Details To Know Before Obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Science
Growing awareness on the importance of a proper diet and adequate exercise has greatly increased the demand for the services of nutrition experts. Dietitians and fitness instructors have never been so wanted. Even the average earnings of people working in the field of nutrition have exponentially increased. For this reasons more and more students are opting to enroll under a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Science degree program.
Course Introduction
Many universities and colleges around the world offer the nutrition course which is focused on the study of chemistry, food, and physiology. Advanced studies on malnutrition and the human metabolism will also be conducted along with clinical instruction and experiments. The degree will arm you with everything you need to become a nutrition professional. Being a dietician is the most popular occupation for bachelors of the degree. You can practice making diet plans for people who want to lose weight or improve their figure. However, only those with the title of Master can formulate meal plans for people with health conditions such as diabetes. A Master’s degree is also the minimum requirement before they can refer to themselves as professional dieticians.
Master of Science in Nutrition
Advancing your baccalaureate qualifications to the next level will open for you the doors to more career options and professional possibilities. In the course of this advantage, you will choose a field on nutrition in which you will focus on. It will become your field of specialisation. Upon completion, you will become eligible for all the career paths that come with that chosen field. Popular choices for specialisation are:
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Alternative Medicine
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Nutritional Research
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Nutritional Theory
The most immediate benefit of becoming a nutrition master is that you will become qualified for a dietician license provided that you render the minimum required units of internship and then pass the Licensure Exams. Only with the license can one call himself a professional dietician.
Salary Range
$50,000 per annum is the lowest a certified dietician can earn and $80,000 per year is the highest. This makes the course well worth the time and effort of finishing a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Science degree and then upgrading it to a master’s degree. Other factors such as experience also directly affect your earnings as the more experienced you are the more money clients will be willing to pay for your services. The career options open to you will be diverse. You can offer consultancy services to both private and public institutions or work as a professor in an educational institution.
Continuing Professional Education
Aside from the bachelor’s and master’s degrees, internship, and professional license the nutritionist should is also required to complete at least 75 hours of continuing professional education every five years or else the license will be revoked. This policy was created to ensure that nutritionists and dieticians remain competitive and up to date with the latest techniques and innovations in the field. Refresher courses, seminars, workshops, and other activities can be counted for the target number of hours.
Dietetic Internships
An internship is necessary before a bachelor or master of nutrition can take the licensure examinations. The purpose of the internship is to provide the individual with experience and better feel of the profession. This is to make sure he is ready to practice immediately after getting a license and earning the title of professional dietician. An internship is usually full time and takes around a year to complete.
