Mar 28, 2024  
2016-2017 Academic Catalog 
    
2016-2017 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Culinary Nutrition, B.S.


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The Culinary Nutrition Bachelor’s of Science degree prepares students to respect food and the food system as an integral part of health and healing. Culinary nutrition is an exciting interdisciplinary research-based field with biochemical underpinnings that form a framework on which creative culinary professionals hang their artfully designed recipes. Graduates will be able to merge culinary nutrition skills with traditional business skills such as entrepreneurship and technical writing to lead the growing field of using food restoratively and therapeutically to promote vibrancy. Coursework focuses on culinary arts, functional nutrition, “culinary nutrition,” food science, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and food service management.

Distinctive features of the program include its timeliness and relevance to the field of nutrition. The trend in nutrition programs is toward food as medicine with an emphasis on culinary arts. Some of the more competitive nutrition programs offer culinary arts and culinary nutrition.  

Mission of the Culinary Nutrition B.S. Degree Program


The mission of the Culinary Nutrition bachelor’s degree is to uphold the vitalistic vision of the University through a sustainability focused curriculum based on mindful decision making practices related to food and its preparation which respect and heal individuals, food systems and the earth. Grounded in the Eight Core Proficiencies, our graduates are empowered with the critical thinking required to emerge as transformational thought leaders in the interdisciplinary field of culinary nutrition, a unique merging of science, healing arts and self-expression.

Program Goals


  1. Graduates will demonstrate the knowledge and skills for understanding nutrition and its effects on health and the lifestyle of clients from a vitalistic perspective.
  2. Graduates will demonstrate the skills necessary to translate nutritional science recommendations into recipes and food preparation techniques.
  3. Graduates will possess business and marketing skills to work as entrepreneurs.
  4. Graduates will demonstrate the knowledge and skills to apply principles of sustainability to foodservice related endeavors.  
  5. Graduates will be prepared to pursue advanced education if desired.  

Potential Career Paths for Graduates


  • Food Industry Entrepreneur
  • Food Industry Product Development
  • Professional chef/ sous chef/ line cook
  • Culinary Nutrition consultant (menu development private industry)
  • Therapeutic or Spa Chef
  • Private Caterer
  • Personal chef/ celebrity chef
  • Food writing (blog, internet, cookbook, ghost writer, technical writing partner)
  • Health promotion consultant 

Bachelor of Science in Culinary Nutrition Curriculum


Degree Requirements


Students receiving a Bachelor of Science in Culinary Nutrition must complete a minimum total of 184-186 quarter credit hours of instruction. 

Core Curriculum Offerings


Area I: Communications & Humanities 20 Quarter Credit Hours
Area II: Science, Mathematics and Computers 25 Quarter Credit Hours
Area III: Social Sciences 20 Quarter Credit Hours
Total: 65 Quarter Credit Hours

Bachelor of Science Offerings


Area IV: Culinary Nutrition Core 53 Quarter Credit Hours
Area V: Major Program Requirements 30 Quarter Credit Hours
Area VI: Other Nutrition, Science or Business Requirements 33 Quarter Credit Hours
Area VII: General Electives 5 Quarter Credit Hours
Total: 121 Quarter Credit Hours

Total Bachelor of Science Requirements: 184-186 Quarter Credit Hours


Areas I, II, III


Core Curriculum Offerings  

Culinary Nutrition students must take ENG 121 Public Speaking in Area I B; MAT 101 in Area II A and BIO 111. BIO 201 and CHM 111 in Area II B.

Area VI: Other Nutrition, Science or Business Requirements


31-33 Quarter Credit Hours

Area VII: General Electives


5 Quarter Credit Hours

Any course in the University curriculum, not previously used toward degree requirements. 

Additional Completion Requirements


  1. Completion of at least four years of prescribed study, of which the last year must be in residence at Life University, with at least 25% of coursework being earned in the last year of residency.

  2. No courses used in Areas I-III may be used in Areas IV-VII, and all courses in Areas IV-VI must have a grade of “C” or better.

  3. Satisfactory completion of all courses with a minimum of overall cumulative GPA of 2.0.

  4. A recommendation for graduation and completion of an exit interview with faculty.

  5. File a petition to graduate and complete exit interviews with Financial Aid, Career Placement and Accounting Counselors.

  6. Completion of the First Year Experience courses (FYE 101, 103) with a PASS advisor.

  7. Student will complete CLP 090 (8 core life proficiencies). 

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