I graduated from the NC program in 2009 and have indeed transitioned to a career in nutrition since then, but definitely not w/ the recommended business model. Reflecting on the experience 15 years later: It was very powerful to meet so many people with the same passion for food I have; I came away with a solid understanding of human digestion, supplements, how cooking and processing affect the nutrition of foods, and exposure to a world of unfamiliar dishes and ingredients. On the other hand I recall feeling skeptical about so many things ESPECIALLY the "professional development" pieces re: how to make a living in the field. They pointed us down a slippery slope of selling supplements on commission, weight loss for rich people, and promoting dubious food fads. It does not surprise me that Bauman grads have produced myriad "restrictive diet" cookbooks (Paleo! Keto! Vegan! ...name your trend). I went down this path for three years as a nutrition coach and finally decided I just hate putting people on diets, and having to combine health advice with some sort of sales pitch, and gave up. I have worked now for the past 10+ years in culinary education for people with limited resources, helping folks take the stress and pressure out of eating well. It's been a long road of low-paying nonprofit jobs for which my Bauman degree held no currency whatsoever. I'm definitely glad I did the course because of how much I learned about food; but for anyone expecting to build a career in nutrition, I'd recommend getting an MPH in Public Health Nutrition instead. read more

I attended Bauman College back in 2019 for the in-person holistic culinary program. It opened my eyes to a whole culinary world beyond flavors and techniques, feeding my love for food, igniting my passion for cooking, and teaching me concrete knowledge about how to use these culinary skills to support health and wellbeing. Holistic Chefs are needed so greatly now as more and more people need support with specialty diets to feel their best while living with various health conditions. After graduating, I had the skills I needed to start my own personal chef business and saw great demand for these services. If you're passionate about food and using it to support wellness, this is the place to up-level your knowledge and skills to reach your goals and make a positive impact in your communities. I enjoyed my time at Bauman so much that I returned to the program once it transitioned to be fully online, first as a Teaching Assistant and then as a Culinary Instructor to stay immersed in the culture and keep connecting with other people passionate about cooking for wellbeing. It's a diverse community of folks with a wide array of backgrounds and perspectives, that is inspiring to be a part of! read more

The online nutrition consultant program was a great fit for me. I was able to complete coursework while still being home with my one-year-old. My mentor even connected me with another remote student who also had a child the same age. We were able to support each other in the program and bonded over ways to better feed our kids. I greatly enjoyed the recorded lectures from Dr. Bauman. Hearing his actual voice explain the science behind what we were learning with a bit of humor, and even at times questioning of the information, and studies being discussed has helped me to form my own point of view in this industry. It's made me a critical thinker and helps me provide more flexible recommendations to my clients. The foundational education I received from Bauman College enabled me to complete more specialized certifications with ease. I've never felt lost attending nutrition conferences, and have been able to share ideas and form partnerships with doctors, chiropractors, acupuncturists, and other practitioners as we support clients in different aspects of their healing journey. read more

I am a recent graduate of The nutrition Consultant program at Bauman College and by far this was THE BEST educational institution that I have ever attended. Attending Bauman you have a team behind you for your entire career as well as a very encouraging and supportive learning enviroment. Wonderful school! read more

I cannot recommend Bauman College enough! If you're passionate about nutrition, holistic wellness, or pursuing a career as a chef with a deep understanding of health and food, this is the place for you. I enrolled in both the Online Nutrition Program and the Online Holistic Chef Program, which have exceeded my expectations in every way. One of the best things about Bauman College is the flexibility! I could tailor my schedule around my life, making it manageable while still getting an in-depth education. The online format is well-structured, interactive, and incredibly informative, while the holistic chef program gave me transformative hands-on experience. The teachers and staff are knowledgeable and passionate about what they teach. Every instructor brings expertise and a personal commitment to helping students thrive. They are always available for support; you can feel their genuine care for your success. The program stands out in the depth of its curriculum. It educates you from the ground up, literally! From understanding the importance of soil health to learning about sustainable farming practices, the course delves into how food quality begins with the earth. Then, you know the best methods for preparing, storing, refrigerating, or freezing food. They even teach you about composting, showing how to reduce waste and enrich the soil, reinforcing their holistic approach to nutrition and sustainability. This comprehensive approach ensures you learn how to cook or recommend nutrition plans and understand the entire food journey, from farm to table. Another incredibly valuable aspect of Bauman College is how they support clients with specific health conditions, including diabetes, cancer, and pregnancy. The curriculum includes guidance on supporting those pregnant through every stage of their pregnancy, ensuring they have the nutrients and dietary support to stay healthy and thrive. Whether it's helping someone with a specific ailment or guiding a pregnant client toward healthy food choices, Bauman College provides the tools to create customized nutrition plans that support individuals in making lasting, positive changes. Bauman College offers a well-rounded, holistic education that equips you with practical skills and a deep understanding of nutrition, healing, and sustainable food systems. Whether you're looking to change careers, improve your health, or learn how to help others, this college offers everything you need to succeed. I'm so grateful for my experience and cannot say enough good things about Bauman College! If you are on the fence, I would contact them and speak with someone ASAP! read more

This school's Teachers are absolutely amazing. Chef Melissa, Martina and Carrie are so delightful in and out of class. It's a blessing to learn from them. Some of their technology is out of date when it comes to financial aid and the rely on the mail so that's something to consider and the reason I didn't give them a 5 star. However, my teachers blew it out of the water with showing me the ropes, answering questions and making me feel part of the family. They truly are amazing at their jobs and you can see how dedicated they are! There's love in the food and that's what they teach! read more

I was very happy I chose Bauman college to get my nutrition consultant diploma. It was a great journey with very supportive and professional tutors. I gained so much knowledge and using it every day, now . Thanks to Laura, Tiffany and others. Also, I want to say special thank you to a Senior Career Services Advisor Sue Duran. Sue was and is always there for you in the most supportive and encouraging way. I'm very grateful for all her ongoing words of wisdom, patience, understanding, and constant support! Her light and positivity goes for miles read more

First I want to say, I passed my certifications and got the most expensive and worthless piece of paper I've ever owned... Nice people, poor business model and massive lack in providing competent professional chefs to show how to properly succeed in the food industry. Everyone in my class left as a self starter in their selected area with zero guidance. I am all about finding your own way to make something happen, but if I'm paying a premium sold on the idea that you are EXTREMELY capable of a talent and you've not so much as stepped a foot inside that industry - Why should I trust you to ensure I will be prepared for the real scenario? Most of the information that benefited me came from the head/sous chef at my job, Google, or Rubix (a online video software that they give you a 6 month subscription for.) The people that were responsible for grading us NEVER worked in a professional kitchen - but sh*t if you're coming to write paper on how your belly feels after eating an acidic fruit, you'll love it here. Imagine hiring an unhealthy fitness trainer, a lawyer that didn't pass the bar, or a blind Uber driver... A eye doctor was one of the main teachers, same teacher dropped one of my final grades because my soup wasn't smooth enough - I put that stuff through a vitamix and nut-milk bag for good measure - she should've studying the human mouth instead. I wish I saved the money, found a mentor in my passion (cooking, unfortunate I have to restate that - you know, this being a culinary school and all) and used that cash to start my current business. I will say - I love my classmates. We are still very close and each one handled this chaos amazingly by finding outside opportunities that suited their career paths. Also they have a business planning section that a complete joke... you'll Skype some lady in LA three times and buy her book - not a restaurant or food business owner/operator (and never has been one.) Once again better off finding a real mentor. I did have some classmates that were there to learn about cooking for their own health goals, between the bio-chemist and the eye doctor they might have received some helpful feedback, but that has nothing to do with making money or starting a business. This is recreational at best if I'm trying to f*ck around and ask $20,000 questions with $0.02 answers. read more

I went through both the Natural Chef and the Nutrition Consultant programs at Bauman College. I went through the chef program 6 years ago when I realized that I wanted to go to culinary school but that most culinary schools' curriculum did not align with my values. I wanted to learn from a school that spoke to health and nutrition. What I got from Bauman was much, much more. Not only did I learn about culinary arts and health, I learned about preparing foods for optimal nutrient intake, sustainable and humane farming practices, modern day disease, and preventative practices through Bauman's Eating for Health dietary model. This program changed the way I think about food and my body. It changed the way I treat myself. It changed the way I consume food, products, and information. I not only appreciate the education I received in this program, I also had tons of fun cooking every day with beautiful ingredients and making amazing friends. After I graduated, I got the opportunity to work in the chef program and have been with the school since. A few years into my employment, I so thoroughly enjoyed being in the field and continuing my learning process, I decided to enroll in the Nutrition Consultant program. This program gave the in-depth scientific education that I was craving after the introduction to nutrition that I got in the culinary program. The education that both of these programs provide is extremely important. Modern day diseases are constantly on the rise, climate change is putting our earth in immediate danger, and access to nutrition information and healthy food is far from equitable. I'm so grateful for the education I got from Bauman College, and I'm even more grateful that I get to be a part of giving others the same opportunity. read more

You will not make a living off this degree. This college is misleading you and you will never be able to financially thrive or have enough clients to make a living anywhere on the West Coast. Only 1 or 2 people still trying to practice from my graduating class. I really feel bad that tuition has double what I paid. And check out Glassdoor Bauman does not pay a living wage. After trying to "make it" for 6 years and working at 2 Drs offices, having a coach - that is another joke! Doing classes, workshops, free speaking events the most I could generate was 25K a yearl most of that was demo work. Do you have a rich husband - you will be fine. Can you write a book? you might make it. Thank goodness I have a background in sales. read more

I love mentioning Bauman College. The name carries respect and I truly believe this is one of the best holistic nutrition schools available. Bauman College is a non-profit and works hard not only to train its students well, but also help with community outreach. The material is deep, relevant and evidence-based. The teachers (granted, I didn't meet all of them), are experienced and genuinely interested in the success of the students. The website could use some updates, but I was a student long long ago. Tuition is slightly expensive, but for good reason; it's not a degree-in-a-month type of place. The amount of training you get is amazing! read more

I received my NC certification in December 2011, so I'm updating my review of the school. Overall, I think it's a fairly good basic program. I learned a lot, I loved my teachers, I loved going to class, and I loved my fellow students. As I've noted before, while the teachers are a wealth of information & knowledge (and so very fun, funny & kind), not all of them are very good at teaching. Lecturing, yes - teaching, not so much. It's hard for them to get the information to sink in, and the bias was palpable (which it shouldn't be in a science-based curriculum). I wanted to be able to give this school a 5-star rating, but the quality of the education just wasn't up to snuff. The "internship" was definitely not an internship in the traditional sense of the word (an apprenticeship). It was fieldwork - teaching 2-3 worksite wellness classes - that I found to be engaging but only marginally helpful. Many people in the class thought the internship was a total waste of time. I thought it was OK. I don't feel prepared for a job in the field of nutrition, but I'm going to make a go of it anyway (I kind of have to, after spending nearly $10k on this education!). I'm currently unemployed and don't really know what's next. I think the school could benefit from a career counselor or guidance counselor that is dedicated to each student's future success and can help tailor the curriculum to that student's goals. All in all, it's a good jumping off point if you're interested in dipping a toe in to the holistic nutrition world to see if you're cut out for this kind of work. If you are, my sense is that you'll need more education down the line. read more

I took the Natural Chef Training Program at Bauman College. I came into this program having a Bachelor's in Nutritional Sciences and simply wanted to learn healthy cooking techniques and recipes. I got so much more than that out of the program. I learned a substantial amount about holistic nutrition and therapeutic cooking, and the dishes were creative and packed with flavor. I thought I knew so much about nutrition already, but Bauman's Eating for Health model really made me look at food and health differently. The teachers in the program were wonderful and were strong supporters of each student's individual health/career paths. The program not only covers cooking with whole foods, but it covers using food to heal/prevent certain health issues, food sensitivities/allergies, fermented foods, and healthier alternatives for different cuisines. Besides the recipes provided, students were given opportunity to be creative and experiment with different ingredients and dishes. I would recommend this program to anyone passionate about health and looking to learn how to use whole foods as medicine through amazing dishes. read more

I attended Bauman College several years ago. For the first half of the curriculum I opted to take all my courses on the Berkeley Campus. Both Nori and Laura were my teachers and they were both very knowledgeable and passionate about nutrition. I felt the pace of the class was perfect, as there was a balance of both theory and practicality. The food presentations done by each student helped showcase a variety of different healthy foods from the diverse student population. I felt the assignments and exams were more than fair and it helped prepare us for actually doing nutrition consulting work. For the second half of the course I opted for distance learning because I was starting a family and needed to be able to work more from home. The distance learning setup was perfect for me as I am self motivated and kept up with my assignments. If you are not the type that can self pace yourself I would encourage you to take classes on campus. The distance learning classes were done very well and recorded by Ed Bauman himself. After every course your mentor checks in with you and makes sure you have adequately learned the material and could apply it. My mentor was Diane Fischler and she was outstanding (as were all the teachers). The course curriculum is broken up in two major sections. The first part is Foundations of Nutrition which teaches you the theory aspect of holistic nutrition. The second part is Therapeutics which tended to be more labor intensive for most students because of the longer assignments. Both sections were very important as they work hand in hand in making you a complete nutrition consultant. Aside from the two major sections, you also learn the business aspect of starting your own practice. When I see negative reviews on Bauman College I feel like it stems from the fact that people are not ready for entrepreneurship. Starting your own practice is very challenging and is hard work no matter the industry you are in. There are definitely many opportunities for nutrition consultants, but just like any aspect of life will take hard work. You get what you put into it. At the very least, after taking the program you will be far more knowledgeable and able to apply holistic nutrition for a healthier like for yourself, family, friends, and hopefully clients. I still keep in contact with my old teachers and staff. They are kind and compassionate people who really care about their students and making people healthier through whole foods. This is not the type of school where the staff are merely there for the pay check. They all really care and enjoy what they do and it shows. I highly recommend anyone to give Bauman College a shot and at least sit in for a class or listen to a conference call with Ed Bauman. read more

Bauman College offers Nutrition Educator, Nutrition Consultant and Natural Chef programs which are good quality programs that can prepare one for a career in the holistic nutrition field as well as getting you a foot in the door in the natural chef/culinary arts world. I personally got through the Nutrition Educator program (and got the certificate) as it has always been my passion to learn more about nutrition as it realted to our health. After finishing the distance learning program, I've gained so much knowledge of how to eat right and improved my diets for better stamina and higher energy level. The progams also provide a lot of resources, including an active on-line forum to chat/research about various nutriton related issues, with the latest medical/scientific journals, professional nutrition consultants on the staff who provide advice on relevant issues, different tools to use to do nutrition analysis based on your diet and individual differences and even career resources such as finding employment or advertising your own business in the fields. Not to mention that you start building your own network with like minded people who have similar interest and career aspirations. I also was enrolled in the Natural Chef program briefly, until my old back injury stopped me from continuing with it. The program has good chef instructors and fairly organized coursework to give you a brief survey into making tasty, plant-based natural meals made of mosty organic, fresh and local ingredients free of things such as gluten or dairy products that can cause probelms for some people. The program may not be as prestigous as the Natural Gourmet Institute (NGI) located in NYC, but given the costs and duration of program (maybe less than half of the tuition at NGI and it takes only 5 months to complete before you do certain number of hours externship) this is a more affordable way to get your education if that is your passion and to if you want to steer your career into that direction. When I can do the Nutrition Consultant program physically and financially in the future, I would definitey go back to Bauman College to get the degree. read more

This is an excellent Nutrition Consulting Program, especially for people with work experience as health practitioners. The curriculum is no less than excellent. I found the professors caring and well prepared. The materials are by far and above the very best in the field, Every single slide presented in each class has referenced foot notes from recently conducted research. They are constantly citing the government PubMed site which is the clearing house for health sciences research. This is practical and useful body of knowledge to launch a business. I received a Nutrition Consulting degree in 2011 and I have spent a year developing a new business that is entirely based on this education. This is a solid program and very academically challenging. I attended graduate-level classes in Anthropoplgy at CIIS, and Bauman curriculum is offered in JFK's Master of Arts program in Holistic Health Management. So the previous comment that these academics are "not up to snuff" is ridiculous. C'mon! This is a vocational program and not a stepping stone to Bachelors or Masters Degree programs. That said, people with work experience can use this information on a daily basis. Younger students can apply this to their knowledge bank in Herbal Studies or the healing arts. Nutrition is a critical element of healing. If money was not an issue, I would attend one class a week to keep my nutrition and health knowledge current. I attended the Pengrove school in Sonoma County and would never think of missing a class. Every class was a gift of health, wisdom, and knowledge. The coursework Dr. Bauman provides is relevant and compelling to people with life experience. I'm disheartened by someof the immature and impulsive negative feedback posted by people who lack work experience and perspective. It is surprising to me that not everyone can grasp the value of first-rate information. Sure the program is costly, but several people's life work went into developing the curriculum, and I'm planning on licencing these materials for commercial use. Thank you Dr. Bauman for your excellent, well referenced books and study guides. You built a great foundation on wholesome ideas, wrote a program that is very easy to follow and comprehend, then added layers of complexity for mature students to imagine the many ways this could help people. Good health is linked to everything that is important and worthwhile. read more

I attended the Natural Chef program and earned my certificate in April 2019. I decided to invest in myself and attend the $20k 700 hour program as a start of a new career in work I am passionate about. The program was far from what I expected. It was not supportive or nourishing (as it says in the intro video). Instructors are not qualified. Mistakes are encouraged but shamed when made. There is no opportunity to build community at school (we are scolded for extra conversation with classmates). The connections made with classmates are a crucial component to future success. Meal environment is not comforting or restorative. It is a rigid process that made me feel like a school child or a prisoner. Their sick policy supports coming in and working in a kitchen while you are sick or risk failing the program. You are required to earn a B or above to pass the program. Grading is tough and inconsistent; we were often graded on things we were never taught. I ended up 1 point away from honors but spent a tremendous amount of time on homework. The learning to start your own business aspect of the program is all online and self-study. There is no time to focus on this very important aspect when trying to keep up with the rigorous pace of the basic program. Ed Bauman was in our classroom one day. We fed him and his guest lunch and he did not introduce himself to the class or thank us for being there attending his costly program (or for making him lunch). This was shocking to me. Most days you are rushing to make as many dishes as possible and it often felt like we were just there to cook for the staff who also ate the lunch but not in conversation with us. Then we did the dishes while the instructors stared at us as if we were not moving fast enough. Most of the feedback you get during the program is negative. There were only a few good instructors but they only came in a few times (those days were excellent but few and far between). Toward the end of the program they teach you what you cannot do as a Natural Chef which includes helping anyone with diet direction. They make it very clear that the only thing you can do is help people execute a diet direction from a dietitian or Nutrition Consultant. So basically, you don't have the skills to work in a kitchen or the knowledge to help someone with what to eat. Luckily, I have a past career to fall back upon. I agree that if you have a lot of money and want to do this as a hobby go for it. If you really want culinary skills, you are better off reading some nutrition books and going to a community college culinary program which I was told by one of their graduates at open house when I first started and should have listened. I really wanted to love the program. They ended the program a few months ago and relaunched with a 400 hour program so hopefully they made some improvements. I hesitate to write this review because I would like my "certificate" to have some validity, but I also don't want anyone else to experience what I did. read more

I knew two people that attended Bauman College for the Nutrition Consultant program, and both loved it. This piqued my interest in Bauman College, as I was looking for a program focused on optimizing whole food to support general wellness and a variety of health issues. Upon review of the Bauman curriculum, I found the program offered precisely what I was looking for, and they offered distance learning! The program is designed into three parts: 1. Foundations of Nutrition, in which students take a deep dive into biochemistry, micro and macronutrients in order to better understand how the body works and how it processes the nutrients we put into it. 2. Therapeutics, in which students build on their learnings from FON to understand how to optimize whole foods to support different organs, systems and health conditions. 3. The practicum, which is the practical application of the material within the community. Students apply their learnings from Foundations of Nutrition and Therapeutics to teach a series of classes and work with two clients through a community partner. I can honestly say the program is not "easy", and there's a great deal of work involved. The pace of the coursework is appropriate, so long as the student is of the understanding they will need to invest the time and effort to reading the textbook, listening to the lectures and preparing the assignments. Additionally, there are sectional and final exams, which were reflective of the subject material and fairly straightforward. The coursework is designed to help students digest and retain the information they are learning, and prepare them for building their business once they complete the program. The educators and mentors of Bauman College are genuinely interested in providing the best level of education possible, and helping their students flourish. I quite was very fortunate to be paired with Diane Fischler as my distance mentor. Diane was knowledgeable, compassionate and kind, and helped me understand even the toughest of concepts. I looked forward to my touch point conversations with Diane, and she was a great mentor to me throughout my practicum. I enjoyed the Bauman program and do believe it was the right selection to pursue in my career as a Nutrition Consultant. I graduated knowledgeable, confident and excited to start new adventures, to help others and to make a difference in the world. read more

I am student the Nutrition Consultant program (distance learning) through Bauman College. The program is amazing and as a distance learner, well supported with excellent mentorship. read more

I finished the Natural Chef Program February 28. Like my previous review stated, I think what you learn is good. However, I definitely don't feel prepared to go out and get a job as a chef in a restaurant with confidence. This course is definitely a course to take if you only want to be a personal chef. I feel confident I could do that, although I did that before paying $10,000, but I am better because of the course. So the content is not necessarily what I have a problem with. I do however have a problem with the fact that they lost my last homework assignment and after 3 months of waiting I still have not received my certificate of completion. Apparently they sent the certificate to my old address after they specifically asked me to fill out a form telling them where to mail it to which had my new address. So I guess that got lost too. They did move locations since I finished, but I still believe they need to be a bit more organized and on top of getting people their certificates so they can prove they completed the course. I would still recommend the school if what you want to do is become a personal chef with a whole food approach. Although they say you will be a certified therapeutic chef, I don't believe that is true unless you pay another $10,000 and take the Nutrition Consultant course as well. If what you want to do is be a chef in a restaurant I would go to a larger culinary school and do your own research on the natural approach if that is what is drawing you to Bauman. read more

I graduated from both the Nutrition Consultant program and the Natural Chef program. I have been running a successful and rapidly growing business for a year now. After doing a lot of research and debating whether to get my master's and become an RD, I chose Bauman because of the excellent integrative curriculum. I even relocated from LA to SF to attend. I highly recommend both courses. They do not have a career center, but they do offer a lot of guidance as you begin your career. It helps if you are a self-starter who is motivated to do the work necessary to build a business or find a job (i.e., making a website, blog, networking, getting business cards, etc). The chef course is very focused on health-promoting ingredients and their effect on the body- it is not the CIA, so if you want to learn technique and make hollandaise and pate-a-choux everyday, this is not the program for you. If you want to change your clients lives (and your own life) by supporting their health and using food as medicine, this is the course for you. It is more focused on preparing students to become personal chefs or to start their own businesses than to work in a conventional line-cook restaurant position. The price of the chef course is so reasonable, my friends from the program and I joke about how we got our money's worth just by the amount of amazing food we ate during every class. In all honesty, going to Bauman is the best decision I ever made. read more

I am a current natural chef student and am really enjoying the program at Bauman College. Before attending the program I took the opportunity to meet with an admissions counselor and look through the curriculum binders. I knew what this program had to offer before I committed to attending. I suggest you do the same thing. (What type of education are you wanting to receive? Please don't make your decision based on our comments here, including mine.) Here is a little bit about my experience. I specifically chose Bauman College because it is not a traditional culinary program. The natural chef program focuses on the use of locally sourced, organically grown, unrefined, whole foods. Not only are we taught about basic culinary techniques but the program incorporates basic nutrition. I appreciate the fact that we have looked at therapeutic topics like heart health, digestive wellness and cancer and how we can prepare meals to help support individuals with these conditions. I also appreciate the fact that I have learned about alternative ingredients because lets face it, our Standard American Diet is not keeping us healthy. The natural chef program has also provided an opportunity to be creative. In the beginning, we followed structured recipes to learn basic techniques. But, during the second half of the program, we were given ingredients and a title of a recipe and it was up to us to choose how to make the recipe and what quantities to use. At times our improv recipes turned out better than the original. Bauman College cares about our success as natural chefs. They show this by providing us with a business section in the program. By the end of the program I will have a complete business plan which is a first step towards starting my own business. I hope that this information is helpful...good luck on your search for the right culinary/nutrition program for you. read more

it is a lot of money, and it must be paid out of pocket since this is an unaccredited school. there are a couple options of grants available, but none that i qualified for. i went to the nutrition consultant program. before i enrolled, i read on the website about their high rate of students finding work in the field. sadly, "in the field," to them, could mean.. working at the UC Berkeley cafeteria, or in the supplement section at whole foods. i haven't found work as a nutrition consultant in the year and a half since i have graduated. i began as a student at the Berkeley location. it was pretty fun to be in a classroom setting and meet other people like me.. most of us had struggled with chronic illness and our own health paths were a big factor in us attending Bauman. the program is largely plant-based, but the teachers were lierre keith worshipping ex-vegans who would go off-script from the lectures provided by ed bauman to provide their own biases. they also had a lot to say about the "obesity epidemic" which was more along the lines of fat-shaming and stereotyping larger people as all being unhealthy. my favorite teacher was vegetarian, and i asked the administration for her e-mail at one point, and they said she no longer was employed with them. i switched to distance learning because i was missing classes due to my health and would have failed because of that. i think having an attendance policy is really unnecessary but i think it's pretty common, so can't single bauman out for it. my distance learning mentor was pretty helpful and i mostly enjoyed talking to her on the phone. she did tell me that people with eating disorders have them for life and can't recover, though. which i know intimately to be false, and just plain rude. distance learning is cool because the student can go at their own pace, which can be slower or faster than the in-class students. i was able to take breaks for travel, and to speed up when i was really into something and couldn't stop learning. it was nice to have someone available to answer any questions i had about the material. the recorded lectures done by ed bauman can be kind of out-dated, or he mis-speaks in some of them so you have to be paying attention to the visual slides. which not everyone does--there is an audio only version for download. i hope he will do them over, it really wouldn't take that long to just correct or update the ones that don't hold true. the practicum is a series of classes that we do for the public, and was mostly helpful for forcing myself to be a public speaker. during the program before that, though, we have some one-on-one clients which we are very thorough with, and present their cases to the teachers. that was the most helpful part of the program to me. i wish i could do something to make my $10,000 back, but i don't think that will happen. my education served the purpose of giving me the tools i needed to address my own health issues, which was my main reason for going. and i give advice to friends a lot. even when the teachers said something i disagreed with, it was a good jumping off point for me to do my own research. read more

I took the Nutrition Basics class, and I haven't looked at food the same since! As a foodie, who loves to eat and cook and wants to stay healthy, it was just the right class for me, and within my price range. There were six 3 hour evening classes that were led by a nutritional consultant and a chef. The staff was very knowledgeable and considerate. Listening and watching them took my Zen Happiness level to a 10! Half the class was listening to a lecture, then we went into a large kitchen workspace and watched a cooking demo that we tasted at the end. What did I get out of this class? I learned to scrutinize everything I put in my mouth by staying away from GMOs, eating mostly organic and local plant-based foods, and considering my meat sources with a keen eye on meats that are from sustainable sources. They aren't advocating vegetarianism or veganism in the slightest and are more concerned about food and how it works with our bodies on the cellular level. I highly recommend this class to anyone who wants to eat healthier for any reason. They also have a nice selection of health and cookbooks too. read more

I started the Nutrition Consultant program in class at the Berkeley location. My in-class experiences were great, the teachers were very knowledgeable, and although the school has a bit of a vegetarian slant, my teachers were more on the ancestral health side. Due to medical reasons, I had to switch to distance learning part way through my studies. I completed my studies in the distance learning program. My mentor was really helpful and supportive and I enjoyed my biweekly calls with her. However, in comparing the two different lectures, in-class and distance, the distance lectures barely compare. Dr. Bauman reads the lectures and very rarely adds anything to them. From my experience, what's on the slide shouldn't be only what's covered, a good lecturer always adds more. I would recommend the program, as I felt I learned a lot. It lacked in preparing me for the aspects of running my own business - marketing, web site creation, etc. read more

As a former student, I would not recommed this school to anyone! The instructors are not educated in the subjects they teach and they teach outdated info about nutrition. They are biased against vegans and vegetarians and have too much emphasis on gluten free cooking just because they themselves are gluten intolerant! It's not worth the money , for sure! As far as getting a job after, unless you want to start your own personal chef business, which the bay-area is saturated with, you are pretty much out of luck! No restaurant will hire you cuz they don't know what Bauman College is! Save the money and try volunteering to get experience! Three Stone Hearth has an internship program, and I wish I had just done that instead of spending $10,000 on a useless class! And ALL of my classmates (9 others) feel the same! You should hear our conversations! read more

Interestingly none of the reviews are from Distance Learning students yet most of the reviewers (although they enjoyed their teachers and learned) expressed that they did not feel prepared to work in the real world. I had the same experience, expressed concern and received nothing but a take it or leave it attitude. I signed up for the Distance Learning (DL) program for the Nutrition Consultant program because I liked that it appeared to be much more in depth than other programs like Integrative Nutrition. However, what I experienced was sub-par to say the least. As a DL your only option is 1 hour lectures by Dr. Bauman himself as you stare at Power Point slides. Although Bauman's site says that Dr. Bauman created these slides he often disagrees with what is on them or makes comments like "Well, isn't that interesting" with no further explanation. Yet in class students have access to various professors and each 1 hour lecture that a DL gets an in class learner gets that same information in a 2 1/2 hour lecture- 150% more discussion on that information and how it relates to everything else you are supposed to be learning. I was told the school has over 400 Distance Learning students so if you add that up that is over $4,000,000 in tuition. Despite this they refuse to put technology in place allowing Distance Learning students the opportunity to Skype into classes and/or putting class lectures up on their site for DL to use if they like. Further, despite the fact that the website touts a relationship with a mentor what they fail to tell you is that is only for 1 hour each module and that that 1 hour is firm. So if you don't understand something and/or don't have time to cover something in that hour you are on your own. Don't get me wrong, you will learn but unless you have a serious science background and do tons of your own research outside of what the program offers you will not learn at the level necessary to actually make a career out of this. Ultimately if you plan to have a career in Nutrition I suggest spending your money and time somewhere else. read more

Bauman College is a joke.Stay away.I did the chef program and left completely unprepared to be a chef.BUYER BEWARE!

I found the Nutrition Essentials material and community very valuable. I was surprised to learn many things each week, especially since I've been studying nutrition and sustainability since I was a teenager. In the last year, I've really struggled to eat well and I honestly didn't expect to change much in two months during this class. Yet, I felt motivated to act on my new knowledge and received much support from my teachers and classmates. None of us wanted our class to end! My classmates and I would gladly advocate for NEE Part 2. read more

I graduated from Bauman College a few months ago (Berkeley) having completed the NC program. I started in-class but had to finish up the last couple of months as a Distance Learner as we moved out of the country. I really enjoyed my time at Bauman and felt that the teachers were excellent and extremely passionate about the material. The practice clients that we had to take-on during the course & the meal plans/recommendations that were required to produce for these assignments, adequately prepared me for clients after graduation. I was able to manage being a full time mom to 2 young kids and complete the program. Overall I would highly recommend Bauman College and feel prepared to work in the holistic nutrition field. read more

I have just completed the Nutrition Consultant program (distance learning) through Bauman College. The program was amazing and as a distance learner, well supported with excellent mentorship. I did my due diligence before I began and researched Bauman alongside many of the other distance learning programs available. It appeared to be a really robust program and I am so glad I made the decision to study with them. Fantastic, in-depth nutrition course work, relevant assignments, real client experience, and business fundamentals. This program had everything I expected and more. The best part was the passion, knowledge and experience of the teachers and mentors. I have already personally put into practice so much of what I have learned and can't wait to share this knowledge with others. If you are considering Bauman College and are passionate about health and nutrition I cannot recommend this program highly enough. read more