Nutrition

About this opportunity

Honors Opportunities in the College of Health Solutions:
The College of Health Solutions (CHS) aims to prepare the next generation of health professionals through a broad set of health degree programs. We have recently introduced degree programs that will prepare professionals for continued graduate education and health leadership positions. We are thrilled to offer challenging and rewarding experiences to Barrett students across ASU. Welcome!

Honors Opportunities in Nutrition Programs:
The mission of the nutrition programs within the College of Health Solutions is to educate students in the science of food and nutrition. Undergraduate programs provide students with foundational knowledge of the psychological, neurobiological, social, and cultural aspects of food and nutrition. A degree program in nutrition provides students with critical foundational knowledge: how nutrition affects health and how diet can be used to manage chronic disease. Coursework and research opportunities span various disciplines, including medical nutrition, anatomy, physiology, chemistry and microbiology. 

For students who want to become a registered dietitian (RD) or a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), our accredited bachelor’s degree program in dietetics is the first step on the path to a dietetic internship and sitting for the registration exam. 

Explore ASU's degree programs in nutrition:
Nutritional Science Program: The BS program in nutritional science provides students with a strong foundation in nutrition, biological sciences, research methods, and prevention and treatment of health conditions. With two different tracks, nutrition research or integrative nutrition, this program prepares students for careers in a variety of fields. The integrative nutrition track establishes a strong basis in evidence-based nutrition practices, nutritional interventions across the human lifespan, and both individualized and community approaches to improving human health. The track prepares students for careers in a variety of health care settings including naturopathic medicine. With the nutrition research track, students can expect to engage in coursework that integrates evidence-based nutrition with anatomy, physiology, chemistry and microbiology to prepare them for clinical or graduate research programs and careers in research. This track allows students to work alongside faculty while gaining hands-on experience in nutrition research.

Dietetics: The BS program in dietetics is a required initial step in the education and training of the dietetics professional. Coursework prepares students to apply for a dietetic internship, which is required in order to sit for the registration exam to become a registered dietitian. In addition to nutrition courses, students complete a broad range of science, management and communication classes. Beginning Jan. 1, 2024, prior to sitting for the registration exam, students will be required to have a master's degree in addition to completing a dietetic internship. This is a change implemented by the credentialing body for registered dietitians, the Commission on Dietetic Registration, and will be a nationwide requirement. More information can be found on the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website at https://www.eatright.org/become-an-rdn. ASU's bachelor's degree program in dietetics is accredited as a Didactic Program in Dietetics by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 S. Riverside Plz., Ste. 2190, Chicago IL 60606-6995; phone: 800-877-1600, ext. 5400.

Food and Nutrition Entrepreneurship: The BS program in food and nutrition entrepreneurship provides students with the knowledge and skills that allow them to move into a range of employment opportunities in community nutrition or food service industries or continue their education in a dietetics-focused graduate program. Students first learn about the body and chemistry, then progress into food chemistry and how food fuels our body. At a community and global level, students also can explore food access and sustainability. Once the basics are understood, students develop skills in evidence-based research, recipe development, communication in multiple formats, marketing, nutrition counseling and leadership. With these skills, students can develop innovative solutions to the health concerns across our population. Students choose focus area courses in community nutrition, food service operations or pre-dietetics. Students focusing on pre-dietetics will be eligible to apply to a graduate program in dietetics that will prepare them to take the registered dietitian exam.

Applied Science (Food and Nutrition Entrepreneurship): The BAS degree program with a concentration in food and nutrition entrepreneurship complements and enhances the educational preparation of students holding an AAS degree in culinary or hospitality science, diet technology or sustainable food systems. The program encompasses important areas of knowledge and skills for future nutrition entrepreneurs and for those continuing in the food industry, whether they intend to innovate within an organization, launch a food- or nutrition-related business or continue into a management role. Key topics include how to develop an online presence supported by evidence-based principles through social media, blogging, podcasting and video; how to launch nutritionally sound startups and businesses; and how to market and manage a business.

Careers in Nutrition:

Students in ASU's nutrition programs understand how food choices can prevent health problems and increase quality of life. ASU offers rigorous and complete nutrition education through classroom theory and hands-on application in our state-of-the-art instructional labs. Students gain practical field experience while providing community service to organizations. With growing public interest in disease prevention through healthy lifestyles, the U.S Department of Labor projects a 7% increase in nutrition-related careers from 2021-2031.

Career opportunities for dietitians and nutritionists are available with federal, state and county agencies. Educator dietitians teach healthy eating and nutrition science in school settings and teaching hospitals around the country. Career options for graduates from the Nutrition Programs include, but are not limited to, clinical nutrition, food service and hospitality management, long-term care clinical management, weight loss consultants, community nutritionist, sports nutrition, corporate wellness programs, marketing and public relations, health and nutrition communication, school nutrition and food service, correctional food service director, health coaching, entrepreneurship, and college and university professors.

In addition, graduates are prepared for careers in public and community health as well as clinical and graduate research programs. Some graduates of nutrition degree programs go on to medical school or another professional school. Others specialize in nutrition entrepreneurship or focus on product development. Students with a degree in nutrition are also well-positioned for careers in allopathic, naturopathic, and osteopathic medicine, nutrition consulting, optometry, dentistry, or pharmacy, molecular and cellular biology, industry research and development, as well as food and nutrition marketing. Plus, specialized nutrition knowledge allows healthcare practitioners to better help their patients understand nutrition’s role in their overall health.

Honors Opportunities in Nutrition Programs: 
Strong evidence clearly supports the benefits of eating a healthy diet, but a variety of barriers can make healthy eating difficult for many. Nutrition research conducted by our faculty and students focuses on strategies to improve the access, availability, and use of healthy foods across lifespans in addition to basic science research aimed at understanding nutrition-related diseases and developing novel or personalized interventions for their treatment. Innovative, ongoing research spans issues from food security locally and nationally to diet-related behavior change strategies to functional foods, nutritional biochemistry, as well as metabolism and physiology. Nutrition faculty conduct their cutting-edge work among individuals, families, communities and policy makers, using state-of-the-art methods and technologies. As a Barrett Honors student, you will have the opportunity to conduct your Honors Thesis or Creative Project with our esteemed faculty. In addition, many of our faculty offer Honors Contracts in their courses.

Thesis

The honors thesis/creative project is an excellent opportunity to gain experience conducting original research under the advisement of a nutrition faculty member. A topic for your thesis or creative project usually emerges from an aspect of an introductory course that sparks your interest, and then becomes more refined as a depth of knowledge is furthered by taking other classes in the related area. 

We strongly encourage Nutrition majors to begin planning their thesis/creative project by the fall of their junior year, particularly if you would like to be engaged in research during the summer before your senior year. After completing the information session, the following steps are required:

1. Meet with the Faculty Honors Advisor to discuss your areas of interest.
2. Consult with an appropriate thesis/creative project director.
3. Form a Barrett Thesis/Creative Project committee with a minimum of two members; the director (who must be a regularly appointed lecturer or professor with a terminal degree) and one other committee member with expertise in the area of interest, after consultation with the director. We strongly recommend three committee members, however.
4. Develop a brief prospectus in collaboration with your thesis/creative project director and submit within the timelines identified by Barrett.
5. Complete the research or creative project with collaboration from the committee. Expectations regarding what constitutes a thesis or creative project vary among faculty members and will be conveyed by your advisor. However, the thesis/creative project will require either independent development of a project with written documentation of the project rationale, method of development and evaluation of the project or completion of a research study and analysis of the results. A research paper relating the research completed by other researchers (a review) does not meet the criteria for a thesis/creative project.
6. The thesis/creative project defense must be scheduled and held according to Barrett timelines and all committee members must be physically present at the defense.

Please review the description of the nutrition program faculty as potential honors advisors. You may also freely explore other relevant ASU faculty members in other programs.

Tips:

• Read through the Thesis Guidebook. 
• Explore Barrett Resources: Barrett has excellent online resources outlining the Honors Thesis projects. 
• Attend a Thesis Workshop: Barrett also arranges several workshops throughout the semester to help you get started with your thesis and to de-mystify the thesis process.
• Talk to CHS Faculty: faculty have experience mentoring students on the Honors Thesis and can guide you through the process and advise you on what they might expect.
• Review past thesis documents: Barrett Honors College has a digital library of completed projects by Honors students. These are an excellent resource to help plan the structure of your document. To view past projects see “Examples and Past Projects.”
• Attend thesis defenses: Every student publicly presents thesis outcomes as part of a defense. Attending a defense before you do your own will help you prepare and give you a sense of how to present your outcomes as well as the kinds of questions you might expect. Visit the Barrett Defense Calendar to view upcoming defenses
• Talk to other CHS Honors students: If they are currently going through the thesis process, or preparing for it, talking to other students can help plan for your thesis.
• Talk to CHS Faculty Honors Advisors or Advising Staff.

Academic Preparation

Students may enroll in 3 credits of NTR 492: Honor's Directed Study and 3 credits of NTR 493: Honor's Thesis. Questions about registering for NTR classes should be directed to the CHS Undergraduate Academic Success Advisor: https://students.chs.asu.edu/advising/contact-advisor

In order to register for NTR 492, we need at least an email of approval from the faculty director and a short paragraph that describes the student's project. A copy of the student's prospectus is also required before he or she can receive an override to register for NTR 493. You can send these materials to your Faculty Honors Advisor Karen Sweazea at Karen.Sweazea@asu.edu.

All Barrett Honors students must complete a thesis/creative project information session prior to enrolling in thesis credit (492 or 493). The session is designed to make certain each student has been informed about the process, expectations, and deadlines. Students may complete this requirement in several ways:

1. Through a workshop or course offered in an academic unit and approved by Barrett.
2. Through a live-Zoom workshop/session (several any semester) offered by Barrett. 
3. Through an online workshop offered through Barrett via ASU Canvas. 

Recommended Timeline

Example Honors Thesis schedule:

JUNIOR YEAR
End of Spring Semester:

• Find a faculty member to advise you on your Honors Thesis (the Thesis Director); begin discussing possible projects
• Enroll in 492 for 3 credits

SENIOR YEAR
Start of Fall Semester:

• Work with your Thesis Director to define your project and formulate an action plan for the project (the Prospectus).
• Prepare your Prospectus and submit to Barrett.

Fall Semester:

• Complete background review for project

End of Fall Semester:

• Enroll in 493 for 3 credits

Beginning of Spring Semester:

• Continue working on project and begin preparing thesis document

Before Spring Break:

• Complete first draft of the thesis document and submit to Thesis Director for initial review
• Schedule your thesis defense - remember this is your responsibility – by completing the Thesis/Creative Project Defense Reporting Form
• Note that a draft of the thesis should be sent to the entire committee for review at least two weeks before your defense

After Spring Break:

• Prepare for your defense
• Hold defense
• Make any necessary changes to the thesis document based on feedback from committee
• Following a successful defense/approval of edits: Remind your Director to use the Final Thesis Approval link emailed to them on your defense date to confirm your project is approved.

Early April:

• Upload your final, approved thesis project to the Barrett Digital Collection.

Other Honors Opportunities

Honors Classes & Honors Enrichment Contracts:

Barrett students entering with lower division status complete 30 honors credits (at least 18 must be upper division) in addition to the HON 171 and 272 course sequence, a total of 36 honor credits. Students entering with upper division status complete 21 honors credits (all upper division and must include HON 370: History of Ideas seminar). Specific honors courses or sections can be taken to meet this requirement.

Honors contracts can be developed with regularly appointed faculty members for any course. Honors contract projects should be determined jointly by the student and faculty member. The honors contract should ideally increase student understanding of course topics and provide a benefit to the faculty. It is also recommended that students pursue research and projects directed by faculty in order to develop research ideas and further career opportunities prior to starting an honors thesis/creative project.