Food and Nutrition Management

Description

If you have a passion for healthcare and nutrition then the Food and Nutrition Management program at Georgian College may be your recipe for success. Through hands-on, experiential learning in lab and industry settings, students gain the ability to take their career to the next level in a rapidly expanding, global industry. With a focus on health and nutrition alongside the acquisition of effective management strategies, students sharpen the skills they need to remain current within the dynamic and evolving healthcare and nutrition industry.

Built-in work placements expose students to the industry and help them connect with future employers. Accredited by the Canadian Society of Nutritional Managers.

Career Opportunities

Graduates are capable of managing various areas of nutritional care, food preparation, and food service. Successful graduates may choose to follow career paths in health care, retirement homes, long term care facilities, fitness and wellness facilities, educational institutions, camps, daycare facilities, and community or commercial settings.

Occupations may include roles such as a Certified Nutritional Manager (CNM), Nutritional Manager (NM) or Food Services Director. Some duties may include nutritional screening, diet calculations, nutrition promotion, employee training, food production and quality assurance, and financial planning and forecasting. 

Program Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. plan menus to accommodate the nutritional, dietary and medical needs, cultural and religious requirements, and personal preferences of clients;
2. manage handling, preparation and service of food to ensure compliance with relevant legislation, policies, procedures, and industry best practices for health, safety, sanitation, quality assurance and client satisfaction;
3. manage nutritional needs of diverse clients in health care and other food service settings in collaboration with or under the direction of health care professionals;
4. support others to work professionally and ethically in accordance with industry, organization and legal standards;
5. monitor relevant local, national and global trends, emerging technologies, changes to legislation and best practices to enhance work performance and guide management decisions;
6. deliver customer service that anticipates, meets and/or exceeds individual expectations and is consistent with organization standards and objectives;
7. manage hiring, coaching, training, scheduling, work performance and evaluation of department staff in accordance with human resources, labour relations, workplace health and safety, and industry best practices;
8. manage inventory, suppliers and procurement of goods and services according to industry best practices, financial constraints, and principles of social responsibility and environmental sustainability;
9. analyze food and nutrition services and operations, and manage the implementation and evaluation of changes, to support continuous improvement;
10. plan and manage budgets consistent with organization objectives and legal requirements for food and nutrition service departments;
11. select, use and support the use of information and industry-specific technologies to enhance individual work performance and the management and delivery of food and nutrition services;
12. promote food and nutrition services and healthy living to support marketing plans and the general well-being of stakeholders.

External Recognition

This program follows the competencies of the Canadian Society of Nutrition Management (CSNM).

Program Progression

The following reflects the planned progression for full-time offerings of the program.

Fall Intake - Barrie

• Sem 1: Fall 2025
• Sem 2: Winter 2026

Winter Intake - Barrie

• Sem 1: Winter 2026
• Sem 2: Summer 2026

Summer Intake - Barrie

• Sem 1: Summer 2026
• Sem 2: Fall 2026

Admission Requirements

• Ontario College Diploma, Ontario College Advanced Diploma, Degree, or equivalent credential in a related field

Applicants who do not possess the above academic requirement may be considered upon submission of a resume and reference letters that demonstrate relevant work experience.

Criminal Reference/Vulnerable Sector Check

Placement agencies require an up-to-date clear criminal reference check and vulnerable sector check prior to going out on placement. Students should obtain their criminal reference three months prior to placement; checks conducted earlier may not be considered current. As some jurisdictions require longer lead-time for processing, please check with the program coordinator to ensure you allow for sufficient turn-around time. It is the student's responsibility to provide the completed document prior to placement start.

NOTE: A record of criminal offences, for which a pardon has not been granted, may prevent students from completing their placements, thereby affecting their ability to graduate.

Graduation Requirements

11 Program Courses
1 Field Placement

Graduation Eligibility

To graduate from this program, a student must attain a minimum of 60% or a letter grade of P (Pass) or S (Satisfactory) in each course in each semester. The passing weighted average for promotion through each semester and to graduate is 60%.

Program Tracking

The following reflects the planned course sequence for full-time offerings of the Fall intake of the program. Where more  than one intake is offered  contact the program co-ordinator for the program tracking.

Plan of Study Grid

Semester 1		Hours
Program Courses
FDNM 1016	Anatomy and Physiology in Health and Disease	42
FDNM 1017	Food Service and Quality Management	42
FDNM 1018	Basic Nutrition	42
FDNM 1019	Field Placement Career Preparation	42
FDNM 1001	Finance and Accounting	42
FDNM 1004	Professional Practice in Food and Nutrition Management	42
FDNM 1007	Food Modification	42
	Hours	294
Semester 2
Program Courses
FDNM 1000	Human Resource Management	42
FDNM 1020	Menu Theory and Design	42
FDNM 1021	Gerontology	42
FDNM 1022	Advanced Nutrition	42
Field Placement
FDNM 1023	Field Placement Experience	180
	Hours	348
	Total Hours	642

Graduation Window

Students unable to adhere to the program duration of one year (as stated above) may take a maximum of two years to complete their credential. After this time, students must be re-admitted into the program, and follow the curriculum in place at the time of re-admission.

Disclaimer: The information in this document is correct at the time of publication. Academic content of programs and courses is revised on an ongoing basis to ensure relevance to changing educational objectives and employment market needs. 

Program outlines may be subject to change in response to emerging situations, in order to facilitate student achievement of the learning outcomes required for graduation. Components such as courses, progression, coop work terms, placements, internships and other requirements may be delivered differently than published.