Overview

There is increasing evidence that what we eat affects our health and quality of life. Nowadays, dietary factors are implicated in several major causes of death. Nutrition is the application of knowledge about food to help people achieve and maintain health throughout the life span. Dietetics involves helping people meet their nutritional needs in health and disease through diet counseling and nutrition support.

Mission

The mission of the Nutrition Program is to prepare graduates for food and nutrition careers by providing them with the ability to integrate didactic and practical education in order to improve the health and well-being of individuals and groups while upholding tradition of the liberal arts education.

Program Objectives

The purpose of the Bachelor of Science in Nutrition is to:

1. Prepare qualified entry-level professionals by providing high quality didactic education and supervised practice;
2. Produce competent graduates with inter-professional competencies engaged in the health profession and the improvement of human wellbeing; and
3. Produce life-long learner graduates who are able to incorporate new evidence-based technology and knowledge into practice.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

1. Integrate evidence-based guidelines and research findings in nutrition practice and care;
2. Conduct research projects using the appropriate indicators, measures and methodology;
3. Demonstrate counseling and communication skills sufficient for entry in pre-professional practice;
4. Demonstrate professional and inter-professional teamwork skills;
5. Comply with the principles supported by the governance of Dietetics practice;
6. Develop professional attributes and a portfolio that are adapted to serve in diverse professional and community organizations;
7. Perform the nutrition care process and use standardized nutrition language;
8. Apply health education and behavior changes theories and techniques;
9. Demonstrate successful management of available resources and integrate promotion of nutritional well-being with cultural needs;
10. Implement quality management and business theories in the provision of services;
11. Successfully manage food service establishments and apply principles of food safety;
12. Perform activities related to public policy and health care systems; and
13. Recognize the support knowledge underlying nutritional sciences.

Admissions Requirements

The program started in spring 2010.

• Candidates for admission may apply to any of the two campuses (Beirut or Byblos) by sending an application to the campus they choose to join.
• Applicants may apply as regular (sophomore), or transfer, for the fall semester, the spring semester or the summer terms. For more information, please contact the Admissions Office.
• Current LAU students wishing to join the program are requested to submit a “Change of Major” petition to the Registrar’s Office.

Program Requirements

Students must complete a total number of 94 credits. These are broken down to 34 credits of LAC requirements and 60 credits of major and other requirements.

Major requirements	42 credits
Other requirements	18 credits
Liberal Arts Core (LAC) requirements	34 credits
Total:	94 credits

New Major requirements (42 credits)

Number	Course	Cr
NUT201	Fundamentals of Human Nutrition*	3
NUT301	Community Nutrition	3
NUT312	Food Chemistry	3
NUT323	Food Analysis	2
NUT335	Food Service and Safety Management	3
NUT345	Industrial Food Production	2
NUT356	Nutrition Status Assessment	2
NUT367	Food Processing	2
NUT379	Food Microbiology Lab	1
NUT389	Nutrition in Life Cycle	3
NUT401	Advanced Human Nutrition	3
NUT422	Medical Nutrition Therapy I	3
NUT424	Medical Nutrition Therapy II	3
NUT425	Medical Nutrition Therapy II Lab	2
NUT445	Counseling Communication Skills	2
NUT468	Management Systems in Dietetics	2
NUT499	Senior Study in Nutrition	3

 School requirements (21/27 credits)

 

Number	Course	Cr
BIO201	General Biology I	4
BIO222	Microbiology, a Human Perspective	3
BIO260	Human Anatomy and Physiology	3
BIO261	Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab	1
BCH300	Essentials of Biochemistry	3
CHM200	Essentials of Chemistry*	3
CHM310	Basic Organic Chemistry	3
CHM313	Organic Chemistry I Lab	1
STA205	Biostatistics	3

* These are also counted as part of the Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC) requirements.

Suggested Three-Year Plan

First year

Fall

 

Number	Course	Cr
BIO201	General Biology I	4
ENG—-	English Course (LAC)	3
CHM200	Essentials of Chemistry	3
	LAC (Elective Course)	3
PED2—	Physical Education	1
	Total	14

Spring

 

Number	Course	Cr
BIO260	Human Anatomy and Physiology	3
BIO261	Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab	1
CHM310	Basic Organic Chemistry	3
CHM313	Organic Chemistry I Lab	1
NUT201	Fundamentals of Human Nutrition	3
HLT201	Basic Health	1
ENG—-	English Course (LAC)	3
	Total	15

Summer Module I or Summer Module II (optional)

 

Number	Course	Cr
	LAC (Elective Course)	3
CSC201	Computer Application	1
	Total	4

Second year

Fall

 

Number	Course	Cr
BCH300	Essentials of Biochemistry	3
NUT301	Community Nutrition	3
NUT312	Food Chemistry	3
NUT323	Food Analysis	2
ETH201	Moral Reasoning	1
ARA—	LAC	3
	Total	15

Spring

 

Number	Course	Cr
BIO222	Microbiology	3
NUT335	Food Service and Safety Management	3
NUT379	Food Microbiology Lab	1
NUT468	Management Systems in Dietetics	2
STA205	Biostatistics	3
	LAC (Elective Course)	3
	Total	15

Third year

Fall

 

Number	Course	Cr
NUT356	Nutrition Assessment	2
NUT367	Food Processing	2
NUT401	Advanced Human Nutrition	3
NUT422	Medical Nutrition Therapy I	3
NUT499	Senior Study in Nutrition	3
	LAC	3
	Total	16

Spring

 

Number	Course	Cr
NUT345	Industrial Food Production	3
NUT389	Nutrition in the Life Cycle	3
NUT424	Medical Nutrition Therapy II	3
NUT425	Medical Nutrition Therapy II Lab	1
NUT445	Counseling Communication Skills	2
	LAC (Elective Course)	3
	Total	15

 

Optional Diploma needed for Dietetic Profession

Fourth year