Health Science

HS 2611 Nutrition


HS 2611: Nutrition


Credits: 3

Prerequisites: BIOL 1122

Recommended: None.


Course Description:  This course provides a general background introducing the history of food, food preparation and food storage/preservation. Basic knowledge about food chemistry will be presented with respect to human energy balance and metabolism, macro- and micro-nutrient needs and food group functions, and the diseases of nutrient deficiency and excess intake. Particular emphasis will be placed on the role of diet in metabolic syndrome, the obesity epidemic in some societies, and the political and geophysical causes of famine in other contexts.


Required Textbook and Materials: UoPeople courses use open educational resources (OER) and other materials specifically donated to the University with free permissions for educational use. Therefore, students are not required to purchase any textbooks or sign up for any websites that have a cost associated with them. The main required textbooks for this course are listed below and can be readily accessed using the provided links. There may be additional required/recommended readings, supplemental materials, or other resources and websites necessary for lessons; these will be provided for you in the course's General Information and Forums area, and throughout the term via the weekly course Unit areas and the Learning Guides.

University of Hawai‘i (2020). Human nutrition. Human Nutrition: 2020 Edition – Simple Book Publishing (hawaii.edu)
Last modified: Tuesday, 24 October 2023, 10:17 AM

Software Requirements/Installation: No special requirements.


Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

By the end of this course students will be able to:

  1. Describe the components of a healthy diet required for optimal health through various life stages.
  2. Identify the major functions and food sources of each macronutrient (carbohydrate, protein, lipids) and micronutrient (vitamins and minerals).
  3. Discuss the relationship between diet and chronic disease with a focus on the role of diet in the metabolic syndrome.
  4. Compare the types of studies conducted in nutrition research.
  5. Assess the quality of nutrition information presented in the media.

Course Schedule and Topics: This course will cover the following topics in eight learning sessions, with one Unit per week. The Final Exam will take place during Week/Unit 9 (UoPeople time).

Week 1: Unit 1 - Introduction to Nutrition

Week 2: Unit 2 - Nutrition and and Healthy Diet

Week 3: Unit 3 - Macronutrients: Carbohydrates

Week 4: Unit 4 - Macronutrients: Lipids and Proteins

Week 5: Unit 5 - Mastering Essential Balance: Water and Electrolyte

Week 6: Unit 6 - Micronutrients: Vitamins, Major Minerals, Trace Minerals, and Energy Balance

Week 7: Unit 7 - Nutrition through the Life Cycle

Week 8: Unit 8 - Nutrition Information Literacy: Research and Media Representation

Week 9: Unit 9 - Course Review and Final Exam


Learning Guide: The following is an outline of how this course will be conducted, with suggested best practices for students.

Unit 1: Introduction to Nutrition

  • Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment 
  • Make entries to the Assignment Activity 
  • Take and submit the Self-Quiz

Unit 2: Nutrition and Healthy Diet

  • Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment 
  • Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum 
  • Respond to two of your fellow classmates’ posts in the Discussion Forum
  • Take and submit the Self-Quiz

Unit 3: Macronutrients: Carbohydrates

  • Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment.Make entries to the
  • Assignment Activity.
  • Take and submit the Self-Quiz.

Unit 4: Macronutrients: Lipids and Proteins

  • Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment 
  • Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum 
  • Respond to two of your fellow classmates’ posts in the Discussion Forum 
  • Make entries to the Assignment Activity 
  • Take and submit the Self-Quiz/Graded Quiz

Unit 5: Mastering Essential Balance: Water and Electrolyte

  • Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment
  • Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum
  • Respond to two of your fellow classmates’ posts in the Discussion Forum
  • Take and submit the Self-Quiz

Unit 6: Micronutrients: Vitamins, Major Minerals, Trace Minerals, and Energy Balance

  • Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment
  • Make entries to the Assignment Activity
  • Take and submit the Self-Quiz

 Unit 7: Nutrition through the Life Cycle

  • Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment 
  • Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum 
  • Respond to two of your fellow classmates’ posts in the Discussion Forum 
  • Make entries to the Assignment Activity 
  • Take and submit the Self-Quiz

Unit 8: Nutrition Information Literacy: Research and Media Representation

  • Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment  
  • Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum 
  • Respond to two of your fellow classmates’ posts in the Discussion Forum 
  • Take and submit the Self-Quiz

Unit 9: Course Review and Final Exam

  • Read the Learning Guide and take the Review Quiz, if you haven't already done so
  • Prepare for, take, and submit the Final Exam
  • The Final Exam will take place during the Thursday and Sunday of Week/Unit 9 (UoPeople time); exact dates, times, and other details will be provided accordingly by your instructor

Course Requirements:

Discussion Forums & Response Posts
Some units in this course require that you complete a Discussion Assignment. You are required to develop and post a substantive response to the Discussion Assignment in the Discussion Forum. A substantive response is one that fully answers the question that has been posed by the instructor. In addition, you must extend the discussion by responding to at least two (2) of your peers’ postings in the Discussion Forum and by rating their posts. Vague statements such as, "good job," "very clear," "excellent," "not clear," or any other statements that are not substantiated by examples from your peers’ posts will be considered incomplete and poor feedback comments. Full instructions for proper posting and rating are provided inside the Discussion Forum for each week.

Discussion Forums are only active for each current and relevant learning week, so it is not possible to contribute to the forum once the learning week has come to an end. Failure to participate in the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum and responding to peers as required may result in failure of the course.

Assignment Activities
The assignment activities are graded by your instructor. The grading rubric is listed under the assignment instructions. The grading rubric is a document that outlines the criteria that your instructor will use to grade your work.

Quizzes
This course will contain three types of quizzes – the Self-Quiz, the Graded Quiz, and the Review Quiz. These quizzes may contain multiple choice, true/false, or short answer questions. The results of the Self-Quiz will not count towards your final grade. However, it is highly recommended that you complete the Self-Quiz to ensure that you have adequately understood the course materials. Along with the Reading Assignments, the results of the Self-Quiz should be used as part of an iterative learning process, to thoroughly cover and test your understanding of course material. You should use the results of your Self-Quiz as a guide to go back and review relevant sections of the Reading Assignments. Likewise, the Review Quiz will not count towards your final grade, but should also be used to assist you in a comprehensive review and full understanding of all course material, in preparation for your Final Exam. Lastly, the results of the Graded Quiz will count towards your final grade. 

Final Exam
The Final Exam will take place during the Thursday and Sunday of Week/Unit 9, following the completion of eight units of work. The format of the Final Exam is similar to that of the quizzes and may contain a combination of different question types. You will have one attempt to take the exam, and it will be graded electronically. Specific instructions on how to prepare for and take the exam will be provided during Week/Unit 8.

Course Forum
The Course Forum is the place to raise issues and questions relating to the course. It is regularly monitored by the instructors and is a good place to meet fellow students taking the same course. While it is not required to participate in the Course Forum, it is highly recommended.


Course Policies:

Grading Components and Weights
Each graded component of the course will contribute some percentage to the final grading scale, as indicated here:

Discussion Forums 35%
Assignment Activities
35%
Two Graded Quizzes (2@10%)
20%
Final Exam 10%
TOTAL 100%


Grading Scale
This course will follow the standard 100-point grading scale defined by the University of the People, as indicated here:

Letter Grade
Grade Scale Grade Points
A+ 98-100 4.00
A 93-97 4.00
A- 90-92 3.67
B+ 88-89 3.33
B 83-87 3.00
B- 80-82 2.67
C+ 78-79 2.33
C 73-77 2.00
C- 70-72 1.67
D+ 68-69 1.33
D 63-67 1.00
D- 60-62 0.67
F Under 60 0.00


Grade Appeal

If you believe that the final grade you received for a course is erroneous, unjust, or unfair, please contact your course instructor. This must be done within seven days of the posted final grade. For more information on this topic, please review the Grade Appeal Procedure in the University Catalog.

Participation
Non-participation is characterized by lack of any assignment submissions, inadequate contributions to the Discussion Forums, and/or lack of peer feedback to Discussion/Written Assignments. Also, please note the following important points about course participation:

  • Assignments must be submitted on or before the specified deadline. A course timeline is provided in the course schedule, and the instructor will specify deadlines for each assignment.
  • Any student showing non-participation for two weeks (consecutive or non-consecutive) is likely to automatically fail the course.
  • Occasionally there may be a legitimate reason for submitting an assignment late. Most of the time, late assignments will not be accepted and there will be no make-up assignments.
  • All students are obligated to inform their instructor in advance of any known absences which may result in their non-participation.

Academic Honesty and Integrity
When you submit any work that requires research and writing, it is essential to cite and reference all source material. Failure to properly acknowledge your sources is known as “plagiarism” – which is effectively passing off an individual’s words or ideas as your own. University of the People adheres to a strict policy of academic honesty and integrity. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in sanctions by the University, including dismissal from the University or course failure. For more information on this topic, please review the Academic Integrity Policy in the University Catalog.

Any materials cited in this course should be referenced using the style guidelines established by the American Psychological Association (APA). The APA format is widely used in colleges and universities across the world and is one of several style and citation formats required for publication in professional and academic journals. Refer to the UoPeople APA Tutorials in the LRC for help with APA citations

Code of Conduct
University of the People expects that students conduct themselves in a respectful, collaborative, and honest manner at all times. Harassment, threatening behavior, or deliberate embarrassment of others will not be permitted. Any conduct that interferes with the quality of the educational experience is not allowed and may result in disciplinary action, such as course failure, probation, suspension, or dismissal. For more information on this topic, please review the Code of Conduct Policy in the University Catalog.

Submitting Assignments
Please note that accepted formats for assignments are Microsoft compatible format, PDF, or any other file format that is clearly specified in the course and activity instructions. These files should not be password-protected. Additionally, unless otherwise stated in assignment instructions, screenshots of computer coding, mathematical formulas or images with sentence structures (typed or in handwriting) are not allowed when you submit your assignments in this course.