After a year of strategic planning, UC Berkeley School of Public Health is excited to announce that the Public Health Nutrition residential and online MPH programs will now be known as Food, Nutrition, and Population Health. This change will officially take effect on July 1, 2024.
The UC Berkeley Public Health Nutrition Program has a rich history, dating back to 1953 when it was founded by Ruth Lois Huenemann. The program has always had a focus on applied nutrition, child obesity, and addressing social disparities in nutrition and obesity. Over the years, the program has produced over 800 graduates who have gone on to work in various sectors such as government, nonprofit health agencies, and organizations focused on health and nutrition policy and programs. Each year, the program enrolls up to 17 students.
In response to the evolving needs of public health professionals, UC Berkeley School of Public Health introduced an online MPH Public Health Nutrition program concentration in 2022. Additionally, in 2024, a new public health Dietetic Internship model was launched with the goal of cultivating public health nutrition leaders who prioritize cultural humility.
The decision to change the program’s name to Food, Nutrition, and Population Health was made in order to better align with the content, course offerings, and faculty expertise of the program. Dr. Barbara Laraia, who chairs the program, emphasized that while the focus remains on public health nutrition, the new name better represents the program’s emphasis on nutrition within a global food system and its dedication to improving population health worldwide.