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Majors in BHAN

Our academic programs focus on the psychosocial aspects of health, wellness, illness, and aging, enabling our students to obtain the practical experience, knowledge, and skills needed to promote optimal health and prevent disease in people across the lifespan.

The Department of Behavioral Health and Nutrition offers majors in health behavioral science, health & physical education, applied nutrition, dietetics and nutritional sciences. Descriptions of these programs and requirements for completing them can be found below.

Bachelor of Science – Health Behavior Science

Health Behavior Science majors explore and analyze how human actions, cognitions, communications, and environment affect health, chronic disease, relationships and quality of life across the lifespan. More specifically they work to promote healthy lifestyles through education, assessing needs, counseling and coaching individuals, developing and implementing programs, policy change, creating media and materials, and evaluating the impact and outcome of their efforts.

As medical costs skyrocket, it has become clear that the health of individual Americans has an effect on society as a whole. The cost of treating preventable conditions is passed on to everyone via increased taxes and health insurance premiums. Health behavior science majors and health promotion professionals emphasize improvements in:

  • Diet
  • Exercise
  • Positive Attitudes, Behaviors and Lifestyle Choices
  • Stress Management

This may seem simplistic, but students who take on health behavior science as a career become thoroughly familiar with the intricacies of physical and mental health and the challenges of motivating individuals, communities, and societies toward health improvements.

Students majoring in health behavior science have a strong interest in health issues, education and behavior change.

""Health Behavior Science FAQ's

""Health Behavior Science Checksheet

""Health Behavior Science Information Package (PDF)

Howard Weston Senior Center KINECT Video

Bachelor of Science – Health & Physical Education

If you like working with children and you’re enthusiastic, flexible, patient, organized, and creative, then health and physical education may the perfect major for you. If you’re considering a career as a health and physical education teacher, then ask yourself these questions:

  • Can I imagine myself doing anything else?
  • Do I want to make a difference in children’s lives?
  • Do I enjoy physical activity?
  • Do I enjoy working with children?
  • Can I be a positive role model?
  • Do I like explaining how to do something?
  • Do I want to help children realize how much fun movement and sport can be?
  • Do I want to inspire children to begin a lifelong commitment to a healthy lifestyle?
  • Do I want children to know about the choices and consequences they may encounter as they grow older?
  • Do I want to interact with the school and surrounding community to strengthen children’s healthy lifestyles?

""HPE Curriculum and Program Requirements (PDF)

""HPE Related Activities (PDF)

""HPE Information Package (PDF)

""HPE Checksheet (Word)

Bachelor of Science – Applied Nutrition

This degree is designed for students who want to combine a study of nutrition
with another course of study. They may choose a minor or use their electives to
take a variety of courses of interest.

""Applied Nutrition Checksheet

Bachelor of Science – Dietetics

This is the major for students who wish to pursue the Registered Dietitian (R.D.)
credential. Students should be aware that completion of a post-undergraduate
internship is required before taking the examination to become an R.D.
Acceptance into an internship is very competitive, and GPA, work/volunteer, and
leadership experiences as well as recommendations are all factors in admittance.

""Didactic Program in Dietetics Student Handbook

""Dietetics Checksheet

""Dietetics Double Major Checksheet

Bachelor of Science – Nutritional Sciences

This program is designed for those interested in pursuing an advanced degree in
areas including but not limited to nutritional science, medicine, dentistry, and physical therapy and other allied health fields. This major has a very strong science curriculum. Students should review the preadmission requirements for post-undergraduate programs to assure they take all required courses. These sites show general preprofessional school requirements: www.udel.edu/premed and www.udel.edu/pt.

""Nutritional Science Checksheet

Health Behavior Science with a concentration in Health and Disability

  • College of Health Sciences  •  Department of Behavioral Health & Nutrition  •  26 Carpenter Sports Building 
    Newark, DE 19716 •   Phone: 302-831-2265   •  Fax: 302-831-4261   •  © 2013
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