PrintPrintEmailEmail
PrintPrint

There is no denying nutrition is a hot news topic. Often public relations (PR) professionals generate these news items. While inaccurate messages confuse and mislead, breed skepticism, and can harm a company’s reputation, truthful, accurate messages can turn PR professionals into nutrition educators, helping consumers make positive lifestyle choices while helping clients attain their business goals. To achieve these objectives, an understanding of the concepts and language of the science of nutrition, social media, and marketing within a nutrition communication context is needed. The certificate program will prepare public relations professionals to create effective, informed communications. This is a collaborative program where students bring the added value of their daily experiences into the virtual classroom to validate and improve both their field practice and their learning.

PrintPrint

The certificate in Nutrition Science and Communication for Public Relations Professionals consists of the following three courses:

  • Foundations of Nutrition Science
    This course provides an understanding of basic nutrition science, including the principles of diet planning and government standards; the biological functions of the macro- and micronutrients; energy balance, weight control, and physical activity; and the role of nutrition in chronic diseases, nutrition throughout the life cycle, and contemporary nutrition-related issues.
  • Social Media for Nutrition Audience
    The Internet is a powerful tool for communication, collaboration, and knowledge sharing. These applications provide the framework to support the transformative nature of the technology and its application to nutrition communication. This course acquaints students with new and emerging technologies for collaboration, dissemination, and communication.
  • Nutrition-Related Consumer Marketing
    This course examines in depth the issues of consumer psychology and nutrition, and explores how these issues play out in a marketing context. The course will examine historical effectiveness of efforts by food companies, health advocacy organizations, and governments aimed at improving nutritional habits. Students will gain an understanding consumer psychology and approaches to affect positive nutrition-related outcomes.

We gratefully thank FoodMinds, LLC for being the founding sponsor of the Nutrition Science and Communications for Public Relations Professionals program.