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Master of Professional Studies in Culinary Therapeutics

Master of Professional Studies in Culinary Therapeutics

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Overview
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What You’ll Learn

Overview

CIA Master’s in Culinary Therapeutics program applies the culinary arts to improve health, well-being, and peak performance. Students will approach food as medicine through a chef’s perspective—integrating evidence-based nutritional science with culinary strategies focused on delivering delicious meals that people want to eat. Importantly, this, in turn, will drive real behavioral change to achieve desired health outcomes. This program will help you make positive, real-world impacts on the vitality of individuals and communities, including performance athletes, people living with chronic illnesses, and older adults. CIA is committed to empowering chefs—ensuring our place at the center of the care team to transform health and wellness.

You must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution or hold an international equivalent to a bachelor’s degree. If your first language is not English, you must complete an English proficiency examination. You must have some culinary or foodservice experience.You must have some culinary or food service experience, but this can be from different types of experience. You should have a bachelor’s degree in any field and one of the following:

Associate degree in culinary arts or related discipline.

Culinary certificate of at least two semesters or the equivalent. CIA Accelerated Culinary Arts Certificate and ProChef Level 1 both meet the requirement.

Extensive culinary experience in a professional kitchen environment that would allow the student to meet the necessary technical requirements listed below.

Students must be able to demonstrate a technical understanding of the following culinary areas:

Fundamental culinary techniques.
Stock, soup, and sauce preparation.
Basic vegetable and starch accompaniments.
Sensible plate accompaniments and menu progression.
Basic cold food preparations.
Food safety and sanitation principles.

The Master of Professional Studies in Culinary Therapeutics applies the culinary arts to support health, well-being, and human performance. Students will approach food as medicine through a chef’s perspective—integrating evidence-based nutritional science with culinary strategies focused on delivering delicious meals that people want to eat. These culinary strategies can support healthier food choices and meaningful behavior change. This program will help graduates make positive, real-world impacts on the vitality of individuals and communities, including performance athletes, people living with chronic illnesses, and older adults. CIA is committed to empowering chefs and culinary professionals to contribute meaningfully to health and wellness in collaboration with broader care, wellness, and food systems.

What You'll Learn

• Utilize their knowledge of nutritional science to optimize health and wellness. 

• Critically evaluate dietary and metabolic recommendations from medical professionals to develop healthy and delicious menus that optimize health and wellness.

• Apply motivational theories to inspire dietary behavioral changes associated with improved physical and mental wellbeing. 

• Formulate food-based solutions to wellness issues raised by the larger healthcare system using their programmatic knowledge, research and culinary experience.

• Educate effectively through a variety of formats including technology, discussion, culinary skills demonstration, writing and listening. 

• Evaluate and articulate current evidence-based developments and movements impacting health and wellness.

Career Outcomes

Inspire your clients to improve their health, boost performance, and even manage chronic illness through delicious, properly prepared foods. Culinary Therapeutics is an emerging field of study—with numerous career possibilities—making it a promising, impactful field for those with culinary experience passionate about using food to promote balanced lifestyles. Any culinary professional looking to advance their career in the performance and health-supportive arena can benefit, including:

Performance foodservice providers—athletes, sports teams, competitive performers (e.g. dance professionals)
Healthcare-based foodservice professionals—hospitals, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centers, senior living centers
Nutritionists/dietitians
Food and education coaches
Acupuncturist/holistic medicine coaches
Private and corporate R&D chefs
Educational institution food professionals—K-12, colleges and universities
Food professionals within hotels, cruises, and spas

Cost: $4,740 per course

Next Start Date: September 8, 2026

Program Details:

Master
Online
Instructor Led
12 courses
30 credits
2 years
10 hours per week
Military Friendly

Why Culinary Institute of America?

Founded in 1946, the Culinary Institute of America is the world’s premier culinary college. Dedicated to developing leaders in foodservice and hospitality, the independent, not-for-profit CIA offers associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees with majors in Baking and Pastry Arts, Culinary Arts, Culinary Science, Culinary Therapeutics, Food Business, Food Studies and Sustainability, Hospitality Management, and Wine and Beverage Management. The college also offers executive education, certificate programs, and courses for professionals and enthusiasts. Its conferences, leadership initiatives, and consulting services have made CIA the think tank of the food industry and its worldwide network of more than 55,000 alumni includes innovators in every area of the food world. CIA has locations in New York, California, Texas, and Singapore.