Human Nutrition and Foods

This curriculum meets the academic requirements for application to graduate or professional school in several health-related fields, as well as membership in the American Dietetic Association. The major results in a Bachelor of Science degree. After completion of the curriculum in dietetics, a student is eligible for application to a dietetic internship; placement in an internship is highly competitive. Upon completion of the internship, the graduate is eligible to take the examination to become a registered dietitian (RD).

Students complete Family and Consumer Sciences core courses as well as courses in food science, nutrition, food service management, sociology, psychology, economics, chemistry, biology, physiology, and microbiology. Students are encouraged to take electives in areas that support anticipated career preferences, i.e., business, food science, nutritional biochemistry, marketing, journalism, and exercise physiology.

Admission
Students who meet University admission requirements may be accepted directly into the Davis College as Human Nutrition and Foods majors.

Curriculum
The bachelor of science in Animal & Nutritional Sciences requires the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 129 credit hours. A Human Nutrition and Foods major must take English 101 and 102, college algebra, liberal studies, and minority/foreign culture/gender, and writing requirements. In addition, a core of nine credit hours in Family and Consumer Sciences must be taken to earn a degree.During the first two years of the program, students fulfill the English and mathematics requirements and take two semesters of inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, two semesters of biology, two Family and Consumer Sciences core courses, and certain liberal studies courses. Introductory Human Nutrition and Foods course work is also completed. Specific areas of study in the Human Nutrition and Foods curriculum include nutrition, food science, physiology, microbiology, and biochemistry. To provide majors with the knowledge they may need in their future careers, training in management, accounting, and economics is also part of the program.

Accreditation
West Virginia University is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Career Opportunities
As dietitians, graduates find positions in hospital and community settings, business, industry, and private enterprise. After completion of the Didactic Program in Dietetics, which is approved by the American Dietetic Association, the graduate will be eligible to apply for a dietetic internship. Then, one may take the examination to become a registered dietitian. Those students emphasizing dietetics may continue with academic careers in nutrition, food science, biochemistry, exercise physiology, public health, or medicine.

Graduate School Opportunities
A major in Human Nutrition and Foods provides a foundation for graduate work. Those who major in dietetics may continue their education in nutrition, biochemistry, exercise physiology, pharmacology, public health, or medicine.

Course Work

For more information, contact Cindy Fitch at (304) 293-2631, ext. 4415 or email at Cindy.Fitch@mail.wvu.edu.