HN Undergraduate Programs
Nutrition and Community Health
Dr. Hugo Melgar-Quiñonez
Director, Nutrition and Community Health Option
315C Campbell Hall
1787 Neil Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43210
(614) 292-0042
hmelgar-quinonez@ehe.osu.edu
The Nutrition and Community Health Option in the Department of Human Nutrition is a program for students at Ohio State University who are planning a professional career focused on the development, implementation and evaluation of programs related to wellness and health education.
Students may download the core requirements for the Nutrition in Community Health Option (pdf file).
Graduates of this program will possess competitive skills for successful careers with Cooperative Extension, Family and Consumer Science Education, commodity food groups, public health agencies, corporate Wellness programs, and community development programs. The program provides students with a solid foundation in nutrition science and foods along with an understanding of the fundamental concepts and practices in exercise science, communication, and/or health education.
Students interested in specializing in nutrition and fitness may elect to complete the Exercise Science Minor. Students interested in specializing in nutrition and community health education may
- complete courses within the Exercise Science Education Health Promotion strand to become eligible to take the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) Examination administered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing,
- use the Agricultural Education Minor (pdf) offered by the College of Food Agriculture and Environmental Sciences or
- select from a combination of courses in Agricultural Education, Education, Physical Activity and Education Services, Journalism and Communication, Agricultural Communication, and Human Development and Family Science. The Nutrition and Community Health Option curriculum is designed to develop competencies in methods of effective communication, program development and implementation, program management/leadership, networking, and computer technology.
The Nutrition and Community Health Option differs from the current Dietetics, Nutrition and Nutrition in Industry options in the Department of Human Nutrition in several ways. The Dietetics Option is designed for students who wish to become registered dietitians. The Nutrition Option satisfies the "pre-med" requirements and is designed for students who plan to attend Professional Schools such as Medicine and Dentistry, as well as graduate programs in the biomedical sciences, including nutrition. The Nutrition in Industry Option utilizes the General Business Minor offered by the Fisher College of Business and is for non-business majors who are planning a professional career in business organizations that focus on foods, nutrition, and nutraceuticals. Certain courses from the current options have been replaced with courses that comprise either the Exercise Science Minor, the Agricultural Education Minor, or course selections in the areas of Health Education or Communication.
The coupling of knowledge and skills from the core components of the nutrition curricula with areas of specialization in exercise science, health education, and/or communication will enhance the competitiveness of the graduates of this program for entry and advancement in the targeted settings. The short-term results of this Option will be career opportunities in a vast array of community, corporate and government segments related to food and nutrition. Over the past several years, some students in the Dietetics and Nutrition Options have voluntarily expanded their curriculum to include many of the courses we will require in Nutrition and Community Health option. These students have gone on to successful careers in the areas of corporate wellness, public health, cooperative extension, government policy and lobbying, law, commodity groups, and other related areas in food and nutrition-related businesses. The Nutrition and Community Health Option will provide students with a more diversified professional background as the scope of nutrition continues to expand and change.
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