Department of Nutrition launches new human health degree track
New program to prepare students for careers in health and medicine
The Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Nutrition has modernized its undergraduate degree in general nutrition. Launched in the fall of 2024, the undergraduate degree includes a new degree track focused on human health, and combines scientific rigor with patient-centered learning.
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The updated curriculum, designed in consultation with the Texas A&M College of Medicine and Texas A&M College of Nursing, provides students a comprehensive understanding of human biology and the critical role of nutrition in health and disease, preparing them for a range of careers in health care.
David Threadgill, Ph.D., University Distinguished Professor and head of the Department of Nutrition, said the change reflects the department’s commitment to meeting the rising demand for human-centered health education and equipping students for success in professional school.
“There are many misconceptions about what a degree in nutrition entails,” Threadgill said. “The new curriculum for the human health track was developed to better reflect how nutrition is a STEM degree focused on human health and disease prevention, emphasizing how nutrition impacts current and future health.”
Enhancements to the nutrition degree
The human health track features a robust mix of courses in chemistry, genetics, biochemistry, microbiology, and anatomy and physiology. Students can also choose electives tailored to specific health care career paths, such as medicine, dentistry, nursing and more.
Additionally, the curriculum has embedded patient-centered learning throughout, preparing students for patient counseling in clinical settings.
“Human health has always been the central academic focus of the Department of Nutrition,” said Lauren Coheley, Ph.D., associate department head for undergraduate programs and instructional assistant professor. “The new track aims to better align the education we’re providing to ensure students will be competitive when applying for professional school or graduate school so they can go on to positively impact the health care system.”
One new offering supporting this goal is the two-part course series “Nutrients and the Human Body,” which integrates anatomy and physiology with the role of dietary vitamins and minerals.
The course’s lab component gives students hands-on experience using Anatomage Tables — large touchscreen dissecting platforms featuring five digitalized human cadavers at high resolution. Coheley said these advanced tools, made possible by donor support, provide students a practical, immersive experience that enhances their preparation for professional environments.
Human health has always been the central academic focus of the Department of Nutrition. The new track aims to better align the education we’re providing to ensure students will be competitive when applying for professional school or graduate school so they can go on to positively impact the health care system.
Lauren Coheley, Ph.D.
Associate department head for undergraduate programs
Reflecting a health care focus through life science
To ensure the updated curriculum aligns with health care and professional school standards, the Department of Nutrition consulted with faculty from the Texas A&M College of Medicine in course design. Graduate students in medical sciences were also brought on as teaching assistants for the human-focused laboratories.
Jeffrey W. Savell, Ph.D., vice chancellor and dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences, said the collaborative, hands-on approach to creating this track underscores the College’s dedication to developing graduates who are adaptable, well-rounded and ready to contribute to the promotion of healthy living through agriculture and the life sciences.
“The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences remains steadfast in its mission to provide students with exceptional opportunities in education through life sciences,” Savell said. “With the introduction of the human health track, the Department of Nutrition is shaping the next generation of health care providers poised to respond to the needs of a changing world.”
