Nutrition Assistant Certificate of Achievement

The Nutrition Assistant Program values the promotion of healthy living through education,nutrition resources, meal programs, outreach, and referral in our diverse multi­ethnic populations. The program is committed to train students to provide culturally sensitive, quality nutrition care to help clients achieve optimal health and wellbeing at every stage of life. Graduates of the program work as entry-­level nutrition staff in public health and healthcare settings, such as Women,Infants, & Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Programs, senior nutrition programs, public health agencies, University of California CooperativeExtension, schools and child care settings, hospitals and other health care facilities. Others may continue their educational pathway to transfer, or pursue a degree in dietetics, public health, or other related fields.

Approximately 15-20 students earn Nutrition Assistant Certificates Achievement annually. We are currently adjusting the program to be available partially online and scheduling it during the early evening hours in order to increase enrollment. 

The goal of the Nutrition Assist program is to prepare students to to provide culturally sensitive, quality nutrition care to help clients achieve optimal health and wellbeing at every stage of life. Graduates of the program work as entry-­level nutrition staff in public health and healthcare settings.

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Plan and facilitate nutrition-related services.
• Apply basic nutrition and food safety principles.
• Apply learner-centered facilitation skills for group and individual nutrition education.
• Assess and integrate professional skills necessary for employment in the nutrition field.

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
HLTH 170	Introduction to Dietetics Profession	1	S1
HLTH 172	Foodways, Nutrition and Health	3	S1
HLTH 173	Life Span Nutrition & Assessment	4	S2
HLTH 174A HLTH 174B HLTH 175 HLTH 175L HLTH 175W	Intro to Clinical Nutrition Community Nutrition Professional Skills for Nutrition Assistants Nutrition Assistant Clinic Nutrition Assistant Field Experience	2 2 2 .5 2.5	S2 S2 S2 S2 S2
BIO 134	Introduction to Nutrition for Health Sciences		S1 or prior

Admission to the program is based on the following:

1. Graduation from an accredited high school or have passed the G.E.D. test or have passed the California High School Proficiency examination.

2. Completion of HLTH 170, Introduction to Dietetics Profession, with a grade of "C" or higher.

3. Recommended completion of ENGL 88 or ESL 186 or placement in ENGL 1A or ESL 188. 

All applicants to the program must enroll in HLTH 170 which is offered the first five weeks of the fall semester. 

Internship:  Students must complete HLTH 175 Professional Skills for Nutrition Assistants, and HLTH 175W Nutrition Assistant Field Experience, a 10-week long internship of at least 160 hours with an agency providing nutrition services, under the mentorship of registered dietitians or other qualified nutrition professionals, and HLTH 175L, Nutrition Assistant Clinic providing 16 hours lab experience at the CCSF Student Health Center. 

The minimum time for completion of this certificate is 2 semesters plus 1 month.  HLTH 175 and HLTH 175W are late-start courses that extend 5 weeks past the end of the regular semester. Completion time will vary based on student preparation and number of classes completed per semester.  

Courses Required for the Certificate of Achievement in Nutrition Assistant

Course	Units
First Semester (Fall):
HLTH 170 - Introduction to Dietetics Profession	1.00
BIO 134 - Introduction to Nutrition for Health Sciences	3.00
HLTH 172 - Foodways, Nutrition & Health	3.00
Total:	7.00
Second Semester (Spring):
HLTH 173 - Life Span Nutrition & Assessment	4.00
HLTH 174A - Intro to Clinical Nutrition	2.00
HLTH 174B - Community Nutrition	2.00
HLTH 175 - Professional Skills for Nutrition Assistants	2.00
HLTH 175W - Nutrition Assistant Field Experience	2.50
HLTH 175L - Nutrition Assistant Clinic	0.50
Total:	13.00
Total:	20.00

The CCSF Nutrition Assistant Program was developed in 1997 and is aligned with City College of San Francisco's mission of providing career training and with the CCSF Education Master Plan that supports students to attain their educational goal.

Merritt College - Nutrition and Dietetics - offers Associate in Science degrees in Nutrition and Dietetics for Transfer (AS-T), Dietetic Technology; and a Certificate of Achievement in Dietary Manager. Their certificate program is designed for those interested in food service management and for individuals with food service and cooking experience who seek advancement into management positions, especially in the healthcare field. Santa Rosa Junior College - offers Certificate of Achievement for Certified Dietary Manager; Associate degree for Dietetic Technician, and Associate degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. These two programs within the greater Bay Area offer a pathway to a degree from our CCSF Nutrition Assistant Program, for those students who wish to pursue an Associate degree in the field, or to become a Dietetic Technician. Our program is unique in that our students are trained to work in public health/community nutrition field. The certificate programs at Merritt and Santa Rosa colleges are focused on food service management.