Nutrition and Metabolic Biology BS

About this programme

The Nutrition & Metabolic Biology major offers ideal preparation for health-related careers such as medicine, pharmacy, optometry, and dentistry. The curricula include many courses required for professional school admission. Graduates who have entered health-related professional schools report appreciation for the in-depth preparation afforded by this major. Now is an exciting time to explore the sciences of nutrition and biology. The media have highlighted many questions about the role of diet in development and aging, the safety of genetically modified foods, links among diet, cancer, and chronic diseases, and the problems of global malnutrition. The curriculum, driven by faculty research, covers a breadth of topics including functions and mechanisms of nutrient actions to the benefits and hazards of chemical agents, cultural and socio-economic determinants of human diets, and development of programs and policies to address human and environmental health and safety. The major provides a strong foundation in the biological and chemical sciences. The advanced course work focuses on the biochemistry and physiology of nutrients, phytochemicals, and diet-borne toxicants. Topics covered include: nutrient absorption, distribution, and metabolism; functions of nutrients in human health and disease; cellular and molecular regulatory mechanisms by which humans respond to changes in diet; dietary patterns related to health and disease; conceptual and technical processes of nutrition research. Minor Program The department offers a minor program in Nutritional Sciences. The course work for the minor addresses topics in Human Nutrition and Nutrient Function.