NUTRITION AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
About the program
The Nutrition and Medical Sciences major is a great fit for students interested in health-related clinical, scientific, or research careers such as Pre-Med, Pre-PA, Pre-Dental, Pre-OT, Pre-PT or other professional pathways. The coursework builds a strong science foundation in biology, physiology, and chemistry while also educating students in metabolism, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and diet and disease relationships.
Specifically for those interested in becoming a physician assistant, this major has an affiliation agreement for up to three Nutrition and Medical Sciences students annually, who meet the admissions criteria, to have assured admissions to Widener University's Physician Assistant Program.
Why major in Nutrition and Medical Sciences?
The integration of science and nutrition through the Nutrition and Medical Sciences major successfully prepares students to find employment immediately in related scientific, pharmaceutical fields, or industry or pursue an advanced degree in nutrition, medicine, physician assistant, dentistry, pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy or other related health professions.
Our students have been extremely successful in pursuit of their educational and career goals. Want to hear from some Nutrition and Medical Sciences students? View interviews with recent graduates Jon Martin, Olivia Jordan, and Jae Jong.
Additionally, the Department of Health Behavior and Nutrition Sciences offers majors in Nutrition and Dietetics. The option to combine the Nutrition and Medical Sciences and the Nutrition and Dietetics major is available to students who are interested in having the option to apply to medical, dental, PA, or other health professional/graduate school or apply to a dietetic internship.
What Makes Our Program Unique?
The Nutrition and Medical Sciences integrates science and nutrition by building a strong foundation in biology, physiology, and chemistry while also educating students in metabolism, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and complex diet and disease relationships. With guided mentoring, students can easily achieve all of the necessary prerequisite requirements for admission into medical, dental and other pre-professional schools and be prepared to take applicable entrance exams.
Nutrition and Medical Sciences majors interested in pursuing post-undergraduate programs work with a department advisor and the Center for Health Professions Studies to map their coursework and experiential learning for admission to medical, dental, pharmacy, PA, OT and PT schools.
For students whose goal is to attend Medical School should visit UD’s Pre-Med website for more information. Students on this path are evaluated by the Health Science Advisement and Evaluation Committee (HSAEC), which provides a University of Delaware recommendation to medical institutions of the student’s choosing.
The Nutrition and Medical Sciences major provides students with numerous opportunities to gain healthcare or clinically-related experiential learning and volunteer opportunities in a variety of settings.
Career Opportunities and Graduate Paths for Nutrition and Medical Sciences Major Graduates
The BS in Nutrition and Medical Sciences degree includes course offerings which include Nutrition and Gastroenterology, Medical Nutrition Therapy, and Culinary Medicine, which can be helpful preparation for those interested in pursuing medical specialties in gastroenterology & nutrition, lifestyle medicine, integrative health or Board Certification in Nutrition.
- Employment: upon graduation, students with a BS in Nutrition and Medical Sciences may find work immediately in:
- scientific and pharmaceutical fields
- the food industry
- health-related sales or marketing
- research
- public health or public policy
- Continuing Graduate Education: students with a BS in Nutrition and Medical Sciences may decide to pursue additional higher education:
- Graduate school
- Medical school
- Physician Assistant Program
- Dental school
- PharmD program
- Occupational Therapy program
- Physical Therapy program
- Accelerated Nursing program
- Genetic counseling program
Curriculum
The Nutrition and Medical Sciences curriculum is designed to allow students to take all of the necessary prerequisite courses for admission into their chosen pre-health profession or graduate education pathway and prepare for entrance exams, while obtaining a strong background in nutrition science. There is flexibility in the curriculum allowing students to tailor their coursework to fulfill application requirements for their chosen postgraduate health-professional program or their desired career.
For example, students applying to medical, dental or pharmacy school are required to take Organic Chemistry and Calculus; in contrast, those pursuing other health-related professions may not need these courses. The Nutrition and Medical Sciences curriculum accomodates both paths with tailored course offerings.
To earn a Bachelor of Science degree, students must complete a minimum of 122 credits and meet specific requirements as outlined in the University of Delaware Catalog. The average number of credits per semester ranges from 14-17 credits; winter and summer sessions can help to lighten the load of regular semesters.
In addition to working directly with their Advisor, students can access the Center for Health Profession Studies for further advice and peer mentorship.
Nutrition double major embodies healthy lifestyle at UD: youtube.com/watch?v=8u0L_ELp5kA
ADDITIONAL LINKS
Connect
Tower at STAR: 100 Discovery Blvd, Newark, DE 19713 | Health Sciences Complex: 540 S. College Ave, Newark, DE 19713 chs-info@udel.edu Phone: 302-831-1060