What can I do with a minor in nutrition?

Search for opportunities

  • Public health nutritionist
  • Food labeling specialist
  • Health Educator
  • Food Scientist
  • Medical Manager

Search for employers hiring graduates in your minor

Employers in NY: 815
Employers in the U.S.: 13,165

 

Explore the numerous career fields related to your major

Clinical Nutrition
Areas
  • Assessment
  • Planning and implementation of nutrition programs
  • Evaluation and reporting
  • Consultation with healthcare professionals
Employers
  • Hospitals
  • Nursing care facilities
  • Outpatient care centers
  • Health centers and clinics
  • Home health providers
  • Health maintenance organizations (HMOs)
  • Dialysis centers
  • Diabetes care clinics
  • Exercise and fitness centers
Sample occupations
  • Volunteer in hospitals or nursing homes to gain experience working with patients or the elderly.
  • Develop excellent communication skills and learn to work well on a team.
  • Plan to earn the Registered Dietitian credential.
  • Several years of experience and a graduate degree are required for specialties such as pediatrics, renal nutrition, or oncology.
Community and Public Health Nutrition
Areas
  • Health promotion
  • Education
  • Program planning and implementation
  • Administration
  • Counseling
  • Consultation
  • Non-profit
  • Emergency relief
Employers
  • Public health departments
  • Home health agencies
  • Social service agencies
  • Community centers
  • Federal, state, and local government
  • Daycare centers
  • Health and recreation clubs
  • Health maintenance organizations (HMOs)
  • Community health organizations
  • Congregate nutrition programs
  • Cooperative extension
Sample occupations
  • Participate in campus health promotion or wellness education programs.
  • Earn a master’s degree in nutrition, public health, or related field to increase job opportunities.
  • Develop strong presentation and public speaking skills.
  • Learn to work well with people of varying socioeconomic and racial backgrounds.
  • Seek experiences in the public health arena.
  • Research government application procedures.
Food Service Management
Areas
  • Menu planning
  • Budgeting
  • Purchasing
  • Food preparation
  • Personnel management
  • Food safety management
  • Food processing
Employers
  • Hospitals
  • Schools
  • Colleges and universities
  • Company cafeterias
  • Correctional facilities
  • Camps
  • Restaurants
  • Hotels
  • Nursing homes
  • Airlines
Sample occupations
  • Obtain work experience in any large-scale food service operation such as campus cafeterias.
  • Move into supervisory positions if given the opportunity.
  • Take business courses and develop strong computer skills.
  • Get involved in campus organizations and seek leadership roles.
  • Learn how to relate to a wide variety of people and to work well in a team environment.
Federal Government
Areas
  • Clinical dietetics
  • Nutrition education and teaching
  • Administration
  • Program management
  • Research
  • Health care reform
  • Supplement Labels
  • Regulation
  • Inspection
Employers
  • Army
  • Navy
  • Air Force
  • National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)
  • Food and Drug Administration
  • National Center for Health Statistics
  • Maternal and Child Health Bureau
  • National Institutes of Health
  • Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
  • Veterans’ Health Administration
  • Peace Corps
  • AmeriCorps VISTA
Sample occupations
  • Pursue internships in government agencies.
  • Research federal government application procedures.
  • Maintain a strong grade point average.
  • Earn a master’s degree for advancement in research, administration, or public health nutrition.
  • Assist a faculty member with nutrition research.
Consulting
Areas
  • Nutrition consulting
  • Menu development
  • Food preparation and safety
  • Nutrition counseling
  • Weight management: Adult and pediatric
  • Teaching
  • Health promotion and programming
  • Writing
  • Food photography
Employers
  • Private practice
  • Physicians’ offices
  • Weight loss clinics
  • Nursing homes
  • Health clubs and spas
  • Corporate wellness programs
  • Restaurants and chefs
  • Catering services
  • Food vendors and distributors
  • Grocery stores
  • Food manufacturers
  • Food service managers
  • Sports teams and athletes
  • Health-related magazines and internet sites
  • Newspapers
Sample occupations
  • Gain experience and expertise in a specialty area of nutrition.
  • Earn additional certifications in fields such as fitness and athletic training or adult and pediatric weight management.
  • Find a need in the community and fill it.
  • An entrepreneurial spirit is required!
  • Be prepared to work in several areas at one time.
  • Develop excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Learn how to promote oneself.
Industry
Areas
  • Research
  • Product development
  • Sensory evaluation
  • Quality assurance
  • Marketing
  • Sales
  • Customer service
  • Consumer food science
  • Consumer affairs
  • Medical equipment
  • Food service equipment
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Nutraceuticals
Employers
  • Food manufacturers
  • Food vendors and distributors
  • Special food services
  • Trade associations
  • Pharmaceutical companies
  • Health-related businesses
  • Weight loss programs
  • Restaurant and hotel chains
  • Public relations firms with food industry accounts
Sample occupations
  • Supplement curriculum with courses in business administration, marketing, or advertising.
  • Develop strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Get involved in research and gain technical experience.
  • Seek leadership roles in campus organizations.
Education
Areas
  • Teaching
  • Research
Employers
  • Colleges and universities
  • Community and technical schools
  • Nursing, medical, dental, and health sciences schools
  • Teaching hospitals
  • Culinary schools
Sample occupations
  • Earn a master’s degree for instructor positions or a doctorate for tenure track professorships.
  • Serve as a tutor or peer mentor on campus.
  • Learn to work well with a variety of people.
  • Gain research experience by assisting professors.
  • Maintain a high grade point average and secure strong faculty recommendations.

General information and strategies

  • Most positions require the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential.
  • Become an RDN through an accredited bachelor’s or master’s program followed by an approved, supervised internship.
  • RDNs must also pass the Registration Examination for Dietitians.
  • Research individual state requirements for licensure or certification to practice dietetics.
  • Scientific aptitude is required to successfully earn a degree in nutrition.
  • One should enjoy helping people, working with healthcare professionals, and have an interest in good health, nutrition, and fitness.
  • Get involved in campus wellness or peer health educator programs to gain experience.
  • Volunteer in hospitals or nursing care centers to test interests.
  • The ability to work independently and as part of a team is important in this field.
  • Learn the fundamentals of human relations and group dynamics.
  • Strong communication skills are necessary to interact effectively with patients and healthcare professionals.
  • Develop good interviewing and counseling techniques.
  • Over half of dietitians and nutritionists work in hospitals, nursing homes, or physicians’ offices.
  • Research, public health, and advanced clinical positions require a graduate degree.
  • Consider pursuing further education.
  • Consider gaining specialized certifications in areas such as pediatric or renal nutrition, nutrition support, and diabetes education.
  • Assist a faculty member with nutrition research.
  • Earn additional certifications in fields such as fitness and athletic training or adult and pediatric weight management.
  • Find a need in the community and fill it.