Career Opportunities with a Nutritional Sciences Degree

A Nutritional Sciences degree can be the foundation for career opportunities in areas such as:

Further information on each of these categories is listed below. Contact your academic adviser for more information about recommended courses to prepare for these careers.

Clinical Dietetics

Hospitals, long-term care, and outpatient settings
Many specialties (pediatric, renal, diabetes, nutrition support, etc.). RDN generally required

Food and Nutrition Management

Hospitals, long-term care, businesses, schools
Work with chefs or at spas
Consult regarding healthy choices on menu

Public Health Nutrition/Policy/Government

Women, Infants & Children (WIC)
Public Health Department with state and county agencies
Cooperative Extension
Congregate Meals program
Staff resource to legislator
Government agency--USDA, FDA, NIH, etc.
Health care reform
Regulatory: Labeling, Food standards etc.
Lobbyist in state or federal government

Education and Research

College, university, health professional school, and culinary school
Teach K-12 (requires further course work)
Create and write curriculum for state board of education, Dairy Council, Cooperative Extension
Worksite wellness--teach nutrition, exercise, fitness and other health promotion to employees
Manage or assist with clinical protocols, interventions, or clinical trials

Consultant / Private Practice

Private practice consultation to hospitals and long-term care facilities on hourly or "job" basis
Client counseling for weight management, eating disorders, sports nutrition, diabetes management, etc. from either physician referrals and/or advertisements
Write cookbooks, educational programs, or articles for local newspapers or specialty magazines
Food photography
Consult at health clubs / spas as a personal trainer-nutritionist

Related Health Professionals

Use your nutrition degree and skills for a career in a health-related profession

Chiropractor (DC)
Dentist (DDS)
Naturopathic Doctor (ND)
Physical Therapist (PT)
Physician (MD or DO)
Physician Assistant (PA)
Podiatrist (DP)
Veterinarian (DVM)
Nursing

Business and Industry

Careers in business and industry include jobs such as sales, marketing, public relations, research and development (labeling, recipes, and product informtation) and production quality control.

Food (eg. Cambell Soup, Kraft Foods, Proctor & Gamble)
Information Technology (eg. CBORD, Compu-Cal, Computrition, ESHA Research, First DataBank)
Nutritionals (eg. Mead Johnson, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Novartis Nutrition, Ross Products)
Nutraceuticals (eg. Archer Daniels Midland, Cooke Pharma, GeniSoy Products)
Pharmaceutical (eg. Eli Lily, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Pfizer)
Food Service Equipment (eg. Diversey Lever, Ecolab, Hamilton Beach Commercial, Hobart)
Food Service Contract Management (eg. Aramark Healthcare, Morrison Management, Sodexho)
Food Service Vendors (eg. Precision Foods, Super Bakery, Sysco, US Foodservice)
Medical Equipment (eg. Bodystat, HealtheTech, Johnson & Johnson)
Trade Associations (eg. Cranberry Institute, Dairy Council, Peanut Institute, Pork Producers)

Media

Commodity groups (trade associations) hire public relations firms
Radio, TV, newspapers, and magazines are a major source of nutrition education for the public
Cooperative extension agents often write for the local media

International Food Organizations

Peace Corps
Non-governmental organizations such as CARE, Food for the Hungry, or World Relief
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
US AID (Agency for International Development)
Multi-national corporation
Consulting and research collaboration