Nutritional sciences is the study of the biochemical and physiological basis of how diet impacts health and disease. Students explore a variety of biological concepts including biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, kinesiology, community nutrition, and epidemiology to understand how nutrients in food affect the body.
Students can tailor their studies by selecting from more than 20 courses covering a wide variety of topics, including, microbiology, genetics, obesity, metabolism, kinesiology and sports nutrition, as well as ethics of public health, global health, community nutrition, and cultural aspects of food. Many students supplement their studies outside of the classroom by contributing to research in a university lab or volunteering in the community.
With an emphasis on human health, the program prepares students for health and research careers in a variety of settings, including healthcare, education, corporate wellness, sports nutrition, government agencies, food companies, or pharmaceuticals.
Learn through hands-on, real-world experience
In the classroom, students apply what they learn to real-world cases and approach nutritional health as they would in a clinical setting. Some courses also include field experiences or community-based learning experiences.
Because of the emphasis on biological sciences, many students choose to join a professor’s research lab and may earn credit for their work within the lab. Students also have opportunities for community service internships under the guidance of a faculty member.
Build community and networks
The Dietetics and Nutrition Club (DNC) is a registered student organization open to undergraduate and graduate students. The club offers a variety of opportunities for members to engage in networking events, participate in volunteer and community outreach opportunities, and learn about the field of nutrition and the dietetics profession.
Customize a path of study
With nearly 20 elective courses available in the third and fourth years of the program, students can plan their coursework to best fit their professional goals and explore scientific principles of greatest interest to them.
Students may participate in the college’s Honors in Research program. Many students enhance their major by participating in a certificate program such as the Biology Core Curriculum Honors (Biocore) Certificate.
Make a strong start
First-year seminar courses help students maximize their education, develop professional skills, and make informed decisions about their classes, internships, and career paths.
Gain global perspective
Several courses emphasize global health and world nutrition. Many students pair a major in Nutritional Sciences with the Global Health Certificate, which includes a field experience/internship focused on a health-related topic of global importance. Students can explore studying abroad as a Nutritional Sciences major by utilizing the Nutritional Sciences Major Advising Page. Students work with their advisor and the CALS study abroad office to identify appropriate programs.
How to Get in
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| How to get in | No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to declare. For information on how to declare, visit Advising & Careers. |
| Courses required to get in | None |
| GPA requirements to get in | None |
| Credits required to get in | Must have fewer than 86 credits. |
| Other | Students who do not meet the requirements above or are not in good academic standing should schedule a meeting with CALS Dean on Call (https://go.wisc.edu/g85h79) to discuss exceptions. |
Prospective UW-Madison Students
All prospective UW–Madison students must apply through the Office of Admissions and Recruitment.
Students interested in this major should select it as the first choice major on their UW–Madison application. Admitted students who enroll at UW-Madison and attend Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) with the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences have the option to declare this major at SOAR.
University Requirements
All undergraduate students must complete both the following Core General Education (Core GenEd) and University Degree and Quality of Work requirements. The requirements below apply to students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution is Summer 2026 or later.
Students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution occurred before Summer 2026 should refer to the archived Guide for the requirements that apply to them.
Core General Education (Core GenEd) Requirements
| Civics & Perspectives | 3 credits of Civics & Perspectives coursework. |
| Communication & Literacy | 6 credits of Communication & Literacy coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingenglishplacement |
| Humanities & Arts | 6 credits of Humanities & Arts coursework. |
| Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning | 6 credits of Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingmathplacement |
| Natural Science & Wellness | Complete both:
|
| Social & Behavioral Science | 3 credits of Social & Behavioral Science coursework. |
| Total Credits | 30 credits. |
For more information see the policy.
University Degree and Quality of Work Requirements
All undergraduate degree recipients must complete the following minimum requirements. Requirements for some programs will exceed these requirements; see program requirements for additional information.
| Total Degree | 120 degree credits. |
| Residency | Complete 30 credits in residence. A course is considered “in residence” if it is taken when in undergraduate degree-seeking status and:
|
| Quality of Work | Achieve at least the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, and/or academic program. |
| Math | Demonstrate minimal mathematics competence by: |
| English Language | If required to take the UW-Madison English as a Second Language Assessment Test (MSN-ESLAT), demonstrate minimal English language competence by:
|
| Language | Complete one:
|
| Major Declaration | Declare and complete the requirements for at least one major. |
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Requirements
CALS Graduation Requirements
| Cumulative Credits |
|
| Quality of Work | Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.000 to remain in good standing and be eligible for graduation. |
| Residency | Students must complete 30 degree credits in residence at UW–Madison after earning 86 credits toward their undergraduate degree. |
In addition to the university's general requirements, all undergraduate students in CALS must satisfy a set of college and major requirements. Courses may not double count within university requirements, CALS college requirements, or major requirements. A course may count toward university requirements and a college and/or a major requirement; similarly, a course counted toward college requirements may also be used to satisfy a university and/or a major requirement.
CALS College Requirements
| CALS First-Year Seminar | 1 credit. See the full list of eligible courses below or use this link: https://go.wisc.edu/calsfirstyearseminars |
| Ethnic Studies | 3 credits with the Ethnic Studies designation. |
| Communication A | Complete either:
|
| Quantitative Reasoning A | Complete either:
|
| Introductory Chemistry | Complete one: |
| CALS International Comparisons | 3 credits. See the full list of eligible courses below or use this link: https://go.wisc.edu/calsinternationalcomparisons |
| Communication B | 1 course with the Communication B designation. |
| Quantitative Reasoning B | 1 course with the Quantitative Reasoning B designation. |
| Biological Science | 5 credits with the Biological Science designation. |
| Additional Science | 3 credits with the Biological, Physical, or Natural Science designations. |
| Science Breadth | 3 credits with the Biological, Physical, Natural, or Social Science designations. |
| Humanities | 6 credits with the Humanities or Literature designation. |
| Social Sciences | 3 credits with the Social Sciences designation. |
| Capstone Learning Experience | Each major articulates the required capstone learning experience. |
CALS First-Year Seminars
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AN SCI 135 | Grand Challenges and Career Opportunities in Animal and Dairy Sciences | 1 |
| BIOCHEM 100 | Biochemistry First-Year Seminar | 1 |
| COUN PSY 125 | The Wisconsin Experience Seminar | 1 |
| F&W ECOL 101 | Orientation to Wildlife Ecology | 1 |
| F&W ECOL 105 | Environment, Pollutants, and You | 3 |
| GENETICS 155 | Freshman Seminar in Genetics | 1 |
| INTEGSCI 100 | Exploring Biology | 2 |
| INTEGSCI 140 | Exploring Service in STEM | 1 |
| INTER-AG 155 | Issues in Agriculture, Environment, and Life Sciences | 1 |
| LSC 155 | First-Year Seminar in Science Communication | 1 |
| MICROBIO 150 | Microbiomes and Microbiology - First-Year Seminar | 1 |
| PLANTSCI/AGROECOL 100 | First-Year Seminar in Agroecology and Plant Science | 1 |
| PL PATH 155 | Food Frontlines: Security, Sustainability, and Survival | 1 |
| SOIL SCI 155 | First-year Seminar in Soil and Environmental Sciences | 1 |
| Learning Community/Student Group Courses | ||
| The following learning community/student group courses are approved as CALS First-Year Seminars. | ||
| COUN PSY 117 | PEOPLE First Year Seminar | 1 |
| INTEGSCI 110 | BioHouse Seminar: Biology for the 21st Century | 1 |
| INTER-AG 117 | GreenHouse Roots Seminar | 1 |
| INTER-AG 140 | CALS QuickStart: Foundations | 1 |
| INTER-AG 175 | WISE Seminar | 1 |
CALS International Comparisons
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| The 3 credit requirement may be fulfilled as either a stand-alone 3 credit course or as a set of courses as listed below. | ||
| A A E/ENVIR ST 244 | The Environment and the Global Economy | 4 |
| A A E 319 | The International Agricultural Economy | 3 |
| A A E/NUTR SCI 350 | World Hunger and Malnutrition | 3 |
| A A E 352 | Global Health: Economics, Natural Systems, and Policy (approved for enrollments Summer 2021 and later) | 4 |
| A A E/INTL ST 373 | Globalization, Poverty and Development | 3 |
| A A E/INTL ST 374 | The Growth and Development of Nations in the Global Economy | 3 |
| A A E/ECON 473 | Economic Growth and Development in Southeast Asia | 3 |
| A A E/ECON 474 | Economic Problems of Developing Areas | 3 |
| A A E/ECON/INTL BUS 462 | Latin American Economic Development | 3 |
| A A E/ECON 477 | Agricultural and Economic Development in Africa | 3 |
| AGROECOL 377 | Global Food Production and Health | 3 |
| AN SCI/DY SCI 370 | Livestock Production and Health in Agricultural Development | 3 |
| ASIAN/HISTORY/POLI SCI 255 | Introduction to East Asian Civilizations (approved for enrollments Summer 2021 and later) | 3-4 |
| C&E SOC/SOC 341 | Labor in Global Food Systems (approved for enrollments Summer 2020 and later) | 3 |
| C&E SOC/ENVIR ST/SOC 540 | Sociology of International Development, Environment, and Sustainability | 3 |
| CSCS 500 | Global Health and Communities: From Research to Praxis | 3 |
| DY SCI 471 | Food Production Systems and Sustainability | 3 |
| ENTOM/ENVIR ST 201 | Insects and Human Culture-a Survey Course in Entomology | 3 |
| ENTOM/ENVIR ST 205 | Our Planet, Our Health (approved for enrollments Fall 2026 and later) | 3 |
| ENTOM/ZOOLOGY 371 | Medical Entomology: Biology of Vector and Vector-borne Diseases | 3 |
| F&W ECOL/ENVIR ST 100 | Forests of the World (approved for enrollments Summer 2020 and later) | 3 |
| F&W ECOL/ENVIR ST/ZOOLOGY 360 | Extinction of Species | 3 |
| LSC 251 | Science, Media and Society (approved for enrollments Summer 2020 and later) | 3 |
| PL PATH/BOTANY 123 | Plants, Parasites, and People | 3 |
| PL PATH 311 | Global Food Security | 3 |
| PLANTSCI 370 | World Vegetable Crops | 3 |
| The following study abroad courses fulfill the CALS International Comparisons requirement. Only the specific course numbers and titles listed, including Topics titles (in parentheses), are approved to meet the CALS International Comparisons requirement. | ||
| BIOCHEM 307 | Study Abroad: Introduction to Biological Sciences Research in Japan (approved for enrollments Fall 2026 and later) | 3 |
| NUTR SCI/INTER-AG 421 | Global Health Field Experience (UW Mobile Clinics and Health Care in Uganda) | 3 |
| INTER-AG 321 & INTER-AG/NUTR SCI 421 | Study Abroad Pre-Departure Seminar and Global Health Field Experience (UW Global Health Community Health and Asset-Based Community Development in Sri Lanka) | 3 |
| INTER-AG 321 & INTER-AG/NUTR SCI 421 | Study Abroad Pre-Departure Seminar and Global Health Field Experience (UW Agriculture, Health and Nutrition in Uganda) | 3 |
| INTER-AG/NUTR SCI 421 | Global Health Field Experience (UW Health, Education and Tanzanian Culture) | 3 |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics and Statistics | ||
| Complete one of the following (or may be satisfied by placement exam): | 5-6 | |
| College Algebra and Trigonometry | ||
| Precalculus | ||
| Calculus and Analytic Geometry 1 | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 3-5 | |
| Introduction to Statistical Methods | ||
| Introductory Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences | ||
| Chemistry | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 5-9 | |
| General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II | ||
| Advanced General Chemistry | ||
| Organic Chemistry | ||
| CHEM 343 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 344 | Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| CHEM 345 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| Introductory Biology | ||
| Complete one of the following options: | 10 | |
| Option 1: | ||
| General Botany | ||
| Animal Biology | ||
| Animal Biology Laboratory | ||
| Option 2: | ||
| Introductory Biology | ||
| Introductory Biology | ||
| Option 3: | ||
| Evolution, Ecology, and Genetics | ||
| Evolution, Ecology, and Genetics Laboratory | ||
| Cellular Biology | ||
| Cellular Biology Laboratory | ||
| Nutritional Sciences Biology | ||
| Complete one of the following options: | 8-13 | |
| Option 1: | ||
| Physiology | ||
| Principles of Genetics | ||
And complete one of the following: | ||
| General Microbiology and General Microbiology Laboratory | ||
| Biology of Microorganisms and Biology of Microorganisms Laboratory | ||
| Option 2 (If the Biocore sequence is taken to fulfill the first biology requirement, it must be taken to fulfill the second biology requirement) | ||
| Principles of Physiology | ||
| Principles of Physiology Laboratory | ||
| Biological Interactions | ||
| Physics | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 8-10 | |
| General Physics and General Physics | ||
| General Physics and General Physics | ||
| General Physics and General Physics | ||
| Core | ||
| NUTR SCI/AN SCI/DY SCI 311 | Comparative Animal Nutrition | 3 |
| or NUTR SCI 332 | Human Nutritional Needs | |
| NUTR SCI 431 | Nutrition in the Life Span | 3 |
| BIOCHEM/NUTR SCI 510 | Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism | 3 |
| Complete one of the following: | 3-7 | |
| Introduction to Biochemistry | ||
| General Biochemistry I and General Biochemistry II | ||
| Electives within the Major | ||
| Complete 6 credits from the following: | 6 | |
| World Hunger and Malnutrition | ||
| Human Anatomy | ||
| Human Anatomy Laboratory | ||
| Medical Anthropology | ||
| Principles of Human Disease and Biotechnology | ||
| Biology of Viruses | ||
| Molecular Control of Metabolism and Metabolic Disease | ||
| Public Health in Rural & Urban Communities | ||
| Chemistry Across the Periodic Table | ||
| Fundamentals of Analytical Science | ||
| Fundamentals of Analytical Science | ||
| Lactation Physiology | ||
| Food Laws and Regulations | ||
| Food Microbiology | ||
| Genetics Laboratory | ||
| Plant Breeding and Biotechnology | ||
| Genetically Modified Crops: Science, Regulation & Controversy | ||
| Public Health Ethics | ||
| Ethical Issues in Health Care | ||
| Immunology | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Cultural Aspects of Food and Nutrition | ||
| Introduction to Epidemiology | ||
| Global Health Field Experience | ||
| Nutrition in Physical Activity and Health | ||
| Undergraduate Capstone Seminar Laboratory | ||
| Community Nutrition and Health Equity | ||
| Research Approaches in the Era of Precision Nutrition | ||
| Advanced Nutrition: Intermediary Metabolism of Macronutrients | ||
| Introduction to Nutritional Epidemiology | ||
| Advanced Nutrition: Vitamins | ||
| Clinical Nutrition I | ||
| Senior Honors Thesis and Senior Honors Thesis | ||
| Senior Thesis-Nutrition and Senior Thesis | ||
| Special Problems | ||
| Introduction to Experimental Oncology | ||
| Pathophysiologic Principles of Human Diseases | ||
| Introduction to Public Health | ||
| Introduction to Animal Development | ||
| Cell Biology | ||
| Capstone | ||
| Complete one of the following. Courses may not count toward Electives and Capstone requirement. | 1-8 | |
| Undergraduate Capstone Seminar Laboratory | ||
| Senior Honors Thesis and Senior Honors Thesis | ||
| Senior Thesis-Nutrition and Senior Thesis | ||
| Special Problems (with program permission) | ||
| Total Credits | 66-91 | |
Recommended Nutritional Science Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 365 | Medical Anthropology | 3 |
| BIOCHEM/NUTR SCI 560 | Principles of Human Disease and Biotechnology | 2 |
| BIOCHEM/M M & I 575 | Biology of Viruses | 2 |
| BIOCHEM/NUTR SCI 645 | Molecular Control of Metabolism and Metabolic Disease | 3 |
| C&E SOC/SOC 533 | Public Health in Rural & Urban Communities | 3 |
| CHEM 311 | Chemistry Across the Periodic Table | 4 |
| CHEM 327 | Fundamentals of Analytical Science | 4 |
| CHEM 329 | Fundamentals of Analytical Science | 4 |
| AN SCI/FOOD SCI 305 | Introduction to Meat Science and Technology | 4 |
| FOOD SCI/AN SCI 321 | Food Laws and Regulations | 1 |
| FOOD SCI/MICROBIO 325 | Food Microbiology | 3 |
| GENETICS 545 | Genetics Laboratory | 2 |
| PLANTSCI 338 | Plant Breeding and Biotechnology | 3 |
| PLANTSCI 360 | Genetically Modified Crops: Science, Regulation & Controversy | 2 |
| ANAT&PHY 337 | Human Anatomy | 3 |
| ANAT&PHY 338 | Human Anatomy Laboratory | 2 |
| MED HIST/PHILOS 515 | Public Health Ethics | 3 |
| MED HIST/PHILOS 558 | Ethical Issues in Health Care | 3 |
| M M & I/PATH-BIO 528 | Immunology | 3 |
| NUTR SCI/A A E 350 | World Hunger and Malnutrition | 3 |
| NUTR SCI 375 | Special Topics | 1-4 |
| NUTR SCI 377 | Cultural Aspects of Food and Nutrition | 3 |
| NUTR SCI/INTER-AG 421 | Global Health Field Experience | 1-4 |
| NUTR SCI 500 | Undergraduate Capstone Seminar Laboratory | 1 |
| NUTR SCI/KINES 525 | Nutrition in Physical Activity and Health | 3 |
| NUTR SCI 540 | Community Nutrition and Health Equity | 3 |
| ONCOLOGY 401 | Introduction to Experimental Oncology | 2 |
| PATH 404 | Pathophysiologic Principles of Human Diseases | 3 |
| POP HLTH/C&E SOC 370 | Introduction to Public Health | 3 |
| ZOOLOGY 470 | Introduction to Animal Development | 3 |
| ZOOLOGY 570 | Cell Biology | 3 |
Learning Outcomes
- Obtains and can articulate specialized knowledge in the field of nutritional sciences and dietetics along with an education broad enough to meet the challenges of future careers and opportunities.
- Obtains and can articulate foundational knowledge in areas relevant to the field of nutrition and dietetics.
- Communicates complex ideas in a clear and understandable manner through both written and oral presentations.
- Demonstrates quantitative literacy in math and statistics relevant to nutritional sciences and dietetics.
- Demonstrates the ability to think critically and creatively, to synthesize, analyze, and integrate ideas for decision making and problem solving.
- Develops the skills for life-long learning and is capable of locating, interpreting, and critically evaluating professional literature and current research.
- Develops a global perspective and an appreciation for the interdependencies among individuals and their workplaces, communities, environments, and world; and an understanding of the interrelationships between science and society.
- Develops a respect for truth, a tolerance for diverse views, and a strong sense of personal and professional ethics.
Four-Year Plan
Sample Nutritional Sciences Four-Year Plan
Students must complete at least 120 total credits to be eligible for graduation.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CHEM 103 or 109 | 4-5 | CHEM 104 | 5 |
| MATH 113 | 3 | General Education | 3-4 |
| General Education | 3 | General Education | 3 |
| CALS First Year Seminar | 1 | Elective | 3 |
| Electives | 3-4 | ||
| 14-16 | 14-15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CHEM 343 | 3 | NUTR SCI 332 | 3 |
| STAT 301 or 371 | 3 | CHEM 345 | 3 |
| BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 151 | 5 | BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 152 | 5 |
| CALS International Comparisons | 3 | General Education | 3-4 |
| 14 | 14-15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| BIOCHEM 501 or 507 (if taking BIOCHEM 507, take BIOCHEM 508 in Spring) | 3 | NUTR SCI 431 | 3 |
| CHEM 344 | 2 | MICROBIO 101 or 303 | 3 |
| ANAT&PHY 335 | 5 | MICROBIO 102 or 304 | 2 |
| General Education | 3 | Nutritional Sciences Elective | 3-4 |
| Elective | 3 | Electives | 3-4 |
| 16 | 14-16 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GENETICS 466 | 3 | NUTR SCI 500 | 1 |
| NUTR SCI/BIOCHEM 510 | 3 | PHYSICS 104 | 4 |
| PHYSICS 103 | 4 | Nutritional Sciences Electives | 3-6 |
| Electives | 6 | Electives | 6 |
| 16 | 14-17 | ||
| Total Credits 116-125 | |||
Advising and Careers
Advising
Students are assigned a professional advisor who assists them with building their personalized Wisconsin Experience — including a strong curriculum to match student interests — and provides advising on career paths including graduate school or pursuing advanced degrees in the health sciences.
Professors provide mentorship to students in the program through work on faculty-led research, including learning research paper- and grant-writing skills, communicating about scientific concepts, and presenting research results to different audiences.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the program are working as physicians, scientists, physician assistants, nutrition product developers, food service directors, nutrition educators, wellness directors, and professors; and have a wide range of employers, including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, school districts, food companies, universities, grocery stores, and non-profit organizations.
Alumni are recognized for their skills in healthcare, leadership, clinical research, communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
Wisconsin Experience
Research Experience
Undergraduate students have the opportunity to take for-credit and not-for-credit hours in labs to participate in research and learn additional lab skills. Faculty-led research programs inform the scientific understanding of nutrition’s role in health. Students can work with internationally recognized researchers who study metabolism, genetics, genomics, physiology, and nutritional management of diseases including phenylketonuria (PKU), cystic fibrosis, and diabetes.
Global Engagement
Faculty and students in the program have many connections with global activities. The UW Mobile Clinic and Health Care in Uganda study abroad program provides students an opportunity to visit Uganda and learn about nutrition and public health. The Village Health Project student organization grew out of students traveling to Uganda on UW–Madison programs and supports ongoing public health projects in the region.
Student Organizations
The Dietetics and Nutrition Club (DNC), open to undergraduate and graduate students, hosts biweekly evening meetings featuring speakers on many topics related to nutrition. The group also assists students in finding volunteer and job opportunities in the field of nutrition.
Volunteer Activities
Students volunteer through many different programs in the community. Examples include:
- Volunteering at UW Hospitals and Clinics or other local hospitals to gain experience in patient care
- Joining the student organization Slow Food UW, a group that hosts dinners in the Madison community
- Addressing food insecurity through student groups including Food Justice Collective, Campus Food Shed, UW Frozen Meals program, Open Seat food pantry, Food Recovery Network-Madison Chapter, F.H. King: Students for Sustainable Agriculture; and Madison-area food pantries such as Madison Community Fridges
The Dietetics and Nutrition Club also offers volunteer opportunities.
Internships
Students may obtain academic credit along with community-based engagement by creating their own internship under the supervision of a faculty member.
Resources and Scholarships
The Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences awards tens of thousands of dollars in scholarship funds for students each year and Nutritional Sciences students are also eligible for scholarships in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.
Students in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences receive more than $1.25 million in scholarships annually. Learn more about college scholarships.