Best HBCU Nutrition Programs

Nutritionists and dietitians help people and communities lead healthier lives through food and diet. Nutrition programs give you the knowledge to understand food and nutrition and the skills to share and apply that information with your clients.

The more we grasp the importance of healthy and situational diets, the more in-demand nutrition professionals will become. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 7% growth for dietitians and nutritionists between 2021 and 2031, faster than the average growth for all occupations.

For more than 175 years, historically Black colleges and universities have had a measured impact on the nation’s educational and professional diversity. But many professions still lack representation, including the nutrition field. According to the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), Black and African Americans only make up 3% of professionals who registered for the CDR exam in 2020.

HBCU nutrition programs can help address this inequity. A more diverse nutrition and dietitian workforce will help the field become more culturally competent. HBCUs add value to the education of nutritionists and dietitians as well, injecting more diverse perspectives and situations into the learning and practical training experiences.

Dietetics, nutrition, and food science all have considerable overlap, but there are some differences that may help you choose between these fields.

Dietetics typically has a clinical component that allows you to link your nutritional work to healthcare. Nutrition focuses more on individual diet plans and healthy living. Food science explores the production and sustainability of food.

Dietitian, food scientist, and nutritionist salaries vary depending on your employer and qualifications. Typically, licensed nutritionists require a master’s in nutrition, and licensed dietitians will need a master’s beginning in 2024.

An HBCU nutrition program can lead to many nutrition careers, including with employers that recruit HBCU talent. Here are a few of the more popular routes available:

The following section answers some of the pressing questions you may have while searching for HBCU nutrition programs.

Yes. While there can be differences in their roles, the major difference between nutritionists and dietitians is education. Beginning in 2024, registered dieticians will need a master’s degree at minimum to practice, whereas nutritionists do not.

Dietitians must pass the CDR exam to become a Registered Dietitian (RD) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). These credentials qualify them to work in clinical settings. Meanwhile, nutritionists in some states need the Certified Nutrition Specialist designation, which requires passing the American Nutrition Association’s (ANA) exam.

Yes. To become a nutritionist or a dietitian with professional certification and state licensure, you need to graduate from an accredited school and program.

To write the CDR exam and become an RD or RDN, you must graduate from an ACEND-accredited program. To write the ANA exam, you must graduate from a graduate program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Nutrition Professional Education.

Currently, ACEND-accredited programs include only bachelor’s degrees, but that will change to include graduate programs by 2024.

Most HBCU nutrition programs start you with a strong science foundation, including courses in biology, chemistry, and physiology. You will then delve into the fundamentals of nutrition and human biochemistry.

In upper-division courses, you will branch out and learn about special interest topics, such as experimental diet planning, food microbiology, and food insecurity. Depending on the program, you may focus on agriculture, community health, or food laws and regulations.

When choosing an HBCU nutrition program, you should focus first on accreditation. Ensure your program meets the professional and state requirements for your desired field.

Next, look at the program curriculum and confirm it has the courses and concentrations that interest you. Some possible nutrition subfields include holistic nutrition, sports nutrition, pediatric or geriatric nutrition, and eating disorders.

Other factors to consider include program cost, financial aid, and program delivery methods. You may also want to look at the faculty and the facilities available to you.

Accredited HBCU nutrition programs prepare you for nutrition jobs by equipping you with industry and state-recognized training and skills. Along with qualifying for certification exams and state licensing, you can gain practical experience working in HBCU labs, nutrition research centers, and student nutrition initiatives.

HBCUs also have powerful alumni networks, career services teams, and mentorship programs that you can take advantage of. These schools run job preparation workshops, career fairs, and networking events to promote their students and improve their outcomes.