Doctoral Applied Nutrition and Health Education

The Applied Nutrition and Health Education major of the Ed.D. program prepares graduates through an individual, societal, cultural, and organizational health lens, offering a more advanced understanding of the topic. The major is designed for those who seek advanced leadership positions in universities, governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations, public health agencies, hospitals, and businesses functioning as health education experts, evaluation specialists, faculty, or consultants. The program prepares graduates to develop a deeper understanding of the skills needed to guide health education through policies, practices, and solutions to complex issues in a diverse society.

66 Total credits

$795 Cost Per Credit Hour

TBA Next Start Date

The Union Advantage

In addition to receiving the world-class doctoral education Union offers, you could finish faster and save on tuition when you transfer 24 previously earned master’s-level credits into our Ed.D. program. Here’s how it works:

Complete your EdD in 24 months

If you are a full-time student and can transfer in twelve credits.

Transfer up to 24 credits

See criteria below for determining which credits are transferable.

Pay just $27,216 in tuition

Dependent upon transferring in 24 credits.

Transfer up to 24 credit hours of previous graduate coursework
Finish in three years or less
16-week terms
Fall, Spring and Summer start dates
Online residencies at the start of each term

Cost of Program

TERM 1

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EDU 825

Schools, Society, and Culture

3 credits

This course will highlight the significant historical role education has played in society. It will further focus on the importance of creating strong programs that form successful relationships among educational institutions, the community, various cultures, and the wider society. This will include the changing definition of community and social interaction due to vast technological
advancements. Additionally, it will incorporate an analysis of internal and external stakeholders in supporting the missions of educational institutions, specifically (but not limited to) its relationship to today’s culture.
RSCH 783

Educational Research Designs and Methods

3 credits

This course provides the skills and knowledge necessary to conduct evidence-based doctoral research. The course explores philosophical frameworks, theory, literature review, and research design (research questions, methodologies, and data collection and analysis tools) as well as other key aspects of academic research (reliability and validity, ethics, and social relevance).
Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods are examined in relation to the field of education. Students will relate all topics to their personal research interests and professional goals and will develop a hypothetical research proposal as a culminating assignment. This course is the first in a series of courses designed to prepare students to launch their original doctoral dissertation.
EDU 824

Education and Technology

3 credits

This seminar’s focus is on exploring existing and emerging technologies and applications and designing them into student-centric learning experiences and to facilitate the integration access, use, and understanding of new technologies and information resources for continued learning and development.

TERM 2

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EDU 700

Education and Social Justice

3 credits

The seminar examines alternative conceptions of ethics and social justice and explores their implications for education. The seminar provides students with a theoretical grounding that will serve to inform their leadership practices in Educational Leadership Pre K-12 and Higher Education contexts. Through readings, dialogue, and written work, students will engage in
ongoing reflection on their assumptions and perspectives regarding social justice issues in education.
RSCH 710

Research Methods

3 credits

This course examines the intersection of educational research and social justice. This includes socially just methods of conducting research, analyzing data, and drawing conclusions; understanding the impact of the research on the community being researched and ways of inviting their participation in decision-making; human subject research; the power dynamics
inherent in conducting research; the ways in which social justice provides a framework for research; and, the values to which a socially just researcher should adhere.
HLTH 861

Health Disparities and Social Determinants of Health

3 credits

This course is designed to introduce the social determinants of health, health disparities, and strategies to effectively address the social determinants of health and reduce health disparities.

TERM 3

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EDU 701

Ethical Leadership

3 credits

This seminar has three key elements: (1) overview of the nature of ethics and the concept of the common good and how they relate to leadership; (2) exploration of the nature and sources of moral courage and how they relate to leadership; and (3) examination of historical examples that underscore the essential nature of ethics and courage for those who aspire to advance
positive change for the common good.
DIET 530

Foundations in Dietetic Practice

3 credits

This course is designed to build a solid foundation in dietetic practice. The course will cover the history of the dietetics field, scope of practice of dietitians, health care ethics, theories of adult learning, and basic counseling skills. The foundational knowledge gained in this course will be built upon through future courses in dietetics program.
RSCH 785

Qualitative Research

3 credits

This seminar has three major components. First, Creswell’s (2007), Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches will be utilized to explore, compare and contrast the following research approaches - grounded theory, ethnography, phenomenology, narrative inquiry and case study. Second, examples of the various approaches to qualitative
inquiry and evaluation of their appropriateness for different kinds of research questions will be examined. Third, engagement in a practice research project using Creswell’s five approaches will be conducted.
RSCH 788

Quantitative Statistics

3 credits

This course will provide students with knowledge of the basics of statistical methods used in behavioral science and educational research. The emphasis is to afford students an understanding of fundamental concepts, interpretation and application for general data analyses and educational research, without an overemphasis on technical and mathematical development.
Students will be introduced to various research design methods and applicable analytic approaches. General descriptive statistics and inferential methods will be introduced. Topics will include measures of central tendency, measures of variability and sampling methods and data exploration. Inferential methods will include concepts of hypotheses, hypothesis testing and
decision-making. Approaches to be covered will include T-test, F-Test, One- and Two-Way ANOVA, ANCOVA, Chi-Square Test, Correlation and Linear Regression, and Logistic Regression. Overview of multivariable techniques including Hotelling’s Test and MANOVA will be introduced. At the end of the class, students will be able to communicate and interpret statistical results in a manner that is professional and consistent with expectations for members of the general public and education professions. Students will obtain practical experience in using SPSS software for analyses and to support research needs
HLTH 862

Motivational Interviewing and Behavior Theories

3 credits

This course will provide an understanding of the foundational elements of Motivational Interviewing, including the spirit and methods of MI. This course will have an emphasis on skill development for use of MI in supporting diverse populations in personal change efforts. Students will have guided opportunities to learn and practice the basic counseling skills necessary for the effective use of MI. The course introduces models of behavioral health change, with a specific focus on understanding and application of the Transtheoretical Model of Change as it connects to Motivational Interviewing.

9 credits required, CHOOSE ONLY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

EDU 701 Ethical Leadership OR DIET 530 Foundations in Dietetic Practice | RSCH 785 Qualitative Research OR RSCH 788 Quantitative Statistics

TERM 4

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EDU 826

Curriculum and Social Justice

3 credits

This seminar will comprise a study of current curriculum innovations and their underlying theoretical bases with a focus on social justice models. Emphasis is given to current research implementation of curricular models in the K-12 and higher education settings and the translation of effective curriculum designs in practice.
RSCH 786

Focused Research Design Project

3 credits

The purpose of this seminar is to facilitate students in designing their dissertation study. The culminating project is a dissertation proposal consisting of the first three chapters of the dissertation (Introduction, Literature Review, and Methodology).
DIET 570

Leadership

3 credits

The course presents leadership theories and organizational management models while providing students the opportunity to apply these theories through experiential learning and to enhance leadership development through self-assessment exercises. Included in the course are identification of leadership competencies and challenges, the skills needed for the successful
management of organizations and people, and the role of mentorship in shaping the next generation of leaders.

TERM 5

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EDU 850

Art of Social Justice & Leadership

3 credits

This seminar examines reflective practices of reasoning and skill-based critical thinking to explore alternative, refreshing, and new solutions to old problems. Visual cognitive skills, social justice theories through the lens of art, and leadership principles through visual culture will lead to new implications for problem-solving in education.
EDU 891

Literature Review

3 credits

Students will gain a deeper understanding of the significant role of the literature review in a dissertation and review alternative approaches to organizing the chapter. Students will use the literature review to develop a dissertation prospectus.
HCL 505

Health Program Planning and Evaluation

3 credits

Within this course, students will incorporate skills in the examination of multiple frameworks and methods used in designing program evaluations on a variety of policy issues including health and the environment. There is a focus on methods of evaluating program effectiveness, particularly within a changing health care industry and in light of social innovation and creative approaches to measuring program efficacy, as well as the fundamentals of types of program evaluation, designing program evaluation related to outcome data and ethical, political and cultural challenges when conducting program evaluation. A focus will be on health care development models, particularly those which are evidence-driven in a variety of fields (such as
public health, mental health, etc.) as these are important aspects of creative and strategic leadership within the health care field.
DIET 531

Human Metabolism

3 credits

This course explores the chemical composition of food, physical and chemical changes in food associated with household and industrial preparation techniques, definition of standard products, and appropriate assessment techniques for judging food quality.

TERM 6

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RSCH 880

Dissertation Research

3 credits

Collection and analysis of data for dissertation.
HCL 507

Health Informatics: Role & Purpose

3 credits

Leaders within health care organizations, whether they manage for-profit, nonprofit or government organizations, must be business savvy while being socially responsible. Accessing available information and understanding that data works to drive improvements in health care and demonstrate efficacy to payers is a crucial aspect of health care leadership. In light of
global economic strategies and world health care trends, this course addresses complex issues pertaining to organizational operations, financial management, and organizational performance within the healthcare industry. Central to this examination is the use of organizational research and statistics in forecasting, strategic planning, problem-solving, critical decision-making and
innovation. This course will help students better understand the existing data related to population health and to build upon this data to impact issues of health care disparities within the population and how to meet the needs of the community served.
DIET 560

Community and Public Health Nutrition

3 credits

This course will cover the study of human nutrition and health problems from a global and community perspective; programs and policies related to nutrition at local, state, and federal levels including preventive nutrition or wellness; and approaches and techniques or effective application and dissemination of nutrition knowledge in the community.

Career Opportunities

Many graduates of the program will go on to earn tenure track faculty positions in nutrition, health education, or health and wellness at colleges and universities, become program evaluation specialists for public health or non-profit organizations, hold leadership positions at governmental organizations such as USDA, DHHS, function as health program consultants for businesses, and many more opportunities.

Ed.D. or Ph.D. What's the Difference?

An Ed.D. is designed for the practitioner – someone who wants to lead, solve problems, and influence outcomes in their organizations or communities. Some possible careers of Ed.D. graduates may include school district superintendent, academic dean at a university, or curriculum specialist. A Ph.D. in Education is designed for the scholar who wants to prepare for teaching, researching, and adding to existing knowledge in their field. Essential differences between Union’s Ph.D. in Education and an Ed.D. include:

The Ed.D. focus is based on developing a solution for a particular challenge or issue, the Ph.D. focus is research-based.
Ed.D. research focuses on a single discipline, but it may sometimes require the student to conduct research in other subjects. Research in the Ph.D. program is interdisciplinary – involving study across multiple subject areas.
A certificate in Social Justice is embedded in the Ed.D. program.
Students entering the Ed.D. program will have a choice of three available majors: Applied Nutrition and Health Education, Educational Leadership (Pre-K – 12) or Higher Education Leadership. The Ph.D. program does not have majors.

Added Distinction to your Ed.D. degree

Union’s Ed.D. program has added value with an embedded certificate included. All Ed.D. students will graduate with a Social Justice certificate. The embedded certificate consists of 12 credit hours of coursework that students will take as part of the Ed.D. curriculum.

Ask your Union advisor for details – and look for additional certificates to be added in the future.

Licensure Disclosure Statment

This degree does not provide the education requirements for any state licensure. Please read this additional information, including a breakdown by state.

What You'll need to Apply

Online application – it’s free to apply, and GRE/GMAT scores are not required.
Personal statement/essay (two pages).
Official transcripts (completion date for your master’s degree).
One Letter of Recommendation (someone who can speak to your professional and academic work).
Resume/CV.

We are here to help! Our Welcome Center or a Success Coach will help you through the process after you submit your online application. Have questions? Email us at admissions@myunion.edu or call 800.861.6400.

Meet Our Faculty

Transfer Credit Criteria

Transfer credits are limited to graduate-level courses that were completed at other regionally accredited institutions with a grade of B or better.
Credits that applied toward a prior degree may be transferred.
The Ed.D. curriculum includes 12 credits (4 courses) of electives. Generally, any graduate course can replace those electives.
For transfer credits beyond the electives, the content of the course being transferred in must reasonably match the content of the course being replaced. For example, a course in educational leadership can replace another course in educational leadership. However, a course on bilingual education can't replace a course on school asset management.
In subject areas that change rapidly (such as education law, technology, or current issues), the course must have been completed in the prior five years. All other courses, except electives, must have been completed in the prior ten years. There is no time limit on courses that are transferred in to take the place of electives. Because of their importance to the dissertation process, credits for prior research methods courses cannot be transferred.

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