Program Overviews
The B.S. in Nutrition and Food Science with a concentration in Applied Nutrition and Wellness is ideal for those students who are interested in working with groups of people in non-clinical settings. The curriculum gives students the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills in nutrition education techniques with the aim of promoting overall good health among diverse population groups. Graduates are prepared to develop and coordinate wellness programs within a variety of settings including community health centers, fitness centers, state health departments, harm reduction agencies, supplement stores, or corporate institutions, to name a few.
Students have the unique opportunity to combine their coursework in nutrition with courses from other disciplines by building a minor into their major program. A minor option in Public Health, Sports Nutrition, Communication Studies, Journalism, Business, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology allows graduates to apply their knowledge of nutrition-based wellness in a tangential but specialized field such as public health programming and policy, nutrition communication, social marketing, substance abuse rehabilitation, supplement industry, or corporate wellness programming.
The specific objectives of the program are:
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To prepare practitioners with skills in performing group-level nutritional needs assessments in the community.
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To prepare practitioners with skills in analyzing gaps in existing policies and planning appropriate population-based nutrition education initiatives.
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To prepare practitioners who are committed to social justice and the elimination of health disparities in their community using advanced-level critical thinking and problem solving skills.
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To contribute to a diverse student body representing multiple cultural, educational and other professional backgrounds.
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To collaborate with other professionals in the field and work together to advance the standing of the health and wellness industry.
This concentration can also serve as the first part of an accelerated BS/MS program. Contact [email protected] for more information about this option.
Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the B.S. in Nutrition and Food Science with a concentration in Dietetics prepares students for careers in a variety of clinical, community and wellness settings. As part of the program, students complete a series of courses called the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) and, when they graduate, receive, not only the baccalaureate degree, but also an ACEND Verification Statement which enables them to apply to a post-graduate Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) Dietetic Internship, the completion of which is the final prerequisite to taking the Registration Examination to become a Registered Dietitian (RD).
Incoming freshmen and transfer students who are interested in becoming Registered Dietitians must start their course of study in one of the other three concentrations in the B.S. in Nutrition and Food Science Program:
- Applied Nutrition and Wellness,
- Food Systems, or
- Food Science.
Students in those concentrations who wish to be admitted to the Dietetics concentration must apply after having completed the following four courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NUFD 192 | Nutrition with Laboratory | 4 |
| NUFD 150 | Food Composition and Scientific Preparation | 3 |
| STAT 109 | Statistics | 3 |
| CHEM 113 | Fundamentals of Chemistry | 4 |
| Or their equivalents. |
In order to be accepted into the Dietetics concentration, students must have obtained an overall GPA of at least 3.2 at Montclair State with no grades lower than a "C" (2.0). Applications are accepted and evaluated every May, after grades from the Spring semester are posted. Because of other General Education requirements they must complete, freshman may not be able to apply until the end of their sophomore year. Students can apply for admittance to the Dietetics concentration as many times as they would like.
This concentration can also serve as the first part of an accelerated BS/MS program. Contact [email protected] for more information about this option.
The Second Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition and Food Science with a Concentration in Dietetics
Individuals who have already earned a Bachelor of Arts or Sciences, but who wish to become Registered Dietitians may complete a 2nd Bachelor's in Nutrition and Food Science with a concentration in Dietetics. There are no prerequisites required, regardless of a student's previous field of study; however, incoming 2nd Bachelor's students will also have to begin their course of study in one of the other three concentrations in Nutrition and Food Science and then apply for admission to the Dietetics concentration (see above for Dietetics concentration admission requirements). Students earning their 2nd Bachelor's in Nutrition and Food Science will not be required to complete the General Education or World Languages and Cultures requirements and will be given credit for equivalent major core, required, and collateral courses they have taken elsewhere. They will, however, be required to meet the residency requirement, which demands that students complete a minimum of 32 credits at Montclair State University. Because of this, students considering applying to earn a second Bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Food Science should weigh their options very carefully. The Department also offers a post-graduate Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) certificate, through which students can take the same undergraduate courses required for completion of the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) and issuance of the ACEND Verification Statement. Students in the 2nd Bachelor's program pay undergraduate tuition to take the DPD courses; students in the AND certificate program pay graduate tuition to take these same courses, but are not required to complete a minimum of 32 credits. Students should determine whether to choose the 2nd Bachelor's in Nutrition or the post-graduate AND certificate based on the number of DPD courses they have left to complete and the cost of graduate vs. undergraduate tuition. Those interested in applying to the AND Certificate program should contact The Graduate School.
The B.S. in Nutrition and Food Science with concentration in Food Science prepares students for careers in the food and beverage, agricultural, and processing industries as well as food regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Food science is a multidisciplinary field with the overarching goals of improving the safety and quality of food products, developing new food products, and designing new, safer and more energy-efficient food preservation methods. Food scientists strive to improve the microbial and chemical safety of foods as well as to enhance the quality of foods through traditional and emerging technologies.
Students in the Food Science concentration will gain in-depth knowledge of the physical, chemical, and biochemical nature of food and the standards of nutritional processing, safety, food quality, and food security and develop their aptitudes in areas such as food processing, food accessibility, food quality, food safety, food sensory experiences, and food regulations.
Private industry has increased its demand for food scientists because their expertise is necessary for developing healthy food products and increasing crop yields, along with assuring quality and safety. Research in food genomics and agricultural sustainability is also expected to increase the number of available food science positions. Also, many food scientists are expected to retire in the next 10 years, creating even more job availability in private industry and regulatory agencies such as the FDA and USDA.
Graduates from the Food Science concentration can pursue careers in food science, quality assurance, food chemistry, food product development, food processing and production, food corporation management, food safety, research and development, and sensory analysis.
This concentration can also serve as the first part of an accelerated BS/MS program. Contact [email protected] for more information about this option.
Issues of sustainability and the environment, adequate food supply for the future, growing rates of hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity, all set against the backdrop of increasingly knowledgeable and demanding consumers in both international and local markets are among the many challenges that are confronting the globalizing food system in the 21st century. This program is designed to provide tomorrow's leaders with the skills and knowledge they will need to manage these challenges and to foster the creation of a sustainable food system locally and globally. Students will gain a holistic knowledge base, enriched with practical training and experiences, to prepare them for careers in the food systems field, including:
- Food service and management
- Supply chain management and alternative distribution, such as farm-to-school/institution networks
- Food policy
- Food education and outreach
- Food production and processing
- Retail and wholesale
- International development
- Community and non-profit organizations
This concentration can also serve as the first part of an accelerated BS/MS program. Contact [email protected] for more information about this option.