Health and Nutrition Sciences, B.S.

School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences

Program Overview

If you believe that nothing is more important than good health, a health and nutrition degree is right for you. This degree will help you promote good health in all contexts: locally, globally, geographically, culturally, socially, and emotionally. You can choose from a plethora of courses in every conceivable aspect of health and nutrition, from birth to old age, across four tracks of study—foods and nutrition, public health, thanatology, and pre-health professions. Depending on their concentration, health and nutrition majors with this degree often pursue advanced degrees in medicine, nursing, and other allied health fields as well as in public health, clinical nutrition, foods management, community nutrition education, exercise science, or other professional areas.

Health and Nutrition Sciences, B.S.

Where You'll Go

There are many career paths in health and nutrition sciences, including clinical, food management, education, community health, and research. Brooklyn College alumni with a degree in health and nutrition sciences work in healthcare services, education, community nutrition settings, food service, research, corporate wellness, nutrition therapy, and many other fields.

Major Details

Major Requirements (55-70 Credits)

All students must complete the requirements in one track within the B.S. degree: public health, pre-health professions, thanatology, or foods and nutrition.

All tracks: Health and Nutrition Sciences 3300 or Psychology 3400.

A college-wide minimum of 24 credits in advanced courses in one department must be completed at Brooklyn College with a grade of C or higher in each course.

The department chairperson or designee may allow substitutions for one or more course requirements, consistent with the educational goals of the program.

Students pursuing a B.S. with a concentration in pre-health professions or thanatology who are planning to continue into pre-professional health programs (e.g., medicine, nursing, physical therapy, physician assistant), should consult with the Pre-Health Professions program to decide which courses to take for their intended graduate program.

 

Student Learning Outcomes

Goal 1: Mastered relevant knowledge. This knowledge includes the biological, social and environmental aspects of health and nutrition

  • Identify important health status indicators (e.g., major patterns and causes of mortality and morbidity) for individuals and populations locally, nationally and globally
  • Describe the multiple biological, environmental, social and behavioral determinants of health
  • Demonstrate knowledge about the organization and delivery of personal and public health services
  • Understand health programs and policies

Goal 2: Acquired the ability to perform pertinent tasks. These tasks include the analytic and communication skills and techniques needed to function successfully as health and nutrition professionals.

  • Identify and evaluate sources of health-related information and health research
  • Apply knowledge of health status determinants to real world problems
  • Communicate about health issues orally and in writing, including the writing of research papers based on evidence
  • Conduct basic statistical and epidemiological analyses

Goal 3: Incorporated appropriate values. These values include a commitment to science and fostering equity in the work of health and nutrition professionals.

  • Value scientific methods and evidence-based knowledge
  • Respect cultural diversity
  • Show commitment to social justice, ethics and human rights
  • Value standards of professional behavior

Contact

Associate Professor Tracy Wong

tracy.wong@brooklyn.cuny.edu
718.951.5000 x6287
4135 Ingersoll Hall

Or contact:

Office of Undergraduate Admissions

222 West Quad Center
2900 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11210
E: adminqry@brooklyn.cuny.edu

To make an appointment with an undergraduate admissions counselor, please visit:

Virtual Admissions Counselor Appointments

Tracks

Foods and Nutrition

Students who complete this concentration will meet the requirements for the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD). The program meets the standards set by The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), the accrediting body of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and provides the core knowledge requirements necessary for pre-professional practice.

Biology 1010 or Biology 1001 and 1002.

Health and Nutrition Sciences 2300 and 2301.

All of the following: Health and Nutrition Sciences 2210, 2220, 2221, 2222W, 2223, 2240, 3210, 3230, 3250, 3255, 3270, 4213, 4230, 4240, 4241, 4300, 5250.

Chemistry 1040; or both 1100 and 2100; or 1050, 2050, and 2100. Students considering health professions schools (e.g. medicine, dentistry, physical therapy), will likely need Chemistry 1100 and 2100. In some cases, students may be specifically advised to take Chemistry 1050, 2050, and 2100. Please check with the Pre-Health Professions advisor.

Chemistry 2500; or both 3510 and 3520; or all of the following courses: CHEM 3511, 3512, 3521, and 3522. Students considering health professions schools (e.g., medicine, dentistry, physical therapy), will likely need to take Chemistry 3511, 3512, 3521 and 3522. Please check with the Pre-Health Professions advisor.

Pre-Health Professions

Biology 1001, 1002.

Chemistry 1040; or 1200, 1201, 2200, 2201; or 1050, 2060, 1201, 2200, and 2201.

All of the following: Health and Nutrition Sciences 1100, 1200 or 2210, 2109W, 2120, 2130, 2140, and the fieldwork course HNSC 4180.

A minimum of 6 credits from: Health and Nutrition Sciences 2302, 2303, 2300, 2301, 2100, 2111, 2131, 2150, 2170, 2171, 2180, 2181, 2182, 2183, 2212, 2215, 2220, 2221, 3110, 3111, 3112, 3132, 3150, 3160, 3161, 3162, 3170, 3171, 3180, 3181, 3184, 3186, 3187, 3188, 3230, 3314, 3330, 3505, 4150, 4151, 4152, 4153, 4300, and courses numbered in the 5000’s.

A minimum of 15 credits from: BIOL 3003, BIOL 3004, CHEM 2100, CHEM 2500 or CHEM 3510, CHEM 3521, CHEM 3522, CHEM 4570, CHEM 4580, PHYS 1100, PHYS 2100, PSYC 1000; PSYC 2810, PSYC 2200.

Public Health

Biology 1001.

Chemistry 1040; or 1200 and 1201; or 1050, 1201, and 2060.

All of the following: HNSC 1100, 1200 or 2210, 2100, 2109W, 2120, 2130, 2140, 2183, 3112, 3162, 3330, 4152, 4180, 5100.

With consultation with her/his adviser, the student will select 6 credits of electives drawn from other HNSC courses numbered 2000 and over or the following courses from other departments: ANTH 1100, ANTH 3150, ANTH 3135, ECON 3500, EESC 3750, HIST 3478, KINS 3281, KINS 3285, PHIL 3306, PHIL 3316, POLS 1002, POLS 3415, PSYC 1000, SOCY 1101, SOCY 3202, SUST 1001, WGST 3122, WGST 3501.

Thanatology

Biology 1001, 1002.

Chemistry 1040; or 1200, 1201, 2200, 2201; or 1050, 2060, 1201, 2200, and 2201.

All of the following: Health and Nutrition Sciences 1100, 1200 or 2210, 2109W, 2140, 2120, 2130, 2140, 3180, 3186, 3187, 3314, and the fieldwork course HNSC 4180.

A minimum of 6 credits from the following courses: Health and Nutrition Sciences 3181, 3188, 3171, 5390, Art 3151, Classics 3244 / Religion Studies 3035 / History 3025, Psychology 3260, Sociology 2402

A minimum of 15 credits from: BIOL 3003, BIOL 3004, CHEM 2100, CHEM 2500 or CHEM 3510, CHEM 3521, CHEM 3522, CHEM 4570, CHEM 4580, PHYS 1100, PHYS 2100, PSYC 1000; PSYC 2810, PSYC 2200

Internships and Employers

Through job fairs, the internship database, and internship panels, the Magner Career Center gives students in the health and nutrition sciences B.S. program access to career opportunities at a wide variety of employers, including:

  • City Harvest
  • Cornell University
  • CUNY Research Foundation
  • Edible Schoolyard NYC
  • Harlem Children’s Zone
  • Maimonides Medical Center
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
  • National Eating Disorders Association
  • New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
  • New York Methodist Hospital
  • Northwell Health
  • NYC Health + Hospitals
  • NYU Langone Health
  • Red Rabbit
  • School Food
  • Spoons Across America

Learn More

Brooklyn. All in.

Brooklyn. All in.