Graduate Courses for Nutrition and Food Science (NFSC)

Schedule of Classes: Fall | Winter | Spring | Summer
(Only current and next semester available)

NFSC 403 Medicinal and Poisonous Plants (2 credits)
Prerequisites: BSCI105 and CHEM104.
A study of plants important to humans that have medicinal or poisonous properties. Emphasis on plant source, plant description, the active agent and its beneficial or detrimental physiological action and effects.

NFSC 410 Nutritional Genomics (3 credits)
Prerequisite: NFSC440 or permission of department.
The emerging discipline of nutritional genomics, also known as nutrigenomics, is the study of effects of diet on the activity of an individual's genes and health, and the study of how different genetic variations affect nutrient metabolism. This course is designed to acquaint the students with current concepts, knowledge and strategies for understanding nutritional genomics.

NFSC 412 Food Processing Technology (4 credits)
Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisites: CHEM241/CHEM242; NFSC414; NFSC431; and NFSC434. Corequisites: NFSC421 and NFSC423. Recommended: MATH220.
Provides in-depth study of the major industrial modes of food preservation. It integrates aspects of the biology, microbiology, biochemistry and engineering disciplines as they relate to food processing technology and food science.

NFSC 414 Mechanics of Food Processing (4 credits)
Three hours of lecture and one hour of laboratory per week. Prerequisite: PHYS121. Credit will be granted for only one of the following: ENBE414 or NFSC414. Formerly ENBE414.
Applications in the processing and preservation of foods, of power transmission, hydraulics, electricity, thermodynamics, refrigeration, instruments and controls, materials handling and time and motion analysis.

NFSC 421 Food Chemistry (3 credits)
Prerequisite: BCHM461.
Basic chemical and physical concepts are applied to the composition and properties of foods. Emphasis on the relationship of processing technology to the keeping quality, nutritional value, and acceptability of foods.

NFSC 422 Food Product Research and Development (3 credits)
One hour of lecture and four hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisite: permission of department. Senior standing. For FDSC majors only. Formerly FDSC422.
A capstone course for FDSC majors. A study of the research and development of new food products. Application of food technology, engineering, safety and packaging are integrated by teams of students to develop a new food product from concept to pilot plant scale-up. Students will travel to nearby food processing plants on two to four Saturdays during the semester.

NFSC 423 Food Chemistry Laboratory (3 credits)
Four hours of laboratory per week. Pre- or corequisite: NFSC421.
Analysis of the major and minor constituents of food using chemical, physical and instrumental methods in concordance with current food industry and regulatory practices. Laboratory exercises coincide with lecture subjects in NFSC421.

NFSC 425 International Nutrition (3 credits)
Prerequisite: course in basic nutrition.
Nutritional status of world population; consequences of malnutrition on health and mental development; and local, national, and international programs for nutritional improvement.

NFSC 430 Food Microbiology (3 credits)
Prerequisite: BSCI233 or equivalent. Also offered as ANSC430. Credit will be granted for only one of the following: ANSC430. Formerly FDSC430.
A study of microorganisms of major importance to the food industry with emphasis on food-borne outbreaks, public health significance, bioprocessing of foods, disease control, and the microbial spoilage of foods.

NFSC 431 Food Quality Control (4 credits)
Three hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory per week.
Definition and organization of the quality control function in the food industry; preparation of specifications; statistical methods for acceptance sampling; in-plant and processed product inspection. Instrumental and sensory methods for evaluating sensory quality, identity and wholesomeness and their integration into grades and standards of quality. Statistical Process Control (SPC).

NFSC 434 Food Microbiology Laboratory (3 credits)
One hour of lecture and five hours of laboratory per week. Pre- or corequisite: NFSC430. Also offered as ANSC434. Credit will be granted for only one of the following: NFSC434 or ANSC434. Formerly FDSC434.
A study of techniques and procedures used in the microbiological examination of foods.

NFSC 440 Advanced Human Nutrition (4 credits)
Four hours of lecture per week. Prerequisites: NFSC100 or NFSC200; and BCHM462; and BSCI440.
A critical study of physiologic, molecular and metabolic influences on utilization of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, macro-and micro- minerals, and nonnutritive components of food. Interactions of these nutrients and food components will be examined relative to maintaining health.

NFSC 450 Food and Nutrient Analysis (3 credits)
One hour of lecture and four hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisites: NFSC100 or NFSC200; and BCHM461. Formerly NUTR450.
Methods and practices of the analysis of foods and nutrients. An overview of the principles and basic mechanisms used in many of the analytical procedures commonly used in food and nutrition research. Emphasis will be placed on hands-on development of skills necessary to complete each analytical procedure; and on the accurate and concise description of the methodology and results from their application and on the regulations governing food analysis for nutritional labeling.

NFSC 460 Medical Nutrition Therapy (4 credits)
Three hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisites: NFSC380 and NFSC440. Formerly NUTR460.
Modifications of the normal adequate diet to meet human nutritional needs in acute and chronic diseases and metabolic disorders.

NFSC 468 Practicum in Nutrition (1-6 credits)
Prerequisite: permission of department. Repeatable to 6 credits if content differs. Formerly NUTR468.
In-service training and practical experience in the application of the principles of normal and/or therapeutic nutrition in an approved community agency, clinical facility or nutrition research laboratory.

NFSC 470 Community Nutrition (3 credits)
Two hours of lecture and three hours of discussion/recitation per week. Prerequisites: NFSC100 or NFSC200; and NFSC315. Formerly NUTR470.
Perspectives underlying the practice of nutrition services in community settings. Assessment of needs, program planning and evaluation. Programs and strategies to meet nutrition needs outside the acute care setting, such as nutrition education and food assistance. National nutrition policy and federal initiatives in nutrition will be examined. Students will be required to travel to local community nutrition sites during the semester.

NFSC 490 Special Problems in Nutrition (2-3 credits)
Prerequisites: NFSC440 and permission of department.
Individually selected problems in the area of human nutrition.

NFSC 491 Issues and Problems in Dietetics (3 credits)
Five hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: NFSC350 and permission of department. Corequisite: NFSC460. Senior standing. For DIET majors only.
A capstone course for dietetics majors. Students will integrate knowledge and theory of nutrition, food, management, psychology, and social behaviors necessary to support quality dietetic practice. Working in teams, students will participate in case studies, simulated situations and community projects. Individuals and groups will present cases as well as papers on published research.

NFSC 498 Selected Topics (1-3 credits)
Prerequisite: permission of department. Repeatable to 6 credits if content differs.
Selected current aspects of food.

NFSC 501 Food Safety Risk Management (3 credits)
A critical study of the role of risk management in providing science-based approaches in solving food safety problems. Several models and practical applications in critical risk management activities will be examined: identifying problems and issues; establishing objectives, determining if and when a risk management is needed as well as formulating, evaluating, and implementing the best option to manage risk.

NFSC 502 Food Safety Risk Assessment (3 credits)
Prerequisite: NFSC501.
To study the theory, methodology, and mainstream risk assessment models with emphasis on state-of-the-art guidelines and an examination of actual risk assessment that include post- and pre-market assessment utilizing the safety paradigm, biotechnology, carcinogenicity, and nutritional risk/benefit assessment, as well as microbiological, anitimicrobial resistance, animal drug, and food defense risk assessment.

NFSC 503 Qualitative & Quantitative Methods in Food Safety Risk Assessment (3 credits)
Prerequisite: NFSC502.
To examine methods necessary for characterizing, evaluating, and comparing food safety risks. To present screening and ranking tools useful in qualitative assessments. To examine quantitative modeling consideratins such as probablility, sensitivity analysis, uncertainty, and variability. To test methods such as event trees, probabilistic scenarios anaylsis, and Monte Carlo methods. Simple risk models suitable for responding to risk managers' needs will be developed using qualitative and quantitative tools.

NFSC 605 Food-Related Behavior of the Individual (3 credits)
Prerequisite: permission of department. Formerly FOOD670.
Examination of the factors that influence food-related behavior and of the research methods used.

NFSC 610 Molecular Gerontology (3 credits)
Prerequisite: BCHM461 or BCHM463; or equivalent; or permission of department. Recommended: BCHM462 or BCHM465.
This course is designed to acquaint the students with current knowledge of the molecular aspect of the aging process, with focuses on the genome, mechanisms of age-related degeneration, and molecular nutrition.

NFSC 615 Maternal and Infant Nutrition (3 credits)
Prerequisite: NFSC 460 or equivalent, or permission of department. Formerly NUTR615.
Current literature concerning the importance of diet during pregnancy and infancy on the health of the mother and infant. Physiological and biochemical changes during pregnancy and infancy, current issues in infant feeding, such as possible effects of diet during infancy on obesity and degenerative diseases in later life, and current public health programs designed to serve pregnant women and infants.

NFSC 630 Nutritional Aspects of Energy Balance (3 credits)
Formerly NUTR630.
The prevalence and basic causes of caloric imbalance, along with a wide variety of approaches to weight control.

NFSC 631 Advanced Food Microbiology (3 credits)
Prerequisite: NFSC430 or permission of instructor. Formerly FDSC631.
One lecture and one laboratory period a week. An in-depth understanding and working knowledge of a selected number of problem areas and contemporary topics in food microbiology.

NFSC 650 Nutrition and Public Health (2 credits)
Prerequisite: NFSC 470 or permission of department.
Overview of the major policy debates involving nutrition and health in the U.S. Public Health System associated with nutrition, chronic disease and nutrition lifestyle stages will be discussed. The CDCynergy software program will facilitate the development of program design, implementation and evaluation skills.

NFSC 655 Nutrition, Food and Public Policy (3 credits)
Formerly NUTR655.
History and current status of legislation relative to nutrition and food. Focus on gaining insights and skills regarding working effectively in the area of nutrition and policy.

NFSC 660 Research Methods (3 credits)
Prerequisite: a statistics course. Formerly NUTR 660.
A study of appropriate research methodology and theories including experimental design. Each student is required to develop a specimen research proposal.

NFSC 675 Nutritional Epidemiology (3 credits)
Prerequisite: BIOM 401, NFSC 440. Corequisite: BIOM 602. Formerly NUTR675.
Discussion of definition, history, relevance, and application of nutritional epidemiology to national and international nutrition problems. Exposure to skills and methodological tools used in nutritional epidemiology. Practical examples of epidemiologic studies also performed.

NFSC 678 Selected Topics in Nutrition (1-6 credits)
Repeatable to 6 credits. Formerly NUTR678.
Individual or group study in an area of nutrition.

NFSC 679 Selected Topics in Food Science (1-6 credits)
Repeatable to 6 credits if content differs.
Individual or group study in an area of food science.

NFSC 680 Human Nutritional Status (3 credits)
Two hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisites: advanced nutrition, biochemistry and physiology..
Indirect and direct methods of appraisal of human nutritional status which include: dietary, anthropometric, clinical evaluations and biochemical measures.

NFSC 688 Seminar in Nutrition (1-3 credits)
Repeatable to 3 credits. Formerly NUTR688.
A study in depth of a selected phase of nutrition.

NFSC 689 Seminar in Food Science (1-3 credits)
Formerly FDSC689.
Studies of selected phases of food science.

NFSC 690 Nutrition and Aging (3 credits)
Prerequisite: NFSC440, BSCI440 or equivalent. Not open to students who have completed NFSC678E.
Explore the nutrition needs of older adults and examine the potential impact of the physiological, social and psychological changes that occur with aging on the needs.

NFSC 698 Colloquium in Food Science (1 credits)
Formerly FDSC698.
Oral reports on special topics or recently published research in food science and technology. Distinguished scientists are invited as guest lecturers. A maximum of three credits allowed for the M.S.

NFSC 699 Problems in Nutrition and Food Science (1-4 credits)
Prerequisite: CHEM 461 or permission of department. Formerly FDSC 699 and NUTR 699.
Credit according to time scheduled and magnitude of problem. An experimental program on a topic other than the student's thesis problem will be conducted. Four credits shall be the maximum allowed toward an advanced degree.

NFSC 799 Master's Thesis Research (1-6 credits)
Formerly FDSC 799, NUSC 799 and NUTR 799.
First and second semesters. Credit in proportion to work done and results accomplished. Investigation in some phases of foodservice administration which may form the basis of a thesis. results in the form of a thesis.

NFSC 888 Doctoral Seminar (1 credits)
Prerequisite: permission of department. Formerly NUTR 888.
Discussion of current research related to nutrition. Presentations by doctoral students, faculty and visiting speakers.

NFSC 898 Pre-Candidacy Research (1-8 credits)
Formerly NUSC898.
First and second semesters. Oral reports on special topics or recently published research in nutrition. Distinguished scientists are invited as guest lecturers. A maximum of three credits allowed for the M.S.

NFSC 899 Doctoral Dissertation Research (1-8 credits)
Formerly FDSC 899, NUSC 899, and NUTR 899.