Home / Academics / Areas of Excellence

Areas of Excellence

Group of students talk in the hallway of an academic building

Johnson & Wales University has a worldwide reputation as the leader in culinary education. With food at its core, the curriculum is built to examine and shape this complex human ecosystem. JWU places emphasis on innovation in this culturally significant subject, preparing students to become a new generation of visionaries in food-related industry, study, and research.

Concurrent to our academic achievements in Food, JWU is strategically invested in Areas of Excellence focused on Communications, Health, Pre-Professional, STEM and Sustainability.

In total, these 6 areas are the basis of academic initiatives and student experience, allowing for in-depth exploration of topics that are shaping our world. Together, students and faculty are engaged in purposeful learning and developing interdisciplinary approaches in these dynamic fields of study.

In tandem with JWU’s topical Areas of Excellence is the importance of our approach to Discovery. Discovery allows students to take some time to acclimate to the university experience and work with a dedicated academic advisor to determine which of JWU’s majors is the best fit. Johnson & Wales’ supportive community provides students the room to discover their path to success.

Discovery

Are you someone who is interested in more than just one major? Do you want to carve out your own career path? If so, we have the perfect program for you! We’ll work with you to identify your interests and then tailor an academic- and work-experience roadmap so you can stay on track. Choose from two undeclared options: Undeclared Business, which explores your interests in business and hospitality; and Undeclared Non-Business, which explores your interests throughout university offerings. There’s also Interdisciplinary Studies: Design Your Own Major and Liberal Studies that allow you to tailor your own path.

Read About Discovery Excellence

Food

Food is an international language that touches many parts of our lives. It starts with nourishment and extends to passion and discovery. It’s fundamental to our health, well-being and livelihood. Food helps define culture. At JWU, CFIT students study these connections so that they can form global solutions.

Read About Food Excellence

Communications

The influence of communication platforms and multimedia content on today’s culture is undeniable. At JWU, you’ll explore the consumption of information and how it impacts society. Our students are storytellers who can effectively message to various audiences, and more important, are ready to write their own stories.

Read About Communications Excellence

PA students reviewing their work in the anatomy lab.

Health

Through JWU’s health-focused programs, you’ll learn how to support the well-being of others and improve access to quality care. You’ll also gain a holistic understanding of mind, body and spirit through which you’ll understand that health disparities are often tied to social and economic issues inherent in the food system. What better place to study the relationship of food and health than with the global leader in culinary education?

Read About Health Excellence

Pre-Professional

Many professional careers require advanced study beyond the bachelor’s degree. Whatever career you’re aiming for — law, pharmacy, veterinary, medical or dentistry, for example — JWU’s advisors can help you chart a path to success. And don’t forget that JWU offers special pathways to our own Physician Assistant, Occupational Therapy, and Clinical Mental Health or Addiction Counseling programs, as well as 3+3 Law degrees in partnership with Roger Williams University and University of Massachusetts School of Law.

Read about Pre-Professional Excellence

Students taking part in roundtable discussion with visiting professional.

Student holding up a liquid sample in a beaker.

STEM

Our world is getting more and more connected every day, thanks to the growing number of digital devices, computer programs and apps being developed to meet our needs and improve our life. These technologies are driving our economic growth, and give us the tools we need to make a better world. The next generation of scientists, engineers and problem solvers will get their start at JWU through our majors in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Read About STEM Excellence

Sustainability

From urban food policies and civic engagement, to renewable energies and alternative modes of transportation, sustainability echoes through the university’s halls. Not only do our academic majors address sustainability, we live it daily through campus initiatives that encourage all to contribute to a greener, more environmentally conscious world.

Read About Sustainability Excellence