Exercise Science

Exercise Science - Nutrition Sciences

Program Opportunities

Major in Nutrition Sciences
Nutrition Sciences Major with RDN concentration
Minor in Nutrition Sciences
Master of Science in Nutrition and Nutrigenomics

Overview

Food and nutrition are the foundations of good health. In the Manchester University nutrition sciences major, students are prepared to develop lifelong personal health practices and to advise others on what to eat in order to lead a healthy lifestyle or achieve a specific health-related goal.

Many complex diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease could be better managed with the help of a nutritionist as part of a health care team. In fact, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control indicate that nutritionists and dietitians will be in higher demand because of the increasing prevalence of complex diseases in an aging population. Manchester nutrition majors develop a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between nutrition and medicine as they relate to human health.

Two Major Tracks and a Minor

Major in nutrition sciences and you’ll study food science, organic chemistry, meal prep, diet planning, micronutrients and metabolism. Your preparation will make you well-suited for careers such as:

Corporate wellness
Health/fitness management (might require fitness certification)
Health/medical/nutrition equipment sales
Food and nutrition communication
Humanitarian nutrition support (food banks, global food support: Red Cross, UNICEF, World Food Program)
Health department nutrition educator
Eligible for Wellcoaches® and wellness coach certification
Food industry (food communicator/writer/marketer)

The nutrition sciences major with Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) concentration is designed to prepare students for further study, including fulfilling requirements for acceptance into RDN eligible master’s degree programs.* Students who ultimately plan to take the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) national credentialing examination for certification as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) should follow this track. Read more about master's requirements for RDN credentialing on the CDR website.

*Graduate degree programs vary between universities and may require additional courses. A bachelor’s degree in Nutrition Sciences from Manchester fulfills all the academic requirements for application to Manchester’s Master of Science in Nutrition and Nutrigenomics Program; however, admission is not guaranteed.

With RDN certification, you’ll be prepared to work as a:

Clinical dietitian
Nutrition manager (school food system management, hospital food management, public health nutritionist, corporate sites)
Food policy professional at the USDA
Private dietetics practitioner/nutrition entrepreneur
Recipe developer
Global nutrition policy advocate

Students who include the RDN concentration will also be prepared to pursue advanced academic studies in other diverse disciplines, such as:

Food chemistry
Nutritional biochemist
Nutrigenomics
Nutraceutical sales
Science liaison officer
Academia and health education

A major or minor in nutrition sciences also prepares students pursuing other health careers to focus on preventative health measures and whole patient care (meets many requirements for pre-med, pre-PT, nursing).

Why Manchester?

Manchester has a reputation for excellence in the health sciences with a strong foundation in the liberal arts, so you’ll not only learn practical food and nutrition application skills, you’ll develop your ability to think critically and effectively analyze and solve problems. You’ll also:

develop effective communication and presentation proficiency
learn coaching skills
acquire Servsafe® certification for food handling demonstrations or food careers
understand how to evaluate evidence-based news, recognize quackery and inform public
focus on lifestyle health practices for lifelong health

Master of Nutrition and Nutrigenomics

With your bachelor’s degree in Nutrition Sciences, you’ll be fully prepared to apply for admission into Manchester’s two-year, online master’s program in Nutrition and Nutrigenomics (MSNGx). Nutrigenomics, a component of personalized nutrition, studies the relationship between an individual’s genes and how they affect their response to food and nutrients. Manchester’s MSNGx curriculum focuses on this cutting-edge technology.

LEARN MORE