Food, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies

Overview

Programs in food, nutrition, and wellness studies teach people about the role of food in health, wellness, and development.

Students learn about the relationship between eating and health. They learn about the nutritional needs of the body at all stages of life.

Food, nutrition, and wellness studies programs include topics such as:

Nutritional care and education
Food services planning
Life-span nutrition and wellness
Food safety
Food composition

Schools

A few community colleges offer associate degrees in food, nutrition, and wellness studies. An associate degree program usually takes two years to complete.

Many colleges and universities also offer a bachelor's degree in food, nutrition, and wellness studies. A bachelor's degree usually takes four years of full-time study. Some schools offer a post-bachelor's certificate program that usually requires one year of full-time study after getting a bachelor's degree.

Several universities offer graduate degrees in food, nutrition, and wellness studies. A master's degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor's degree. Doctoral (PhD) degree programs usually require two or more years of study beyond the master's degree.

See schools that offer this program.

Related Educational Programs

Related Careers

Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study

Dietetic Technicians

Other Careers Related to this Program of Study

Careers to Consider

Public Relations Specialists

Program Admission

You can prepare for this program by taking courses in high school that prepare you for college. This typically includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.

Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:

Community Health
Food and Nutrition
Food Science
Food Service and Nutrition
Health Education
Healthcare Occupations
Healthcare Sciences Work Experience
Lifetime Fitness Education
Physical Education
Psychology
Vocational Home Economics Work Experience

Graduate Admissions

Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You need a bachelor's degree, good grades, and good scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General. Your bachelor's degree should be in a food- or nutrition-related program of study.

You also need to submit letters of recommendation and a statement of purpose. A personal interview may be required at some schools.

Typical Course Work

Program Courses

This undergraduate program typically includes courses in the following subjects:

Anatomy and Physiology
Community Nutrition
Contemporary Issues in Food and Nutrition
Eating Behaviors and Food Habits
Facilitated Adult Learning
Food and Nutrition Research Methods
Food Composition and Biochemistry
Microbiology
Nutrition Counseling
Nutrition in the Life Cycle
Nutritional Aspects of Food Technology
Organization and Administration in Adult and Community Education
Physical Activity and Aging
Physical Activity and Stress Management
Principles of Food Science and Preparation
Program and Process Development in Adult and Community Education
Proteins, Carbohydrates, and Fats
Vitamins and Minerals

Graduate Program Courses

Course work in graduate programs that lead to a master's or doctoral degree varies. However, the general outline for a typical graduate curriculum looks like the following:

Required courses
Thesis (master's degree only)
Preliminary oral and written exams (doctoral degree only)
Dissertation and dissertation defense (doctoral degree only)

Things to Know

Internships allow students to develop skills at companies or organizations. Although internships are not required in this program of study, they are a way to meet prospective employers and acquire references.

Some states license nutritionists. If you would like to work as a licensed nutritionist, you typically must have at least a bachelor's degree in this program of study.

This program may be part of a larger dietetics or nutrition program.