With the increased interest in the role of food in promoting health and preventing diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, the employment of dieticians and nutritionists is projected to grow 21% between 2012 and 2022[i]
Whereas food science is the discipline of study in which the engineering, biological, and physical sciences are used to study food and food processing, nutrition is the science that interprets the interaction of nutrients and other substances in food. This can include the maintenance, growth, reproduction, health, diet and disease of an organism, both human and animal. Nutrition, food science, and physiology therefore play an important role in wellness.
A Masters in nutrition may help prepare graduates to pursue careers as nutrition professionals in the pharmaceutical industry, research nutritional biochemistry, educate patients on healthy eating habits, shape public policy, or work to ensure that agriculture is productive and safe. Full-time graduate students may be able to complete a Master of Science in Nutrition degree program in about two years.
Prospective students may have earned a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition degree from an accredited college. Other requirements may vary depending on the program and graduate school.
"
Popular Schools with Nutrition & Fitness Masters Degrees
sponsored listings
How do I find a Nutrition Masters Program?
Researching nutrition masters programs on GradSchools.com is easy! You can start with a location search to determine where you can study. Simply use the tabs and enter a popular city, state, or country and results will be generated. Then you can focus on program format. Search for campus programs or choose distance learning. Online nutrition programs may be helpful if you are currently working in the field of nutrition, pharmaceuticals, or health related fields and want to update your technical knowledge and skills. If this is the case, you have potential options to earn your masters degree in nutrition completely online or in a combination format, called hybrid, which is part on-campus.
To pinpoint a degree for your academic and professional goals, you can also look for concentrations within masters in fitness and nutrition degree programs. For instance, you can look into a M.S. in Human Nutrition, M.S. in Food Safety Regulation, Master in Public Health: Nutrition, MS in human Nutrition and Functional Medicine, Sports Nutrition and Exercise Science, Food Sciences, or Clinical Nutrition. There are many listings, so browse on and read on!
Potential curriculum in Nutrition Masters Programs
Depending on the concentration, whether you are continuing onto study at the PhD level, the school and program format, some of the courses that students might find in nutrition masters programs can include:
- Science of nutrition
- Health promotion
- Disease, nutrition related diseases
- Food Safety regulations
- Food production
- Public Health
- Dietetics
- Exercise Science
- Biochemistry
- Genetics
- Clinical nutrition
Potential career paths for graduates with master’s degrees in nutrition
Perhaps you enrolled in the program with a clear sense of where you wanted to pursue your career as a graduate who earned a master’s degree in nutrition, and you concentrated in a particular area. Or, you have a great education in nutrition and are open to different professional avenues. Some of the potential career paths that your master’s in nutrition might prepare you to pursue may include:
- Agricultural and Food Scientists work to ensure that agricultural establishments are productive and food is safe[ii]
- Agricultural and Food Science Technicians assist food scientist by performing duties such as measuring and analyzing the quality of food and agricultural products[iii]
- Dieticians and Nutritionists are experts in food and nutrition. They advise people on what to eat in order to lead a healthy lifestyle or achieve a specific health-related goal[iv]
- Health Educators and Community Health Workers teach people about behaviors that promote wellness, and may develop and implement strategies to improve the health of individuals and communities[v]
- Medical and Health Services Managers, also called healthcare executives or healthcare administrators, plan, direct and coordinate medical and health services[vi]
- Epidemiologists are public health professionals who investigate patterns and causes of disease and injury in humans and seek to reduce the risk of negative health outcomes through research, community education, and health policy[vii]
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists analyze many types of work environments and procedures[viii]
- Biochemists and Biophysicists study the chemical and physical principles of living things and of biological processes, such as cell development, growth and heredity[ix]
- Athletic Trainers and Exercise Physiologists specialize in preventing, diagnosing, and treating bone injuries and illnesses.[x]
Top States for Employment: Dietitians and Nutritionists| State | Employment | Annual Mean Wage |
|---|
| California | 5,650 | $75,600 |
| New York | 3,320 | $64,920 |
| Texas | 3,180 | $57,360 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,310 | $57,850 |
| Ohio | 1,860 | $57,150 |
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Top Salary Metro Areas in the United States: Dietitians and Nutritionists| Metro Area | Annual Mean Salary | Employment |
|---|
| Salinas, CA | $83,310 | 50 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $81,980 | 370 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | $81,090 | 80 |
| Modesto, CA | $80,500 | 80 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $80,270 | 1,230 |
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Sources: [i] www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dietitians-and-nutritionists.htm#tab-6| [ii] www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/agricultural-and-food-scientists.htm | [iii] bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/agricultural-and-food-science-technicians.htm | [iv] bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dietitians-and-nutritionists.htm | [v] bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/health-educators.htm | [vi] bls.gov/ooh/management/mobile/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm | [vii] bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/epidemiologists.htm | [viii] bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/occupational-health-and-safety-specialists.htm#tab-2 | [ix] bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/biochemists-and-biophysicists.htm | [x] bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/athletic-trainers-and-exercise-physiologists.htm
Top 50 Graduate Schools with Masters in Nutrition Programs
.jpg "Nutrition Masters Degrees")
