Degree Program Information

A two year associate’s degree in nutrition will prepare students for entry level positions as a nutritionist or the student can choose to transfer their credits into a bachelor’s program.  The associate program provides the basic skills needed to begin a career as a nutritionist. The four year bachelor’s degree features courses that are designed to prepare a student for a more demanding career and can qualify the graduate for supervisory positions.

.coursework for nutrition degrees will include classes in foods, nutrition, chemistry, biology, physiology, biochemistry, and microbiology and institution management. The bachelor’s degree program will offer additional courses such as computer science, psychology, sociology and advanced meal planning.

 Employment Opportunities for the Nutritionist

After graduating from a program there will be several different career paths to choose from, such as consultant dietician, management nutritionist, clinical nutritionist, lead facility nutritionist and kitchen manager.

The clinical nutritionist will be responsible for providing nutritional services to patients in assisted living facilities, hospitals or institutions. Working in this field will require the nutritionist to create and implement special types of meal programs and require them to evaluate program results on a monthly basis, making adjustments when needed.

Community nutritionists will provide counseling to individual clients or groups regarding proper eating habits and food alternatives. This type of counseling is intended to help prevent disease and promote a healthier lifestyle.  As a community nutritionist you will work for health clinics, health maintenance organizations or health agencies.

Management nutritionists will be responsible for overseeing meal planning on a larger scale for hospitals, cafeterias, schools, prisons and health care facilities.

The consultant nutritionist is employed by private practices or health care facilities to perform nutrition screenings and counsel clients in order to improve their health.

The master’s degree program is designed for graduates to become registered dieticians, also known as RD’s. To become a RD a student will need to take courses in various types of exercise, food and counseling. Students will learn how to create balanced meal plans, create menus and direct individuals towards better food choices.  To qualify for this type of degree program the student will need to have their bachelor’s in nutrition from an ADA accredited program and will also need to have a background in science. Some schools may also require their applicants to have a college background in biology, chemistry, biochemistry or anatomy. The coursework included in a master’s program will feature classes in nutritional health, metabolic diseases, minerals, exercise, biochemistry, vitamins, botanical medicine, advanced dietician courses and health and hygiene.

A master’s degree will qualify the RD to counsel groups of patients on different types of nutritional practices and can provide the following career opportunities: clinical dietitian, nutritional educator, community dietitian, project manager and management nutritionist.

Nutritionist Work Environment and Advancements

A nutritionist will treat clients that are suffering from heart disease, obesity, and diabetes and kidney failure and can manage the food service department of a clinical institution.

A community nutritionist will work in home health agencies, public health clinics and health maintenance organizations.  The community nutritionist will educate people on healthier food alternatives, nutritional habits, how to shop and meal plan and how to prepare food for low sodium, low fat or low sugar diets.

There are currently careers in nutrition in marketing and advertising that has the nutritionist preparing literature for food distribution, dietary supplements and even recipes.  

Working in a large facility such as a jail, school or medical facility requires the nutritionist to not only meal plan but to also supervise the kitchen staff, working as a manager. In this type of position the nutrition is also responsible for enforcing state sanitation regulations and health and safety requirements.  The kitchen supervisor will also hire and train kitchen staff and manage the monthly food budget.

The consultant nutritionist will help clients with issues such as obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes. This is done by administering nutrition screenings that allow the nutritionist to analyze their client’s needs. This type of nutritionist will work under contract for health care facilities or they will own their own practice.

As a master nutrition therapist you will have a large variety of positions to choose from such as health care manager, health foods grocer, health foods advisor and nutrition coordinator.

A nutritionist therapy practitioner will use their education to expand their practices as a health care professional by applying their expertise and can work by consulting professionals such as herbalists, acupuncturists, personal chefs, fitness trainers, yoga instructors, massage therapists, chiropractors and pharmacists.

Nutritionist Education and Training Requirements

To get a jump start on this career field you can take courses in high school for chemistry, health, biology, mathematics and diet and nutrition.  To work as a nutritionist you will need to have an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree.

The degree programs will require the student to partake in an internship program at different types of medical facilities and institutions, in order to qualify for certification exams.  The degree programs will typically require the student to obtain 900 hours of supervised practice under the supervision of a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. A student can choose to work as a full time intern for a six to twelve month period, or they can choose a part time internship which will take two years to complete.

Many states will not require a nutritionist to be licensed, in which case those that have obtained a degree in this field should take the ADA exam to earn credentials as a certified nutritionist. For states that do require a nutritionist to be licensed you will need to take state certification exams.

As a nutritionist you will have the option to specialize in different areas of the field such as renal dietetics, geriatric nutrition or diabetic diets. Some nutritionists will choose to work in sales for equipment, food manufacturers or pharmaceutical companies. Other nutritionists will focus on obtaining supervisory roles for positions such as department director, lead nutritionist, and associate director.

Nutritionist Program Options

An associate’s degree program in nutrition will prepare a student for a career working with clients that need guidance and counseling regarding healthier food alternatives and a change in their eating habits.  Associate’s programs features courses in chemistry, basic nutrition, physiology, anatomy, documentation, microeconomics, food production and microbiology.

Popular career opportunities for the nutritionist with an associate’s degree will include nutritionist educator, food service assistant, dietician assistant, food and health manager and WIC program instructor.

Once a program has been completed the graduate is eligible to take the nutritionist exam. To maintain certification as a nutritionist you’ll need to enroll in online courses so that you can keep abreast with the changes of techniques used in the field and the different types of nutritional benefits found in certain changes in diet. These courses are referred to as continuing education classes, with each class typically counting as an hour’s worth of credit. The nutritionist will need to earn a total of fifteen hours of CE to qualify for the yearly license renewal.

After earning an associate’s degree some graduates will choose to acquire their bachelor’s degree in food science or nutrition.

Continuing your Education as a Nutritionist

Should you decide to enroll in a bachelor’s degree program for nutrition, you will learn course material that offers a foundation in food science and nutrition as well as food service management. These programs can be coordinated with associate degree programs that will allow for a smooth transition into a bachelor’s program. The coursework involved in this program are as follows: food science, accounting for management, health and wellness, advanced nutrition, food handling and safety regulations, nutrition and disease, metabolism, and nutrition for different life stages.

A master’s degree in nutrition is also available and will offer coursework that can permit a student to design a program that fits their goals. These programs are offered online or in-class however, a master’s program in nutrition can be hard to find locally. A master’s degree program for the nutritionist is a two year program. Accelerated programs are available that can be completed in one year. To qualify for the master’s program you will need to have obtained a bachelor’s degree.

Coursework will include class topics such as energy proteins, health counseling techniques, eating disorders, diabetes and nutrition, cardiovascular nutrition, nutritional herbs, marketing nutrition, metabolizing carbs and metabolizing proteins.

For nutritionists that hold a master’s degree, employment can be found as an HMO educator, nutrition teacher, Private nutritional counselor, nutritional journalist, or lead health consultant.

Nutritionist Education Programs

Working as a nutritionist will require the individual to have extensive knowledge regarding how to plan healthy meals based on the weight loss goal of a client or a client’s health issues.

Prior to enrolling in a program a student should check with their state regarding regulations and requirements for nutritionists.

A student will have the option of choosing from an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree program in Nutrition and Health Sciences.  These programs will feature courses in chemistry, nutrition, business, psychology, leadership, economics, patient documentation and meal planning.  These nutritionist programs will also offer students experience in a health care setting such as a hospital or clinic under supervision of a certified nutritionist.  An internship is usually held in a hospital, nursing home or hospice.  

These different types of environments will provide the student with patients that have very diverse dietary needs and can prepare them with experience in specialty areas such as education and fitness, patient fitness and health, or working with the elderly population.

In states that do not require certification for the nutritionist, there are still programs available that are accredited by the ADA.   The ADA is designed to oversee that all nutritionist programs feature course material that is beneficial for the profession.

This profession features courses that are heavy in science and requires the student to have adequate computer skills as the majority of patient documentation will be done on the computer.

After a student has completed a degree program they will need to take state licensing exams or take the ADA nutritionist exam to obtain their certification.

Where to Find Employment as a Nutritionist

A nutritionist is required to renew their license each year and in order to do so they will be required to earn 15 hours of continuing education through the state or the ADA.  This is typically done by taking online courses that focus on meal planning and coaching for patients that suffer from different types of medical conditions such as prostate cancer, breast cancer, high cholesterol or diabetes.

A nutritionist should taking continuing education courses that will best benefit their area of employment, such as health and fitness, pediatric nutrition or men’s health.

You can find employment in this field through fitness centers, health clubs, hospitals or nursing homes. Some nutritionists will also start their own business as health consultants.

Working in a facility such as a nursing home or assisted living facility will require the nutritionist to plan monthly meals based on the health needs of the elderly population like bland low sodium low cholesterol meals.