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School of Public Health

The 18-Credit Public Health Nutrition Certificate can help you advance your knowledge and skills to improve the nutrition and health of populations locally and globally.

Public Health Nutrition Certificate

Courses explore nutritional epidemiology, nutritional needs across the lifespan, food systems, food culture, and the design and evaluation of nutrition programs and policies. Certificate graduates will be equipped to identify the nutritional needs of communities, develop programs to intervene to improve nutritional outcomes, and evaluate their impact. The Public Health Nutrition Certificate is offered in partnership with the Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Sciences in the Rutgers School of Health Professions.

The Public Health Nutrition Certificate is Intended for:

  • Health care professionals, such as clinicians;
  • State and local health department employees;
  • International agency or immigrant relief workers;
  • Non-governmental organization (NGO) or civil society organization (CSO) workers;
  • Those working in the private sector (e.g., pharmaceutical industry); and
  • Those interested in learning about public health nutrition.

Program Design

You can complete the Public Health Nutrition Certificate in two to three semesters, or you can plan a schedule for completing the courses over a two-year period (maximum timeframe). The late afternoon/evening schedule and online course offerings make it convenient to continue working or gain experience while earning your Certificate. The Certificate courses may also be applied toward a degree at the Rutgers School of Public Health depending on the degree program and concentration. Certificate holders must apply and be admitted to the degree program.

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Curriculum Requirements (18 credits)

  • PHCO 0505 - Social and Behavioral Health Sciences in Public Health* (3 cr.)
  • NUTR 5300 - Nutrition across the Lifespan (3 cr.)
  • NUTR 5513 - Global and Public Health Nutrition(3 cr.)
  • NUTR 6490 - Nutritional Epidemiology* (3 cr.)
  • UGPH 0630 - Global Food Systems and Policy (3 cr.)
  • UGPH 0670 - Global Food & Culture ( 3 cr.)

*For current MPH or doctoral students at the Rutgers School of Public Health who have taken PHCO 0505, or an equivalent course, the Public Health Nutrition Certificate is 15-credits. These students take PHCO 0502 Principles and Methods of Epidemiology (3 cr.) instead of EPID 6490 Nutritional Epidemiology (3 cr.)

Graduates of CEPH-accredited schools and programs of public health may transfer up to six (6) credits towards a certificate program if earned within the past seven years with a grade of B or better and are deemed appropriate by the respective Certificate Program Coordinator.

Cost

Tuition is governed by Rutgers University and is subject to change without notice. Confirm current Rutgers School of Public Health’s Tuition & Fees

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Admission Requirements

Applicants must have:

  • Completed an accredited undergraduate program in the U.S. or its equivalent;
  • Demonstrated academic achievement in an appropriate discipline; and
  • Academic credentials at least equivalent to those required for the MPH program.

Applicants must submit:

  • Application for admission;
  • Official transcripts of all prior work;
  • Letter of intent, including statement of purpose for application to the program;
  • Two (2) letters of recommendation; and
  • Application fee.

International applicants must submit:

  • TOEFL scores and WES evaluations.

Note: If undergraduate GPA is less than 2.80, the GRE may be required.