Exercise and Nutrition Sciences Department

Nutrition and Dietetics Program

The department offers a major in Fitness and Wellness Leadership, a major in Nutrition, minors in Athletic Coaching, Nutrition, and Personal Trainer, and a variety of elective courses in wellness, personal fitness, physical education activities, coaching, and American Red Cross certification programs. Undergraduate students may apply to take graduate courses in the department’s 100% online M.S. Program in Fitness and Wellness Leadership during their senior year.

Nutrition Program

As a nutrition major, you will learn how to help people use food and nutrition to promote health and well-being, as well as manage disease and optimize quality of life. You can choose between two tracks.

The Dietetics Track is a traditional Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD). It is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) and meets the academic requirements for registered dietitian-nutritionist (RD or RDN) or dietetic technician (DTR) status. To take the RD registration exam, attainment of the university degree must be followed by supervised professional experience obtainable through ACEND-approved or accredited programs such as a dietetic internship. Students may apply for internship admission in the senior year. Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).

The Food & Nutrition Track allows you to combine nutritional science with your specific professional interests, such as pursuing a relevant minor or preparing for pre-medical or pre-accelerated nursing programs, and more. Both tracks prepare students for a variety of jobs in the nutrition and/or health-related industries, and for continued studies.

The mission of the Nutrition Program is to prepare skilled and competent students for supervised practice leading to eligibility for the Commission on Dietetic Registration credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist, graduate studies, or employment in the field of food and nutrition.

Practicum and internship candidates are expected to follow the external and professional practicum guidelines appropriate to their discipline. (Please refer to specific department/program student/internship manual for details.)

Fitness and Wellness Leadership Program

The Fitness and Wellness Leadership Major is an extensive interdisciplinary program with four areas of concentration: Personal Training & Fitness Management, Allied Health Science, Athletic Training and/or Sports Nutrition. As you progress through the major, you will have the opportunity to tailor your experience based on your professional goals. The program provides strong content knowledge, hands-on personal training experience as well as business, management and clinical rotations that will help you gain employment as a personal trainer, fitness professional, health or fitness manager and business owner. Four concentrations will prepare you for entry into the fitness and wellness industry or for graduate school in physical therapy, athletic training, chiropractor and other health professions. Allied health interested students are encouraged to work with both their fitness and wellness leadership advisor and with the pre-health advising program. In addition, you will be prepared to enter graduate school programs in exercise science if you are interested in becoming an educator working in a university setting. Students may pursue fitness certifications such as the American College of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Group Exercise Instructor, and upon graduation Certified Exercise Physiologist. Students majoring in Personal Training & Fitness Management concentration are prepared to complete a minor in marketing and/or in business. Only four (4) credit hours of PED activity courses (100-PED 194 may be used toward a degree.

Associate Professors:
Kenneth Baldwin (M.E.D., Lesley University)
Cecilia Gregoire (Ph.D., University of Vermont and State Agricultural College)
Andreas Stamatis (MOP, Baylor University)

Assistant Professors:
Cody Dulaney (Ph.D., Kent State University-Main Campus)
Angela Durant (M.S., University of New Haven)
Terrence Vance (Ph.D., University of Connecticut)

Programs

Majors (Undergraduate)

Minors (Undergraduate)

Graduate Programs

Fitness and Wellness Leadership, M.S. (Online)