All Courses

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 Trunk, Tufts' learning management system. You can take this course from anywhere as long as you have a reliable internet connection (broadband highly recommended). While online courses are flexible and afford students an opportunity to do course work on their schedule, 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/

Course Syllabus and Calendar

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 Syllabus on Google Docs

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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, microscopy, imaging techniques and bioinformatics. Background web-based assignments will form the basis of a weekly quiz given at the beginning of each class. Discussion of the quiz will occupy the bulk of actual class time, with student participation and creativity contributing significantly to student’s grade. This is a required course for all Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition Students.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

With the human population expected to exceed 9 billion by 2050, how will we meet the increasing demand for food in an ecologically sustainable way? Historically, rapid increases in yield have been a result of advances in three main technologies: (1) genetic improvement; (2) use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers; and (3) expanded irrigation. Each of these technological advances, however, has limitations or has led to significant environmental degradation. There is an urgent need for new approaches to food production without destroying the environment.

In this interdisciplinary seminar, we will examine the pros and cons of two divergent approaches to meeting this food demand: organic farming and genetic engineering. Using contrasting crops grown in developing and industrialized countries as case studies, we will evaluate: (1) how ecological knowledge makes food production more sustainable; (2) what existing and emerging approaches can, in the face of climate change, contribute to a reliable supply of nutritious food; and (3) the political and economic drivers that shape who has access to these technologies. We will also explore stakeholder-specific perspectives (growers, advocacy groups, industry, governmental agencies), as well as develop important communication skills for negotiating these different perspectives.

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.

This course will not be offered in Fall 2012.

See Office of Student Affairs for full information about this course/internship.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This course, run jointly with Harvard and MIT, offers a practical training in the complex issues and skills needed to engage in humanitarian work. Students will gain familiarity with the concepts and standards for humanitarian work and will focus on practical skills, such as rapid public health assessments, GIS mapping, and operational approaches to relations with the military in humanitarian settings. The course includes a separate three-day intensive field simulation (April 26-28) of a humanitarian crisis in late April. A $300 one-time fee is charged to cover camping gear hire, food, and other equipment costs.

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.

This course provides an advanced introduction to anthropological theory and methods designed for food and nutrition science and policy graduate students. Section 1 covers anthropology's four-field modes of inquiry, cross-cutting theoretical approaches and thematic interest groups, their respective institutions and intellectual concerns. Section 2 demonstrates applications of these concepts and methods to cutting-edge food and nutrition issues. Assignments and activities incorporate background readings, related discussions, and short writing assignments, plus an anthropological literature review on a focused food and nutrition project, relevant to their particular interests. The course overall encourages critical thinking and scientific assessment of anthropology's evidence base, analytical tools, logic, and meaning-making, in the context of contributions to multi-disciplinary research and policy teams.

Required of senior standing students enrolled in the Combined Dietetic Internship/Masters Degree program. Grading is Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

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.  

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.

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.

All doctoral students must register for NUTR403 every semester to remain in active and full time status (full time equivalent.) Grading is Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

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

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.

This course will address the impact of nutrition on aging and the impact of aging on nutrient needs. The human population is experiencing a dramatic increase in the number of elderly worldwide, due to socioeconomic improvements, and advances in science and technology, medicine and nutrition. Accordingly, it is of primary importance to determine both the nutritional needs of the elderly and to adequately determine long-term nutrient needs that will prevent or ameliorate nutrition-related chronic diseases. Topics will include changes in body composition and their adverse effects such as frailty and sarcopenia, controversies about healthy weights for older persons, roles of micronutrients in ameliorating age-related deterioration in bone health and immune function, and nutrients that may prevent cognitive decline. Approaches to maximizing healthy aging from physiological and sociologic aspects of these problems will be presented.