Nutrition Major: Nutritional Sciences Option (B.S.)

https://colsa.unh.edu/agriculture-nutrition-food-systems/program/bs/nutrition-major-nutritional-sciences-option

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 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), and populations that are underrepresented in research.

Students in the Nutritional Sciences option most often enroll in a post-graduate educational degree program (e.g., medical school, graduate school, physician assistant program, etc.) or enter the biomedical/biotechnology workplace.

Degree Requirements

Minimum Credit Requirement: 128 credits
Minimum Residency Requirement: 32 credits must be taken at UNH
Minimum GPA: 2.0 required for conferral*
Core Curriculum Required: Discovery & Writing Program Requirements
Foreign Language Requirement: No

All Major, Option and Elective Requirements as indicated.
*Major GPA requirements as indicated.

Major Requirements

A minimum grade of C- or above is required in all NUTR courses required by the major.

Foundation Courses
BMS 507Human Anatomy and Physiology I4
BMS 508Human Anatomy and Physiology II4
SOC 400Introductory Sociology4
or PSYC 401 Introduction to Psychology
Select one statistics course from the following:4
Applied Biostatistics I
Statistics for Health and Human Service Professionals
Statistics in Psychology
Statistics
Science Core Courses
BIOL 411Introductory Biology: Molecular and Cellular4
BIOL 412Introductory Biology: Evolution, Biodiversity and Ecology4
BMCB 658
BMCB 659
General Biochemistry
and General Biochemistry Lab
5
BMS 503
BMS 504
General Microbiology
and General Microbiology Laboratory
5
CHEM 403General Chemistry I4
CHEM 404General Chemistry II4
CHEM 545
CHEM 546
Organic Chemistry
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory
5
GEN 604Principles of Genetics4
Nutrition Core Courses
NUTR 400Nutrition in Health and Well Being4
NUTR 401Professional Perspectives on Nutrition1
NUTR 476Nutritional Assessment4
NUTR 650Life Cycle Nutrition4
Nutritional Sciences Option Courses
MATH 424BCalculus for Life Sciences4
NUTR 750Nutritional Biochemistry4
NUTR 751Nutritional Biochemistry of Micronutrients4
Major Elective Courses
Two nutrition Electives and a third Elective outside the major are chosen in consultation with the student's advisor, based on the student's career interests.
Choose 2 NUTR courses (minimum 8 credits)
NUTR 403Culinary Arts Skills Development4
NUTR 405Food and Society4
NUTR 504Managerial Skills in Dietetics4
NUTR 506Nutrition and Wellness4
NUTR 525Food and Culture in Italy4
NUTR 530Critical Analysis in Food Studies4
NUTR 535History of Food in Italy4
NUTR 546Nutrition in Exercise and Sports4
NUTR 550Food Science: Principle and Practice4
NUTR 560Introduction to Research in Nutrition2
NUTR 595Mediterranean Diet and Culture4
NUTR 600Field Experience in Nutrition1-4
NUTR 610Nutrition Education and Counseling4
NUTR 625From Farm to the Italian Table4
NUTR 709Nutritional Epidemiology4
NUTR 710Advanced Diabetes Care2
NUTR 715Advanced Sports Nutrition4
NUTR 720Community Nutrition4
NUTR 730From Seed to Sea: Examining Sustainable Food Systems4
NUTR 740Nutrition for Children with Special Needs4
NUTR 755
NUTR 758
Concepts and Controversies in Weight Management
and Practicum in Nutrition and Wellness
5
NUTR 773Clinical Nutrition4
NUTR 775Practical Applications in Medical Nutrition Therapy4
NUTR 780Critical Issues in Nutrition4
NUTR 790Undergraduate Teaching Experience1-2
Elective Outside the Major at 600- or 700-Level (4 credits)

Nutritional Science 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 Nutritional Sciences students is satisfied through the completion of NUTR 720 Community Nutrition or NUTR 751 Nutritional Biochemistry of Micronutrients

NUTR 751 is a required course; and will only fulfill the university's capstone requirement if taken during the student's senior year.

SAMPLE Course Sequence for Nutritional Science

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredits
NUTR 400 Nutrition in Health and Well Being 4
NUTR 401 Professional Perspectives on Nutrition 1
ENGL 401 First-Year Writing 4
BIOL 411 Introductory Biology: Molecular and Cellular 4
CHEM 403 General Chemistry I 4
 Credits17
Spring
NUTR 476 Nutritional Assessment 4
BIOL 412 Introductory Biology: Evolution, Biodiversity and Ecology 4
CHEM 404 General Chemistry II 4
MATH 424B Calculus for Life Sciences 4
 Credits16
Second Year
Fall
CHEM 545
CHEM 546
Organic Chemistry
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory
5
BMS 507 Human Anatomy and Physiology I 4
Select one of the following: 4
Applied Biostatistics I  
Statistics in Psychology  
Statistics  
Statistics for Health and Human Service Professionals  
Discovery Course 4
 Credits17
Spring
BMS 503
BMS 504
General Microbiology
and General Microbiology Laboratory
5
BMS 508 Human Anatomy and Physiology II 4
SOC 400
Introductory Sociology
or Introduction to Psychology
4
Elective (any course) 4
 Credits17
Third Year
Fall
GEN 604 Principles of Genetics 4
Nutrition Elective 2-4
Discovery Course 4
Elective (any course) 4
 Credits14-16
Spring
NUTR 650 Life Cycle Nutrition 4
BMCB 658
BMCB 659
General Biochemistry
and General Biochemistry Lab
5
Discovery Course 4
Nutrition Elective 2-4
 Credits15-17
Fourth Year
Fall
NUTR 750 Nutritional Biochemistry 4
Discovery Course 4
Elective (any course) 4
Elective (any course) 4
 Credits16
Spring
NUTR 751 Nutritional Biochemistry of Micronutrients 4
600 or 700-Level Elective Outside the Major 4
Discovery Course 4
Elective (any course) 4
 Credits16
 Total Credits128-132
  • 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 the nutritional requirements for various populations across the lifespan.
  • Explain macronutrient and micronutrient metabolism.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method and how it is used to generate knowledge in nutrition science.