Nutrition Graduate Certificate

Prepare for a career as a nutrition professional with the Graduate Certificate in Nutrition in Temple’s College of Public Health. This 12-credit certificate program provides students with competency-based public health nutrition training, with the goal of becoming informed and advanced nutrition professionals. It is tailored to current registered dietitians who want to develop or expand their skills in public health nutrition, as well as students who wish to pursue a master’s degree in nutrition or other public health graduate degrees.

With growing emphasis on individualized medicine and the established link between behavior and health, there is a critical need for dietitians who can address current gaps in care, especially in underserved populations. You’ll receive training on how to address systematic nutrition-related health disparities and how to reach underserved populations, while applying perspectives and information grounded in the fundamentals of nutrition, such as disease prevention, food intake, nutrient absorption and proper food preparation. Additional skills developed through this program include expertise in the management of various diet-based diseases and how to curb the malnutrition and obesity epidemics.

What sets apart our Nutrition Graduate Certificate?

• A unique opportunity for healthcare professionals. Many nutrition graduate certificates are not affiliated with an accredited institution. Temple’s program gives students the opportunity to receive a competency-based nutrition education from an accredited university.
• A flexible program format. The certificate allows professionals in the healthcare field to take courses as non-matriculated students without committing to a master’s program. With the option to complete courses in the evening or online, this is an ideal program for working professionals.
• An experienced faculty. As part of the College of Public Health, this certificate program is taught by five faculty members from the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences who have nutrition expertise and backgrounds in nutrition education.

Program Format & Curriculum

The admissions process you’​ll follow depends on if you are applying as a matriculated or non-matriculated graduate student. Please be sure to carefully review the admissions information for this certificate program.

The 12-credit certificate can be completed in two to four semesters. There are no prerequisites required for enrollment in the nutrition certificate program. Students can take these courses concurrently with other public health courses or as non-matriculated students. For current graduate students, these 12 credits will count towards the 42 credits required for the degree. Some of the courses in the certificate program include

• Healthy Psychology;
• Program Planning, Theory and Practice; and
• Public Health Nutrition.

See the full list of program courses.

Careers in Nutrition

Graduates of the College of Public Health’s Nutrition Graduate Certificate will be competitive candidates for careers in public health nutrition. With additional research and program implementation training, graduates of this program are qualified for employment opportunities that involve

• overseeing food, nutrition and health programs;
• providing nutrition education in community and public health settings; and
• serving as a public health nutrition researcher.