Major: Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies
Is a low-carb diet really the healthiest way to eat? Why do we get cranky when we don’t get enough B vitamins? How can vegetarians pump up the protein in their diet?
If these questions intrigue you, you may want to major in foods, nutrition, and wellness studies. Whether you see yourself developing recipes in a test kitchen, counseling clients on nutrition, or inspecting foods for a government agency, a smorgasbord of options awaits you in this diverse and growing field.
Students of foods, nutrition, and wellness learn about food and its effect on our health. Their studies include food preparation and safety, nutritional education, and more.
“I like the idea of helping others live a healthy lifestyle in order to prevent illness. I call nutrition ‘preventative medicine.’”
Kate, senior, nutritional sciences,
Rutgers University, Cook College
Are You Ready To...?
- Fulfill many science prerequisites
- Learn how the body uses nutrients
- Study the nutritional content of foods
- Read about obesity and other nutrition problems
- Evaluate people’s diets for nutritional value
- Learn how to plan menus for people, such as the elderly, who have special needs
- Work with professors on their research projects
- Complete an internship
It Helps to Be...
Passionate about food, nutrition, and health. If you spend hours sifting through recipe books or engaging in lively debates about the latest fad diet, this may be the field for you.
College Checklist
- Is the department accredited by the American Dietetic Association?
- Does the school offer a broad program covering many aspects of food science and nutrition, or does it offer a narrow emphasis, such as dietetics?
- Are labs up to date? You’ll be served a full plate of science classes.
- What kinds of internships will you be able to choose from?
- Are there opportunities to work with professors on research projects?
- Will the school help you find work after graduation?
- What are recent grads doing now?
“The things that we do have a major impact on everyone. Everyone must eat, and everyone should be concerned about their nutritional status.”
Bonita A. Glatz, Professor of Food Science
and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University
Course Spotlight
In a class on community nutrition, you’ll learn how to plan and run nutrition education programs. You might be asked to come up with a plan for teaching low-income residents how to use their food money wisely, for example, or to create educational brochures for different ethnic groups. Expect a steady stream of research, writing, and oral presentations in this class, and a fair number of peer critiques, too.
