Degree: B.S.

Director: Malcolm Watford (mwatford@sebs.rutgers.edu)

The undergraduate program in nutritional sciences provides students with a strong background in the biological, biochemical, physiological, clinical, behavioral, sociological, and psychological dimensions of human nutrition. Students must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 2.0 or better in all required courses.

The program offers five options:

Dietetics. The dietetics option is approved by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) as a Didactic Program in Dietetics. Upon completion of this option, students are eligible to apply for an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) Dietetic Internship in preparation for the registration examination for dietitians. With appropriate electives, this option also can lead to work in the food industry, and after graduate study, positions in cooperative extension, nutrition education, nutrition counseling, or clinical research.

Food Service Administration. The option in food service administration emphasizes the managerial aspects of food service operation. Entry-level employment opportunities include food service marketing, or managing food services in schools, hotels, restaurants, industrial cafeterias, corporations, hospitals, and child or long-term care facilities.

Nutrition. The option in nutrition emphasizes research and prepares students for graduate study in the life sciences and medical, dental, and veterinary studies, as well as for immediate employment in the biomedical industry.

Nutrition, Food, and Business. This option prepares professionals to work in food and food-related industries at the interface of nutrition, food, and business. The fundamentals of nutrition, the science of food, and business prepare students for positions in test kitchens of food companies, product development in the food industry, public relations, pharmaceutical companies, supermarket industry, and in research.

Community Nutrition. This option addresses the growing need for nutrition professionals to work with youth in structured organizations at the local, state, and national level such as 4-H, cooperative extension, after-school care, day care, environmental education, and programs for homeless children.