Yes, access to a computer is required for all Bauman College vocational courses. Please refer to the Technical FAQs section for details.

To read about how the Bauman College curriculum is developed, click here.

Bauman College graduates work in many career settings. Most work in educational roles: seeing private clients, leading workshops and seminars, providing community classes, or representing supplement companies to health care professionals. Some graduates use their education to become research associates, technical support people, and retail professionals. Salaries and hourly wages are dependant on skill and experience. See our Careers in Nutrition page for more information.

Bauman College assists students in developing realistic business plans. The Bauman College Student Coordinator can provide personal references and referrals to local health practitioners, agencies, or other potential employers. Additionally, Bauman College is notified of many job openings in the nutrition field and these are posted on our website in the exclusive Student Community Forum.

Bauman College is licensed by the Department of Consumer Affairs through the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education. Our curriculum is reviewed every three years. We certify our graduates with the Federal DOT-recognized titles of Nutrition Consultant and Natural Chef.

Bauman College does not offer financial aid but we do have a payment plan. It requires a down payment of $100.00 plus material fees and the first month's tuition. The remaining tuition is charged a finance fee and is divided into monthly credit card (Master Card or Visa) payments. Qualified students may also arrange a Career Training Loan through SLM Financial, a Sallie Mae company.

See our Fees and Funding Information page for a link to current tuition, payment plan details and a list of Funding Sources.

Applicants must have a high school diploma or the equivalent.  A background in health science is recommended, but is not mandatory.  Accpetance into the program is subject to review of submitted application materials.

We are approved to accept Workers Comp and Vocational Rehabilitation clients, as well as WIA participants. Qualified individuals should call the Penngrove office and set up a one-on-one appointment with the Admissions Advisor.

To learn about the Bauman College Director, see the Ed Bauman Ph.D. page.

Prospective students may sit in on a portion of a class on a space-permitting basis after they have attended an Introductory Evening or participated in a one-on-one appointment with a Bauman College Advisor.

Go to the Application and Enrollment page for all application and enrollment details.

Bauman College began offering its training programs at the original Cotati location in 1989. Our main administrative location has since moved to Penngrove.

We offer our training programs in Berkeley, Penngrove, and Santa Cruz California as well as in Boulder, CO. Click Here for more information.

Students and graduates of the Bauman College Nutrition Training Programs are eligible to become members of the National Association of Nutrition Professionals (NANP). There are various levels of membership according to the level of course work completed.

Bauman College is a vocational school, licensed by the California state Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education to certify graduates for federally approved Dictionary of Occupational Titles: Nutrition Consultant and Natural Chef. Bauman College is holistic, naturopathic, research-based, clinical, and case-centered. Our focus is on seasonal, organic, and unrefined foods, combined with appropriate supplementation, herbs, and lifestyle factors.

A university program is academically oriented and confers degrees and titles such as Registered Dietitian, or Nutritionist for someone with a Masters in Nutrition. University programs are more conventional in that they follow the USDA Food Pyramid, are based upon standard dietetic and nutrition texts, and apply guidelines established by major health and medical associations.

It can take several years to earn a conventional college degree, whereas Bauman College programs prepare you for a satisfying and lucrative career in nutrition much more quickly.

There is a translation process from vocational to academic in some cases that allows 15 hours of vocational work completed to ”count” as one credit of academic work. The transferability depends on the policy of the specific university you may wish to attend.

Bauman College offers the most comprehensive distance learning in nutrition in the U.S., and possibly in the world, outside of a full naturopathic medicine program. It features the Eating for Health approach: an organic, diversified, whole foods model developed by our Director, Dr. Ed Bauman Ph.D. The coursework is project-based, allowing students to tailor it to their professional needs and goals, special capabilities, and academic competence. In our programs, students work closely with personal mentors who consult with them on every topic, providing individualized training and support that goes well beyond any book. The curriculum and educational process is qualitatively different from any of the other distance learning programs available. It is geared to the student who wants a professional career and would prefer to create individualized nutritional plans for each client, rather than fitting clients into a formulaic plan. Go to the Distance Learning page for more details.

The Holistic Nutrition Credentialing Board (HNCB) was founded in 2003 as a division of the National Association of Nutrition Professionals (NANP). Upon passing the HNCB Board Exam, practitioners receive the official certification: “Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition”. This certificate must be used in conjunction with the certification granted by Bauman College. Please see the HNCB site for exam eligibility and more details.

Our classroom courses begin in March and September of each year. Apply early to ensure that your enrollment can be processed in a timely manner, as classes fill on a first-come, first-served basis. You may enroll in the Distance Learning program at any time.

Currently practicing professionals or individuals who have completed training at a state approved nutrition training institution may audit individual modules of the Nutrition Consultant Training Program.  Please ontact the Admissions Office for further details.

We also have a process whereby individuals may apply previous training to convert into the Nutrition Consultant Training Program. Professional health providers (M.D., L.Ac., D.C., etc.), those who have graduated from a regionally accredited university with a degree in nutrition (B.A. or M.A./M.S.), or those who have a certificate from a state approved vocational program may apply previous nutrition training to bypass the Foundations of Nutrition portion of the Nutrition Consultant Training Program (NC). Candidates who fit the above criteria must submit their transcripts, a cover letter requesting evaluation, and a $150.00 evaluation fee along with their complete application packet. When the transcripts have been reviewed, an appointment will be set for an interview with the Academic Manager. The interview will determine if it is appropriate for the candidate to continue on with the process of taking the Foundations of Nutrition Challenge Exam. Candidates who score 80% or higher on the Foundations of Nutrition Challenge Exam will then take a prerequisite matriculation module with a competency exam. Fee: $350.00. After successful completion of this process, the individual may begin the Therapeutic Nutrition portion of the program. Candidates who do not pass the Foundations of Nutrition Challenge Exam will need to begin the program at Foundations of Nutrition.

The Natural Chef Training Program focuses on healthy preparation of organic, seasonal, locally grown whole foods. Students learn to choose foods with high nutritional value and how these foods are applicable to promoting and maintaining optimal health. Meals are created from over 300 delicious, gourmet, and healthy recipes throughout the course of the program.

Our course covers all of the kitchen basics that you will learn at your local college or cooking school: safety and sanitation, knife skills, culinary math, as well as all of the basic techniques of cooking. Where we diverge from traditional culinary education is that students learn how to prepare foods that are not used in general culinary instruction - such as sea vegetables and vegetable proteins - and to work with alternative ingredients for healthy recipe substitutions. Our program also incorporates instruction on therapeutic cuisine. Students attend lectures on and cook menus for various health issues such as digestive wellness, Candida albicans, allergy and immune support, blood sugar management, heart disease, weight management, HIV, and cancer.

Unlike many other culinary programs, where the career focus is often on mainstream food preparation in restaurants, the Natural Chef Training Program focuses on business development for personal chefs. So although all skills learned are applicable to traditional cooking roles in restaurants and food service, specific instruction is provided on how to create a self-employed personal chef business.

You will want to compare our curriculum to the curriculum of your local college or cooking school. Please review our Mini-syllabus for curriculum details.

Yes, access to a computer is required for all Bauman College vocational courses. Please refer to the Technical FAQs section for details.
 

To read about how the Bauman College curriculum is developed, click here.

Bauman College graduates work in various culinary arenas. Most graduates focus their skills on becoming a Personal or Therapeutic Chef, creating their own work schedule and fees. Others teach community cooking classes and work in natural food cafes/delis/restaurants, where pay is generally dependent on one’s skill and experience. See our Careers in Nutrition page for more information.

Bauman College assists students in developing realistic business plans. The Bauman College Student Coordinator can provide personal references and referrals to local restaurants, health practitioners, agencies, or other potential employers. Additionally, Bauman College is notified of many job opportunities and these are posted on our website in the exclusive Student Community Forum.

Prospective students are responsible for taking care of all relocation details. There is a Housing Hookup board in the Bauman College Community Forums to assist those looking for housing opportunities in the vicinity of Bauman College locations. The Housing Leads sheet provides information about local sources for researching housing, as well as detailed information about our three school locations.

Bauman College is licensed by the Department of Consumer Affairs through the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education. Our curriculum is reviewed every three years. We certify our graduates with the Federal DOT-recognized titles of Nutrition Consultant and Natural Chef.

Bauman College does not offer financial aid but we do have a payment plan. It requires a down payment of $100.00 plus material fees and the first month's tuition. The remaining tuition is charged a finance fee and is divided into monthly credit card (Master Card or Visa) payments. Qualified students may also arrange a Career Training Loan through SLM Financial, a Sallie Mae company.

See our Fees and Funding Information page for a link to current tuition, payment plan details and a list of Funding Sources.

Applicants must have a high school diploma or the equivalent.  No previous culinary training or skills are required.  Accpetance into the program is subject to review of submitted application materials.

We are approved to accept Workers Comp and Vocational Rehabilitation clients, as well as WIA participants. Qualified individuals should call the Penngrove office and set up a one-on-one appointment with the Admissions Advisor.

To learn about the Bauman College Director, see the Ed Bauman Ph.D. page.

Prospective students may sit in on a portion of a class on a space-permitting basis after they have attended an Introductory Evening or participated in a one-on-one appointment with a Bauman College Advisor.

Go to the Application and Enrollment page for complete application and enrollment details.

Bauman College began offering its training programs at the original Cotati location in 1989. Our main administrative location has since moved to Penngrove.

We offer our training programs in Berkeley, Penngrove, and Santa Cruz California as well as in Boulder, CO. Click Here for more details.

Through membership in The United States Personal Chef Association, graduates may earn a Personal Chef certificate.

There are at least three associations that offer services to Personal Chefs: Personal Chefs Network , The United State Personal Chef Association (USPCA) and the American Personal Chef Association. Members have access to a variety of services, which may include job listings, recipes, menu software, liability insurance, national media exposure, and much more.

Our classroom courses begin in March and September of each year. Apply early to ensure that your enrollment can be processed in a timely manner, as classes fill on a first-come, first-served basis.

Yes, use of a computer will be required to complete all Bauman College vocational programs, including Nutrition Consultant and Natural Chef. Non-vocational courses like Nutrition Essentials for Everyone do not require use of a computer, but access to one is highly recommended.

Yes, you will be required to interact with our Student Dashboard system and complete online quizzes and other activities in order to progress through the program. Although your course materials, including your workbook and class text, will be provided to you in printed form, many other class-related materials, including lecture handouts and research abstracts, will only be available through the online Student Dashboard system. We recommend broadband access (DSL, Cable or High Speed Satellite connections) but reliable dial-up access may work as an alternative.

Non-vocational courses like Nutrition Essentials for Everyone do not require an Internet connection, but access to one is highly recommended as there are supplementary materials and additional resources available on our website.

We have determined that computer and Internet use are necessary to offer and maintain the best educational experience possible. We accept only typed documents for readibility and effective grading purposes and some of the course work also requires additional computer-based tasks to be completed.

Computer use is an increasingly important skill for all professions, nutrition consulting and natural chefing included. Whether it's using a computerized diet analysis tool, communicating with a client by email or online chat, or simply doing research for nutritional or culinary purposes, computer and Internet use is a vital tool.

Students must have access to a computer with one of the following configurations in order to use the Bauman College Student Dashboard and other tools.

Window Users

• Operating System: Windows 2000, XP, Vista, or Windows 7 (note: with Windows 2000 you must use a recent version of Firefox as IE7+ is not available)
• CPU: Minumum of 1Ghz
• Memory: Minimum of 256 MB
• Internet Connection: Broadband with 512kbit or higher download speed recommended
• Audio: Soundcard and Speakers
• Web Browser: Internet Explorer 7.0 or higher, or Mozilla Firefox 3.0 or higher, or Google Chrome 4 or higher. Firefox 3.6+ is recommended.

Please note, older versions of Windows including Windows ME and Windows 98 are not supported due to lack of modern web browser functionality.

Mac Users

• Operating System: Mac OS X 10.3.9 "Cheetah" or higher
• CPU : Minimum of 1Ghz
• Memory: Minimum of 256 MB
• Internet Connection: Broadband with 512kbit or higher download speed recommended
• Audio: Speakers
• Web Browser: Safari 4.0 or higher, or Mozilla Firefox 3.0 or higher, or Google Chrome 4 or higher. Safari 5+ or Firefox 3.6+ are recommended.

Linux Users (note: official support for Linux systems is not provided)

• Operating System: Any modern Linux distribution that supports the other requirements listed below
• CPU : Minimum of 1Ghz
• Memory: Minimum of 256 MB
• Internet Connection: Broadband with 512kbit or higher download speed recommended
• Audio: Speakers
• Web Browser: Mozilla Firefox 3.0 or higher, or Google Chrome 4 or higher. Firefox 3.6+ is recommended.

In order to complete written assignments, and to view online course materials - including lectures, handouts, and forms - the following additional software is required:

• Microsoft Office, Open Office (free) or equivalent
• Adobe Acrobat Reader 8 or higher, or equivalent PDF reader
• Adobe Flash Player version 9 or higher

These applications are particularly important for Distance Learning users as their only access to course materials will be through the Student Dashboard, using these formats.

You may also need to purchase Diet Analysis or Recipe Management software. A list of recommended Diet Analysis software options is available in our private Student Community discussion area. You will have access to this resource once you become a student.

In addition you may need to create PDFs using a PDF writer. On Windows we recommend DoPDF (free). On Mac, you can use the built-in PDF conversion functions.
 

For compatibility reasons we only accept file submissions in the following formats. This includes application and enrollment documents, homework submissions, resumes, and all other documents sent to Bauman College.

Text Formats
DOC (Word 97-2003)
RTF
TXT

Presentation Formats
PPT (Powerpoint 97-2003)
PDF

Spreadsheet Formats
XLS (Excel 97-2003)

Image Formats
JPG or JPEG
PNG
GIF

Please be aware that we specifically do not accept Office 2007 and 2010 "PPTX" and "DOCX" formats, nor do we accept any other proprietary text editor format such as "WPS" (Microsoft Works) and "WPD" (WordPerfect). All modern office software suites include the option to save to standard DOC (Word 97-2003) formats. If you need a free office suite with this functionality, please download Open Office (free), available for Windows, Max, and Linux.

Students receive instructions on using the Student Dashboard with their course materials and in online instruction resources, including a video walkthrough and built-in help links. General instruction for Nutrition Analysis is provided, but we do not specify nor provide support for any particular diet analysis software.

We provide technical support for systems that we maintain, including the Student Dashboard, Forums, and our website. We do not provide support for software issues for outside systems including Microsoft Office troubleshooting and instruction or general computer use. If you need instruction in computer use or use of a particular software program, we recommend online learning resources or a class at your local community college.

Technical support inquries should receive a response within 24 hours. Our response time is usually much quicker. Support hours are from 9AM until 5PM Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. We do not provide support during the weekend and we highly recommend that if you plan to do homework during the weekend, you verify that you have access and resources necessary to complete your work so that if you have any problems you can resolve them while support is available during the week.

You do not need to login at any particular time or spend any specific amount of time in the Student Dashboard. You will be required to complete certain assignments and activities, but there are no minimum time limits specified. In some cases there may be a maximum time allowed for completing certain assignments. Assignments also have due dates that are independent of technical considerations.

We do not provide computers for student use. Students are required to have their own computer system. Although you may be able to use a public computer system or a friend's, we strongly recommend having your own personal computer that you have full access to at all times. This will allow you greatest flexibility and capability to fulfill the course requirements at your convenience.