Nutrition, M.S. (Online)

Dieticians are professionals who counsel clients on their nutrition helping them overcome challenges and maintain good health. If you love the idea of working directly with people to help them lead healthier and happier lives, a career as a dietitian may be particularly rewarding. A typical day as a dietician can include meeting with patients, discussing different dietary options, creating meal plans, and helping an individual map out their nutritional plan towards greater health. Within this career, you have the option to specialize in certain health conditions such as diabetes or specific populations such as pediatric nutrition.

Note: Registered Dietitians have completed a specialized major in Nutrition and Dietetics, completed 1,200 hours of supervised practice experience, and passed a national registration examination. In addition, Registered Dietitians must maintain 75 hours of continuing education every five years.

Currently, some states require a Registered Dietitian to be licensed. By 2024 all Registered Dietitians will need an M.S. before sitting for the registration exam.

If you are interested in nutrition but don’t love the idea of working directly with patients on a day-to-day basis, a career in journalism might appeal to you. Nutritional journalists are responsible for reporting on breaking news in the world of nutrition. This could be new research into the health benefits of different dietary choices or a report on the outcome of a massive scientific study. Nutritional journalists are responsible for ensuring the public becomes aware of new breakthroughs in nutrition as they happen. Best for those who enjoy writing about nutrition, a typical day involves finding new stories, reaching out to researchers for comment, and writing up articles that distill advanced scientific concepts into easily digestible copy.

A sports nutritionist works with athletes to ensure top performance through correct nutrition. If you are interested in the human body, efficiency, and the effect of nutrition on athletic performance, this career may synthesize all your interests into a truly rewarding job. As a sports nutritionist, you’ll develop close relationships with your athlete patients, helping through challenges and injuries. As athletes prepare for their upcoming season, you can help them bolster their training and fitness through thoughtful, strategic nutrition. Whether at the college or professional level, sports nutritionists are in high demand across the country.

Lastly, companies and organizations across the country need nutritional consultants to help them implement programming, design better products, or create better services. Nutritional consultants can work in a wide variety of capacities ranging from improving processes to taking part in workplace wellness consulting. If you aren’t sure exactly which career path you’d like to focus on after graduation, taking the route of a consultant can help you experience different options and learn more about where your passion truly lies.

Earning a Master’s in Nutrition can solidify your expertise in this dynamic field and open the door to a wealth of career options. To learn more about this degree and what it covers, we encourage you to read all about the Master’s in Nutrition from the University of Saint Joseph.