Apr 16, 2024  
2020-21 Gaston College Catalog 
    
2020-21 Gaston College Catalog [THIS CATALOG IS OUT-OF-DATE. USE THE CURRENT CATALOG TO FIND CURRENT PROGRAMS.]

Nutrition and Dietetics Technician - Nutrition and Foodservice Professional Training Program (C45860)


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This certificate provides a full and comprehensive overview of institution food service management. Emphasis is placed on the application of facility design, menu planning, food procurement, inventory control, food safety principles, human resource and financial management and food production. Upon completion, students should be able to work in a health care environment under the supervision of a registered dietitian and be eligible to sit for the national certified dietary managers’ examination.

Employment opportunities include hospitals, correctional centers, nursing homes, public health agencies, schools, retirement centers, hospices, home care agencies, and commercial food service systems.

Course work includes content related to foodservice management, nutrition, and medical nutrition therapy, human resources, and food safety/sanitation.

The certificate program is one semester (16 weeks). There are two components to the certificate program: 1) internet-based learning and 2) supervised practice.

The internet-based learning includes a minimum of 120 hours of online classroom instruction, backed up by 192 hours of hands-on supervised practice. Gaston College offers students within two-hours or 100 miles travel proximity to complete the supervised practice at Gaston College and facilities in the surrounding communities. Supervised practices completed under the supervision of someone other than Gaston College faculty must meet credentialing agencies requirements.

Students are eligible for student Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals (ANFP) membership. Upon completion of the required course work and 192 hours of supervised practice experience the graduate is eligible for the credentialing exam and active ANFP membership. For this purpose, student names/addresses will be sent to ANFP headquarters when students enroll in the program. A graduate list will be sent to ANFP headquarters within two weeks of graduation.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates will:

  1. Communicate and perform effectively as a dietary manager to a diverse population.
  2. Incorporate and apply the dietary guidelines in the provision of services to the general population.
  3. Demonstrate knowledge of management principles required to deliver food and nutrition services.
  4. Apply basic food preparation skills.
  5. Develop basic menus for conditions such as hypertension, obesity and cardiac.
  6. Perform nutrition screening for at-risk population.
  7. Gather basic nutrition assessment information to assist the registered dietitian.

Admission Information


Admission to the general college does not guarantee admission to the Nutrition and Foodservice Professional Training Program. Applicants applying for admission to the Gaston College  Nutrition and Foodservice Professional Training Program MUST meet the Gaston College admission requirements.

To be eligible to participate in the selective admission process, an applicant must complete the following application steps:

  1. Complete Residency Determination
  2. Submit a Gaston College application
  3. Apply for financial aid
  4. Meet with an advisor and/or attend an information session
  5. Submit official high school (and college, if applicable) transcripts
  6. Provide proof of course placement requirements

Students must demonstrate readiness for College level reading and math. Students can demonstrate that readiness in the following ways:

  1. Provide proof of unweighted US High School GPA of 2.8 or higher within the last ten years.
  2. Provide proof of an associate or bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
  3. Provide proof of satisfactory scores on RISE, ACT, SAT, GED, NCDAP, COMPASS, ASSET or ACUPLACER within the last ten years.

Students who do not have recent high school transcripts or test scores within the past 10 years should prepare to take the placement test and demonstrate:

Mastery on RISE (Reinforced Instruction for Student Excellence) English placement Tier 2 and RISE Math placement Tier 2; OR successfully complete ENG 002 through TIER 2 (grade of P2) and MAT 003 through Tier 2 (grade of P2).

Additional Program requirements Upon Admission into the Nutrition and Foodservice Professional Training Program

In addition to maintaining a 2.0 GPA and earning a minimum grade of “B” (80%) in all Nutrition and Foodservice Professional Training curriculum courses, applicants accepted into the Nutrition and Foodservice Professional Training Program must meet the following requirements in order to enroll and continue in the program courses:

  • A completed Gaston College Health and Human Services Student Medical form documenting satisfactory emotional and physical health signed by a health care practitioner. This is required by the due date stated in the applicant’s email from the compliance specialist.
  • Current Adult, Child, and Infant CPR and AED certificate.
  • Students will be required to submit documentation of additional non-academic criteria such as, but not limited to, criminal background checks, urine drug testing, a 2-step negative TB skin test (after initial 2-step annually), flu shot (annually), and proof of immunizations. If the clinical facility refuses to allow the student to complete his/her supervised practice at the facility based on said findings, the student would not be allowed to continue in the program. Students are to complete these requirements by registering and paying a fee to a third-party vendor. Instructions will be provided by the compliance specialist.
  • Provide proof of medical/health insurance. Insurance must cover an injury or illness while in a facility for supervised practice.
  • Provide proof of car insurance coverage. Insurance is for safety in travel to and from assigned areas.
  • Professional liability insurance (malpractice insurance) is arranged through the Gaston College Business Office
  • Acknowledge that travel “out-of-service” areas may be required for the supervised practice.

Clinical agencies reserve the right to deny a student access to the facility based on failure to meet the above requirements. If a student is denied access to any clinical agency, the student will not be allowed to continue in the Nutrition and Foodservice Professional Training Program. Detailed information regarding these agency requirements will be provided upon conditional acceptance in the program.

Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from all supervised practices, laboratory, and class activities. Supervised practice experiences may be scheduled mornings, afternoons, evenings, and/or weekends at various supervised practice sites. Supervised practice times and schedules will vary from semester to semester. Any Nutrition and Foodservice Professional Training Program student may be assigned an alternate schedule and time frame with adequate notice given for planning purposes.

Accreditation Agencies


Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) Headquarters
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000
Chicago, Illinois 60606
800.877.1600

Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)
800.877.1600, ext. 5400
Fax: 312.899.4817
acend@eatright.org

Commission on Dietetic Registration
The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) is the credentialing agency for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. CDR also re-certifies a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, Registered (NDTR).

Approved Training Program for the Dietary Manager Certificate

Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals (ANFP)
406 Surrey Woods Dr.
St. Charles, IL 60174
Tel: 800.323.1908
Fax: 630.587.6308

Total Program Hours: 14


Note(s):


The courses taken in this certificate program may be applied toward the Associate in Applied Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics Technician.

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