The School of Public Health and Health Professions at the University at Buffalo is expanding its degree offerings to include nutrition science, environmental health sciences, and a coaching minor.
All three new programs have been approved by the New York State Education Department and are now open to students.
A lot of people are interested in these new fields. SUNY Distinguished Professor and Dean of the School of Public Health and Health Professions, Jean Wactawski-Wende, PhD, states, “We are working to meet the demands of our students.” In order to improve the health of our communities, our pupils will benefit from these programs.
An education in nutrition science can lead to a range of careers, such as dietetics and food science, as well as entry into other health-related degrees. The nutrition minor, which has long been a popular course of study at UB, has been expanded into a full bachelor’s degree program.
Dietary factors, such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber, play an increasingly important role in sustaining good health and preventing disease, according to Heather Kearns, the exercise science program director at the University of Washington’s School of Public Health and Health Professions. “Culinary nutrition” is a branch of nutrition research that focuses on the role nutrients, diet, and food play in the treatment and management of chronic disorders, says Kearns.
The core sciences of chemistry, biochemistry, and biology are all part of the four-year curriculum, as are courses on nutrition and human health and illness. End-of-program options include exercise science, sport nutrition or public health concentrations. Understanding the interplay between nutrition and human health will be taught in this course, as students will learn about nutrition’s interdisciplinary character.
Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) certified Future Education Model (FEM) programs in Dietetics were established for students to apply. FEM programs are the new way to meet the educational requirements to appear for the Registered Dietician exam.
For students who want specialist study in environmental health, environmental toxicology, exposure science, and environmental epidemiology, a two-year MS in environmental health sciences degree program is available.
It is the science and practice of identifying and evaluating hazardous agents in the environment and their sources, as well as restricting exposures to hazardous physical, chemical, and biological agents that may adversely affect human health in air, water, soil, or food that are present in the environment.
To prepare students for future jobs as environmental health research scientists, experts, or specialists and/or to pursue a doctorate in relevant scientific subjects, this curriculum is offered.
The environmental health science program includes a compulsory course in toxicology principles and practice from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in addition to the School of Public Health and Health Professions.
There are almost 800 hazardous waste sites in Erie, Niagara, and Cattaraugus counties alone, according to James Olson, Ph.D., UB Distinguished Professor of Environmental Health Sciences. Professor and director of the Environmental Health Sciences Division in the School of Public Health and Health Professions, as well as of epidemiology and environmental health at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. The program is co-directed by Olson and UB associate professor of epidemiology and environmental health Xuefeng Ren, PhD, MD.
There has been an increase in local and national interest in environmental health issues in recent years, from Great Lakes toxins to air pollution from the Peace Bridge and the Tonawanda Coke plant.
Despite recent improvements in Western New York’s air quality, there is still a pressing need to describe present environmental exposures and reconstruct historical data on the region’s air pollution. Current and future generations may be at risk from cumulative environmental exposures from numerous sources (air, water, soil).
Graduates of the program at the University at Buffalo will be well-prepared to deal with the ever-increasing number of environmental challenges that affect the health of all people.
UB undergraduates interested in coaching in summer youth sports programs, community sports programs, school athletics, or collegiate athletics can pursue a minor in coaching through the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences. But it does not lead to New York State certification as a coach.
Coaches are both educators and leaders, and this minor focuses on that theme as well. As a minor, you will learn how to deal with topics such as CPR and first aid and sports nutrition and performance psychology and injury prevention in school, community, and college sports.
All students, regardless of their subject of study, will benefit from the great networking and leadership opportunities provided by each course in the curriculum.
