Nutritional Sciences

Course descriptions

Students majoring in Nutritional Sciences pursue one of three tracks: Nutritional Sciences, Didactic Program in Dietetics or Pre-Medical Profession. Each area follows a different curriculum including non-departmental courses, in order to best prepare students for their future goals. Students preparing to become registered dietitians follow the Didactic Program in Dietetics which is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) 120 South Riverside Plaza., Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995. (800) 872-5327.

The Nutritional Sciences curriculum is generally more flexible than the Dietetic curriculum. Students in this option integrate the Nutritional Sciences core requirements with additional courses in the laboratory or behavioral sciences. A minor in Nutrition for Exercise and Sport and a minor in Food Science are described in the Minors section.

For detailed information, please refer to the Department of Nutritional Sciences website.

Admission Requirements

Students not admitted to the University as Nutritional Sciences majors may petition into this major. The following petition requirements must be met for consideration of a major change into the Nutritional Sciences major:

  1. Earned at least a “C” in CHEM 1124Q or 1127Q
  2. Earned at least a “B” in NUSC 1165

Nutritional Sciences majors must successfully pass the following courses:

In addition to the courses listed above, a minimum of six credits, numbered 2000 level or above, must be earned from courses in the Department of Nutritional Sciences. Credits earned in field experiences and independent studies cannot be used to meet this six-credit requirement.

Students must successfully pass either NUSC 4237W or 4296W to fulfill their writing in the major requirement and the advanced information literacy requirement. There are no advanced requirements for computer technology.

A minor in Nutrition for Exercise and Sport and a minor in Food Science are described in the Minors section.

Didactic Program in Dietetics

Nutritional Science students preparing to apply for a dietetics internship in preparation to become registered dietitians may enroll in the Didactic Program in Dietetics at the University of Connecticut which is currently granted accreditation by:

Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago, IL 60606-6695
Phone: (800) 872-5327

To declare a concentration in the Didactic Program in Dietetics within the Nutritional Sciences major, students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, and have successfully completed the following courses:

To earn a verification statement, students must meet the above grade requirements; complete the core requirements for all Nutritional Sciences majors (including MCB 2000, PNB 2264 and 2265) and earn a Didactic Program in Dietetics GPA of at least 3.0 by successfully completing the following courses with a grade of “C” or higher:

4+1 Nutritional Sciences B.S./M.S. Programs

The department also offers accelerated 4 + 1 programs, allowing students in all three undergraduate tracks to complete a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree in five years. Please see The Graduate Catalog for requirements for the M.S. degree.