NEP-485-larsen2-2026-04-27-02-10-08
Modern Concepts in Human Health: Nutrition Policy and Public Health
Prefix and Number - NEP 485
Semester and Year [tbd]
Number of Credit Hours - 3
Prerequisites - NEP 101 or NEP 202
Course Details
Day and Time: [tbd]
Meeting Location: [tbd]
Instructor Contact Information
Instructor Name: Martine Perrigue, PhD, RDN
Instructor Contact Information: HERB 314A, martine.perrigue@wsu.edu
Instructor Office Hours: [click here for best practices] [tbd]
TA Name: [tbd]
TA Contact Information: [office location, phone, email]: [tbd]
TA Office Hours: [click here for best practices] [tbd]
Course Description
Nutrition policies, policies that address other social determinants of health, research design and methods to evaluate policies, and impact of policies on population health.
The following broad topics will be covered: Nutrition policies, including those related to nutrition assistance programs (e.g., SNAP, WIC, school lunch/breakfast programs and child and adult care food program), food taxes, workplace and health care settings, other U.S. health policies, such as those related to insurance and housing; policy foundations and processes; ethics of policy interventions; effects of policy on health equity; and overview and training in study designs and analytic methods to evaluate policies.
Course Materials
Books: Nutrition in Public Health: Principles, Policies, and Practice (2nd ed.) by Spark, Dinour, and Obenchain. ISBN-978-1466589940. ~$180 new on Amazon.
Other Materials: Laptop computer. These can be checked out from the WSU Library, if needed.
Fees: None
|
Course Learning Outcomes (students will be able to:) |
Activities Supporting the Learning Outcomes | Assessment of the Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| Develop evidence-based nutrition and health policies. | Project development | Policy assignment |
|
Describe nutrition and health policies that address critical social issues. |
Lectures and class activities |
In-class activities and exams |
|
Examine the impact of policies on population health. |
Lectures and class activities |
In-class activities and exams |
|
Discuss research designs and methods commonly used in policy analysis. |
Lectures and class activities |
In-class activities and exams |
|
Use and interpret statistical measures to evaluate nutrition and health policies. |
Lectures and class activities |
In-class activities and exams |
| Dates | Lesson Topic | Assignment | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Week 1 |
· Nutrition in public health · Government’s role |
Chapter 1 of book |
In-class activities |
| Week 2 [dates] |
· Food and nutrition surveys for monitoring public health · Disparities and Programs to Reduce Diet-Related Chronic Diseases |
Chapters 4 and 5 of book |
In-class activities |
| Week 3 [dates] |
· Food and nutrition guidance: Dietary guidelines for Americans · Food insecurity |
Chapter 9 and Food security in the US in USDA website |
In-class activities and exam |
| Week 4 [dates] |
· Mid-term exam 1 · Nutrition assistance programs |
Chapter 11 of book |
In-class activities |
| Week 5 [dates] |
· Nutrition policies · Workplace wellness policies |
Chapters 5 and 10 of book |
In-class activities and exams |
| Week 6 [dates] |
· Obesity prevention policies · Ethics of nutrition policies |
Chapter 5 of book and Nuffield Council on Bioethics |
In-class activities |
| Week 7 [dates] |
· Medicaid, Medicare and Affordable Care Act · Policies and special populations |
Kaiser Family Foundation website and Chapter 6 of book |
In-class activities |
| Week 8 [dates] |
· Research design and methods for policy evaluation |
Quasi-Experimental Design for Health Policy Research: A Methodology Overview |
In-class activities |
| Week 9 [dates] |
· Mid-term exam 2 · Social marketing and other health communication techniques |
Chapter 12 of book |
In-class activities and exam |
| Week 10 [dates] |
· Health impacts of policies: Quasi-experimental and qualitative evidence |
Impacts of Nutrition Policy on Food Insecurity and Individual Health in the United States: A Narrative Review |
In-class activities |
| Week 11 [dates] |
· Policy advocacy: Student presentations and assignments |
Project development |
Policy assignment |
| Week 12 [dates] |
· Policy advocacy: Student presentations and assignments |
Project development |
Policy assignment |
| Week 13 [dates] |
· Policy advocacy: Student presentations and assignments |
Project development |
Policy assignment |
| Week 14 [dates] |
· Role of non-government sectors in promoting nutrition and health |
Chapter 14 of book |
In-class activities |
| Week 15 [dates] |
· Food safety and defense |
Chapter 13 of book |
In-class activities and exams |
Expectations for Student Effort
It is WSU policy that for every hour of in-class instruction, or equivalent online instruction, students should expect at least 2 hours of outside class course preparation in the form of reading, course assignments, and review of previous lectures. This course has 3 lecture hours per week, so students are expected to spend 6 additional hours per week outside of class on assignments, readings, etc.
Grading
| Type of Assignment (tests, papers, etc) | Points | Percent of Overall Grade |
|---|---|---|
|
Exams (3 @ 20% each) |
300 |
60% |
|
In-Class Activities |
50 |
10% |
|
Policy Assignment |
150 |
30% |
| Grade | Percent | Grade | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| A |
93-100% |
C |
73-76.9% |
| A- |
90-92.9% |
C- |
70-72.9% |
| B+ |
87-89.9% |
D+ |
67-69.9% |
| B |
83-86.9% |
D |
63-66.9% |
| B- |
80-82.9% |
F |
<63% |
| C+ |
77-79.9% |
This course uses the above grading scale with standard rounding procedures to one decimal place. No exceptions will be made.
Attendance and Make-Up Policy
Students should make all reasonable efforts to attend all class meetings. However, in the event a student is unable to attend a class, it is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor as soon as possible, explain the reason for the absence (and provide documentation, if appropriate), and make up class work missed within a reasonable amount of time, if allowed. Missing class meetings may result in reducing the overall grade in the class.
Missed in-class activities require participation and, therefore, cannot be made up. Exams can only be made up with prior permission from the instructor in advance of the original exam date, with exceptions made for extenuating circumstances at the instructor’s discretion.
Academic Integrity Statement
You are responsible for reading WSU's Academic Integrity Policy, which is based on Washington State law. If you cheat in your work in this class you will:
-Receive a "0" on the assignment
-Be reported to the Center for Community Standards
-Have the right to appeal my decision
-Not be able to drop the course of withdraw from the course until the appeals process is finished
If you have any questions about what you can and cannot do in this course, ask me.
If you want to ask for a change in my decision about academic integrity, use the form at the Center for Community Standards website. You must submit this request within 21 calendar days of the decision.