ASU Online’s Bachelor of Science in applied nutrition and health (formerly known as the Bachelor of Science in food and nutrition entrepreneurship) prepares you for a wide variety of careers in the food industry, ranging from marketing and management to research and development. Featuring a well-rounded food and nutrition curriculum that explores agriculture, food, health, leadership, management, marketing and nutrition, this program equips you with the important skills and knowledge needed to launch entrepreneurial food ventures, innovate the delivery of new products and contribute to sustainable food systems.
As with any education path, it’s important to pursue a degree that emphasizes your passions, interests and career goals. That’s why you’ll have the opportunity to customize this bachelor’s in applied nutrition and health with one of three specialized tracks: pre-dietetics, community nutrition or food service operations. These tracks include 18 credits, or six classes, that emphasize each topic respectively.
Pre-dietetics track
The field of nutrition continues to grow, and the demand for registered dietitians who can positively impact health outcomes through food and nutrition is on the rise. Whether you aspire to work in clinical positions, sports nutrition, community agencies or private practice, securing a registered dietician credential is imperative to your success in this dynamic and rewarding field.
Featuring a science-focused curriculum of anatomy and physiology, medical nutrition, organic chemistry, biochemistry and microbiology, the pre-dietetics track paves the way for further education and specialization. Upon graduation, you’ll be equipped with the prerequisite courses needed to pursue a graduate program in dietetics and complete the necessary advanced coursework and internship hours required to become a registered dietitian.
By pursuing this pre-dietetics track and ultimately becoming a registered dietitian, you’ll gain a competitive advantage in the nutrition field. This credential opens doors to a broader range of career paths and enhances your ability to tailor nutrition advice to individuals with various medical conditions.
Community nutrition track
The community nutrition track empowers you to make a meaningful impact on the health of your community through the transformative power of food and nutrition. If you have a passion for improving the well-being of others, combined with traits of empathy, creative problem-solving and a collaborative mindset, this track may be an ideal fit for you.
Throughout the courses in this track, you’ll gain valuable volunteer experience and actively contribute to improving the health of your own community. You’ll choose which courses you take depending on your interests with featured topics in epidemiology, health promotion, nutrition and the media, population health, program development and more.
Upon graduation, you’ll be prepared to affect positive change at all levels of the social ecological model, from individuals to policy, and create healthier communities with a variety of career paths, such as:
- Community health center director.
- Diabetes educator.
- Food bank nutritionist.
- Food policy advocate.
- Public health nutrition director.
Food service operations track
The food service industry is an expansive and continuously growing field that plays an essential role in satisfying our culinary desires and ensuring food safety standards. In the food service operations track, you’ll gain the knowledge and skills needed to stay ahead of changing consumer demands, technological advancements and innovative dining concepts and thrive in this dynamic environment.
Featured courses in this track cover a variety of food-related topics, including agribusiness, leadership and management, food safety and marketing. Additionally, this track offers potential internship roles so that you can enter the workforce with valuable hands-on experience. Upon completion of your degree, you’ll be prepared for a multitude of career paths, such as:
- Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) director.
- Food business owner.
- Health inspector.
- Restaurant manager.
- School nutrition manager.
- Quality control supervisor.
With a wide range of applicable sectors, including full-service restaurants, fast-food outlets, catering services, food trucks and agriculture production, pursuing the food service operations track provides you with an abundance of opportunities to find your niche and make a meaningful impact within the field.