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Natural Science Division

Nutritional Science

The nutritional science program is designed to:

  • Provide the student with a comprehensive and practical approach to the field of nutrition, as well as an understanding of current research topics and controversies.
  • Provide the student interested in a career in dietetics with an ADA (American Dietetic Association)-approved Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD), thus preparing the student for the dietetic internship.
  • Provide the student interested in a career in food service with skills and understanding in the areas of foods, nutrition, and management.
  • Provide the student interested in a career in the health professions with an appreciation for the importance of nutrition in human biology and an understanding of the relationship between diet and the states of health and disease.
  • Prepare the student interested in graduate study in nutrition or food service.

Course Requirements

To enroll in any nutritional science course which lists prerequisites, a student must earn a grade of “C-” or better in all prerequisites.

A nutritional science major must complete the following courses which are designed to meet the American Dietetic Association’s academic requirements:

Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Science

Course ID Course Name Units
Lower-Division Courses: 39 units
BIOL 211 Biology of Cells 4
CHEM 120 General Chemistry I (GE) 3
CHEM 120L General Chemistry I Laboratory (GE) 1
ECON 200 Economic Principles (GE) 4
MATH 103 College Algebra 3
NUTR 101 Seminar in Dietetics 1
NUTR 201 Introductory Foods 4
NUTR 210 Contemporary Issues in Nutrition (GE) 4
NUTR 220 Communication in Dietetics 4
PSYC 210 Introduction to Psychology (GE) 3
COM 180 Public Speaking and Rhetorical Analysis (GE) 4
BIOL 270 Human Physiology (GE) 4
Upper-Division Courses: 33–37 units
BIOL 420 Microbiology 4
CHEM 320 Physiological Chemistry 4
MATH 316 Biostatistics (GE) 3
MATH 317 Statistics and Research Methods Laboratory (RM, PS) 1
NUTR 300 Advanced Seminar in Dietetics 1
NUTR 310 Principles of Human Nutrition 4
NUTR 420 Quantity Food Production 4
NUTR 421 Systems Management (WI) 4
NUTR 450 Medical Nutrition Therapy 4
Choose one of the following sequences:
CHEM 301 Elementary Organic Chemistry 4
or
CHEM 310 Organic Chemistry I 3
CHEM 310L Organic Chemistry I Laboratory 1
or
CHEM 311 Organic Chemistry II 3
CHEM 311L Organic Chemistry II Laboratory 1

Freshman-Year Program

The nutritional science major should enroll in the general education program and include NUTR 101, NUTR 201, MATH 103, CHEM 120, and CHEM 120L in the freshman year.

International Programs

Nutritional Science students wishing to participate in the international programs are advised to do so during the summer term.

Non-Profit Management

A student may minor in non-profit management. See the catalog section on Interdisciplinary Programs for course information.


The above program requirements are excerpted from theSeaver catalog. This Web page is not an official binding document. To view the actual catalog visit: http://seaver.pepperdine.edu/academics/catalog/

You may email your questions to the Seaver Natural Science Division .