With the increasing appreciation of the importance of nutrition for health promotion and disease prevention and the widespread interest in the safety and sustainability of the food system, there is a need for highly qualified nutrition professionals who are able to developing appropriate policies and programs. The two doctoral specializations prepare graduates for a variety of leadership positions in policy-making, education and administration in schools and colleges/universities, in media organizations, hospitals, and the workplace, and in government, community and public health and other service agencies. The program's goal is to turn out graduates capable of (a) initiating needed action and responding positively and creatively to the clearly inevitable changes of the coming decades in the physical, intellectual, and political environments in which the food, health, and educational systems operate and (b) conducting research and evaluation studies using appropriate designs and data collection and analysis methods.
There are two specializations:
The Nutrition Education specialization focuses on leadership roles in many settings, such as colleges and universities, health promotion and disease prevention programs, voluntary health agencies, government and international agencies, businesses, hospitals, and food advocacy organizations, where they work with individuals, groups and communities, and serve as faculty members, program developers, and evaluation and research specialists.
The Nutrition and Public Health specialization focuses on leadership roles in colleges and universities, and in government, community, health care, and public health agencies, carrying out a variety of tasks related to health promotion and disease prevention. These include community and individual nutritional assessment and evaluation; program planning and management; coalition building; participation in multidisciplinary health teams to provide programs to meet public needs; and conducting research and evaluation studies.
Admissions Requirements
Admission to the EdD program involves completing the application form available online or through the Admissions Office, including all regular procedures such as transcripts from all institutions attended, 3 letters of recommendations, GRE scores, personal statement, and a writing sample, which can be a thesis or substantial paper.
Program of Study
The general requirements for the Doctor of Education include a minimum of 90 graduate credits, of which at least 45 must be taken under Teachers College registration. Overall, students will be expected to develop competence in nutrition science, behavioral science, methods of empirical research and data analysis, critical thinking and analysis, and broad areas of scholarship, in addition to developing special skills and knowledge appropriate to their chosen degree in nutrition education or public health nutrition. Students will also be expected to pass a certification examination, usually after the completion of 60 points and Research Seminar in Nutrition (HBSV 6550-6551), and to conduct original research that culminates in the production of a dissertation.
Students will be expected to take courses in the following categories:
I. Major field and specialization: 50-60 points
II. Research and evaluation: 12-18 points
III. Broad and basic areas of professional scholarship: 15-24 points
The specific courses selected will depend on the student's particular background, interests and goals. In consultation with a faculty advisor, students should develop a program plan early in their course of study to provide a rational basis for their course selection. (Contact the Nutrition Program office for more detailed descriptions of the doctoral degree requirements.)
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