Nutrition
What this major studies in college, the health tracks it can lead to, and careers open with a bachelor’s degree. Every fact below names its source.
Last checked:
What it is
Nutrition is a dynamic field that incorporates knowledge of human biology and biochemistry, and its Nutritional Sciences major has two options: Nutrition and Dietetics, and Health Sciences. [1]
Penn State's Nutrition and Dietetics option is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). [1]
The minimum degree requirement for eligibility to take the registration examination changed from a bachelor's degree to a graduate degree. [2]
To qualify for the credentialing exam for registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs), students choose a pathway through an ACEND-accredited program, such as a Didactic Program in Dietetics, which is class instruction, and a Dietetic Internship, which is supervised practice in real-life work settings. [3]
Typical college courses
At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill), the Nutrition B.S.P.H. science track also requires Principles of Biology, general and organic chemistry, human anatomy and physiology, introductory human nutrition, nutritional biochemistry, human metabolism, and nutrition across life stages. [4]
Every option requires, with a grade of C or better, Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II with labs, Introductory Principles of Nutrition, Nutrition throughout the Life Cycle, Nutritional Aspects of Disease, a nutrition seminar, and Elementary Statistics or Introduction to Biostatistics. [1]
The Nutrition and Dietetics option adds, among others, Chemical Principles I (or an introductory general, organic and biochemistry course), an organic chemistry course, Elementary Biochemistry, Elementary Microbiology, Assessment of Nutritional Status, Energy and Macronutrient Metabolism, Micronutrient Metabolism and Medical Nutrition Therapy. [1]
The rows below show one named program as an example: Penn State, B.S. in nutritional sciences, 2026–2027 bulletin. Course descriptions are in our own words. Course names and numbers differ at every college; confirm each college’s own list.
| Course | Status | What it covers (example: Penn State bulletin) | Comes after |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II, with labs | Required in this example program[1] | Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II (BIOL 161 and BIOL 163) are a two-semester introduction to the structure and function of the human body, taught one body system at a time. [5] | No prerequisite is shown for BIOL 161, and BIOL 163 comes after BIOL 161. [5] |
Get ready with these topics: Anatomy, physiology and levels of organization · Anatomical position, directional terms and body planes · Homeostasis and feedback loops · Cells and membrane transport · Tissues: epithelial, connective, muscle and nervous · The heart and the cardiac cycle · Body systems working together | |||
| Introductory Principles of Nutrition | Required in this example program[1] | Introductory Principles of Nutrition (NUTR 251) is meant to give nutrition majors and non-majors a broad understanding of the general principles of nutrition. [6] | No prerequisite is listed for it. [6] |
Get ready with these topics: Nutrition: nutrients and dietary guidelines · Food labels and planning meals · The digestive system · Metabolism and nutrition · The molecules of life | |||
| Chemical Principles I (Nutrition and Dietetics option) | One of the choices in this example program[1] | Chemical Principles I (CHEM 110) introduces the basic principles of chemistry, linking the structure of matter at the smallest scale to the properties we can see. [7] | It comes after completion of or placement beyond MATH 22. [7] |
Get ready with these topics: Atoms and electron arrangement · Periodic table patterns · Ionic and covalent bonding · The mole and molar mass · Stoichiometry and conservation of mass · Acids and bases · Quantities, units and rates · Literal equations and formulas | |||
| Assessment of Nutritional Status (Nutrition and Dietetics option) | One of the choices in this example program[1] | Assessment of Nutritional Status (NUTR 358) introduces the purpose, methods and science of assessing nutritional status for individuals and groups, within the Nutrition Care Process model. [6] | It comes after NUTR 251. [6] |
Get ready with these topics: Nutrition: nutrients and dietary guidelines · Metabolism and nutrition · Percentiles and z-scores · Vital signs | |||
| Macronutrient and Micronutrient Metabolism (Nutrition and Dietetics option) | One of the choices in this example program[1] | Energy and Macronutrient Metabolism (NUTR 445) covers the chemistry and metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, building on biochemistry, physiology and nutrition, and Micronutrient Metabolism (NUTR 446) covers how vitamins and minerals work in the body, down to cells and molecules. [6] | NUTR 445 comes after Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II with labs, BMB 211 and NUTR 251, and Micronutrient Metabolism comes after NUTR 445. [6] |
Get ready with these topics: The molecules of life · Enzymes and how reactions happen in cells · Cellular respiration · Metabolism and nutrition · Energy in chemical reactions | |||
| Nutrition throughout the Life Cycle | Required in this example program[1] | Nutrition throughout the Life Cycle (NUTR 451) studies how nutritional needs, status, conditions and interventions change from birth to older age. [6] | It comes after NUTR 445 or NUTR 372, and Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II with labs are recommended first. [6] |
Get ready with these topics: Development: infancy and childhood · Development: adolescence and adulthood · Nutrition: nutrients and dietary guidelines · Development and inheritance · Healthcare across the lifespan | |||
| Nutritional Aspects of Disease | Required in this example program[1] | Nutritional Aspects of Disease (NUTR 452) reviews the nutrition-related causes and disease processes of common diseases, focusing on metabolic problems and nutrition steps to prevent them. [6] | It comes after NUTR 445 or NUTR 372. [6] |
Get ready with these topics: When homeostasis fails: disease across the systems · The digestive system · The endocrine system · The heart and the cardiac cycle · Preventing chronic disease | |||
| Elementary Statistics or Introduction to Biostatistics | Required in this example program[1] | Elementary Statistics (STAT 200) is a standard first statistics course covering descriptive statistics, probability, the binomial and normal distributions, inference, regression and correlation, and Introduction to Biostatistics (STAT 250) applies statistics to data in the biological sciences. [8] | Each comes after placement into MATH 21 or higher. [8] |
Get ready with these topics: Measures of center · Measures of spread · The normal model · Conditional probability and independence · Confidence intervals for a proportion · Significance and p-values | |||
Typical high school preparation
We did not find an official source that gives high school course advice for this major, so none is listed. For the high school courses colleges ask for in general, see the College Preparation page.
Pre-Health Foundations: coming soon
Health tracks this can lead to
Each card opens that track’s page. A reason is shown only where a cited source gives one. Every program sets its own prerequisites, so confirm them with each school.
Pre-Med (MD / DO)
The Nutrition B.S.P.H. science and research track is an excellent preparation for medical and other health professional graduate programs. [4]
Pre-PA (Physician Assistant)
Pre-PT (Physical Therapy)
Nursing: the career ladder
Pre-Pharmacy (PharmD)
Where this degree can lead with a bachelor’s
National figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay varies by state, setting and experience. This is not a promise of pay or a job.
Examples from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Other careers may need more study after the bachelor’s degree.
Dietitians and nutritionists
Dietitians and nutritionists plan and conduct food service or nutritional programs to help people lead healthy lives. [9]
Dietitians and nutritionists typically need a bachelor's or master's degree in dietetics, food and nutrition, or a related field, and supervised training through an internship. [9]
The RD/RDN designation requires completion of a minimum of a master's degree and a Dietetic Internship, and many states require dietitians and nutritionists to be licensed. [9]
The median annual wage for dietitians and nutritionists was $76,400 in May 2025. [9]
Employment of dietitians and nutritionists is projected to grow 8 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations. [9]
The typical entry-level education for dietitians and nutritionists is a bachelor's degree. [9]
Health education specialists
Health education specialists develop programs to teach people about conditions affecting well-being. [10]
The median annual wage for health education specialists was $64,070 in May 2025. [10]
Employment of health education specialists is projected to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations. [10]
Health education specialists typically need at least a bachelor's degree in health education or health promotion. [10]
Questions people search
Chosen from our search-question research. Every answer is cited.
What can you do with a nutrition degree?
Dietitians and nutritionists typically need a bachelor's or master's degree in dietetics, food and nutrition, or a related field, and supervised training through an internship. [9]
Health education specialists typically need at least a bachelor's degree in health education or health promotion. [10]
The Nutrition B.S.P.H. science and research track is an excellent preparation for medical and other health professional graduate programs. [4]
How do you become a registered dietitian?
The minimum degree requirement for eligibility to take the registration examination changed from a bachelor's degree to a graduate degree. [2]
To qualify for the credentialing exam for registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs), students choose a pathway through an ACEND-accredited program, such as a Didactic Program in Dietetics, which is class instruction, and a Dietetic Internship, which is supervised practice in real-life work settings. [3]
The RD/RDN designation requires completion of a minimum of a master's degree and a Dietetic Internship, and many states require dietitians and nutritionists to be licensed. [9]
Your next step
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Sources
- The Pennsylvania State University. Nutritional Sciences, B.S.. https://bulletins.psu.edu/undergraduate/colleges/health-human-development/nutritional-sciences-bs/. 2026–2027 Undergraduate Bulletin. Checked .
- Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). Graduate Degree Registration Eligibility Requirement. https://www.cdrnet.org/graduatedegree. no edition stated. Checked .
- Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Strengthen Your Opportunities to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/students-and-advancing-education/application-process-for-students/strengthen-your-opportunities-to-become-a-registered-dietitian-nutritionist. no edition stated. Checked .
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Nutrition Major, B.S.P.H.. https://catalog.unc.edu/undergraduate/programs-study/nutrition-major-bsph/. 2026–2027 Academic Catalog. Checked .
- The Pennsylvania State University. Biology (BIOL) course descriptions. https://bulletins.psu.edu/university-course-descriptions/undergraduate/biol/. University Bulletins, 2026–27 edition. Checked .
- The Pennsylvania State University. Nutrition (NUTR) course descriptions. https://bulletins.psu.edu/university-course-descriptions/undergraduate/nutr/. University Bulletins, 2026–27 edition. Checked .
- The Pennsylvania State University. Chemistry (CHEM) course descriptions. https://bulletins.psu.edu/university-course-descriptions/undergraduate/chem/. current University Bulletins (the BMB, BIOL and NUTR course pages show the 2026–27 edition). Checked .
- The Pennsylvania State University. Statistics (STAT) course descriptions. https://bulletins.psu.edu/university-course-descriptions/undergraduate/stat/. current University Bulletins (the BMB, BIOL and NUTR course pages show the 2026–27 edition). Checked .
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Dietitians and Nutritionists. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dietitians-and-nutritionists.htm. OOH page last modified October 29, 2026 (pay data May 2025; projections 2025–35). Checked .
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Health Education Specialists. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/health-educators.htm. OOH page last modified August 27, 2026 (pay data May 2025; projections 2025–35). Checked .
Format: Publisher. Page title. URL. Edition or catalog year. Checked date.