There’s an old computer programmer adage that goes, “Garbage in, garbage out.” If something isn’t working like it should, one must consider what you’re feeding it. This holds especially true in regards to the human body. Good nutrition can help us operate with peak efficiency; a poor diet can throw a monkeywrench in our physical and mental health. That’s why nutritional science can be a valuable skill to cultivate. Understanding how food interacts with our bodies- which ones can fuel us, which ones could inhibit use- is a sturdy knowledge base that can put on you a firm footing for several different career paths. If you’re interested in learning more about how nutrition supports and maintains good health, Rio Salado College’s Associate in Arts (AA), Emphasis in Nutritional Science will leave you saying a different adage after you walk across the commencement stage with a degree in hand: “Expertise in, expertise out.”
What You’ll Learn
Rio Salado’s nutrition science program will instill in you a deep foundation of knowledge about nutrition, food safety, and food science. You’ll learn about how to put principles of food safety and science into action. You’ll also learn about the social and cultural dimensions of nutrition and agriculture so that you can administer your nutritional knowledge to different cultures in ways that respect their values. The program will provide a grounding in the ethical principles of nutrition, dietetics, and healthcare work. You will develop the critical thinking and technological skills needed to properly evaluate nutrition literature and evaluate food systems. Through this program you’ll expand your base of scientific knowledge while also refining soft skills like communication and empathy to make yourself a better communicator and listener.
What can I do with a Nutritional Science Degree?
Earning a nutritional science degree at Rio Salado will endow you with a skill set and expertise that can be applied to many roles in the food industry, healthcare, wellness, and other fields where people’s dietary and health needs are given consideration. A nutritional science degree can prepare you for a rewarding career as a:
- Dietary aide
- Food preparation worker
- Dietary technician
- Life skills trainer
- Personal trainer
- Health coach
- Nutritionist
- Catering manager
- Chef
- Dietitian
- Wellness consultant
- Health care advisor
- Clinical dietitian
- Health services administrator
- Regulatory specialist
- Medical representative
- Food safety coordinator
- Health inspector
Your knowledge of the human body and what it needs— along with the cultivation of soft skills like communication, empathy, and emotional intelligence— can make you an invaluable team member. While culture and technology continues to rapidly advance, one fact about humans remains evergreen: we need to eat. So long as that holds true, we’ll need people with this kind of specialized knowledge to help us eat food that nourishes and enriches us, experts who can separate the wheat of wellness from the chaff of junk food.
What Does a Future in Nutrition Look Like?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the occupational outlook for nutritionists and dieticians is very promising. Job growth in nutrition-related roles is projected to grow faster than the average for all jobs from now until 2034. The median pay also tends to be quite reasonable. People with nutritional science degrees can work in a wide variety of settings, from hospitals and nursing homes to schools, fitness centers, and beyond. Both the private and public sector are looking for workers with this skill set.
Save Time and Money
Rio’s credits are transferable and can be applied to many universities and colleges across the country. Be sure to check in with the school you plan to transfer to in order to make sure your Rio credits will be accepted. Our nutritional science degree program can help you complete the general education requirements for many four-year institutions and is aligned to satisfy the degree requirements for our transfer partner at ASU. Completing this program will set you up for a smooth transition over to ASU’s Dietetics or Nutritional Science bachelor’s programs.
Save time and money by getting a head-start on your first two years of college at Rio and take your prerequisites on a much lower tuition rate.
Learn More
Interested in learning more about our nutritional science degree program? Check out our program page and complete the request for information at the bottom of the page.
Article by Austin Brietta