Major in Nutrition
With a Nutrition degree, you'll make a difference in people's lives and enhance their quality of life! You'll learn how to promote healthful food choices and help prevent obesity, eating disorders, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. There are many career paths, depending on your curriculum choices and personal interests. Once you come to Cal Poly, we will help you choose the correct curriculum option in Nutrition to meet your career goals.
What is Nutrition?
Nutrition is the study of food, its components, and how the body handles food substances. Nutritionists are especially interested in how health is affected by food choices and how nutrient needs are influenced by activity, genetics, and disease.
The Nutrition curriculum will provide you with a strong foundation in the basic sciences and human nutrition. Focus in one of four exciting nutrition concentrations.
Want to be a Registered Dietitian?
The Applied Nutrition Concentration is an ADA-approved Didactic Program in Dietetics. Graduates can apply for a dietetic internship, and then take a national examination to become a Registered Dietitian. Graduates pursue careers or graduate study in public health, food service management, nutrition communications, and community nutrition. The Didactic Program in Dietetics is developmentally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education, of the American Dietetic Association, 120 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, (800) 877-1600; www.eatright.org.
Do you dream of becoming a doctor, dentist, physical therapist, nurse, or other health professional?
The Nutrition Science Concentration prepares students for post-graduate studies in health-related professions by emphasizing a strong background in physical and life sciences and human nutrition. Students intending further study in areas of nutrition research, such as nutritional biochemistry or molecular biology, should also choose this concentration.
Do you want to lead the next hot restaurant trend, become a food writer, or continue advanced preparation in the culinary arts after graduation?
The Culinary Science and Management in Nutrition Concentration provides a unique opportunity for students to blend a strong science background with management training and culinary expertise. This concentration serves the growing need for nutritionists who are positioned to make decisions that require a blend of management training, culinary expertise, and a fundamental science background.
Interested in the research and development of food?
The Nutrition and Food Industries Concentration is designed for students who want to apply knowledge of nutrition to careers in the food industry and related organizations (such as commodity and other non-profit organizations, pharmaceutical companies, or government). Students will be prepared for employment in food product research and development, quality and regulatory operations, food and health communications, public relations, and technical sales in some of the largest and best-known multinational companies.