- 1). Sort through undergraduate degree program titles to start the selection process. Search under these majors: nutritional science, food science and dietary science. Order catalogs. Examine instructor credentials to learn which schools best fit your academic goals. Apply to several and opt for a bachelor's program that matches your skills, interests and budget. File for a grant or loan if you need financial assistance.
- 2). Ask counselors and science instructors to evaluate you for placement into beginning, intermediate or advanced level food science classes based on your high school studies and grades as you undertake requirements for your bachelor's degree. Fill your electives menu with psychology, sociology and human behavior classes if you plan to work with people. Choose business and economics electives for a career in nutrition management.
- 3). Complete prerequisites in microbiology, biochemistry, institution management, chemistry and foods. Concentrate on core courses to become skilled at analyzing foods in a variety of environments. Master the art of combining food groups to balance nutrients, understand healthful food combinations and controlled cooking conditions.
- 4). Begin to refine your career choices when you reach the junior year of your bachelor's degree program. Consider specializing in illness-specific nutrition, eating disorders, food service management, clinical nutrition, dietary planning or take courses that put you in the best position to find work as a food scientist for a private industry.
- 5). Visit your state's website before starting your senior year. Match classes you've taken with those your state mandates if you live in one of the 31 states requiring a license to practice dietary science after graduation, or the 14 states requiring certification in the field of nutritional science to be employed. Sign up for classes you might have missed.
- 6). Search job websites for your specialty in clinical, community or management of nutrition during your senior year. Consider the U.S. government as an employer. Investigate management openings at large institutions, hospitals and schools if administration suits you more than clinical work. Opt for a career as a consultant if you have no desire to work for a single institution as a nutritionist.
- 7). A career in nutrition averages $50,000 annually (per 2008 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures) after earning your bachelor's degree in nutrition. Join a professional advocacy group, such as the American Dietetic Association, to network with industry colleagues and stay abreast of news, certification, licensing and accreditation changes. Consider a master's degree for higher earning power and to qualify for high-level jobs in nutrition.
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