COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Science with a concentration in Dietetics at San José State University is a 120-unit degree program designed to prepare students for professional practice in dietetics, clinical nutrition, community nutrition, and food service management. The program includes 15 units of Core Lower Division General Education, with some requirements potentially fulfilled through major coursework in areas such as life sciences, chemistry, statistics, and behavioral sciences, along with 6 units of American Institutions requirements. Upper Division General Education is not required separately, as up to 9 units may be satisfied through major coursework. Students also complete 2 units of Physical Education and fulfill the Written Communication requirement (GWAR/WID) through NUFS 100W, a writing-intensive course focused on nutrition and food science. Major preparation consists of 22 units and includes foundational courses such as human physiology (BIOL 66), general chemistry (CHEM 1A), introductory chemistry (CHEM 30B or CHEM 8), psychology (PSYC 1), and statistics or health statistics (STAT 95 or PH 67), all of which provide essential scientific grounding for advanced nutrition study. The major requirements total 72 units and are divided into a 40-unit core and a 32-unit concentration in dietetics. Core coursework covers nutrition fundamentals, food science, food safety, food microbiology, packaging principles, multicultural nutrition, food service management, research methodology, and field experience, providing a broad foundation in applied nutrition and food systems. The dietetics concentration includes advanced coursework in nutrition and metabolism, medical nutrition therapy, community nutrition, nutrition education and counseling, and foodservice systems management, preparing students for clinical and community dietetics practice. Students also complete 11 units of electives, allowing specialization in areas such as sports nutrition, disordered eating, food culture, aging, entrepreneurship, and other related topics, as well as language study such as Spanish. Overall, the program provides a structured, science-based, and professionally focused pathway to careers in dietetics and prepares graduates for further credentialing and advanced training in the field.