Palestine Polytechnic University

Bachelor in Therapeutic Nutrition

Concerns and interests on nutrition, diet, and human health have dramatically increased during the last decades. Indeed, nutrition habits and lifestyle affect our health and quality of life. Further, dietary factors implicated approximately 50% of the main causes of death worldwide.

Obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, digestive system health, liver health, and kidney diseases are the major issues of human health. Therefore, healthy nutrition is a vital and promising approach to treat and manage such problems. Toward this end, in 2015, Palestine Polytechnic University has established a new program, namely, Therapeutic Nutrition under the Faculty of Applied Sciences.

Our four-year Therapeutic Nutrition program has been specifically designed for students with a strong interest in nutrition and health science who wish to use their knowledge to help in preventing and treating disease as a registered dietitian.

Therapeutic Nutrition students will learn how food intake and dietary requirements can be altered by illness, and how to apply therapeutic diets to treat diseases.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:

• To provide dietitians with enough knowledge in nutrition therapy for individuals who need special health care.
• To conduct applied scientific research and projects in different branches of nutrition and food sciences that meet the community needs.
• To serve the local community by improving health and nutritional awareness through workshops and training programs.

MISSION:

The mission of the Therapeutic Nutrition program is to prepare qualified graduates who can successfully meet the challenges of translating nutritional science into practical dietary advice in order to promote health and to treat a wide range of medical disorders. The dietitian graduate will help people in modifying their food intake and offering practical advice to make a dietary change.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES:

• The graduate will be able to know and understand the basics and principles relating to nutrition, food and the relationship of food to human health.
• The graduate will be able to communicate and work with others and to provide advice, guidance, and knowledge transfer.
• The graduate will be able to demonstrate professional and ethical responsibility and assess the health risks resulting from negligence in this area.
• The graduate will display the values required in modern healthcare including compassion, kindness, empathy, and also respect for patients’ privacy, dignity, and individuality

AREAS WHERE THE GRADUATES ARE EXPECTED TO WORK:

• Ministry of Health.
• Ministry of Education.
• Governmental and private hospitals.
• Nutritional centers.
• Nutritional care institutes (nursing homes).
• Research centers specializing in the field of nutrition and diet therapy.
• Sports institutions as a sport nutrition specialist.
• Standards and Regulatory Bodies.