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Nutrition and Foods (BS) - Nutrition and Wellness

About

If you are interested in having a broad-based degree in nutrition but do not plan to become a registered dietitian, this concentration may interest you. Students will have the ability to take a variety of general nutrition, community and food systems, public health and science courses and choose a minor of their choice to complement personal educational and career goals.

The program trains nutrition and wellness professionals who:

  • Understand the basic role of nutrition in the development and prevention of chronic diseases in communities across the lifecycle.
  • Understand the socio-environmental factors, determinants of health and health disparities that impact the accessibility, availability, adequacy and safety of food, nutrition and water systems in communities, and the relationship between these systems and health outcomes.
  • Demonstrate skills in the health assessment of communities, with a focus on community and public health nutrition, food systems and security, and local to global health outcomes.
  • Understand and value the role of public health nutrition policy in influencing the food environment at local, state, national and international levels.

After Graduation

Employment: Graduates will work with communities and various populations to impact food and nutrition security and improve health status. This includes jobs within community/public health nutrition and government health agencies such as USDA Food and Nutrition Services, FDA and Public Health Departments with roles in WIC, National School Lunch Program and Food Safety, Food and Nutrition Program; Family and Consumer Science Cooperative Extension; nutrition programs in the school systems; non-profit agencies; food systems and food security organizations; environmental education; community health programs across the state, region, country and globe; corporate wellness; nutraceuticals; and wellness facilities or further education in the health sciences.

Graduate school: Students with a desire to work specifically in community/public health nutrition may choose to complete a graduate program in public health nutrition such as Appalachian’s online certificate or Master of Science in Public Health Nutrition housed in the Department of Nutrition and Health Care Management. Learn more about Appalachian's Graduate Programs in Public Health Nutrition. Students with a 3.2 GPA or higher may have the opportunity to complete this concentration in Appalachian’s Accelerated Master's Program.

People

  • Faculty Profile: Dr. Melissa Gutschall
    Faculty Profile: Dr. Melissa Gutschall

    “I love it when I see a student’s eyes light up about something I’ve taught that they can realistically change to improve their diet and health.”

    – Dr. Melissa Gutschall

    Meet more faculty

     

  • Alumna Profile: Monica Smith '94
    Alumna Profile: Monica Smith '94

    Chef Monica Smith has appeared in national cooking competitions and cooked for celebrities, yet she remembers well the university labs where she had so much fun learning.

  • Student Profile: Lisa Pham
    Student Profile: Lisa Pham

    A double major in public health and nutrition and foods, Pham promotes healthy eating and AppEats — a virtual cookbook offering healthy and relatively inexpensive recipes designed for easy preparation in a dorm or small kitchen.

Courses

  • Program of Study
    Program of Study
  • Four Year Guide
    Four Year Guide

    - click on the pdf for your major

  • NCCC Transfer Four Year Guide
    NCCC Transfer Four Year Guide

Related Programs

  • Nutrition and Foods (BS) - Dietetics
  • Nutrition and Foods (BS) - Foodsystems Management

Minors

A minor is required in Public Health, Sustainable Development, Global Studies, General Business, Marketing, Non-Profit Organizations, Health Care Management, Child Development, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Biology, or another selected minor with permission from the program director.

View all minors

Engagement Outside the Classroom

Appalachian Student Dietetics Association (ASDA) - an active professional and academic organization that focuses on promoting nutrition and health within the community and on campus.

Global Learning

Appalachian is committed to introducing students to different cultures and teaching them how to live and interact in a global society.

Admission Requirements

A 2.5 cumulative GPA is required for declaration, retention, and graduation.

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Why Appalachian?

  • Appalachian’s program requires a 200-hour undergraduate internship in nutrition and wellness before graduation. The internship gives students vastly more hands-on experience during their undergraduate education than other programs in the region.
  • This program is housed in the Department of Nutrition and Health Care Management.

Location

Boone and Hickory* and online

*The Hickory Campus location is pending accreditation from SACSCOC for this program. Accreditation is expected in summer 2023.

Contacts

Beaver College of Health Sciences

Department of Nutrition and Health Care Management

Melissa Bryan
Program Director
bryanmm@appstate.edu
828-262-8619

  • Department of Nutrition and Health Care Management

    The Department of Nutrition and Health Care Management in Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences provides graduate and undergraduate programs. The undergraduate health care management program prepares students for entry-level management positions, while the online Master of Health Administration degree is designed for working professionals who desire to advance their careers. The undergraduate nutrition and foods program prepares students for careers in dietetics or food systems management in a variety of settings, including schools, hospitals, nursing homes and food banks. The highly competitive master’s degree in nutrition provides a pathway for students to become registered dietitians. Learn more at https://nhm.appstate.edu.

  • Beaver College of Health Sciences

    The Beaver College of Health Sciences opened in 2010 as the result of an Appalachian commitment to significantly enhance the health and quality of life for individuals, families and communities in North Carolina and beyond.

    Exciting, Growing Career Fields

    • Nearly all undergraduate and graduate programs are in fields recognized as growing “faster than average for all occupations” by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics
    • Currently over 3,700 students pursue degrees in 16 undergraduate and graduate programs
    • Students who graduate are successfully prepared for a variety of general and advanced careers in health care

    Real-World Training and Experience

    • Programs emphasize coursework, research and clinical outreach with a dedication to cultivating life-long learners and practical skills for the field
    • Internships, field experiences and clinical placements in real-world settings in the community and surrounding areas ensure students are prepared to meet existing and future health-related workforce needs, particularly in rural areas
    • Interprofessional and collaborative research between students and faculty gives students unparalleled experience in working together with other health and wellness professionals
    • Research opportunities alongside over 150 nationally and internationally trained faculty mean students have opportunities to contribute to finding innovative solutions to regional and national problems in their field

    Advanced Laboratories and Facilities

    • Over 20 laboratories and additional locations for simulated research and applied laboratory training experience
    • Partnerships and opportunities with the Wake Forest Physician Assistant Program
    • The new Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences that opened in the fall 2018 with innovative classrooms and state-of-the-art labs
    • Continued main campus connection through the Holmes Convocation Center, which houses the RMPE Department and the Advising Satellite Office

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