Nutrition and Foods
Certificate of Achievement
Program Details
The Nutrition and Foods Certificate is designed to provide students with fundamental knowledge and skills in nutritional science, food science, food preparation, and food safety and sanitation. The required courses prepare students for entry-level positions in nutrition and foods. Examples of entry-level positions include nutrition assistants for community agencies such as The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Head Start, diet aides or diet clerks in hospitals, and dietary service workers in hospitals or school food service. This certificate requires a total of 16-17 units. A grade of C or better is required in each course taken.
Nutrition and Foods Pathways
Pathways listed below are for the catalog year 2025-2026.
Featured Careers
Find your calling. Explore high-earning careers with entry-level data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Chefs and Head Cooks
Associate's degree, Certificate after high school
- Job growth: Rising
- Low salary: 36,000
- High salary: 96,030
- Average salary: 60990
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
High school diploma/GED, Certificate after high school
- Job growth: Stable
- Low salary: 26,800
- High salary: 48,320
- Average salary: 36450
Cooks, Restaurant
High school diploma/GED, No high school diploma/GED
- Job growth: Rising
- Low salary: 28,010
- High salary: 47,340
- Average salary: 36830
All Careers in Nutrition and Foods (7)
| Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | Doctoral degree, Master's degree | Stable | 77,280 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | Certificate after college, Master's degree | Rising | 73,850 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | Associate's degree, Certificate after high school | Rising | 60,990 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | High school diploma/GED, No high school diploma/GED | Rising | 42,010 |
| Dietetic Technicians | Associate's degree, Certificate after high school | Stable | 37,040 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | High school diploma/GED, No high school diploma/GED | Rising | 36,830 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | High school diploma/GED, Certificate after high school | Stable | 36,450 |
Program Pathways Mapper incorporates information from O*NET Web Services by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes help you work towards your educational goals.
- Students will demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of food and nutrients including sources, functions, and utilization based on various stages of life, activity levels, and disease states.
- Students will describe food customs and traditions among diverse groups in the United States and globally.
- Students will determine the correct preparation methods and assess the quality of a wide variety of foods.
- Students will differentiate between proper and improper food safety and sanitation techniques.