Bachelor of Science (BS)
The Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology (NST) offers three undergraduate major program specializations: Physiology and Metabolism, Dietetics, and Toxicology leading to a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree.
Now is an exciting time to explore the sciences of nutrition and toxicology. The media have highlighted many questions about the role of diet in development and aging, the safety of genetically modified foods, links among diet, cancer, and chronic diseases, and the problems of global malnutrition.
The curriculum, driven by NST faculty research, covers a breadth of topics including functions and mechanisms of nutrient actions to the benefits and hazards of chemical agents, cultural and socio-economic determinants of human diets, and development of programs and policies to address human and environmental health and safety.
Overview of Specialization
NOTE: The Nutritional Science - Dietetics specialization is undergoing significant changes beginning in 2023 as a response to changes in the professional requirements for becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist as governed by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).
Beginning January 1, 2024, professionals looking to pursue the RDN pathway will be required to obtain a graduate degree in order to pursue the required Dietetic internship and sit for the RD exam. In response, the UC Berkeley Department of Nutritional Science and Toxicology will offer its own graduate program in Nutritional Sciences & Dietetics which will mean significant changes to, and the eventual phasing out of, the current Nutritional Science - Dietetics undergraduate major. Subsequently, any UC Berkeley student interested in becoming a Registered Dietitian who will graduate after the Spring 2022 semester is encouraged to pursue the Nutritional Science - Physiology and Metabolism specialization as an undergraduate and then complete a graduate program in Dietetics to meet the new professional guidelines. Please contact the Nutritional Science undergraduate advisor to discuss in greater detail.
The Nutritional Science - Dietetics degree prepares students for a career as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). RDNs translate the science of nutrition into practical applications in clinical, food service, or community settings. Graduates of this program must complete a dietetics internship and pass a national examination to become an RDN.
The Dietetics curriculum provides an excellent foundation in the biological and chemical sciences, and a preprofessional focus on applying knowledge of nutritional sciences to benefit human health and to abate disease. The Dietetics program, known formally as the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) prepares dietitians for positions of leadership in health care, education, industry, government, and community health, as well as in professional organizations. The program fills a community need for highly trained nutrition professionals while providing academic background for graduate study in nutrition or related fields. The program focuses on excellence in intellectual development, to the development of a professional inquiring attitude, and to equality of opportunity.
Graduates of this program receive preprofessional verification and are eligible to apply to supervised practice programs in order to receive practical training in multiple aspects of dietetics practice. Such programs generally take nine to twelve months. The DPD program director assists students in applying for supervised practice programs. Upon completion of the academic course work and a post-baccalaureate program of supervised practice, students are eligible to take the nationally administered Registration Examination. Once this exam is passed, the RDN credential is earned. As outlined above, beginning in 2024, a graduate degree will also be required for students to be eligible to sit for the RD exam, in addition to the accredited coursework and practical training listed above. For this reason, students who are interested in the RDN credential are encouraged instead to pursue the Nutritional Science - Physiology and Metabolism specialization as an undergraduate and then pursue a Dietetics graduate program.
The DPD at UC Berkeley is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics Education (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). Beginning June 2024, the undergraduate specialization will no longer be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Graduates after June 2024 will be ineligible for a dietetics supervised practice program. Please contact the Nutritional Science undergraduate advisor to discuss in greater detail.
Admission to the Major
Advice on admission for freshmen and transfer students can be found on the Rausser College of Natural Resources Prospective Student website. Freshmen students apply to the Nutritional Science B.S. major and then declare their specialization in Dietetics once they have completed the required subset of prerequisites for this major specialization. Freshmen applying to Rausser College may also select the Rausser College undeclared option and declare the major by the end of their fourth semester. Transfer students may apply directly to the major and indicate their intended specialization through the UC application. After Fall 2022, no additional students will be admitted under the Nutritional Sciences Dietetics specialization, as new first year or junior transfer students. Students applying after Fall 2022 who wish to pursue the RDN credential should consider the Nutritional Science - Physiology and Metabolism or Nutritional Science - Toxicology undergraduate major instead and then pursue Dietetics for their graduate studies.
Information for current Berkeley students who would like to declare the major after admission, including information on a change of major or change of college, please see Rausser College's Change of College page.
Rausser College Honors Program
The honors program is individual research, NUSCTX H196, for two semesters under the supervision of a faculty member. The supervised independent honors research is specific to aspects of the Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology major, followed by an oral presentation, and written thesis report. Acceptance in the Rausser College Honors Program is required through an application process. Students who are interested in the Honors program should apply during their junior or senior year. Students must have a 3.6 grade-point average (GPA) in order to be eligible for the honors program. Please visit Rausser College's Honors webpage to learn more.
Minor Program
The department offers a minor program in Nutritional Sciences. The course work for the minor addresses topics in Human Nutrition and Nutrient Function. Elective options range from Nutrition in the Community to Metabolic Regulation to Medical Nutrition Therapy. The minor is best suited for students already pursuing a bioscience degree: a background in chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, and biochemistry is necessary to be prepared to do upper division work in this field. Visit the Nutritional Sciences minor page for information regarding how to declare the minor.
Certificate Program
The full-time Individualized Supervised Practice Program (ISPP) in Dietetics prepares participants for a career as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). The ISPP curriculum provides experience in the application of nutrition through supervised dietetic practice at various hospitals, food service institutions, long-term care, public health, and wellness facilities across the United States. Beginning January 1, 2024, professionals looking to pursue the RDN pathway will be required to obtain a graduate degree in order to pursue the required Dietetic internship and sit for the RD exam. Given this requirement, beginning in 2023, applicants must hold a graduate degree to apply to the ISPP. The last application review period will be spring 2023 for a fall 2023 start. The program will close in June of 2024.
Other Minor Offered by the Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology
Toxicology (Minor only)
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