Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health

Public Health Nutrition

Introduction

The mission of the NYU Community Public Health program is to improve the health of diverse population groups at the local, national and international levels. This mission is consistent with New York University’s role as a center for global education. It is accomplished by educating students to integrate the knowledge, skills, and experience fundamental to all public health disciplines and to apply the integrated knowledge to prevention of a broad range of community health problems. The program prepares students to be effective public health leaders and service providers through its commitment to excellence in education, research, and community service. It promotes public health practice and professional values through graduate-level field work with community agencies, collaboration with outside agencies, and the provision of direct service to the community.

The Public Health Nutrition Concentration

Public Health Nutrition is one of three areas of concentration of Community Public Health (the other two are Community Health and International Community Health). It is a 46-credit program leading to the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree. The program is designed for students who seek graduate training in program and policy approaches to improving the nutritional status of diverse population groups. It prepares students for careers in local, state, federal, and international health agencies.

Program Goals

The MPH trains students to integrate the knowledge, skills, and experience fundamental to all public health disciplines and to apply this integrated knowledge to prevent health problems among diverse population groups. This goal is accomplished through training in public health fundamentals--biostatistics, epidemiology, research methods, environmental health sciences, health services administration, social and behavioral sciences, and program planning and evaluation. The program places great emphasis on the application of material learned in courses to practical experience obtained through supervised fieldwork placements.

The goals of Public Health Nutrition concentration are to prepare health and nutrition professionals to:

  • Identify and assess diet-related health problems—of both undernutrition and overnutrition—among diverse population groups in the United States and internationally
  • Identify the social, cultural, economic, environmental, and institutional factors that contribute to the risk of undernutrition and overnutrition among populations
  • Develop educational and other population-based intervention strategies to improve food security.
  • Develop policies to reduce barriers to food insecurity and to improve the food choices and nutritional status of diverse population groups.
  • Apply population-based research findings to the development and implementation of nutrition policies and programs in the United States and internationally.

Admissions

Applicants must have at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and must have taken the GRE or MCAT within the past 5 years. Applicants can request that official GRE scores to be sent to Graduate Admissions; official MCAT scores must be submitted on paper, with the completed application. For information on admissions, financial aid and housing as well as application materials, please contact:

The Office of Graduate Admissions
New York University - Steinhardt School of Education
82 Washington Square East, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10003-6644
(212) 998-5030 steinhardt.nyu.edu/graduate.admissions

The deadlines for admission to the M.P.H. program are February 1 for the Fall semester and November 1 for the Spring semester.

Degree Requirements

Public Health Nutrition leads to an MPH degree with a specialization in nutrition. All students must complete 46 credits of coursework and a 180-hour internship experience. The Department strongly recommends that students acquire basic knowledge of statistics before entering the MPH program. Additional prerequisite courses, which do not count toward the 46-credit MPH, are required of students who do not hold undergraduate degrees in nutrition. Students are encouraged to earn a credential as a Registered Dietitian (RD) in addition to the MPH. How to be come an RD is described here.

Accreditation

The MPH program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The American Dietetic Association accredits the department’s dietetics programs. The NYU Graduate Didactic Program in Dietetics (the set of courses that meet ADA educational competencies) is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of the American Dietetic Association (120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606, 1-800-877-1600).

Prerequisites

Public Health Nutrition requires specialization in foods and nutrition in addition to public health fundamentals. For students who enter the program without previous training in these fields, the program requires the following four prerequisite courses (or their equivalents in coursework as determined by an advisor).

E33.0119 Nutrition & Health (3) [F, Sp, Su]
E33.1068 Nutrition-Focused Human Physiology (3) [F, Sp]
E33.1260 Diet Assessment and Planning (3) [F, Sp]
E33.1209 Community Nutrition (3) [F, Sp] OR E33.1269 Nutrition and the Life Cycle (3) [F, Sp]

These courses fulfill basic competencies in public health nutrition and prepare students to enter graduate nutrition courses. Students who enter the MPH program with credentials as Registered Dietitians, or who are RD-eligible, or who elect the RD/MPH option have already met (or will meet) all of the prerequisite requirements for the MPH program.

Curriculum and Electives

Curriculum (46 credits)

Department Requirement
E33.2000.003 New Graduate Student Seminar (0) [F, Sp]

Public Health Foundations (19)
E10.2995 Biostatistics I (3) [F]
E10.2996 Biostatistics II (3) [Sp] Prerequisite: E10.2995
E33.2306 Epidemiology (3) [Sp] Prerequisite: E10.2995
E33.2322 History & Principles of Public Health (3) [F]
E33.2356 Environmental Health Problems (3) [F]
P11.1830 Community Health & Medical Care (4) [F, Sp]

Applied Public Health (6)
E33.2318 Assessing Community Health Needs (3) [F] Prerequisites:: E10.2996, E33.2306, E33.2361
E33.2355 Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health (3) [F]

Public Health Nutrition Specialization (12)
The following courses are required for the Public Health Nutrition concentration, however alternative courses may be taken upon advisor approval:

E33.2213 Nutrition in Public Health (3) [F]
E33.2015 Food Policy (3) [Sp]
Electives (6) (see below)

Research (6)
E33.2361 Research Methods in Public Health (3) [Sp] Prerequisite: E10.2995
E33.2349 Program Planning and Evaluation (3) [Sp] Prerequisites: E10.2996, E33.2306

Internship (3)
E33.2360 Internship and Seminar in Public Health (3) [F, Sp, Su]
(To be taken after completing at least 23 of the 46 required credits)


RECOMMENDED ELECTIVES (others may be selected by advisement)

Community Health
E33.2410 Community Based Health Interventions (3)
E33.2405 Health Communication: Theory and Practice (3)
E33.2335 Advocating for Community Health (3)
E33.#### Topics in Health: (topic and course number changes each semester) (3)
P11.2106 Community Organizing (4)*
P11.2445 Urban Poverty (4*

International Community Health
P11.2852 Comparative Analysis of Health Systems: International Perspectives (4)*
E33.2316 International Health Seminars: South Africa (6)
E33.2314 International Health and Economic Development (3) [F]
E33.2383 International Population and Family Health (3) [Sp]
P11.2211 Program Development & Management for International Organizations (4)*
P11.2210 International Organizations and Management: The UN System (4)*
P11.2216 International Organizations: NGOs (4)*
P11.2237 Urbanization in Developing Countries (4)*
P11.2867 Health Care Reform: International (4)*

Public Health Nutrition
E33.2213 Nutrition in Public Health (3) [F]
E33.2015 Food Policy (3) [Sp]
E33.2033 Food Systems I: Agriculture (3) [F]
E33.2042 Maternal and Child Nutrition (3) [Sp]
E33.2178 Nutrition Assessment Methods (3)
E33.2192 Nutritional Epidemiology (3) [F]
E33.2191 Culture and Foods (3) [F]
E33.2187 International Nutrition (3)
E33.2208 International Study in Foods & Nutrition (1-6)

Public Health Electives Applicable to Any Concentration
E33.2319 Writing Grants and Funding Proposals for Health-Related Programs (3) P11.2836 Current Issues in Health Policy (4)*
P11.2650 Population Change, Immigration and Public Policy (4)*
P11.2215 Globalization and its Impact on the State (4)*
P11.2119 Marketing for Non-profit Organizations (4)*
P11.2125 Foundations for Non-profit Management (4)*
P11.2867 Health Care Reform (4)*
P11.2125 Fundamentals of Nonprofit Management (4)*
U10.2210 Migrating Populations and Health (3) [Sp]
U10.2220 Cross-Cultural Health Communication (3) [F]
U10.2230 Global Non-Communicable Disease Epidemiology and Control (3) [Sp]
U10.2290 Acute Public Health Emergencies (3) [Sp]
U10.2410 Global Burden of Infectious Disease (3) [F]
U10.2420 Genetic Epidemiology (3) [F]
U10.2440 Emerging Diseases and Bioterrorism (3) [F]
U10.2450 Advanced Epidemiology (3) [Sp]
U10.2510 Fundamentals of International Dental Public Health Practice (3) [Sp]
U10.2520 Issues in Global Pediatric Oral Health (3) [Sp]
U10.2530 Water Fluoridation: A Half Century of Evidence and Arguments (3) [F]
U10.2540 Oral Health Promotion Planning Principles: Application to Developing Countries (3) [F]
U10.2550 Society and Oral Health Seminar (3) [Sp]
U10.2560 Public Health Research and Practice in Less Developed Countries (3) [Sp]

* Please note that asterisk (*) indicates a 4-credit course.

Program Sequence

For students matriculating in the Fall semester:

NOTE: This sequence may be changed slightly depending on the status of prerequisites.

1st Fall semester
E33.2000.003 New Graduate Student Seminar (0)
E10.2995 Biostatistics I (3)
E33.2322 History & Principles of Public Health (3)
E33.2355 Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health (3)
P11.1830 Community Health & Medical Care (4)

1st Spring semester
E10.2996 Biostatistics II (3) [prerequisite: E10.2995 ]
E33.2306 Epidemiology (3) [prerequisite: E10.2995 ]
E33.2301 Research Methods in Public Health (3) [prerequisite: E10.2995]
E33.2015 Food Policy (3)

2nd Fall semester
E33.2356 Environmental Health Problems (3)
E33.2318 Assessing Community Health Needs (3) [prerequisites: E10.2996, E33.2306, E33.2361]
E33.2213 Nutrition in Public Health (3)
________ Elective ____________________________

2nd Spring semester*
E33.2349 Program Planning and Evaluation (3) [prerequisite: E33.2318, E33.2355]
E33.2360 Internship and Seminar in Public Health (3)
________ Elective ____________________________


For students matriculating in the Spring semester:

NOTE: This sequence may be changed slightly depending on the status of prerequisites.

1st Spring semester
E33.2000.003 New Graduate Student Seminar (0)
E33.2301 Research Methods in Public Health (3) [prerequisite: E10.2995 or permission of instructor]
P11.1830 Community Health & Medical Care (4)
E33.2015 Food Policy (3)
________ Elective ____________________________

1st Fall semester
E10.2995 Biostatistics I (3)
E33.2322 History & Principles of Public Health (3)
E33.2355 Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health (3)
E33.2318 Assessing Community Health Needs (3) [prerequisite: E10.2996, E33.2306, E33.2361]

2nd Spring semester
E10.2996 Biostatistics II (3) [prerequisite: E10.2995 ]
E33.2306 Epidemiology (3) [prerequisite: E10.2995 ]
E33.2349 Program Planning and Evaluation (3) [prerequisite: E33.2318, E33.2355]
________ Elective ____________________________

2nd Fall semester*
E33.2356 Environmental Health Problems (3)
E33.2360 Internship and Seminar in Public Health (3)
E33.2213 Nutrition in Public Health (3)

* Students taking less than 12 credits but enrolled in E33.2360 can apply for full-time equivalency

Internship

Practical work experience in public health programs is an essential part of the training of public health professionals. As the culminating experience of the MPH program, students are expected to be engaged in supervised fieldwork for a minimum of 180 hours. To integrate and apply knowledge of public health fundamentals, students work or intern at a selected community site as part of E33.2360 Internship and Seminar in Public Health. Students enroll in the Internship class during their last year of courses (students must complete 23 credits toward their degree to enroll in E33.2360). Registration for E33.2360 requires permission from the instructor. For details regarding the internship process, please refer to the Internship and Seminar in Public Health: A Guide for Students, Faculty and Community Agencies which can be found on our website.

Field placement opportunities

In consultation with an advisor, students select field placement at a wide variety of public health agencies or programs in New York City. Students also may make special arrangements to work at sites throughout the United States or internationally.

Examples of recent site placements include:

  • American Diabetes Association
  • American Heart Association
  • Arab-American Family Support Center
  • Center for Science in the Public Interest, Washington DC
  • Children’s Health Fund
  • City Harvest
  • Community Food Resource Center
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension
  • Food and Drug Administration
  • Health Insurance Plan (HIP) of Greater New York
  • Helen Keller International
  • Momentum AIDS Project
  • New York City Board of Education
  • New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
  • New York State Department of Health
  • Office of Minority Health
  • United Way
  • Westchester County WIC Program

Careers in Public Health Nutrition

Health professionals in public health nutrition hold positions as officers, managers, directors and coordinators of national and international:

  • Health departments, agencies, and organizations
  • Health and nutrition advocacy organizations
  • Food and farm-to-table organizations
  • Government and private food assistance programs
  • Organizations that serve women, infants, and children (WIC) programs
  • State and worksite health promotion programs
  • State and local programs to implement health planning objectives
  • School lunch and food service organizations
  • Government or private programs to reduce dietary risk factors for specific chronic diseases
  • Health care facilities
  • Specialized health care programs serving adolescents, high-risk infants, handicapped children, elderly, and persons with specific diseases or conditions
  • Primary health care programs in underserved areas
  • Programs serving the HIV-infected population

Professional Organizations

Students are strongly encouraged to join and participate in the NYU Public Health Alliance during the program. For information about the NYU Public Health Alliance, contact the Department at 212-998-5780 or email diana.silver@nyu.edu.

The NYU MPH program also encourages students to become members and to regularly attend meetings of the American Public Health Association (APHA) and its New York City affiliate, the Public Health Organization of New York (PHANYC). For information about APHA, its journal (Journal of the American Public Health Association), its annual meeting, career opportunities in public health, links to other public health resources and sites, and the benefits of student membership, see: www.apha.org. For information about activities of the Public Heath Association of New York City (PHANYC) and student membership, see: http://phanyc.org .

APHA also has a membership section devoted to foods and nutrition. The APHA Food and Nutrition Section publishes a quarterly newsletter that includes information about student research prizes, job opportunities, and other useful items, see: http://www.apha.org/membergroups/sections/aphasections/food/ .

Students who are completing requirements to become a RD may join the American Dietetic Association (ADA). The American Dietetic Association sponsors two Dietetic Practice Groups (DPGs) relevant to public health nutrition practice: Public Health/Community Nutrition DPG and Hunger and Environmental Nutrition DPG. For information about the organization, its benefits, and its membership requirements, see http://eatright.org.

To join the student committee of the Greater New York Dietetic Association (GNYDA), go to http://gnyda.org/. Membership in the ADA is required to join GNYDA.

Students are also encouraged to join and attend meetings of the Society for Nutrition Education (SNE) and the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE). For information about SNE, see www.sne.org . For further information about SOPHE, see http://sophe.org/ .

Students are especially encouraged to join and participate in local public health nutrition organizations. The NYC Nutrition Education Network (NYCNEN) and the Food Systems Network of NYC (FSNYC) are important for networking with colleagues in the field. Further information about NYCNEN can be found at http://www.foodchange.org/advocacy/nyc.html. Further information abut the FSNNYC can be found at http://www.foodsystemsnyc.org/about .

How To Become A Registered Dietician

The Graduate Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) is one element of the requirements for Dietetic Registration. These requirements include:

  • A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution (you should already have this for graduate admission).
  • The NYU Graduate DPD.
  • An NYU DPD Verification Statement: Obtain this in the last semester in which you are taking DPD courses. Request application from office staff and submit with fee.
  • A Dietetic Internship: Apply through national computer matching in the last semester of courses (see handouts for the NYU Dietetic Internship or the James J. Peters/Bronx VAMC Internship).
  • Verification of Internship Completion: Obtain from the Dietetic Internship director at the end of the internship program.
  • Apply to the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) to take the dietetic registration examination.
  • Pass the CDR examination and earn the Registered Dietitian credential.

Prerequisites and Pre-Internship Requirements

NYU Graduate students, who are earning the MPH in Public Health Nutrition and who want to become Registered Dietitians but have not completed undergraduate DPD courses, do not take another bachelor's degree. Instead, students enroll in the 46-credit M.P.H. program and take undergraduate DPD courses as needed. All courses taken toward the DPD must be approved by an advisor and completed prior to receiving the Graduate DPD Verification Statementa. DPD courses may not be taken for graduate credit, and DPD courses taken for graduate credit outside of NYU, whether prior to or after matriculation, will not be counted toward the graduate degree at NYU.

The following 15 courses - or their equivalents taken elsewhere and pre-approved by an academic advisor - constitute NYU's Graduate DPD. For help in planning the sequence in which these courses must be taken, consult the Graduate DPD Sequence Map on the next page and obtain the approval of an advisor. Online courses and courses taken at two-year colleges that do not have an ADA-accredited program do not meet NYU's DPD requirements.

Basic Science
V25.0002 Introduction to Modern Chemistry - with laboratory (5)
V25.0240 Principles of Organic Chemistry - with laboratory (5)
E33.1023 Food Microbiology & Sanitation (3)
E33.1068 Nutrition-Focused Human Physiology (3)
E33.1064 Nutritional Biochemistry (3)

Nutrition Science
E33.0119 Nutrition & Health (3)
E33.1260 Diet Assessment & Planning (3)
E33.1269 Nutrition and the Life Cycle (3)
E33.1185 Clinical Nutrition Assessment & Intervention (3)
E33.1209 Community Nutrition (3)

Food Science
E33.0085 Introduction to Foods & Food Science (3)
E33.0091 Food Management Theory (3)
E33.1052 Food Production & Management (3)
E33.1184 Food Science & Technology (3)

Other
E33.2000.02 New Graduate Student Seminar (Must be taken during first term) (0)
E33.2190.01 Research Methods (Credits count toward 40-credit MS degree) (3)

To receive a DPD Verification or Declaration of Intent from NYU, students must take at least 15 credits at NYU and get pre-approval from an academic advisor for all DPD courses taken outside NYU.

Graduate Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD): Sequence Map

Method: Courses at the top of this chart have no prerequisites. Begin taking these courses and work down in sequential order. Solid arrows indicate prerequisites; broken lines indicate courses that may be taken concurrently (co-requisites) but not out of sequence. Do not take courses that have prerequisites until you have completed the prerequisites. New Graduate Student Seminar, E33.2000 must be taken your first semester in the program.

Graduate Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD): Sequence Map