In the Nutrition Science program, you will explore the physiological and psychological impacts of the creation, implementation and maintenance of a healthy diet. With a standard major and two unique emphases, you can hone your skills in a specific area to prepare for a fulfilling career in a variety of health-related fields or further study in graduate programs.
Program Overview
Explore the building blocks of nutrition and the impact of diet.
The B.S. in Nutrition Science is designed to provide students with knowledge and skills for a career in nutrition, food science, food service management or public health. Nutrition students can pursue a Standard major, a comprehensive emphasis in either Community Nutrition or Pre-Dietetics. The Standard major provides flexibility for students who wish to double major, while the Community Nutrition emphasis provides a solid grounding in the sciences for students interested in a variety of nutrition-related professions or graduate programs. The Pre-Dietetics emphasis includes necessary prerequisite coursework for students wishing to enter an ACEND-accredited graduate program in dietetics.
Health Starts with Diet
Learn the factors that influence a healthy diet and how to nourish the mental and physical health of yourself and others through food.
Program Requirements
At Western, course rotations are crafted to encompass a variety of subject fields for a comprehensive education and versatile degree. For required courses and degree plans, visit the official University Catalog. Below is a general overview of courses at Western Colorado University related to this area of study.
Program Requirements
Nutritional Science Major: Standard ProgramA minimum of 37 credits is required:
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
BIOL 150 | Biological Principles (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
BIOL 300 | Basic Nutrition | 3 |
ESS 185 | Lifetime Wellness | 3 |
MATH 140 | College Algebra (GT-MA1) | 3 |
NTR 490 | Senior Seminar in Nutrition | 2 |
Either: | 3-4 | |
CHEM 101 | Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry (GT-SC2) | |
Or both: | ||
CHEM 111 & CHEM 113 | General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) and General Chemistry II | |
One of the following: | 3 | |
CHEM 231 | Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry | |
ESS 412 | Exercise Biochemistry | |
Either: | 4-8 | |
ESS 201 | Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology (with Lab) | |
Or both: | ||
BIOL 372 & BIOL 373 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I (with laboratory) and Human Anatomy and Physiology II (with laboratory) | |
Four of the following: | 12-13 | |
NTR 305 | Community Nutrition | |
NTR 310 | Nutritional Assessment | |
NTR 320 | Nutrition Education and Counseling | |
NTR 360 | Nutrition and Weight Management | |
NTR 400 | Nutrition in the Lifecycle | |
NTR 410 | Medical Nutrition Therapy (with laboratory) | |
NTR 420 | Food Service Systems Management | |
Total Credits | 37-43 |
Year One | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | |
CHEM 111 or CHEM 101 |
General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) or Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry (GT-SC2) |
3 |
ENG 102 | Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) | 3 |
ESS 185 | Lifetime Wellness | 3 |
Gen Ed | General Education | 3 |
HWTR 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
MATH 140 | College Algebra (GT-MA1) | 3 |
Credits | 16 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 150 | Biological Principles (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
CHEM 113 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
Gen Ed | General Education | 9 |
Credits | 16 | |
Year Two | ||
Fall | ||
ENG 103 | Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) | 3 |
Elective | Elective, minor, or second major course | 3 |
ESS 201 or BIOL 372 |
Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology (with Lab) or Human Anatomy and Physiology I (with laboratory) |
4 |
Gen Ed | General Education | 4 |
Credits | 14 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 373 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II (with laboratory) | 4 |
Elective | Elective, minor, or second major course | 6 |
Gen Ed | General Education | 6 |
Credits | 16 | |
Year Three | ||
Fall | ||
NTR 305 | Community Nutrition | 3 |
NTR 310 | Nutritional Assessment | 3 |
UD Elective | Upper division elective, minor, or second major course | 9 |
Credits | 15 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 300 | Basic Nutrition | 3 |
NTR 320 | Nutrition Education and Counseling | 3 |
UD Elective | Upper division elective, minor, or second major course | 9 |
Credits | 15 | |
Year Four | ||
Fall | ||
CHEM 231 or ESS 412 |
Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry or Exercise Biochemistry |
3 |
NTR 360 | Nutrition and Weight Management | 3 |
NTR 400 | Nutrition in the Lifecycle | 3 |
NTR 410 | Medical Nutrition Therapy (with laboratory) | 4 |
UD Elective | Upper division elective, minor, or second major course | 3 |
Credits | 16 | |
Spring | ||
ESS 412 or CHEM 231 |
Exercise Biochemistry or Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry |
3 |
NTR 490 | Senior Seminar in Nutrition | 2 |
NTR 420 | Food Service Systems Management | 3 |
UD Elective | Upper Division elective, minor, or second major course | 9 |
Credits | 17 | |
Total Credits | 125 |
Careers
Take the first steps toward your academic and personal growth.
Fostering your intellectual development is the primary focus of every academic program at Western. Our professors and Office of Career Services will help you identify your strengths, hone your skills, define your goals, and prepare for a fulfilling and enriched life after graduation. Wondering how you can apply your program of choice to your intellectual and personal journey? Check out our “What Can I Do With This Major?” tool to explore the diverse opportunities and pathways within any degree program.
Scholarships
Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
Find your ScholarshipsWestern’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
Find your ScholarshipsAlumni Association Future Alumni Scholarship
The Alumni Association Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $1,000 and is applicable for the student’s junior or senior year at Western.
Any child or grandchild of an alumni is eligible to receive the Future Alumni Scholarship.
- This is a one-time non-renewable scholarship of $1,000.
- Only one Future Alumni Scholarship will be awarded per academic year.
- GPA must be 3.2 or above (college).
Due date has been extended to April 30 for 2024. An Alumni selection committee, appointed by the Alumni Advisory Council, will review applicants and select awardee by June 1.
Alumni Legacy Scholarship
The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western (incoming freshman or new transfer students are eligible).
Do you have a son or daughter looking at college? Have they considered attending Western? As an alumni, your son, daughter and/or grandchildren are eligible for certain benefits distributed through this scholarship, as follows:
- This is a one-time scholarship of $1,000.
- Nominee must be an incoming first-year student or new transfer.
- The cost of orientation is reduced by half (a $45 value).
- GPA must be 2.5 or above (high school or college of transfer).
The applicant must fill out the application form found below. Application forms are accepted year-round. If the applicant meets the GPA guidelines, the scholarship will be awarded.
Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship
The Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western. This scholarship is not available to midyear transfers or students beginning in the spring semester.
Are you an alumni or employee of Western and know a prospective (or incoming) student who would be a great fit at Western? A recommendation from alumni and employees can support any new student and provide them a $500 scholarship their first year. (Western employees may not recommend a spouse or dependent receiving tuition benefits).
- Any Western alumni/employee may nominate only one student per academic year to receive the $500 scholarship (distributed $250 per semester).
- The scholarship is good for the first year only and is non-renewable.
- The recommended student must be a full-time undergraduate student, attending Western for the first time.
The applicant must fill out the application form found here. The nominating alumni/employee must fill out the application form and submit the required documents by June 1. The recommended student must meet university admissions acceptance standards and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The Presidential Promise is guaranteed to students who have received a scholarship through the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) and/or GearUp—and are eligible for a Pell Grant.
For students who meet these criteria, Western will cover the cost of tuition and fees through the combination of federal, state and institutional aid. For more information on the Presidential Promise, visit our scholarships page.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Central Plains (CP) tuition represents a substantial savings relative to normal, out-of-state tuition. Students eligible for the WUE or CP program will be charged 150% of Western’s total in-state tuition. For 2018-19, total in-state tuition was $8,934. WUE/CP tuition was $13,401. The WUE/CP discount is valued at $4,695.
For more information about the WUE and CP geography-based programs, visit Western’s Tuition Discount Programs Page.
Immediately upon acceptance at Western, every student is considered for a merit scholarship worth between $2,500-$4,500 per year for in-state students and $8,000-$10,000 for out-of-state students. The amount is based on the student’s GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Visit our Net Price Calculator at western.edu/cost to determine whether you qualify for a merit scholarship.
For more information about merit scholarships at Western, visit our scholarships page.
Note: Students enrolled in a Western-CU Boulder Partnership Program (i.e. major) do not qualify for Western Merit Scholarship programs. See the Rady Merit Scholarship section above for scholarship opportunities.
GET INVOLVED
Get Involved.
Your student experience doesn’t end in the classroom at Western. Learn more about extracurricular opportunities you can pursue to enhance your understanding of content, make peer and professional connections, and build your resume before graduating.
- Graduate Research: Collaborate on research projects with students in the High Altitude Exercise Physiology master’s program.
- High Altitude Performance Lab: Take classes and conduct research in our state-of-the-art facility.
- Publish Research: Publish your work in the Center for Wellness and Human Performance Health & Fitness Journal.
- Wellness Elevated: Work with clinical populations and their exercise or nutritional programming for a semester or more.
- Association for Students of Exercise Sports Science: This club is specifically tailored to ESS majors. Outings and events provide social support, professional development and networking opportunities.
From Macro to Micronutrients
Learn about the complexities and nuances of nutrition and how to incorporate individual lifestyle in diet choices
News & Research
Department Information
Recreation, Exercise & Sport Science (RESS) Department
Department Chairperson
Gary P. Van Guilder, Ph.D.Professor of Exercise & Sport Science; Chair, Recreation, Exercise & Sport Science Department
Administrative Assistant
Terri StinsonAdministrative Assistant
Campus Location
Western Colorado University
Paul Wright Gym 209
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81231