Careers & Pre-Health

Pre-Med? Pre-PA? Pre-Dental? Reasons to consider Nutritional Sciences:

1. You’re already taking many of the same courses
   • There is significant overlap in the Nutritional Sciences major requirements and the courses needed for Medical, Dental, PA, etc. This means you can complete you’re pre-health requirements more efficiently and have space for potential double majors, certificates, and/or study abroad.
   • For more information on pre-health requirements, check out prehealth.wisc.edu/explore-healthcare.
2. Foundational Knowledge & Interdisciplinary Skills
   • Nutritional Science students gain skills across multiple disciplines, including biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, and for Dietetics students, food science and business. At the same time, our curriculum provides a comprehensive foundation in biological and chemical sciences, all of which are crucial for the health professionals.
3. Research Opportunities
   • Our students have the opportunity to engage in nutrition-related research, which can enhance critical thinking and evidence-based practice.
4. Unique Background & Holistic Approach to Health
   • The field of Nutritional Sciences emphasizes the importance of nutrition and lifestyle on overall health. This holistic perspective is increasingly valued in healthcare settings where preventative medicine is becoming a focal point. Health providers should understand the role of nutrition in managing chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. This unique background can set you apart in competitive admissions and hiring processes.
5. Flexible Career Options
   • Beyond the health professions, Nutritional Sciences students can pursue careers in research, public health, food service management, corporate wellness, sports and performance nutrition, and more. Our dietetics program can lead to becoming an RDN, adding a valuable credential that can complement other health careers.

Careers

What does the job outlook look like for graduates of a Dietetics program?

Increased emphasis on disease prevention, a growing and aging population and public interest in nutrition are factors that are influencing the demand for dietitians. The employment rate for dietitians is expected to increase 11% by 2028. Full-time salaries for dietitians can range from ~$40,000 to >$98,000*. Variability in salary is based on many factors including scope of responsibility. For more information on employment and salary projections visit the information provided by the Academy’s Compensation and Benefits Survey of the Dietetics Profession

Professional Health Careers

A BS degree in Nutritional Sciences provides you with the required coursework for entrance to medical school or other health-related professional programs including veterinary medicine and physician assistant (PA) programs.  The interdisciplinary nature of the Nutritional Sciences program will help prepare you for a profession in these fields better than many other degree programs.

Graduate Study in Biological Sciences

A BS degree in Nutritional Sciences will prepare you for graduate school in many different fields of the biological sciences including nutrition, biochemistry, physiology, genetics, microbiology, etc.

Applied

A BS degree in Nutritional Sciences will prepare you for work in a variety of employment settings, including health care, business, industry, public health, education, and research.

Alumni Spotlight