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Nutrition and Foods

Overview Degrees/Certificates Courses Faculty

Associate Degree for Transfer

A.S.-T. in Nutrition and Dietetics

The Associate in Science in Nutrition and Dietetics for Transfer degree provides students with a major that fulfills the general requirements of the California State University for transfer. Students with this degree will receive priority admission with junior status to the California State University system. The Associate in Science in Nutrition and Dietetics for Transfer (AS-T) degree may be obtained by the completion of 60 transferable, semester units with a minimum 2.0 GPA, including (a) the major or area of emphasis described in the Required Program outlined below (earning a C or better in these courses) and (b) either the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education Breadth Requirements.

Catalog Date: January 1, 2024

Degree Requirements

Course Code Course Title Units
BIOL 440 General Microbiology 4
CHEM 400 General Chemistry I 5
NUTRI 300 Nutrition 3
PSYC 300 General Principles (3) 3
   or PSYC 480 Honors General Principles (3)
A minimum of 8 units from the following: 8
CHEM 401 General Chemistry II (5)
CHEM 420 Organic Chemistry I (5)
   or CHEM 423 Organic Chemistry - Short Survey (5)
PSYC 330 Introductory Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (3)
   or STAT 300 Introduction to Probability and Statistics (4)
A minimum of 3 units from the following: 3
ACCT 301 Financial Accounting (4)
CHEM 423 Organic Chemistry - Short Survey (5)
COMM 301 Introduction to Public Speaking (3)
HM 310 Sanitation, Safety and Equipment (3)
HM 315 Food Theory and Preparation (4)
NUTRI 310 Cultural Foods of the World (3)
POLS 301 Introduction to Government: United States (3)
POLS 481 Introduction to Government: United States - Honors (3)
SOC 300 Introductory Sociology (3)
SOC 480 Introductory Sociology - Honors (3)
Total Units: 26

The Associate in Science in Nutrition and Dietetics for Transfer (AS-T) degree may be obtained by completion of 60 transferable, semester units with a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0, including (a) a minimum grade of "C" (or "P") for each course in the major or area of emphasis described in the Required Program, and (b) either the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education-Breadth Requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • explain the principles of nutrition and their effects on overall health status and chronic disease risk.
  • analyze nutritional adequacy of a diet and recommend dietary changes to meet nutrition guidelines.
  • demonstrate an understanding of the relationships between chemistry, biology, and nutrition.
  • assess the validity of sources of nutrition information.
  • interpret the findings of current nutrition research.

Career Information

This degree is designed to facilitate students' successful transfer to four-year colleges that prepare them to become registered dietitians. Organizations or companies that employ registered dietitians include hospitals, nursing homes, school food services, other health related facilities, college food service departments, restaurants, public health agencies, nutrition programs, WIC programs, Meals on Wheels, health clubs, weight management clinics, community wellness centers, food companies, contract food management companies, and food distribution companies.

Certificates of Achievement

Dietary Manager/Dietary Service Supervisor Certificate

The Dietary Manager/Dietary Service Supervisor Certificate provides certification for employment in nutritional care and dietary management within a health-care facility, such as a skilled nursing facility. This certificate program meets the California State Department of Health Service’s requirements for certification.

Catalog Date: January 1, 2024

Certificate Requirements

Course Code Course Title Units
HM 310 Sanitation, Safety and Equipment 3
HM 315 Food Theory and Preparation 4
NUTRI 130 Introduction to Dietary Management 2
NUTRI 132 Management of the Dietary Department in Health Care Facilities 3
NUTRI 133 Clinical Experience in Health Care Facilities 2.5
NUTRI 134 Nutritional Care Management 3
NUTRI 135 Clinical Experience in Nutritional Care Management 2.5
Total Units: 20

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • identify the location of applicable laws and regulations and determine compliance to regulatory requirements (state and federal), and determine acceptable standards of care in dietary services.
  • identify the role and limitations (no scope of practice) of the Dietary Service Supervisor under law (Title 22) for the Operation of Food Service.
  • participate with the Registered Dietitian (RD) in the timely review and revision of the facility's policies and procedures to ensure that they are in compliance with regulations and standards of practice.
  • assist in the orientation of new employees. Assist in the ongoing, planned development of seasoned employees to ensure that they are competent to carry out the functions of the dietary service and trained in approved policies.
  • assist in the development of Quality Assurance Programs to monitor staff practices for compliance, to determine training needs, and to evaluate resident/patient satisfaction.
  • assist in the development of planned and disaster menus to meet the nutritional needs of resident/patient in accordance with the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs).
  • ensure that therapeutic menus and standardized recipes are followed, served and consumed in their appropriate form, as approved by RD.
  • ensure that food is served by methods that conserve nutritive value, flavor and appearance. Ensure that food is prepared in a form designed to meet individual needs and substitutions are of similar nutritive value.
  • maintain current profile cards, and provide assistive devices as needed.
  • ensure that food is stored, prepared, distributed, and served under sanitary conditions to prevent food borne illness. This includes the sanitation oversight of equipment such as internal components of the ice machine, nurse pantry refrigerators and trash disposal systems.
  • ensure that the food department runs smoothly, including food ordering and storage, according to applicable state requirements, staffing schedules, employee health, labor relations, safety programs and other duties as assigned by administration.

Career Information

Certified Dietary Manager in a Long Term Care Facility.

Guided Pathways Milestone Certificate for Multilingual Speakers: Pathway to Health Sciences Certificate

The Guided Pathways Milestone Certificate for Multilingual Speakers: Pathway to Health Sciences recognizes English as a Second Language students' milestones in completing both advanced academic ESL course work and introductory coursework in several health science fields. It incentivizes them to continue taking courses in this discipline after completing higher level ESL courses and to obtain a Certificate of Achievement or an Associate degree for use in a workplace.

Catalog Date: January 1, 2024

Certificate Requirements

Course Code Course Title Units
ESL 315 Intermediate-High Integrated Reading and Writing 6
ESL 325 Advanced-Low Integrated Reading and Writing 6
ESLG 320 Advanced-Low Grammar (3) 3
   or ESLL 320 Advanced-Low Listening and Speaking (3)
A minimum of 5 units from the following: 5
AH 112 Strategies for Student Success in Health Occupations (3)
AH 311 Medical Language for Health-Care Providers (3)
BIOL 102 Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology (4)
CHEM 305 Introduction to Chemistry (5)
CISC 300 Computer Familiarization (1)
COMM 301 Introduction to Public Speaking (3)
HCI 300 Introduction to Healthcare Interpreting (0.5)
NUTRI 300 Nutrition (3)
Total Units: 20

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • analyze, compose, and organize oral and written communication into effective documents and/or academic compositions.
  • employ reading strategies.
  • participate in in-depth discussions effectively.
  • take clear notes.
  • give oral presentations in a business/work environment.
  • convey intended meaning and formulate and use a variety of interactive strategies effectively such as clarification, polite interruption, and agreement/disagreement strategies.
  • research and critically evaluate information to create informed responses to issues and problems and design messages that adapt to target audiences in order to maximize communication effectiveness.
  • demonstrate basic knowledge of introductory healthcare or scientific terms.
  • employ effective communication in professional healthcare settings.

Career Information

Students who complete this Pathway to Health Sciences certificate will have gained knowledge in academic English and introductory skills in several health sciences fields, such as Healthcare Interpreting, Nutrition, and Allied Health.

Check Out Degree Planner

If you're interested in a transfer degree (AA-T or AS-T), then check out Degree Planner, a tool that helps you complete your degree efficiently by mapping out what courses to take and when to take them.

Degree Planner