Nutrition: Preprofessional Health Careers Concentration, B.S.

About the Nutrition Bachelor’s Program

This program emphasizes the role of nutrition in the health and well-being of people. The degree prepares competent professionals for nutrition careers in hospitals, schools, colleges, food service, business and government agencies. Completion of courses for the Specialized Certificate in Hospitality, Nutrition, and Food Science offers students the opportunity to secure a family and consumer sciences teacher certification to teach nutrition in secondary schools. Nutritional sciences courses also contribute to the science and health education of students who take the introductory level classes or take additional classes for a minor in nutrition. Students who graduate with this degree must earn a C or better in all major and supporting coursework. Any variation from this is subject to department approval.

Communication Literacy Requirement. Students attending Texas Tech University for the first time in the Fall 2017 term or later will complete a Communication Literacy requirement in their program(s) of study.

Texas Tech University’s transition from the Writing Intensive requirement to the Communication Literacy requirement signals the university’s awareness that in addition to the fundamental role that writing plays in enabling students to explore, develop, focus, and organize a message, other types of communication must also be taught as appropriate for a student’s discipline. Throughout each program of study, then, students must be given ample opportunity to develop their skills in forms of communication central to that program.

Communication literacy in Nutritional Sciences is evidenced by competence in locating, reading, interpreting and presenting the nutrition information. This is accomplished through critiquing scientific literature as well as mainstream publications and through written communication and public speaking to a variety of audiences with varied educational background. These communication skills are measured in three required courses. Courses in the CL plan are NS 2380 , NS 4330 , and NS 4350 .

Preprofessional Health Careers

This option requires a strong science background supported with courses in chemistry, biochemistry, human anatomy and physiology, and food microbiology/sanitation and safety. Students will study food preparation, science of nutrition, nutrition in the life cycle, medical nutrition therapy, community nutrition, and experimental methods in food preparation. Depending on the student’s post-graduate plans, the degree plan may vary to ensure the student has completed all courses required for entrance into a chosen post-graduate program such as medical, dental, pharmacy, nursing, physical therapy, and optometry. Transfers into this program must have a minimum GPA of 3.0. Students may visit with their academic advisor for details.

Transfers. Students must have a 3.0 overall GPA to transfer into this concentration. This includes students who transfer from another university as well as from another program at Texas Tech University, and second degree students. Nutrition courses transferred into these degrees are at the discretion of the department and are approved case by case. Students who have successfully passed a basic nutrition course with a C or better are eligible to take the department exemption exam for NS 1410 .  Other nutrition courses can be evaluated upon submission with a course description and syllabus. Please see an advisor for details.

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