College of Science and Health
Allied Health and Nutrition
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Fuel Your Passion for Helping Others with a Career in Allied Health-Nutrition
Allied health-nutrition is a broad field that encompasses a variety of healthcare professions that focus on the relationship between food and nutrition and overall health and well-being. Allied health-nutrition professionals work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, schools, and community organizations, to help people improve their health and well-being through nutrition.
Allied health-nutrition professionals play an important role in helping people prevent and manage a variety of health conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer and others.
Allied health-nutrition is a growing field with many opportunities for advancement. If you are interested in a career in allied health-nutrition, apply to Benedictine University’s Allied Health-Nutrition program today.
Jumpstart your career in nutrition
Our program provides you with the essential knowledge and skills you need to succeed in graduate school and beyond. You’ll learn about the latest research in nutrition, food science, and health, and you’ll gain hands-on experience applying what you learn.
Our state-of-the-art Nutrition Lab, located in Gillett Hall, contains three full operating kitchens where Food Science Lab is offered. The lab is also used for special projects, such as the creation of educational videos in collaboration with our Communication Arts department.
In addition to nutrition courses, students also take specialty courses in health education, program evaluation, group process, food systems, and policy to develop the knowledge and skills they need to be effective health educators.
Through case studies, laboratories, and a field experience, students gain a deep understanding of nutrition and learn how to apply what they’ve learned in the real world.
The BenU Difference
Mission of the Allied Health – Nutrition Major
The undergraduate Allied Health–Nutrition program provides and promotes a high-quality education in preparation for a graduate degree in Nutrition, Public Health, or even Dietetics (in a combined program including an internship). The program provides learners with evidence-based comprehensive knowledge and applications of areas such as nutritional science, food science, and health to provide a basis for acceptance into various graduate degree programs.
Students in the Allied Health – Nutrition program have the opportunity to:
- Develop an understanding of food science concepts as well as application in a state-of-the-art food laboratory.
- Develop an understanding of the nutritional basis of disease and get an introduction to health education and research methods.
- Take coursework that is strong not only in nutrition, but also in anatomy, physiology, and chemistry.
Careers with an Allied Health-Nutrition Degree
Allied health-nutrition professionals use their knowledge of food and nutrition to help people improve their health and well-being. They work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, schools, and community organizations.
Some common careers for allied health-nutrition professionals include:
- Public Health Nutritionist
- Community Nutritionist
- Health Educator
- Fitness Professional
- Registered Dietitian Nutrition (RDN), after completion of a graduate degree and ACEND accredited Future Education Model, and pass the RDN registry exam.
These are just a few of the many rewarding careers that are available to allied health-nutrition professionals. With their knowledge and skills, allied health-nutrition professionals play a vital role in helping people improve their health and well-being.
Requirements – Major
The B.S. in Allied Health – Nutrition major must complete 51 hours, with a “C” or better in the following major requirements:
Cognate Courses (with a “C” or better):
Course List
Code – Title – Hours
CHEM 1101 & CHEM 1102 Introduction to Chemistry and Introduction to Chemistry Laboratory – 4
or CHEM 1113 General Chemistry I
& CHEM 1114 and General Chemistry I Laborator
& CHEM 1123 and General Chemisty II
& CHEM 1124 and General Chemistry II Laboratory
CHEM 1103 Introduction to Organic Chemistry – 2
CHEM 1104 Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry Laboratory – 1
CHEM 1109 Introduction to Biochemistry – 2
BIOL 1157 Introductory Anatomy & Physiology I – 4
or BIOL 3216 Human Anatomy and Physiology I
BIOL 1158 Introductory Anatomy & Physiology II – 4
or BIOL 3217 Human Anatomy and Physiology II
PSYC 1100 Survey of Psychology – 3
PSYC 2250 Basic and Applied Statistics – 3
or MATH 1150 Introduction to Statistics
or BALT 1150 Business Statistics I
Total Hours – 23
Required Nutrition Foundation Courses (with a “C” or better):
Course List
Code – Title – Hours
NUTR 2200 Nutritional Science – 3
or NUTR 2201 Nutrition in Health and Exercise
NUTR 3244 Food Science – 3
NUTR 2245 Food Science Laboratory – 1
NUTR/HLED 2280 Community Health and Nutrition Programs – 3
NUTR 4300 Nutrition Aspects of Disease – 4
NUTR 4459 Nutrition Capstone – 2
HLED 3271 Health Education Planning 3
HLED 4394 Health Research Methods and Program Evaluation – 3
Any NUTR/HLED/BIOL/CHEM/PSYC/PBHL/MGT 3000 level + courses – 6
Course List
Code – Title – Hours
Total Hours 28
Meeting the above major requirements also satisfies the following General Education requirements: Engaged Learning, two NUTR Writing Intensive courses, QPS, QLS, QIO, and QCM.
A student pursuing a degree or major in Allied Health–Nutrition cannot earn a degree or major in Nutrition and Dietetics. A student may earn a double major in Allied Health–Nutrition and Health Education and Promotion. Acceptance into the degree program requires students to complete CHEM 1101 Introduction to Chemistry/CHEM 1102 Introduction to Chemistry Laboratory and CHEM 1103 Introduction to Organic Chemistry/CHEM 1104 Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry Laboratory/CHEM 1109 Introduction to Biochemistry with a grade of “C” or better in each of these courses and receive no more than a total of 2 “W”, “D”, or “F” grades in these courses.
Here are some courses you may take in the Allied Health-Nutrition program:
- Introductory Anatomy & Physiology
- Survey of Psychology
- Nutrition in Health and Exercise
- Community Health and Nutrition Programs
- Health Education Planning
Allied Health – Nutrition courses (NUTR)
Courses include: CHEM, BIOL, PSYC, NUTR, HLED, MATH, BALT
Student Testimonial
Travis Hunt
‘21 Nutrition | Psychology
Moreno Valley, Calif. | Benedictine Baseball
“I decided I wanted to become a sport psychologist when I realized how much nutrition plays into the physical and mental health of an athlete. It’s true when they say that “baseball is 80% mental and 20% physical.” Giving the body the nutrients it needs to compete at a high level can drive someone’s career from being good to great. I have learned so much just in the nutrition lab alone. Learning how to cook my own food, what ingredients are in food and the time management needed to put into a healthy lifestyle has been something that has not only benefited me personally, but will be something I will take with me in my career. Playing baseball is my passion and because of BenU I have found my other passion and my future career.”