This is an archived copy of the 2020-22 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.utexas.edu/.

Bachelor of Science in Nutrition

Nutrition is an integrative science with the overall objective of improving the health and well-being of individuals and groups. Nutritional inquiry encompasses not only the roles of electrons, atoms, molecules, genes, cells, organs, and complex organisms in biological life processes but also the links between life science and health, behavior, education, population, culture, and economics. The Bachelor of Science in Nutrition degree program includes six options, described below.

For students pursuing careers in dietetics, courses in behavioral and clinical nutrition and food systems management provide the academic preparation required for dietetics practice. The Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) meets the coursework requirements that qualify graduates to apply to a dietetic internship, which leads to the Registered Dietitian credential. Completion of the Didactic Program in Dietetics requirements qualifies a graduate to apply for the exam to become a Dietetic Technician, Registered. To be eligible to apply for a dietetic internship or to practice as a Registered Dietetic Technician, additional coursework would be required for students earning a degree in Options II-VI. The Coordinated Program in Dietetics (CPD) includes both the coursework and the supervised practice necessary to be eligible to write the examination to become a registered dietitian. The DPD and CPD are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) 120 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago IL 60606, (800) 877-1600.

The Nutritional Sciences Option requires courses in science and research in order to prepare students for graduate study or professional school. Graduates may seek employment in private or publicly funded research programs or, upon completion of graduate study, may engage in college or university teaching or nutrition research. This option also allows students to fulfill requirements for postgraduate study in medicine, dentistry, and other health professions. Additional coursework is needed to be eligible to apply for a dietetic internship or to practice as a Dietetic Technician, Registered.

The Nutrition and Public Health Option III is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in public health and nutrition at state and other health departments, in research, and in industry. It will equip them for entry into graduate programs in nutrition or other public health disciplines at schools of public health, at graduate schools in the biomedical sciences, and for entry into medical or other health professional schools as well as for those who pursue health and research careers.

Students who plan to follow Option IV must be admitted into the Honors in Advanced Nutritional Sciences Program. Students in this option take honors courses in nutrition, research methodology, and writing. In addition, students are encouraged to take honors courses in disciplines outside of nutrition, such as biology, chemistry, and mathematics. Students consult with the departmental honors advisor to develop an individualized and challenging program of study that meets their goals and interests.

Students who plan to follow Option V must be admitted to the Dean’s Scholars Honors Program. In addition to taking a core of research, writing, and seminar courses in the College of Natural Sciences, students in this option consult with the departmental honors advisor to develop a coherent individual program of rigorous and challenging courses from across the University.

Students in the international nutrition Option gain firsthand knowledge of nutrition issues in other countries through a study abroad experience. Students combine the study of nutrition with a broad range of courses to prepare for experience studying and practicing nutrition in another culture.

Prescribed Work Common to All Options

In the process of fulfilling degree requirements, all students must complete:

  1. Core curriculum
  2. Skills and experience flags:
    a. Writing: two flagged courses beyond Rhetoric and Writing 306 or its equivalent, including one at the upper-division level
    b. Quantitative reasoning: one flagged course
    c. Global cultures: one flagged course
    d. Cultural diversity in the United States: one flagged course
    e. Ethics: one flagged course
    f.  Independent inquiry: one flagged course

Courses that may be used to fulfill flag requirements are identified in the Course Schedule. They may be used simultaneously to fulfill other requirements, unless otherwise specified. Please note, students may not earn the cultural diversity in the United States and the global cultures flags from the same course. Students are encouraged to discuss options with their academic advisors.

  1. At least 36 semester hours of upper-division coursework, of which at least 24 must be in nutrition. At least 21 semester hours of upper-division coursework, including 18 semester hours in nutrition, must be completed in residence at the University.

Additional Prescribed Work for Each Option

Option I: Dietetics

Students in dietetics may select either the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) or the Coordinated Program in Dietetics (CPD). Students who complete the DPD with at least four upper-division nutrition courses completed in residence will receive a verification statement that qualifies them to apply for an accredited supervised practice program. DPD graduates who complete an accredited supervised practice program may become active members of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) and are eligible to write the examination to become a registered dietitian.

Students interested in the Coordinated Program in Dietetics must apply for admission after completing 60 semester hours of prerequisite coursework.Upon completing the CPD, which includes approximately 1,200 hours of supervised practice, graduates immediately qualify for active membership in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and are eligible to write the examination to become a registered dietitian.

Students who are admitted to the CPD should consult the faculty advisor each semester regarding order and choice of work. During the fourth year, the following courses must be taken in the indicated term: fall semester: Nutrition 245C; spring semester: Nutrition 345M, 372C, 372F, 373S; summer session: Nutrition 374C and 374P. Because these courses are taught only once a year, a student who does not take them at the indicated time may be unable to complete the program.

  1. At least three semester hours chosen from Psychology 301, Sociology 302, Anthropology 302, Economics 304K, 304L, and Human Development and Family Sciences 313 or 313H and 113L
  2. Mathematics 408C, 408N, or Statistics and Data Sciences 332
  3. Three semester hours of statistics chosen from Statistics and Data Sciences 302, 304, 306, 325H, and 328M
  4. Chemistry 301 or 301H, 302 or 302H, 204, 320M, and Biochemistry 369
  5. Biology 311C or 315H, 325 or 325H, and 365S
  6. Accounting 310F or 311
  7. The following core nutrition coursework:
    1. Nutrition 312, 112L or 312R, 326, and 126L; students must complete each course with a grade of at least C- before progressing to other upper-division nutrition courses
    2. Nutrition 307, 107L, 338W or 338H, 342, and 343
  8. Coursework in nutrition, consisting of the following:
    1. Behavioral and clinical nutrition:
      1. CPD: Nutrition 315, 218, 118L, 330, 332, 370, and 371
      2. DPD: Nutrition 315, 218, 118L, 330, 332, 370, 371, and one of the following: Nutrition 337, 365 (Topic 2: Nutrition and Genes), 365 (Topic 4: Obesity and Metabolic Health), 365 (Topic 5: Principles and Applications in Community Engagement)
    2. Food systems management: Nutrition 334, 234L, and 355M
    3. Research:
      1. CPD: Nutrition 373S
      2. DPD: One of the following: Nutrition 324 and 124L, 353, 355 or 355H, 365L, 366L, 379H, Statistics and Data Sciences 318, 321, 325H, or 352; with the approval of the faculty undergraduate advisor, DPD students may count Nutrition 352 toward this requirement; Statistics and Data Sciences 325H may not be counted toward both requirement 6 and requirement 11cii.
    4. Professional development:
      1. CPD: Nutrition 245C
      2. DPD: Nutrition 162
  9. Students in the CPD must complete an additional 15 semester hours of supervised practice: Nutrition 345M, 372C, 372F, 374C, and 374P
  10. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 126 semester hours

Option II: Nutritional Sciences

  1. At least six semester hours chosen from Psychology 301, Sociology 302, Anthropology 302, Economics 304K, 304L, and Human Development and Family Sciences 313 or 313H, and 113L
  2. Mathematics 408C, 408N, or Statistics and Data Sciences 332
  3. Three semester hours of statistics chosen from Statistics and Data Sciences 302, 304, 306, 325H, and 328M
  4. Chemistry 301 or 301H, 302 or 302H, 204, 220C, 320M, 320N, and Biochemistry 369
  5. Either Biology 311C, 311D, and 325 or Biology 315H and 325H; Biology 446L and 365S
  6. Complete one of the following:
    1. ​Physics 301 and 101L
    2. Physics 302K and 102M
    3. Physics 303K and 103M or
    4. Physics 317K and 117M
  7. The following core nutrition coursework:
    1. Nutrition 312, 112L or 312R, 326, 126L, and 366L; students must complete each course with a grade of at least C- before progressing to other upper-division nutrition courses.
    2. One of the following: Nutrition 307 and 107L; Biology 326M and 226L; 326R and 226L; Chemistry 455
    3. Nutrition 337, 338W or 338H, 342, 343 ; and 365 (Topic 2: Nutrition and Genes) or 365 (Topic 4: Obesity and Metabolic Health)
  8. Nine additional semester hours of nutrition, including three hours each from the following areas:
    1. Nutritional sciences: Nutrition 365 or 370 or 371; the same topic of Nutrition 365 may not be counted both toward this requirement and toward requirement 10c.
    2. Behavioral and clinical nutrition: Nutrition 315, 218 and 118L, 321, 330, 331, 332, or 370 or 371
    3. Research: Three semester hours of coursework chosen from Nutrition 355 or 355H, Biology 325L, 331L, and Biochemistry 369L
  9. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 126 semester hours

Option III: Nutrition and Public Health

  1. Six semester hours chosen from Anthropology 322P, Sociology 319, 354K, and 368D
  2. Three semester hours of Statistics and Data Sciences 302, 304, 306, 325H, and 328M
  3. One of the following courses: Mathematics 408C, 408N, or Statistics and Data Sciences 332
  4. Chemistry 301 or 301H, 302 or 302H, 204, 320M, and Biochemistry 369
  5. Biology 311C or 315H, 325 or 325H, and 365S
  6. The following core nutrition coursework:
    1. Nutrition 312 or 312H, 112L or 312R, 326, and 126L; students who complete Nutrition 312H and 312R or Biology 315H and 325H are exempt from Nutrition 326 and 126L; students must complete each course with a grade of at least C- before progressing to other upper-division nutrition courses.
    2. Nutrition 337, 338W or 338H, 342, 343, and 365 (Topic 2: Nutrition and Genes), or 365 (Topic 4: Obesity and Metabolic Health)
  7. Three semester hours of research chosen from Nutrition 324 and 124L, 352, 353, 355, 366L, 379H, and Statistics and Data Sciences 318, 321, 325H, or 352; Statistics and Data Sciences 325H may not count toward both requirement 5 and 10.
  8. Nine semester hours chosen from Anthropology 432L and 349C, Biology 446L, 361T, and 478L, Classical Civilization 306M, Health Education 364and 373, Kinesiology 320 and 424K, and Psychology 332C
  9. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours

Option IV: Honors in Advanced Nutritional Sciences

  1. At least three semester hours chosen from Psychology 301, Sociology 302, Anthropology 302, Economics 304K, 304L, and Human Development and Family Sciences 313 or 313H and 113L
  2. Mathematics 408C, 408N, Mathematics 408D-AP-H, or Statistics and Data Sciences 332
  3. Three semester hours of statistics chosen from Statistics and Data Sciences 302, 304, 306, 325H, and 328M
  4. Chemistry 301 or 301H, 302 or 302H, 204, 320M, 320N, 220C, and Biochemistry 369
  5. Biology 311C, 311D, and 325 or Biology 315H and 325H; and Biology 365S
  6. Nutrition 312H, 312R, 338H, 342, 343,and 365 (Topic 2: Nutrition and Genes)or 365 (Topic 4: Obesity and Metabolic Health), and 12 additional semester hours of nutrition or related coursework approved by the departmental honors advisor
  7. A section of Undergraduate Studies 302 or 303 that is approved by the departmental honors advisor
  8. Nutrition 355H and 379H
  9. Nine semester hours of additional coursework approved by the departmental honors advisor
  10. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours

 Option V: Nutrition Honors

  1. Breadth requirement: A calculus course and a statistics course, one of which must be a designated honors course; Biology 315H and 325H; Chemistry 301H and 302H; and three additional hours of honors-designated or approved coursework in biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, statistics and data sciences, or physics; credit earned by examination may not be counted toward this requirement.
  2. At least three semester hours chosen from Psychology 301, Sociology 302, Anthropology 302, Economics 304K, 304L, and Human Development and Family Sciences 313 or 313H and 113L
  3. Chemistry 204, 320M, and 320N, and Biochemistry 369
  4. Neuroscience 330 and Biology 365S
  5. Nutrition 312H, 312R, 338H, 342, 343,and 365 (Topic 2: Nutrition and Genes) or 365 (Topic 4: Obesity and Metabolic Health)
  6. A section of Undergraduate Studies 302 or 303 that is approved by the departmental honors advisor
  7. A section of Rhetoric and Writing 309S that is restricted to students in the Dean’s Scholars Honors Program
  8. Nutrition 355H and 379H
  9. Six semester hours of additional coursework in nutrition or related area approved by the departmental honors advisor
  10. Six semester hours of coursework from the College of Liberal Arts and/or the College of Fine Arts
  11. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours

 Option VI: International Nutrition

Students in this option must participate for one semester or summer session in a study abroad program in nutrition offered by the University. Students must submit a study abroad application. During the study abroad experience, students complete Nutrition 353, Field Experience in International Nutrition. Additional coursework in nutrition or in the language, culture, or history of the country may be available during the international study experience. All study abroad programs in nutrition must be approved in advance by the international nutrition faculty advisor. A list of other study abroad opportunities in nutrition is maintained in the main office of the School of Human Ecology.

  1. Economics 304K or 304L, and at least three semester hours chosen from Psychology 301, Sociology 302, and Anthropology 302
  2. Three semester hours chosen from the following: Geography 339K, 357, Mexican American Studies 307, 318, Sociology 335, 354K
  3. Second-semester proficiency in a single foreign language
  4. Mathematics 408C, 408N, or Statistics and Data Sciences 332
  5. Three semester hours of statistics chosen from Statistics and Data Sciences 302, 304, 306, 325H, and 328M
  6. Chemistry 301 or 301H, 302 or 302H, 204, 320M, and Biochemistry 369
  7. Biology 311C or 315H, 325 or 325H, and 365S
  8. The following nutrition coursework:
    1. Nutrition 312 or 312H, 112L or 312R, 326, and 126L. Students who complete Nutrition 312H and 312R or Biology 315H and 325H are exempt from Nutrition 326 and 126L; students must complete each course with a grade of at least C- before progressing to other upper-division nutrition courses.
    2. One of the following four-semester-hour sequences: Nutrition 307 and 107L; Biology 326M and 226L; 326R and 226L
    3. Nutrition 338W or 338H, 342, and 343
  9. Nutrition 316, 218, 118L, 321, 331, and 353
  10. At least nine semester hours, three of which must be upper-division, chosen from one of the following areas: 
    1. Health professions: Chemistry 220C, 320N, Biology 206L, 311D, 326M, 346, Nutrition 337, 365 (Topic 2: Nutrition and Genes) or 365 (Topic 4: Obesity and Metabolic Health); Biology 326M may not be counted toward both requirement 11b and requirement 13a.
    2. Dietetics: Nutrition 315, 330, 332, 370, 371
    3. Behavioral science: Human Development and Family Sciences 304 or 304H, 313 or 313H, 113L, Psychology 308, 319K, Sociology 308D, 319, 320K, 324K
  11. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 126 semester hours

Special Requirements

Students in all options must fulfill both the University's General Requirements for graduation and the college requirements. They must also earn a grade of at least C- in each mathematics and science course required for the degree, and a grade point average in these courses of at least 2.00. More information about grades and the grade point average is given in the General Information Catalog.

To graduate under Option IV, students must remain in good standing with an overall grade point average of at least 3.30 and an overall grade point average of 3.50 in all nutritional sciences courses. In addition, student research conducted in courses described in requirement 10 must be presented in an approved public forum, such as the college's annual Undergraduate Research Forum. Students who fail to maintain the required grade point average may be subject to dismissal from the program. Under special circumstances and at the discretion of the nutritional sciences honors advisor, a student may be allowed to continue under academic review.

To graduate under Option V, students must remain in good standing in the Dean’s Scholars Honors Program, must submit an honors thesis approved by the departmental honors advisor, and present their research in an approved public forum, such as the college’s annual Undergraduate Research Forum. More information about the Undergraduate Research Forum is available at https://cns.utexas.edu/innovative-education/undergraduate-research/undergraduate-research-forum.

Note:
Nutritional Sciences courses with numbers ending in H are intended for students in Option IV, Honors in Advanced Nutritional Sciences and in Option V, Nutrition Honors. Students outside these options may enroll in these courses with the consent of the nutritional sciences honors advisor.

To be eligible to apply for a dietetic internship or to practice as a Registered Dietetic Technician, additional coursework would be required for students earning a degree in Options II-VI.