If you’re interested in helping people improve their nutrition and health, consider pursuing a nutrition degree. This career path offers diverse opportunities for students with strong communication, analytical thinking, and interpersonal skills.
Earning a bachelor’s or master’s degree in this field can help you gain the foundation you need to succeed in a range of jobs. For example, you could work as a nutrition counselor or a dietitian for individuals, organizations, and government agencies.
Alternatively, you could work in nutrition research as an expert in the fields of diet and food technology. In this field, you’ll use your knowledge of chemistry and biology to create and examine new food products, ensuring that they’re nutritious, safe, and delicious.
This career can also include entrepreneurship in the area of food and nutrition. You can use your education and experience in this field to help other businesses grow by developing healthy eating programs or new food packaging options for their consumers.
You can also pursue an online master’s in nutrition to advance your career in this field or to gain additional certifications. Some universities offer this option and many nutrition-related associations are also available to provide resources, updates, and continuing education.
A master’s in nutrition can prepare you for a variety of careers, including dietetics, public health, research, industry consulting, media publishing, and even entrepreneurship. It can also provide you with the training you need to pass the Certified Nutrition Specialist exam, which is a requirement for many careers in this field.
The SUNY Oneonta Nutrition and Dietetics program, for instance, is accredited by the American Dietetic Association and provides an interdisciplinary approach to nutrition science. It is a four-year, 120-credit degree that helps you develop the basic liberal arts and scientific knowledge you need to understand nutrition.
Graduates can apply for entry into the SUNY Oneonta Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics, where you will complete coursework that is accredited by the American Dietetic Association. After earning your degree, you can continue your professional studies and enter a dietetics graduate program or pursue a doctorate in nutrition science.
With global concerns about diet and health, nutrition professionals have a wide array of opportunities for employment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 11% job growth for this profession between 2018 and 2028.
Some graduates pursue advanced degrees in their area of focus to obtain leadership or teaching positions. They can then teach nutrition to other professionals and the general public, conduct research or serve in other leadership roles within their organization.
If you’re interested in a career with an international emphasis, you can pursue a graduate degree in nutrition and dietetics. These graduates are prepared to work in a wide range of international settings and often have the opportunity to work with at-risk populations in third-world countries where larger organizations may not be able to reach.
This college also offers a bachelor’s in nutrition with a food management emphases and a master’s in both dietetics and food service management. You can also earn a bachelor’s in nutrition with an entrepreneurship focus, which can allow you to build on your knowledge of food and health and turn it into a business.
