Department of Nutrition and Kinesiology

Autumn C. Marshall, Professor and Academic Chair
Ruth N. Henry, Professor and Vice Chair
April Ezell, Instructor
J. Lynn Griffith, Professor
Nancy H. Hunt, Associate Professor and Director, Didactic Program in Dietetics
Kent D. Johnson, Professor
Anne M. Lowery, Associate Professor and Director, Dietetic Internship Program
AnnaRose A. Robertson, Assistant Professor and Director, Lipscomb Healthy U
Karen P. Robichaud, Assistant Professor and Director, Master’s in Exercise and Nutrition Science
Matthew Ruiz, Associate Professor
Jeremy R. Townsend, Assistant Professor

The Department of Nutrition and Kinesiology is dedicated to serving its students by integrating Christian faith and practice with academic excellence. The department assists students with the ability to communicate effectively, to think critically, and to develop the breadth and depth of knowledge needed by its graduates for participation in careers in the fields of nutrition, exercise science, wellness, health and physical education, sport management, and coaching. The overall focus of the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) is to train individuals who can serve in a wide variety of roles, from medical nutrition therapy to public health to health care food service management. The knowledge base of the discipline of nutrition includes concepts from the study of food and human nutrition, biology, chemistry, human development and social interaction, and resource management.

Students in Exercise Science typically enter careers in the health and fitness industry, or pursue graduate work in exercise and nutrition science, exercise physiology, cardiac rehabilitation, athletic training, or other health science areas, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, or therapeutic recreation. Students with the Fitness and Sport studies major are qualified for entry-level positions in sports, health and fitness, strength and conditioning, corporate wellness, and wellness coaching The food systems management program of study includes concepts from the study of food and human nutrition, food safety, financial and human resource management, marketing, and legal aspects of food service; food systems management majors earn a built-in minor in business. Health and physical education students interested in the NCATE-approved health and physical education teaching option work in conjunction with the Department of Education preparing for a teaching career. Students interested in sport management find opportunities in the business side of sport and athletics. The Department of Nutrition and Kinesiology also provides all university students opportunities for developing healthy and active lifestyles through the activities courses in the general education program, including a wide variety of sports, fitness activities, and lifetime fitness classes.

Distinctives of the Kinesiology Section

Exercise science is an interdisciplinary degree program designed to prepare students for work opportunities or graduate/professional school. Students must complete a clinical/field experience in the summer of their senior year as part of their degree program. Nashville provides ample settings for practical experience, regardless of the student’s specific academic interest. In previous years, students have gained valuable experience in local hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, health and fitness facilities and YMCAs.

Students with a fitness and sport studies major take interdisciplinary courses as well as courses in exercise science. Because they will be working in the wellness, fitness, or coaching industry, coursework includes electives in both business and psychology. Marketing, administration, and business management course are options to prepare students for working in the industry, and psychology courses are included to help student learn to facilitate behavior change. Sports and fitness studies students will complete a field experience in the summer of their senior year in the sports/fitness venue of their choice.

The kinesiology department has an exercise science lab to help broaden students’ professional experiences. The lab provides an environment for students to engage in undergraduate research or gain valuable practical experience (equipment includes: metabolic cart, electrocardiography machines, body composition, electromyography (EMG), treadmills, bikes, blood pressure cuffs and other measurement devices.)

The health and physical education program is designed to prepare students for careers as teachers in public and private school settings. These students gain valuable experiences by classroom observations and student teaching. There are abundant opportunities to grow professionally through the state professional organization (TAHPERD) and participation in local programs of excellence (Demonstration Schools). Upon graduation, most students enter the teaching profession.

The sport management program is designed to prepare students for careers in the business side of sport and athletics. These students will gain valuable experience in the business, management and marketing aspects of sports and athletics. Many students will want to pursue an MBA in graduate school to maximize their opportunities in this growing and competitive industry.

Distinctives of the Nutrition Section

Accredited Didactic Program

Lipscomb has a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Students who seek to become Registered Dietitians must complete a 1,200-hour supervised practice experience in an accredited Dietetic Internship program beyond graduation from Lipscomb. The undergraduate program’s acceptance rate into dietetic internships is above 80 percent, much higher than the national average. Students in the DPD program study normal nutrition at all stages of life, nutrition in the treatment of disease, and the biochemistry of nutrition. Students desiring to major in dietetics must complete an application and be accepted prior to completing the major/minor declaration form. Students have the opportunity to gain experience in the field at an undergraduate level in nutrition education for all ages, community nutrition and food systems management. An automatic minor in distributive science is built into the dietetics major. Details are provided by the director of the Didactic Program in Dietetics at Lipscomb.

Food Systems Management

The concentration in food systems management combines the study of food and nutrition with the study of management for students interested in restaurant management and the culinary arts. Students study food, marketing and consumer behavior, the management of financial and human resources, and legal aspects of business. Students have the opportunity to gain experience in the field, learning about human resource management, purchasing, inventory, and event planning and management. Students in this major earn an automatic minor in distributive business and have the necessary background to succeed in both culinary training and graduate school in business management.

Certificate Program in Dietetics

The Certificate Program in Dietetics provides the course work necessary for gaining the foundation knowledge and skills needed in a dietetic internship program. Unlike the traditional DPD, this program provides only the major courses in dietetics and does not grant a second baccalaureate degree. The program is designed to meet the needs of students who already have a bachelor’s degree, and provides the course work necessary to receive a certificate (Verification Statement) from an accredited DPD program. The verification statement grants the eligibility to enroll in an accredited Dietetic Internship program, which is necessary to complete before taking the Registration Examination for Dietitians. Students are welcome to transfer hours into the certificate program, and courses completed at Lipscomb may be taken at the undergraduate or graduate level. A minimum of 18 hours must be completed at Lipscomb University in order to earn the certificate, and students wishing to take graduate courses must apply to the master’s program in Exercise and Nutrition Science. After a transcript review, students will be given a list of courses that remain to be completed at Lipscomb.

Students desiring to enroll in the Certificate Program must complete an application and be accepted prior to completing the certificate program declaration form.

Accredited Dietetic Internship Program

Completion of an accredited Dietetic Internship Program is required to become a Registered Dietitian. Lipscomb is the first college among the Christian colleges in the Southeast to house a Dietetic Internship (DI) Program that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). The internship program began in 2002 and is a post-baccalaureate, supervised practice program in which interns complete more than 1,200 hours of supervised practice and complete a minimum of 3 hours of graduate course work. Eligibility for the DI requires a completed bachelor’s degree and a Verification Statement from an ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics. Interns complete weekly rotations in a wide variety of settings, including the clinical, community and food service areas of dietetics. Upon completion of the internship, students are eligible to write the Registration Examination for Dietitians. Lipscomb’s first-time pass rate on the exam is higher than 80 percent, a requirement to maintain accreditation.

Career Opportunities

Dietetics

Community nutrition
Clinical nutrition
Food journalism
Food marketing
Food systems management
Education
Wellness centers
Public health
Sports nutrition

Exercise Science

Fitness professional in corporate/hospital setting
Personal trainer, strength and fitness coach
Graduate school in exercise and nutrition science, exercise physiology, cardiac rehabilitation and athletic training
Health science (physical therapy, occupational therapy, therapeutic recreation)

Fitness and Sport Studies

Personal trainer, strength and fitness coach
Coach for athletic teams
Wellness coach
Activities director

Food Systems Management

Food systems management
Hospitality industry
Institutional management
Food marketing
Culinary school
Food journalism
Research and consultation

Health and Physical Education (Teaching, K-12)

Teaching elementary or secondary health and physical education
Coaching
Graduate school in physical education

Sport Management

Athletic director or athletic administrator
Athletic facility manager
Health and fitness center manager
Sports journalism and marketing
Graduate school in business, management, or marketing

Program of Study Requirements

Major

Minor

Certification

Dietetics Certificate