Syllabus for BIO-2080

The Science of Nutrition

Course Description

The Science of Nutrition is designed to provide students with the foundational knowledge of basic nutritional science. This includes an understanding of the function of the chemical components of foods, including nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and water, and their role in human metabolism. Information on food selection, diet, and health will also be investigated.

Topics

Nutrients and their role in biologic function.
Energy production and metabolism.
Relationship between nutrition and chronic disease.
Self-assessment of nutritional status.

Course Objectives

After completing this course, you should be able to:

CO 1 Explain the importance of science-based dietary guidelines, dietary assessment, and understanding food labeling in achieving a healthy society.

CO 2 Identify the vitamins and minerals and the role they play in human biological function.

CO 3 Explain the basic structure and function of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in human nutrition.

CO 4 Describe the steps involved in metabolism and the consequences of consuming too much or obtaining too little energy.

CO 5 Discuss the nutritional needs of special populations, including infants, pregnant women, and those with chronic disease conditions.

CO 6 Conduct a personal dietary analysis that includes self-reflection and recommendations.

Study Materials

You will need the following materials to complete your coursework. Some course materials may be free, open source, or available from other providers. You can access free or open-source materials by clicking the links provided below or in the module details documents. Please visit the following website to purchase course materials: University's textbook supplier.

Required Textbook

Zimmerman, M., & Snow, B. (2012). An introduction to nutrition.

Read online or download the PDF chapters.
An Introduction to Nutrition by Maureen Zimmerman and Beth Snow is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0, a derivative from the original work.

Note: The required textbook is a free, open-source textbook which you may access online and/or save as a PDF.

Course Structure

The Science of Nutrition is a 3-credit, online course consisting of 6 modules. Modules include an overview, topics, learning objectives, study materials, and activities. Module titles are listed below.

Module 1: Nutrition, Science, and a Healthy Society
Course objectives covered in this module: CO 1.
Module 2: Digestion and Absorption of Nutrients
Course objectives covered in this module: CO 1, CO 4.
Module 3: Macronutrients: Carbohydrates, Fats, and Proteins
Course objectives covered in this module: CO 3.
Module 4: Water, Vitamins, and Minerals
Course objectives covered in this module: CO 2.

Module 5: Energy Balance and Healthy Body Composition
Course objectives covered in this module: CO 4.

Module 6: Diet and Health
Course objectives covered in this module: CO 1, CO 5.

Assessment Methods

You are required to participate in the following for formal work in the course:

Write online discussion forum posts.
Complete written assignments.
Take online quizzes.
Take a proctored midterm exam.
Take a proctored final exam.

See below for details.

Consult the Course Calendar for due dates.

Promoting Originality

One or more of your course activities may utilize a tool designed to promote original work and evaluate your submissions for plagiarism. More information about this tool is available in this Plagiarism Detection Tool Google document.

Discussion Forums

You are required to complete 5 discussion forums. The discussion forums are on a variety of topics based on the course modules. A grading rubric for the discussion forums can be found within the Evaluation Rubrics folder in Moodle.

Written Assignments

You are required to complete 6 written assignments. The written assignments are on a variety of topics associated with the course modules. Grading rubrics for the written assignments can be found within the Evaluation Rubrics folder in Moodle.

Module Quizzes

You are required to complete 6 module quizzes. Each quiz will consist of 10 to 15 multiple-choice questions. The module quizzes are on a variety of topics associated with the course modules. You may take these quizzes multiple times for additional practice; the result of your most recent attempt will appear in your gradebook.

Examinations

You are required to take 2 proctored online examinations: a midterm exam and a final exam. Both exams require that you use the University's Online Proctor Service (OPS). Please refer to the "Examinations and Proctors" section of the Online Student Handbook (see Student Handbooks in the General Information area of the course website) for further information about scheduling and taking online exams and for all exam policies and procedures.

For a list of key topics that may appear on your exams, refer to the study guides available in the Examinations section of the course website. For a more detailed look at specific concepts related to each topic, use the note-taking guides available in each module of the course website.

You are strongly advised to schedule your exams within the first week of the semester.

Online exams are administered through the course website. Consult the Course Calendar for the official dates of exam weeks.

Midterm Examination

The midterm exam covers all material assigned in Modules 1, 2, and 3 of the course. The exam is 2 hours long and consists of multiple-choice and short essay questions.

Final Examination

The final exam covers all material assigned in Modules 4, 5, and 6 of the course. The exam is 2 hours long and consists of multiple-choice and short essay questions.

Statement About Cheating

You are on your honor not to cheat during the exam. Cheating means:

Looking up any answer or part of an answer in an unauthorized textbook or on the Internet, or using any other source to find the answer.

Copying and pasting or in any way copying responses or parts of responses from any other source into your online test. This includes but is not limited to copying and pasting from other documents or spreadsheets, whether written by yourself or anyone else.

Plagiarizing answers.

Asking anyone else to assist you by whatever means available while you take the exam.

Copying any part of the exam to share with other students.

Telling your mentor that you need another attempt at the exam because your connection to the Internet was interrupted when that is not true.

The exam will be made invalid and you will fail the course if there is evidence that you have cheated or plagiarized in your exam.

Final Project

For the final project, you will complete a dietary self-analysis and assessment based on a self-recorded dietary intake. Using the Final Project template, you will report nutrient data, identify areas of strength and weakness, reflect on your experience, and make recommendations. Please see the Final Project area of the course for more information and a link to the template. A grading rubric for the final project can be found within the Evaluation Rubrics folder in Moodle. See the Course Calendar for the due date.

Grading and Evaluation

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

5 online discussions are worth 15% of your final grade.
6 written assignments are worth 35% of your final grade.
6 module quizzes are worth 10% of your final grade.
A proctored midterm exam is worth 15% of your final grade.
A proctored final exam is worth 15% of your final grade.
The final project is worth 10% of your final grade.

All activities will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:

A is 93 to 100.
A minus is 90 to 92.
B plus is 88 to 89.
B is 83 to 87.
B minus is 80 to 82.
C plus is 78 to 79.
C is 73 to 77.
C minus is 70 to 72.
D is 60 to 69.
F is any grade below a 60.

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of C or better (for an area of study course) or D or better (for a course not in your area of study), based on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, discussion postings).

Strategies for Success

First Steps to Success

To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

Read carefully the entire syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course.

Take time to read the entire Student Handbook. The Handbook answers many questions about how to proceed through the course, how to schedule exams, and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State University.

Arrange to take your examination(s) by following the instructions in this Syllabus and the Student Handbook.

Familiarize yourself with the learning management systems environment—how to navigate it and what the various course areas contain. If you know what to expect as you navigate the course, you can better pace yourself and complete the work on time.

If you are not familiar with web-based learning, be sure to review the processes for posting responses online and submitting assignments before class begins.

Study Tips

Consider the following study tips for success:

To stay on track throughout the course, begin each week by consulting the Course Calendar. The Course Calendar provides an overview of the course and indicates due dates for submitting assignments, posting discussions, and submitting the final project.

Check Announcements regularly for new course information.

Using AI Ethically: A Guide for TESU Students

TESU's Academic Code of Conduct permits student AI use in support of their writing and research process—not as a replacement for original writing.

Document AI use with an acknowledgment statement at the end of each assignment, noting the tools and prompts used. Cite any AI-generated content on the References page.

Please review Using AI Ethically: A Guide for TESU Students for more detailed information.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Thomas Edison State University recognizes, values, and relies upon the diversity of our community. We strive to provide equitable, inclusive learning experiences that embrace our students’ backgrounds, identities, experiences, abilities, and expertise.

Accessibility and Accomodations

Thomas Edison State University adheres to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990 and ADAAA, 2008) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

The Office of Student Accessibility Services (OSAS) oversees requests for academic accommodations related to disabilities, including:

A student who is pregnant, postpartum, or parenting a newborn who is not the birth parent [as covered under NJSA18A].
Students requesting academic accommodation for a short-term or temporary illness.
TESU students requesting academic accommodation for an injury.

Information can be found on the Office of Student Accessibility Services webpage.

Questions can be sent to ADA@tesu.edu.

Academic Policies

Familiarize yourself with all administrative and academic policies, including those related to the following list, to ensure success in all your academic endeavors and coursework at Thomas Edison State University:

Academic integrity.
Course late submissions.
Extensions for the course.
Grading policies.

For more, see: