Nutrition Major: Health and Wellness Option (B.S.)
Nutrition is the study of how nutrients and food components function at molecular, cellular, and whole-body levels to impact human health and disease. Students are grounded in fundamental sciences as they develop nutrition-specific competencies in nutrition and health, foods, nutritional assessment, wellness, life cycle nutrition, and/or metabolic biochemistry.
The nutrition program prepares students for entry-level positions in health care, education, research, or the biotechnology industry, or entry into post-baccalaureate professional programs. Nutrition faculty have expertise in clinical nutrition, telehealth, epidemiology, and food science, as well as assessing risk factors of chronic disease risk (i.e. obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular, cognitive) in diverse populations (pediatric, young adult, older adult).
Students who complete the Health and Wellness option are prepared for jobs in agencies or businesses that have an emphasis on disease prevention and health promotion, including schools, employee wellness agencies, fitness centers, and non-profit or community organizations.
Degree Requirements
All Major, Option and Elective Requirements as indicated.
*Major GPA requirements as indicated.
Major Requirements
A minimum grade of C-minus or better must be earned in all NUTR courses required by the major.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Courses | ||
| BMS 507 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| BMS 508 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| SOC 400 | Introductory Sociology | 4 |
| or PSYC 401 | Introduction to Psychology | |
| Choose ONE statistics course | 4 | |
| Applied Biostatistics I | ||
| Statistics in Psychology | ||
| Statistics | ||
| Science Core Courses | ||
| CHEM 411 | Introductory Chemistry for Life Sciences | 4 |
| or CHEM 403 & CHEM 404 | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II | |
| BMS 501 | Microbes in Human Disease | 4 |
| BMCB 501 | Biological Chemistry | 4 |
| Nutrition Core Courses | ||
| NUTR 400 | Nutrition in Health and Well Being | 4 |
| NUTR 401 | Professional Perspectives on Nutrition | 1 |
| NUTR 476 | Nutritional Assessment | 4 |
| NUTR 650 | Life Cycle Nutrition | 4 |
| Nutrition and Wellness Courses | ||
| NUTR 403 | Culinary Arts Skills Development | 4 |
| NUTR 506 | Nutrition and Wellness | 4 |
| NUTR 546 | Nutrition in Exercise and Sports | 4 |
| NUTR 610 | Nutrition Education and Counseling | 4 |
| NUTR 720 | Community Nutrition | 4 |
| NUTR 755 | Concepts and Controversies in Weight Management | 3 |
| NUTR 758 | Practicum in Nutrition and Wellness | 2 |
| HMP 401 | United States Health Care Systems | 4 |
| NUTR Elective | 4 | |
| 600-level or 700-level elective | 4-5 | |
Nutrition and Wellness Capstone Experience
One capstone experience, supervised and approved within the major, is required of all seniors. The capstone explores areas of interest based on the integration of prior learning. The capstone requirement for Wellness students is satisfied through the completion of NUTR 720 Community Nutrition or NUTR 755 Concepts and Controversies in Weight Management during their senior year.
Both NUTR 720 and NUTR 755 are required courses; one of these courses must be taken during the student's senior year to fulfill the university's capstone requirement.
SAMPLE Course Sequence for Nutrition and Wellness
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| NUTR 400 | Nutrition in Health and Well Being | 4 |
| NUTR 401 | Professional Perspectives on Nutrition | 1 |
| BMS 507 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| SOC 400 or PSYC 401 | Introductory Sociology or Introduction to Psychology | 4 |
| ENGL 401 | First-Year Writing | 4 |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| NUTR 476 | Nutritional Assessment | 4 |
| BMS 508 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| HMP 401 | United States Health Care Systems | 4 |
| Discovery course | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CHEM 411 | Introductory Chemistry for Life Sciences | 4 |
| NUTR 403 | Culinary Arts Skills Development | 4 |
| Inquiry course | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| NUTR 506 | Nutrition and Wellness | 4 |
| BMCB 501 | Biological Chemistry | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
| Applied Biostatistics I | ||
| Statistics in Psychology | ||
| Statistics | ||
| Elective (WI) | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| NUTR 546 | Nutrition in Exercise and Sports | 4 |
| NUTR 610 | Nutrition Education and Counseling | 4 |
| BMS 501 | Microbes in Human Disease | 4 |
| NUTR Elective or Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| NUTR 650 | Life Cycle Nutrition | 4 |
| NUTR Elective or Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Elective (any course) | 4 | |
| Elective (any course) | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| NUTR 755 | Concepts and Controversies in Weight Management | 3 |
| NUTR 758 | Practicum in Nutrition and Wellness | 2 |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Discovery Course or Elective | 4 | |
| 600-Level or 700-Level Elective or Elective (any course) | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 16-17 | |
| Spring | ||
| NUTR 720 | Community Nutrition | 4 |
| 600-level or 700-level Elective | 4 | |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Elective (any course) | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15-16 | |
| Total Credits | 128-130 | |
- Locate, interpret, evaluate and use professional literature to make ethical, evidence-based conclusions and decisions.
- Apply critical thinking skills.
- Deliver effective and professional oral and written communication.
- Demonstrate cultural humility, awareness of personal biases and an understanding of cultural difference they contribute to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Articulate aspects of nutrition and wellness for various populations across the lifespan.
- Discuss the impact of policies and guidelines on food and nutrition services.