students to such essential skills such as strategic planning, advocacy, the use of the press, fundraising, budgets and reading financial statements. It will also explore key questions including the role NGOs play in society and in international development and how and whether they are different from other institutions in society. This course focuses on key conceptual questions that are essential to understanding NGOs and on practical skills and tools needed for managing them.
NUTR 231: Fundamentals of GIS
Most issues in the food system, from agricultural productivity to urban food security, cannot be completely understood without integrating many layers of information. Geographic information systems GIS) provide a powerful tool for synthesizing data for which the only shared trait is a common geographic position. Consequently, geospatial analysis is critical for understanding such complex phenomena. This course will provide students with the fundamental knowledge and skills to begin using GIS in research and applied projects. It will cover the structure of spatial data, key concepts in geography, common vector-based and raster-based analyses, basic spatial modeling, and project management. Principles of GIS science will be introduced through lectures then reinforced through intensive laboratory exercises using the ArcGIS software package. The primary goal of this course is to cultivate a level of competence sufficient to enable the student to conduct a simple project independently
NUTR 232: Nutrition Epidemiology Journal Club
The principal goals of the nutrition epidemiology journal club are 1) to enhance graduate students' understanding of the field of nutrition epidemiology and 2) to provide practice reviewing and critiquing research studies. In weekly sessions, the students will prepare a peer-reviewed or original article for class discussion that reinforces the principles of study design as they apply to nutritional epidemiology. This course will also help students to develop their peer review skills and thus become critical reviewers of epidemiologic literature.
NUTR 233: Agricultural Science and Policy I
First part of a two-semester sequence required of AFE students. This course covers the major biological, chemical and physical components of agricultural systems. Each is discussed from the viewpoints of both the underlying natural processes and principles, and their significance for major agricultural, food safety, and environmental policy issues in the US today. In the first semester, the topics covered are soils, water, nutrients, and genetic resources.
NUTR 235: Junior Clinical Rotations
Required of junior standing students enrolled in the Combined Dietetic Internship/Masters Degree program. Grading is Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.
NUTR 236: Practicum in Bioresearch Technique
Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition students must enroll in one practicum in bioresearch techniques. Students who anticipate a career in basic nutritional sciences require extensive laboratory training. Practicums in bioresearch techniques, established as a single, 1.0 credit course, will provide students with an understanding of critical experimental evaluation as well as hands-on experience in essential techniques of modern biology. In the practicum, students will answer a specific biologic question through experimentation. Faculty in participating laboratories will be responsible for providing an overview of the biologic interest of the laboratory, overseeing the development of a specific, defined project, teaching the theory of specific techniques to be employed, and training the students in the application of these techniques. Students will be evaluated through a written report and oral presentation in a laboratory meeting-type setting.
NUTR 238: Economics of Food Policy Analysis
Nutrition 238 is a requirement for students in the FPAN program. This class is intended to provide students with an introduction to the basic micro and macroeconomic concepts essential to understanding food and nutrition policy. Students who take this course will have the equivalent of an introductory micro/macro course, with an emphasis on food policy applications and examples.
NUTR 239: Emerging Technologies and Nutrition Communication
The course begins with an overview of the role of technology in nutrition communication through a grounding in core concepts and a survey of technology in the field of health and nutrition communication. It then provides an orientation to three specific uses of Internet-based communication technology (dissemination, collaboration, and knowledge) through hands-on opportunities that encourage students to use and evaluate specific tools and their appropriateness to various nutrition communication contexts. Throughout the course, students work on a group that utilizes one or more technologies covered.
NUTR 240: Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition Journal Club
The principal goals of this student-run BMN Journal Club are to: (a) enhance graduate students’ understanding of the current state of biochemical and molecular nutrition and (b) provide experience in reviewing and critiquing research articles. In alternate week sessions, students will critically evaluate peer-reviewed articles for class discussion that reinforce the principles of various research approaches (including in vitro experiments, animal models, observational studies, clinical trials) and analytical methods. This course will also help students to develop their evaluative skills and presentation performance.
All BMN MS and PhD students are encouraged to take this course within the first two years of matriculation to the Friedman School. This will be an intellectually stimulating course that will focus on recent findings in the field. In addition to the faculty advisor for this course, other faculty will be encouraged to attend to help facilitate discussions; for each session, faculty with expertise in a topic to be discussed during that class will be invited to participate. This approach also has the benefit of allowing students in their first and second year of the BMN program to meet and interact with a variety of Friedman faculty.
The primary format of this course will be student-selected and -led presentations of recent publications in the biochemical and molecular nutrition literature. The course covers two semesters, meeting every two weeks. During the year, all participating students will be required to give at least one PowerPoint presentation, and submit to the class a one-page summary that addresses the study aims, methods and results, and provides a critical assessment of the article. Presentation dates will be selected at the beginning of the semester. This course will also include two introductory faculty-led lectures on: (a) developing the skills and knowledge essential to understanding and critiquing research reports and (b) effectively communicating the relevant supporting material, results, and conclusions of primary research reports.
NUTR 272: Physical Activity, Nutrition and Health
Inadequate physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle are thought to be important causes of many of the major diseases of developed societies, including coronary artery disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, and arthritis. There has been an explosion of information over the past two decades on the health benefits of exercise. In addition, exercise and nutrition are closely linked, with each modifying the effects of the other. Athletes, for example, may have markedly increased needs for some nutrients, but not others. Exercise has potent effects on the metabolism of protein, energy, fat, and some micronutrients. In addition, exercise is an important form of oxidative stress, and the ability of nutrients to alter the effect of exercise is not well understood. Exercise and nutrition together offer an extremely powerful intervention for a variety of problems, including the frailty of aging, the wasting of AIDS, and the obesity that underlies most cases of diabetes and atherosclerosis. This course is designed to give students an understanding of the fundamental interactions between exercise and nutrition, and to offer students an opportunity to examine the application of nutrition to exercise and vice versa. Each lecture will also discuss how these factors are important in disease prevention, and where applicable, treatment.
NUTR 279: Globalization, Development and Humanitarianism: Ethics and Personal Transformation
This course challenges students to reflect on the moral and ethical ideas underpinning today's changing global interests and power. As we witness humanitarian crises and failed development efforts, we will consider ethical and moral values that support humanitarian and developmental interventions. We will consider the ethical implications that are inherent in the choice between justice and mercy, freedom and order and truth and loyalty. Students will analyze the moral and ethical underpinnings of ideas that promote new approaches to development and humanitarian action with a personal, academic and institutional perspective. Even as the world is coming closer together in the information age, divisions on the lines of regional, ethnic and religious identities continue to grow more pronounced and stark. This course will encourage students to articulate their personal beliefs and ethical values. As students move to become policy makers and stakeholders it is essential that they are grounded in an understanding of their own moral framework and also appreciate the differences that exist in their midst. Students will explore ideas of minimalist ethics, just wars, realists and liberal arguments around humanitarian and developmental intervention.
NUTR 297: Directed Study
Directed Study is a mechanism for a student to receive academic credit for work completed under the tutelage of a faculty member. This is generally done on a one-to-one basis with the student taking major responsibility for his/her progress. Research conducted in a laboratory during a Directed Study project can be either problem-oriented or technique-based. Directed Studies must be supervised by Friedman School faculty.
Students must register for a Directed Study using the online form
NUTR 298C: Summer Internship
See Office of Student Affairs for full information about this course/internship.
NRAK 300: Master's Thesis
Faculty will oversee the selection of, scope of, and mentoring for a thesis project. The thesis will consist of seven sections:
- introduction (statement and significance of an hypothesis to be tested, a research question to be addressed, or the framing of a meta-analysis;
- literature review;
- methods;
- thesis chapters or sections;
- conclusion;
- bibliography;
- appendix.
The thesis will be written up following a formal content template defined by the school.
NUTR 301: Nutrition in the Life Cycle
This course covers nutrition issues from preconception throughout life, with a particular emphasis on nutrition correlates of normal growth and development and on the consequences of under and over nutrition. It briefly considers the role of nutrition in the context of the normal physiologic changes that occur with aging.
NRAK 301: Emerging Topics in Nutrition Research
The syllabus for this course is under development; its form and content will depend on the number of students selecting the course and their interests (to be determined at the first residency). It will include the elements of human nutrition research taught using cutting edge research, the newest science and case studies, and will involve extensive student participation
NUTR 302: Risk and Disaster Management
This course (requiring advance reading and extensive participation in discussion) serves as a bridge between classes on nutrition in a developmental context and those focused on relief in complex emergencies. Manifestations of household and national vulnerability differ in these contexts, but only by a matter of degrees. Risks of individual nutrition failure are related to risks of household food security, which in turn relate to risks inherent in the physical, economic, cultural and political environment that is the backdrop to household behavior. The conditions that determine food and nutritional stresses persist in countries undergoing economic transformation and political unrest, but also in those ill equipped to cope with the stresses of globalization, increasing poverty, and declining public sector responsibility. Much international work involves being able to assess the potential risks and returns of alternative development strategies in such diverse contexts.
NUTR 303: Determinants of U.S. Food Policy
Focuses on government food-related programs from an economic and political perspective. Reviews the evolution of a range of policies and programs, analyzing their effects on the U.S. economy and on household consumption and the farm economy, as well as on food consumption at the national, household, and individual level. Existing policies and programs are related to the political and economic environment and to changing food consumption patterns in American society. Food assistance programs (e.g., Food Stamps), nutrition programs, food supply and agricultural price policies, and consumer protection and information are considered.
NUTR 304: Nutrition, Food Security, and Development
The aim of this course is to introduce current policy and development issues and debate, and to encourage critical analysis of conventional wisdom and generalizations. Focusing on complex interactions among local and global systems, the course seeks to prepare students for employment in the field of international development, be it as practitioners, analysts, teachers or writers. Alternative concepts, data and viewpoints will be explored on key problems in real contexts. Case studies will be drawn on experiences in countries as diverse as Ethiopia, Niger, Thailand, Vietnam, China and Peru. Class assignments: (a) Two short critiques of journal articles or donor policy statements, b) one individual or group presentation (30 minutes) on a current development problem and its potential solutions, and c) a more demanding paper assignment (10-12 pages) for the end of the semester. Grading will be based on the following structure: Paper assignment (35%), Class presentation (35%), Short critiques (30%). Active class participation is expected.
NUTR 305: Nutritional Epidemiology
This course is designed for graduate students at either the Master's or Ph.D. level, who are interested in conducting or better interpreting epidemiologic studies relating diet and nutrition to health and disease. There is an increasing awareness that various aspects of diet and nutrition may be important contributing factors in chronic disease. There are many important problems, however, in the implementation and interpretation of nutritional epidemiologic studies. The purpose of this course is to examine epidemiologic methodology in relation to nutritional measures, and to review the current state of knowledge regarding diet and other nutritional indicators as etiologic factors in disease. This course is designed to enable students to better conduct nutritional epidemiologic research and/or to better interpret the scientific literature in which diet or other nutritional indicators are factors under study.
NRAK 305: Nutritional Biochemistry with Community/Clinical Applications: Micronutrients
Second Semester of a Two-Semester Sequence.
Students will explore the fundamental roles of nutrients in biological systems and the implications of nutrient biological functions on food and nutrition policy. Particular emphasis will be placed on the function of nutrients as defined by their chemistry, interrelations among nutrient functions, mechanistic approaches in the analysis of nutrient-disease relationships, and recent advances in the basic sciences related to nutrition and nutrient function. The course will integrate examples of community, clinical and public health policy applications throughout each of the two terms. Published journal articles from the peer reviewed literature, case histories, and public policy documents will form the basis for critical review and discussion.
NUTR 306: Communicating Health Information to Diverse Audiences, Part B
A review and analysis of how nutrition and health issues are presented by the media. This course will reinforce concrete journalism skills and an understanding of the values and practices required of a competent and thoughtful writer and is structured around class discussions, selected readings, and writing and editing assignments. Classroom discussions and assignments will also focus on how to report controversial issues in nutrition and health.
NUTR 307: Regression Analysis for Nutrition Policy
Part two of a one-year, two-semester course sequence in statistics. This course is intended for students whose main focus is non-experimental or survey-based research. The course covers non-experimental research design, simple linear regression, multiple regression, analysis of variance, non-linear functional forms, heteroskedasticity, complex survey designs, and real-world statistical applications in nutrition science and policy. Students will make extensive use of Stata for Windows.
NOTE: Students cannot receive credit for both NUTR 307 and its second semester counterpart NUTR 309.
NUTR 308: Nutrition in Complex Emergencies
Required for students enrolled in the Master of Arts in Humanitarian Assistance Program. This course will examine the central role and importance of food and nutrition in complex emergencies. The implications of this for nutrition assessment, policy development, program design and implementation will be examined. This will provide an understanding of; the nutritional outcomes of emergencies (malnutrition, morbidity and mortality); and also the causes of malnutrition and mortality in emergencies (the process and dynamics of an emergency). The course will also develop a broader range of management skills needed in relation to humanitarian response initiatives.
NUTR 309: Statistical Methods for Nutrition Research II
Part two of a one-year, two-semester course covering descriptive statistics, graphical displays, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, t test, chi-square test, nonparametric tests, multiple linear regression, multiple logistic regression, experimental design, multi-factor and multiple comparisons procedures. Students will make extensive use of SPSS for Windows.
NOTE: Students cannot receive credit for both NUTR 309 and NUTR 307.
LAB: Students must sign up for one of three lab sections, time/locations TBA
NUTR 310: Qualitative Research Methods for Nutrition
This course teaches principles and practical skills of quantitative inquiry in an interactive seminar format. Participants will learn how to design and carry out qualitative research by drawing on weekly background readings and writings, critical case-study discussions, and practical class exercises, and also through design, implementation, and reflective evaluation of a local research project that involves practical, hands-on experience. This project utilizes an anthropological perspective and engages ethnographic methods leading to development of critical theories based on grounded evidence and interpretation. It assumes that students already have exposure to some teaching of research methods in social sciences. The course focuses on designing and conducting a qualitative research project on a particular issue. Class members collaborate as an interdisciplinary team in this inquiry. Weekly exercises include designing the project, field-note documentation, participant observation, in-depth interviews, focus groups and visual methods, and software-based qualitative analysis.
NUTR 311: Nutrition Data Analysis
This course will cover knowledge of advanced Stata statistical computing, data base construction, error detection and correction; creation of composite variables; descriptive statistics; univariate analyses, including ANOVA, regression, and factor analysis; and the construction of scales and factor scores. Students pose a research question, identify appropriate statistical techniques for answering the research question, perform the analyses and report on the results in an article suitable for publication in an academic journal. Advanced Stata programming will be taught in weekly hands on lab sessions.
NUTR 312: Nutrition and Chronic Disease
This course covers issues in modern nutrition, public health and chronic disease. We will focus on the major non-infectious diseases present in Western countries that are caused by modifiable lifestyle choices and the role that diet plays in maintenance of health and the risk of chronic diseases.
NUTR 313: Nutritional Assessment
This course will provide an overview of the common nutritional and food security assessment tools. Laboratory and field methods for population wide nutritional deficiency assessment, nutritional screening and surveillance, dietary assessment, hunger and food security as well as diet diversity and food group indices will be examined. Clinical methods including body composition, biochemical and clinical factors related to macro and micronutrient deficiency will be discussed. Using practical training and demonstrations students will learn how to select and apply these methods in program-based or research-based settings. Issues of validity and reliability of these methods will be addressed mainly in the context of strengths and limitations of each method. At the end of the course, students should have some familiarity with the common nutritional assessment techniques as well as their practical applications at the individual and population wide levels.
NUTR 314: Design of Epidemiologic Studies for Nutrition Research
This course examines epidemiological principles of study design for nutrition research. Focuses primarily on valid, efficient, and ethical methods for studying relationships between nutritional exposures and chronic disease. Includes written assignments and oral presentations requiring the application of design principles to specific research questions.
NUTR 315: Applied Nutritional Biochemistry
This course will focus on human nutrition and metabolism. Emphasis will be placed on the biological ramifications of altering substrate load and essential nutrients caused by intended and unintended changes in dietary intake. The functional and regulatory roles of macronutrients and micronutrients will be stressed. Additional components of the course will include integrating nutrition policy with nutrition science.
Students will be guided in connecting the lay and scientific literature in the areas of biochemistry and nutrition, and exploring how each informs the other. Opportunities will be available for preparing short written reports and oral presentations on contemporary research issues related to the essential nutrients and current topics. Current challenges in the field of nutrition will be related to the lecture material.
NRAK 316: Advanced Medical Nutrition Therapy
This course aims to expand student's knowledge on a variety of common pathophysiological conditions and integrate this knowledge with the intervention of clinical nutrition therapies. Students will begin by learning about the basic or core elements of medical nutritional therapy. These include nutritional assessment, which incorporates the use of anthropometric, biochemical and clinical data to determine nutritional status. Particular emphasis is placed on understanding energy expenditure and body composition and their components, and how these may change during physiological stress or illness. Students then learn about enteral and parenteral nutrition and fundamental aspects of nutrition support. These core elements are then applied in the study of various disease states and clinical nutrition therapy. Students also have the opportunity to explore diet and disease in a approved area of their interest through written and oral presentation.
NUTR 316: Advanced Medical Nutrition Therapy
Nutritional biochemistry and physiology as related to selected pathophysiological conditions, with attention paid specifically to dietary assessment and various indices of nutritional status. Conditions with particular relevance to clinical nutrition are emphasized.
NUTR 317: Positive Deviance for Behavior Change: A Course for Practitioners
Positive Deviance provides a unique approach for solving problems that require social or behavioral change. At its heart is the belief that in every community there are a few individuals – "positive deviants" – whose uncommon practices or behaviors enable them to outperform or find better solutions to pervasive problems than their neighbors with whom they share the same resource base. Identifying the positive deviants' special practices/behaviors reveals hidden resources already present in the environment, from which it is possible to devise solutions to pervasive community problems, solutions that are sustainable as well as cost-effective. Students will read and discuss positive deviance and behavior change literature, review and critique studies and programs, and design and carry out positive deviance inquiries in the Boston area. Grading is Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U). Course enrollment is limited to 12.
NUTR 318: Statistical Methods for Epidemiology
This course focuses on the identification of confounding, effect modification and bias in epidemiological data. Methods of control of confounding for continuous, categorical and time to event data will be explored. Topics include analysis of data from normal, binomial and Poisson distributions, logistic and Poisson regression, and survival analysis using actuarial, Kaplan-Meier and Cox’ proportional hazards, correlated data analysis, generalized estimating equations, and the mixed model. The art and science of statistical modeling and data reduction will be introduced. The course emphasizes practical application and makes extensive use of the SAS programming language.
NUTR 319: Intermediate Epidemiology
Intermediate Epidemiology exposes students to a variety of key concepts and methods when carrying out epidemiologic studies and teaches students applied skills in analyzing epidemiologic data and interpreting study findings appropriately. This course includes a 2-hour lecture session followed by a 1-hour lab session. The lecture session will present epidemiologic methods and concepts beyond the Principles of Epidemiology, and review relevant statistical methods and their applications in epidemiologic studies. The lab session will prepare students with practical skills in conducting and analyzing epidemiologic studies using SAS. The lab session will be taught in a computer lab equipped with SAS.
NUTR 320: Nutritional Impact on the Immune System and Related Diseases
This special topics course will review the impact of various nutrients (in both deficient and supplemental states) on maintaining the homeostasis of the immune system during physiological and pathological states as well as during different developmental stages of life. The implications for disease development and/or prevention will be discussed. Special emphasis will be given to understanding the mechanism of nutrients' effect on the immune system at biochemical, molecular and cellular levels. The role of nutrient status in maintaining "optimal" immune function and "disease prevention" and its implications for determining the recommended dietary allowance will be discussed.
NUTR 321: Dietary Antioxidants and Degenerative Diseases
This course will discuss the role of dietary antioxidants and pro-oxidants on the pathogenesis of degenerative diseases at molecular, cellular and whole body level. The balance of pro-oxidants-antioxidants on free radical generation, lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, DNA damage and cell injury will be reviewed in the context of chronic and acute diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheime''s disease. This course emphasizes the role of dietary antioxidant vitamins E and C, carotenoids, polyphenols, selenium, iron, zinc and copper on oxidative stress and antioxidant defense mechanisms.
NUTR 324: Humanitarian Studies in the Field
This course will offer a practical and in-depth analysis of the complex issues and skills needed to engage in humanitarian work in field settings. Through presentations offered by the faculty of the Humanitarian Studies Initiative and guest speakers who are experts in their topic areas, students will gain familiarity with the primary frameworks in the humanitarian field (human rights, livelihoods, Sphere standards, international humanitarian law) and will focus on practical issues that arise in the field, such as rapid public health assessments, field cluster sampling techniques, application of minimum standards for food security, and operational approaches to relations with the military in humanitarian settings.
NUTR 325: Science Based Interventions for Child Malnutrition
This course will build on current knowledge and translation of nutrition science basis for interactions for prevention and treatment of child malnutrition (wasting and stunting) in developing countries. The emphasis will be on protein quality, micronutrient content especially iron, Vitamin A, zinc, folate and essential fatty acids. Current interventions will be analyzed and discussed in this manner with emphasis on criteria for effectiveness studies.
NUTR 326: International Food and Agricultural Trade
Nutrition 326 will allow fourth-semester Friedman students to examine the impact of international food and agriculture trade on food security outcomes, rural livelihoods, food safety, value-chain organization, consumption and food-related health outcomes, the environment, etc. in a seminar style format. The semester will begin with an introduction to international trade theories and market models; international trade institutions and the multilateral and bilateral agreements that regulate food trade; and international agricultural commodity markets. The effects of border interventions, domestic support policies, and exchange rates on food and agricultural markets will be explored. The role of domestic and multilateral governance of trade-related food regulations (labeling, risk assessment measures, etc.) will also be discussed. Problem sets will familiarize students with tariff and non-tariff border interventions and their impacts, and the effects of exchange rates on agricultural prices, comparative advantage, and production. The semester will include a trade negotiation simulation exercise.
NUTR 327: Food Systems
Food Systems represents a form of capstone course with a discussion format. Students will provide input into selection of topics that they will focus and present on. The course primarily addresses food system structures and components, with an emphasis on sustainability – spanning agriculture, environment, power and economics, values and ethics, food security, food sovereignty, and food choices. Topics of concentration may cover contemporary issues and can include food miles and 'foodprints'; climate change; greening vs. greenwashing; ethics of eating meat and using bottled water; and eating sustainably. We will also examine the global political economy of the food system, and approaches to understanding and influencing food system change. Common terminology used in food systems and sustainability discourses are clarified. Classes will emphasize student presentations on components of the food system; student-led discussions of readings; and group exercises/debates. Assignments will include research-based projects focusing on food system change. This class is suitable for second year students, or for first year students with grounding in food systems literature and/or relevant experience (to be approved by the instructor).
NUTR 328: Understanding Nutrition Science Using Systematic Review and Meta Analysis
Nutrition is an increasingly important topic for clinical medicine and public health policy. An unbiased assessment of the scientific literature is critical when formulating public health policy, allocating health care resources, reviewing and approving health claims, counseling patients who have varying biological needs and comorbidities, and targeting scarce research dollars. The large body of scientific literature, often with seemingly conflicting results, presents a formidable challenge to those making these decisions. This course will focus on the methods and uses of systematic reviews and meta-analyses for nutrition studies and their applications to the field of nutrition.
NUTR 333: Agricultural Science and Policy (II)
Second part of a two-semester sequence required of AFE students. This course covers the major biological, chemical and physical components of agricultural systems. Each is discussed from the viewpoints of both the underlying natural processes and principles, and their significance for major agricultural, food safety, and environmental policy issues in the US today. In this second semester, the topics are best management practices, livestock systems, food systems, climate change and bio-energy. Major policy issues associated with these areas include protecting groundwater from nitrogen contamination; regulating and monitoring pesticide use; regulating agricultural biotechnology; and regulating "factory" animal production.
NUTR 335: Senior Clinical Rotations
Required of senior standing students enrolled in the Combined Dietetic Internship/Masters Degree program. Grading is Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.
NUTR 336: Nutritional Genomics and Epigenomics
The course, which consists of two modules, Nutritional Genomics and Nutritional Epigenomics, will offer a state of science approach to unravel the effects of diet on health. In the Nutritional Genomics module, students will learn how nutrients affect gene expression, how nutrients and genes interact, and how nutrients affect the process of diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome through genetic mechanism. The Nutritional Epigenomics module will provide the most recent knowledge regarding epigenetic phenomenon, a mechanism that alters gene expression without genetic changes, how nutrients affect epigenetic phenomena, and how nutrients affect physiologic and pathologic processes such as embryonic development, aging, and cancer by modifying epigenetic phenomena.
NUTR 341: Economics of Agriculture and the Environment
This course is highly recommended for AFE students and any Friedman student with an interest in economic aspects of the food/environment interface. In this class we will be studying a broad range of environmental and natural resource problems through the tools and concepts of microeconomics - the social science that deals with balancing our (seemingly unlimited) wants and needs within the limitations of our personal, social, and natural environments. It therefore provides useful frameworks for considering issues such as how we protect and use our land, forests, and oceans; the impact of climate change on food production; societal investment in land, water, and soil quality; and how private and social incentives can help overcome market failures. Economic aspects of environmental and agricultural policies will be a major focus.
NUTR 370: Nutritional Biochemistry and Physiology: Macronutrients
Required of all students in the Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition and Nutritional Epidemiology programs. The course will expand understanding of the biological roles of nutrients and their metabolism using basic knowledge in physiology, biochemistry, cell biology and molecular biology. It will integrate information on the roles of macronutrients in nutrition and health especially on their relationship to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer, as well as provide a forum for discussing the experimental approaches to studying macronutrient metabolism and function. NUTR 370 is an advanced course in the nutrition sciences and will cover topics related to carbohydrates and energy metabolism, fiber, protein and amino acids, and lipids. Students are expected to be familiar with the material covered in NUTR 202, as well as the biochemistry and physiology courses offered at Tufts.
NUTR 371: Nutritional Biochemistry and Physiology: Micronutrients
Required of all students in the Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition and Nutritional Epidemiology programs, NUTR 371 is an advanced course in nutritional sciences. Nutr 371 will cover topics related to minerals, watersoluble micronutrients and fat-soluble micronutrients. Students are expected to be familiar with the material covered in an introductory nutrition course, as well as the biochemistry and physiology courses.
NUTR 397: Directed Study
Directed Study is a mechanism for a student to receive academic credit for work completed under the tutelage of a faculty member. This is generally done on a one-to-one basis with the student taking major responsibility for his/her progress. Research conducted in a laboratory during a Directed Study project can be either problem-oriented or technique-based. Directed Studies must be supervised by Friedman School faculty.
Students must register for a Directed Study using the online form.
NUTR 399: Doctoral Candidacy Preparation
Students should register for this course while preparing for the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination in order to remain in active status. Full time equivalent – grading is Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.
NUTR 401: Advanced Analytic Methods for Nutrition Policy Research
This course teaches advanced methods for food and nutrition policy research. A central theme is the difficulty of inferring causation using non-experimental data, because of "omitted" or "confounding" factors. We focus on four strategies for addressing omitted variables: a) proxy variables, b) the "difference-in-differences" approach, c) simple models for panel data (fixed effects and random effects), and d) instrumental variables (two-stage least squares). We also address methods for solving the most frequently encountered data problems, such as multicollinearity, complex survey design, and outliers. Most methods are drawn from the field of econometrics, but they are chosen for their likely usefulness for social science research more generally. Using examples of real nutrition policy research questions in the United States and around the world, the course demonstrates the use of advanced analytic methods for defensible and convincing policy analysis.
Not offered Spring 2012
NUTR 403: Ph.D. Thesis Only
All doctoral students must register for NUTR403 every semester to remain in active and full time status (full time equivalent.) Grading is Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.
NUTR 404: Food and Nutrition Policy Doctoral Research Seminar
This seminar is designed to offer doctoral students a forum for discussing issues, methodologies, and research findings at a higher plane of analysis. Will represent a venue for in-depth, cross-disciplinary exploration of challenging topics. Under the direction of one or more faculty members, students will be expected to facilitate topic discussions and guide each other's research, evaluate methods, and critique research findings, often in fields outside of nutrition. Students will be actively challenged to explore cutting-edge topics in innovative ways. The seminar offers students an opportunity to apply new methodologies or insights directly to their own work and return to the seminar at different stages of preparation for further review. In addition, students will develop more presentational skills, and learn the art of giving and receiving constructive criticism. Grading is Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.
NOTE: FPAN PH.D. REQUIREMENT. Food Policy and Applied Nutrition doctoral candidates are required to fulfill at least two semesters during the period of their doctoral program; participation by FPAN doctoral students beyond the requirement two is strongly encouraged. Strongly recommended for doctoral students in the (former) World Hunger, US Food and Nutrition Issues programs and AFE program. Other doctoral students are welcome.
NUTR 497: Directed Study
Directed Study is a mechanism for a student to receive academic credit for work completed under the tutelage of a faculty member. This is generally done on a one-to-one basis with the student taking major responsibility for his/her progress. Research conducted in a laboratory during a Directed Study project can be either problem-oriented or technique-based. Directed Studies must be supervised by Friedman School faculty
Students must register for a Directed Study using the online form
NUTR 501: Research Practicum
Required of Post-Doctoral and Training Grant Fellows. Grading is Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.
CRES 530: Advanced Topics in Biostatistics
This course provides background and experience in applying advanced statistical methods in clinical research. Topics in the course include hierarchical mixed models, growth curves, propensity scores and instrumental variables, missing data methods, modeling large array data, time series, competing risk survival models, and Bayesian methods. The course provides students with the statistical foundations of these methods and their applications in clinical research.
HCOM 544: Professional Communication
Professional Communication provides graduate students in nutrition communication with an opportunity to develop skills in the public speaking arena. The course explains the basic concepts, theories, and principles of oral communication as applied to diverse speaking situations. Through practice and critical analysis of skills, students develop competence in oral communication. Students explore the discovery and arrangement of ideas, speech formats (narrative, informative, and persuasive) and styles (formal to informal), audience analysis, the use of evidence and reasoning to support claims, and ethical considerations in communication. Since individuals often enter the health professions without adequate speaking training, this course provides students with valuable skills applicable to future careers in nutrition communication.



