Career Opportunities for Majors in Nutritional Sciences

The field of nutritional sciences encompasses all aspects of an organism's interaction with food. It includes biochemical, physiologic, molecular, psychological, and cultural aspects of food choice and nutrient metabolism. The department offers B.S. degrees in the following options. All students complete the core requirements in biology and chemistry, and then take specific courses for their option.

The Dietetics option concerns knowledge of foods and their use to maintain health and treat disease. This includes understanding the nutrient composition and cultural and community aspects of diets, as well as biochemical and physiological aspects. It emphasizes nutrition and food service and prepares students for careers as clinical dietitians and nutritionists, educators, health promotion facilitators, and consumer specialists in food and nutrition. Advanced courses stress human nutrition and its application to diet and health. Students take organic chemistry, biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, economics and statistics. Upon completing the option, students normally apply for a dietetic internship or AP-4 program to prepare for the exam to become a registered dietitian.

The Nutrition option emphasizes the metabolic aspects of how organisms use food. It includes knowledge of how food is digested, absorbed, and used for energy and growth; how and why nutrient requirements change over the lifespan and under stress. It provides training for graduate school in the life sciences, medical or dental school, and conducting biomedical research. Students take advanced courses in molecular and cell biology, biochemistry, and physiology, in addition to nutrition and health, nutritional aspects of energy metabolism, and nutritional aspects of protein, vitamin and mineral metabolism.

The Food Service Administration option is for students who want careers in food service marketing or in managing food service in schools, hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, corporations, hospitals, and long-term care facilities. Students take advanced courses in quantity food production, managing food-service systems, and institutional organization and management. They supplement this with elective courses in business, agribusiness, and food science.

The Nutrition, Food and Business option prepares professionals to work in food 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.

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

Regardless of the option chosen, a background in nutrition can also provide business-related opportunities in such fields as employee wellness, human resources, marketing, general management, customer service, and sales. 

Additionally, you may:
 

• Explore the career paths of RU Alumni Career Network mentors.
• Go to the Rutgers Online Career Planning Site to explore your interests, skills and values. Use the program for either: High School Students | College Students.
• Explore Rutgers University academic department information related to this major.
• See the Occupational Outlook Handbook for additional career information.
• Pick up your "Career Opportunities" handouts at any New Brunswick Career Services office.