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    Saybrook University
   
 
  Nov 22, 2024
 
2016-2017 Academic Catalog and Student Handbook with Spring Addendum 
    
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2016-2017 Academic Catalog and Student Handbook with Spring Addendum [Archived Catalog]

Integrative and Functional Nutrition, M.S.


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Integrative and Functional Nutrition - The Intersection of Food and Health

Saybrook’s Master of Science degree in Integrative and Functional Nutrition is dedicated to educating the next generation of nutritional professionals. Graduates of this master’s degree will utilize evidence-based nutritional science, advanced therapeutic approaches, and patient-centered care to comprehensively address conditions ranging from obesity and high blood pressure, to depression and chronic pain.

Practitioners of integrative and functional nutrition recognize how physical health is influenced by biological, environmental, behavioral, and emotional factors. They apply knowledge from biological and nutritional sciences to the results from comprehensive nutritional assessment techniques to inform nutritional diagnoses and develop personalized nutrition therapies to help their patients achieve optimal health and vitality.  Declining global health dictates a greater need for well-trained, competent nutrition practitioners across health care settings.  This need is not being met by current educational models.  Thus, CIMHS has created a master’s degree in integrative and functional nutrition to prepare future nutrition leaders in the health field. With courses that study nutritional biochemistry and physiology, functional nutrition assessment methodologies, integrative nutritional therapies, and health coaching, along with a 100-hour professional practicum, this program equips its students with cutting-edge knowledge, skills, and competencies to be professional nutrition practitioners addressing world-wide health concerns at the individual level.

Students enrolled in the nutrition program will have access to the faculty and courses throughout the College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences. The experienced researchers and practitioners on the faculty are committed to helping students achieve their professional and personal goals through mentoring, teaching, and supervision.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Develop knowledge and skills to transform the practice of integrative and functional nutrition through humanistically informed research, practice, education and leadership.

1.1 Students will be able to articulate humanistic and transpersonal principles supporting integrative and functional nutrition care that treats the whole person.

1.2 Students will learn and understand emerging paradigms and conceptual models for health and nutrition, integrating mind, body, and spirit.

1.3 Students will make independent scholarly contributions to the fields of integrative and functional nutrition, health promotion, and disease prevention.

2. Acquire knowledge and skills to transform integrative and functional nutrition practice and care delivery

2.1 Students will develop a broadened concept of health and disease, and a broadened concept of the role of nutrition and lifestyle change for optimal health, healing and vitality.

2.2 Students will develop an understanding of a variety of integrative and functional nutrition- related and complementary and alternative therapeutic interventions, supplementing and/or offering alternatives to mainstream medical care.

2.3 Students will acquire knowledge of integrative and functional nutrition and integrative health based on current research.

2.4 Students will master alternative assessment techniques as part of an integrative model for: understanding the onset and continuance of illness, current levels of wellness, and applicable pathways for integrative and functional nutrition.

3. Develop an orientation emphasizing higher levels of health, vitality, and wellness.

3.1 Students will comprehend that health is more than the absence of disease, and will understand the importance of an integrated perspective that incorporates biochemical individuality, systems biology, lifestyle, and personalized nutritional care and promotes optimal mind, body and spiritual wellness, as well as the prevention and management of disease.        

3.2 Students will learn lifestyles, habits, and nutritional practices supportive of optimal wellness.

3.3 Students will understand the concept of food as medicine and the therapeutic qualities of whole foods, herbs, and spices.

3.4 Students will comprehend the role of dietary supplements and herbal medicine in health and healing. This will include evaluating the research, the utilization of evidence-based resources and understanding ethical considerations.

3.5 Students will master dietary and nutritional coaching skills supporting personal awareness, motivation and inspiration, resilience, goal achievement, and lasting behavior change leading to  increased health and wellness.                

3.6 Students will learn to communicate and promote this new vision of health and wholeness of the human being, shifting priority from the absence of disease to a pursuit of optimal wellness.

4. Acquire an understanding of multiple paradigms in integrative and functional nutrition, which function as a bridge between mind and body, and an understanding of their application to health and disease.

4.1 Students will learn how specific paradigms — including but not limited to basic and advanced nutritional sciences, functional medicine, integrative medicine, and mind-body medicine paradigms — are applicable to nutritional practice to manage illness and suffering.

4.2 Students will identify wellness practices — such as stress management, physical exercise and movement, mindfulness, and meditation, and spirituality — conducive for health and healing.

4.3 Students will master integrative and functional nutrition therapeutics and understand integrative nutrition-related interventions conducive to healing, optimal wellness, behavioral change, and personal transformation.

4.4 Students will learn and understand legal and regulatory perspectives of integrative and functional nutrition practice including statutory and professional scope of practice, competence and accountability, bioethics and interprofessional collaborative care in practice settings.

5. Develop a sensitivity and acceptance for multiple perspectives based on racial, ethnic, individual development, and cultural groups.

5.1 Students will develop the ability to comprehend the culture and vocabulary of diverging groups, and to communicate across cultural boundaries and in organizational settings.

5.2. Students will acquire sensitivities and respect for ethnic and cultural differences and their relevance for health and health care.

5.3 Students will develop skills to communicate effectively across racial, ethnic and cultural groups, as well as across worldviews and diverse ethical approaches.

6. Acquire an understanding and mastery of research in nutrition and health care, especially research that supports outcomes improvement and nurtures positive changes in health.

6.1 Students will develop skill at searching for scientific literature, reading critically, comprehending and applying scientific knowledge to problems in health care and the nutrition care process.

6.2 Students will understand the difference between qualitative and quantitative research strategies and will be cognizant of the applicability, strengths and limitations of each approach.

6.3 Students will differentiate between evidence-based medicine and practice-based evidence when assessing the strength of nutrition research and will demonstrate analytical thinking and critical reasoning to challenge assumptions and arrive at conclusions.

6.4 Students will be able to design simple research projects applying basic research skills and methodologies.

6.5 Students will learn ethical strategies for conducting research, interpreting research and reporting the results of research.

6.6 Students will understand and be able to measure nutrition outcomes and achievement of objectives in a practice or program setting relating to continuous improvement.

7. Acquire an understanding and master relevant approaches to implement the nutrition care process with multiple populations and diverse cultures, across socioeconomic groups.

7.1 Students will master skills to provide integrative and functional nutrition care across the lifespan.

7.2 Students will learn to adapt the nutrition care process to at-risk populations, such as pregnant and lactating women, infants and children, the elderly, and groups at-risk for health disparities or food insecurity.

8. Mastery of practice management, business management, diverse approaches to the delivery of services, and the use and management of resources for integrative and functional nutrition care.

8.1 Students will learn and master skills and knowledge related to the sustainable and quality management of integrative and functional nutrition services and the fundamentals of public policy and how they relate to health care systems and the socioecological model.

8.2 Students will learn modes of delivering integrative and functional nutrition services for diverse ethnic groups, sub-cultures, and socioeconomic groups.

9. Students will develop collaboration, teamwork, professional attitudes and values, problem solving, critical thinking and decision-making skills.

9.1 Students will participate in interprofessional activities and education.

9.2 Students will develop and demonstrate personal and professional self-reflection and self- assessment skills for continuous personal/professional improvement.

10. Students will acquire, apply, and synthesize knowledge and skills in nutrition, clinical, and life sciences.

10.1 Students will comprehend that science is a dynamic and ever-evolving body of knowledge.

10.2 Students will apply real world observation and the exploration of natural phenomena that lead to problem-solving and the generation of scientific questions and hypotheses.

10.3 Students will acquire an understanding of the fundamentals, applications, and limitations of the scientific method.

10.4 Students will develop a broader context of the impacts and applications of nutrition, clinical, and life sciences.

10.5 Students will recognize the social, philosophical, spiritual, and ethical implications of scientific discoveries.

Requirements


Admissions Requirements

Applicants for this Master of Science degree in Integrative and Functional Nutrition must:

1) Have a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited University, with a 3.0 or better GPA (with a B minimum in sciences);

2) Provide transcript evidence of college-level science courses, including General Biochemistry and Anatomy and Physiology. Students lacking these courses may be admitted and will take these basic sciences courses as part of their Saybrook program plan.

Degree Requirements

Saybrook’s Integrative and Functional Nutrition degree program requires 41 credits for those students entering with basic sciences, and 44-47 credits for those lacking one or both basic sciences. The degree program includes one five day in-person residential conference. No thesis or project is required. With the exception of the residential conference, coursework is conducted in an online learning environment, supplemented by video conferences with instructors. The expected length of this program is 21 months with no summer break.

By approval, Saybrook may accept up to three graduate transfer credits into the Master of Science degree in integrative and Functional Nutrition from other regionally-accredited colleges and universities prior to entrance. Transfer credits are applied to the required number of elective credits or required courses for degree completion as approved by the Registrar. Three transfer credits may be accepted to fulfill one three-credit elective course requirement for the degree program.

These credits must be suitable for transfer to the intended degree as determined by the Dean and Registrar. For further details regarding transfer credit policies, consult the Institutional Transfer Credit Guidelines section of the University Catalog.

Total Credits Including Basic Sciences: 47


Total Credits Without Basic Sciences: 41


Degree Requirements for 2016-2017 Academic Year approved by CIMHS Degree Program Committee.

Notes:


The degree completion time for a student following the default course sequence will average 21 months to two years. Some students may complete degree requirements sooner and some may take longer to complete this degree. Those students incorporating basic sciences into their course plan will require longer to complete the degree.

Students who demonstrate equivalent professional learning to waive a required course(s) will be able to take elective course(s) in place of the waived course(s). Available electives will be discussed with your mentor in your first term of enrollment. Students may also choose an elective from the required courses in other specializations.

This is a structured cohort program; the sequence of courses is different for students who start in the fall than for students who start in the spring. Your specific course sequence will be discussed with your program director mentor and mentor during your Graduate Colloquium I course in your first semester of enrollment.

Graduates of the MS in Integrative and Functional Nutrition are eligible to apply to the PhD program in Mind-Body Medicine, and may transfer in up to 21 credits from their master’s degree.

Learning and Career Outcomes


The Master of Science Degree program in Integrative and Functional Nutrition at Saybrook University prepares its students to practice advanced integrative and functional nutrition therapies, as well as introduce mind-body skills, mindfulness and meditation practices, and other integrative healthcare approaches into their practice.  Additionally, this degree prepares individuals for advanced doctoral level studies in nutrition or other health care-related professions.

Saybrook University’s Masters of Integrative and Functional Nutrition degree program is designed to fulfill the current academic requirements for the Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS).  The Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists (BCNS) requires a graduate degree in the field of nutrition from a regionally accredited university, specific coursework, and 1000 hours of supervised experience.  BCNS reviews each candidate individually, including current course descriptions, transcripts and experience to determine eligibility.  To learn more about becoming a CNS, see nutritionspecialist.org

In addition, the program fulfills the current core academic requirements in science and nutrition for the Clinical Nutrition Certification Board (CNCB) and Certified Clinical Nutritionist (CCN) credential. The CNCB reviews course descriptions, applicant’s transcripts, and academic programs to determine eligibility for the CCN examination. To learn more about becoming a CCN, see www.cncb.org

The Master of Integrative and Functional Nutrition degree program does not lead to eligibility for the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN®) credential.

Depending upon each state’s specific credentialing requirements graduates may consider careers in:

  • Integrative medical centers, hospitals, long-term or extended care facilities, outpatient facilities, and other clinical care facilities.
  • Prevention and wellness education programs for obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, digestive diseases, allergies, and other conditions.
  • Medical spas, yoga and wellness centers, culinary institutes, schools, prisons, restaurants and corporate cafeterias.
  • Corporate wellness programs.
  • Sports medicine and wellness facilities.
  • Community and public health clinics and community-oriented primary care.
  • Natural products and dietary supplement industries.
  • Private practice medical clinics.
  • Independent consulting and practice.
  • Public health and policy organizations.
  • Research and development.
  • Nutrition, science, medical writing/journalism (non-technical, technical).

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