Masters of Public Health, Concentration in Nutrition and Wellness

The total number of credit hours for the MPH program is 42. Thirty-seven credits have been allotted to didactic work and 5 credits will satisfy the required culminating activities (capstone research project and practicum). The didactic portion includes 5 CEPH required public health courses in the areas of biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health sciences, health services administration, and social and behavioral science. Additional didactic courses include 2 research classes and 6 nutrition and wellness courses, including one course focused on minority nutrition and wellness issues. The capstone and practicum components of the program satisfy CEPH’s and ACEND’s requirements that “all graduate professional public health degree students must develop skills in basic public health concepts and demonstrate the application of these concepts through a practice experience that is relevant to students’ areas of specialization.” The MPH/RD is a coordinated program designed for students who want to become registered dietitians (RDs). Students in the MPH/RD program receive an education that combines research and hands-on training in nutrition and dietetics with foundational knowledge and skills in public health. This program combines classroom work and the supervised practice requirements for national registered dietetics examination eligibility upon graduation.

Program Goals:

The MPH in Nutrition and Wellness seeks to provide graduate level faith-based knowledge, Research and Scholarship, Diversity and Cultural competency and collaboration. Program goals in each area are as follows:

Goal 1. Faith based: Provide comprehensive Christ-centered, service-oriented public health curriculum that promotes excellence in character development, achievement of professional goals, and adherence to professional standards.

Goal 2. Research and Scholarship: Provide innovative, researched-based Public Health, and Nutrition education, and scholarship for service to diverse communities

Goal 3. Diversity and Cultural Competency: Develop, implement, and assess public health programs to promote Nutrition and Wellness to individuals, groups, and communities of various cultures, races, and ethnicities, to address health disparities and social determinants of health.

Goal 4. Collaboration: Facilitate sustainable collaborations between faith-based organizations and external partnerships in service to communities.

Program Student Learning Outcomes Foundational Public Health Competencies 

Students will demonstrate the ability to:

1. Evaluate evidence-based approaches to public health.

2. Analyze public health and health care systems.

3. Develop concepts for planning and management to promote public health.

4. Evaluate policies in public health.

5. Apply principles of leadership, governance, and management in public health.

6. Describe communication strategies and importance of cultural competence in public health.

7. Apply systems thinking and effective interprofessional teams to public health issues.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Concentration Nutrition and Wellness Competencies Students will demonstrate the ability to:

1. Evaluate cultural approaches to food, nutrition, and health with an emphasis on plant- based diets.

2. Analyze the nutrition care process as it relates to assessment of nutritional status

3. Demonstrate leadership in the evaluation of public health nutrition and wellness programs

4. Demonstrate the benefits of subscribing to a vegetarian diet

5. Analyze public health nutrition and wellness peer-reviewed research