The Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Food Sciences

Total Course Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree: 120 units

See Bachelor's Degree Requirements in the University Catalog for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 39 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.

A suggested Major Academic Plan (MAP) has been prepared to help students meet all graduation requirements within four years. You can view MAPs on the Degree MAPs page in the University Catalog or you can request a plan from your major advisor.

General Education Pathway Requirements: 48 units

See General Education in the University Catalog and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education Pathway Requirements and course offerings.

Diversity Course Requirements: 6 units

See Diversity Requirements in the University Catalog. Most courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education .

Upper-Division Writing Requirement:

Writing Across the Curriculum (Executive Memorandum 17-009) is a graduation requirement and may be demonstrated through satisfactory completion of four Writing (W) courses, two of which are designated by the major department. See Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning and Writing Requirements in the University Catalog for more details on the four courses.  The first of the major designated Writing (W) courses is listed below.

The Option in Food and Nutrition Communication and The Option in General Dietetics

The Option in Nutrition Management

The second major-designated Writing course is the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GW) (Executive Order 665). Students must earn a C- or higher to receive GW credit. The GE Written Communication (A2) requirement must be completed before a student is permitted to register for a GW course.

Grading Requirement:

All courses taken to fulfill major course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as Credit/No Credit grading only.

Course Requirements for the Major: 69-75 units

Completion of the following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, is required of all candidates for this degree. Additional required courses, depending upon the selected option are outlined following the major core program requirements.

Note: A maximum of 15 units of externship courses may be applied to a bachelor's degree at CSU, Chico.

Major Core: 40 units

13 courses required:

Major Option Course Requirements: 29-35 units

The following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, are required dependent upon the option chosen. Students must select one of the following options for completion of the major course requirements.  Use the links below to jump to your chosen option.

• The Option in Food and Nutrition Communication
• The Option in Nutrition Management
• The Option in General Dietetics

The Option in Food and Nutrition Communication: 29-30 units

Notice: Students must complete a GE Area A1 course before enrolling in the following NFSC required courses.

8 courses required:

OR (the following course may be substituted for the above)

Note: Students are required to take 1 unit of externship in one of the areas of study. Please see the designated advisor of one of the core areas described below for recommendations on externship placements.

1 course selected from:

Area of Study: 6-7 units

The following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, are required depending upon the area of study chosen. Students must select one of the following areas of study for completion of the major course requirements.

Lifecycle Nutrition Area of Study: 6 units

1 course selected from:

1 course selected from:

Media and Writing Area of Study: 6 units

2 courses selected from:

SUBJ NUM	Title	Sustainable	Units	Semester Offered	Course Flags
JOUR 130W	Professional Writing for Public Audiences (W)		3.0	FS	GE  W
Prerequisite: Open to GE Written Communication Ready students. An intensive writing course designed to introduce students to professional expository writing by using media content as models and a platform. Emphasis is on clarity, conciseness, and consistency in style, along with form, content, context, and effectiveness of communication. Writing for various audiences will feature the Internet, academic writing, persuasion, description and other rhetorical models. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved Writing Course. This is an approved General Education course. (021092)
JOUR 255	Digital Media Literacy and Civic Engagement		3.0	FS	GE
The mass media are changing more rapidly now than at any time in the past century, and this course gives a context to those changes and provides an overview of what citizens need to know for understanding the role of the mass media in their public lives. Students explore the structure of media organizations; the professional and ethical values of journalists; the needs, desires, and influences of culture on media consumers; and the impact of evolving media technologies on public discourse. This includes critical analysis of the relationship of journalism and society and their effect on democracy, as well as the psychological, political, economic, and cultural values of citizens. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. (020555)
JOUR 260W	Writing for Mass Media (W)		3.0	FS	W
Prerequisite: ENGL 130W or JOUR 130W. Techniques of information gathering and writing for various audiences in the mass media. Required course for the Options in News-Editorial and Public Relations. Students must earn a grade of C or higher to advance to subsequent writing courses in the Department of Journalism. Students who do not receive at least a C may repeat the course. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved Writing Course. (004838)
JOUR 325W	Magazine Writing (W)		3.0	FS	W
Prerequisite: JOUR 260W. Techniques of writing nonfiction articles and features for publication; where to find material, markets. Student writings may appear in campus publications such as Orion. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved Writing Course. Formerly JOUR 325. (001667)
MADT 103W	Writing for Screen Media (W)		3.0	FS	W
Prerequisite: ENGL 130W. An introduction to the styles, formats and creative approaches used in writing for radio, television, film, and new media. Writing and pitching exercises include radio and television commercials, public service announcements, news, journalism, and long form screenwriting. 2 hours lecture, 2 hours activity. This is an approved Writing Course. (001638)
MADT 206	Introduction to Commercial Photography and Digital Imaging		3.0	FS
This course is an introduction to the fundamental vocabulary and techniques of commercial digital photography. Emphasis is placed on developing visual competence in the creation and consumption of lens-based imagery. Course content includes the basics of camera and digital production techniques for color and black and white photographs that are produced as exhibition-quality prints and on-screen imagery for commercial use. Includes a broad-based survey of photo history, contemporary theory, and current issues related to the practice of photography. Open to non-majors. 2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (001654)
MADT 219	Social Media Technologies		3.0	FS
An exploration of the design and impacts of new technologies related to communication through social media. 3 hours lecture. (001772)
MADT 371	Media and Learning		3.0	SP
An introduction to the application of media and learning theories that emphasize efforts and practices on designing, developing, delivering, and assessing the effects of digital media on the development of consumers' knowledge, perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors. The understanding and awareness of the impact of media on both intentional and incidental learning will be explored. 3 hours discussion. (021963)

Sports Nutrition Area of Study: 6-7 units

2 courses selected from:

The Option in Nutrition Management: 30 units

9 courses required:

OR (the following course may be substituted for the above)

Note: Students are required to take at least 2 units of externship.

1 course selected from:

1 course selected from:

The Option in General Dietetics: 35 units

Registered Dietitians Nutritionists (RDNs) are food and nutrition expert who have met the following criteria to earn the RDN credential:

1. Completed a minimum of a bachelor's degree or master's degree at a U.S. regionally accredited university or college and course work approved by the Commission on Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). Courses in the Option in General Dietetics meet the requirements of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for an accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD).

2. Completed a post-baccalaureate ACEND accredited supervised practice program.

3. Pass a national registration exam.

The Commission on Dietetics Registration (CDR) has mandated that beginning January 1, 2024, a minimum of a graduate degree will be required to sit for the RDN credential exam.

Notice to Prospective Applicants for Option in General Dietetics

A supplemental Dietetics application must be submitted by March 1. A Dietetics application is available from the Nutrition and Food Sciences department office. In addition to the application, students must provide transcripts of all previous college or university level work, a resume, two letters of recommendation, and a one-page written personal statement about your career goals. Applications are reviewed by a committee which ranks all applications for placement. Students not selected for the option are encouraged to meet with a NFSC faculty advisor. Students not selected may reapply once.

Prerequisites for Admission to the Option in General Dietetics

1. The cumulative grade point average for all college-level work must be a minimum of 2.75.

2. The following prerequisites must be completed with a grade of C or higher: MATH 105, BIOL 104, BIOl 211, CHEM 107, CHEM 108, NFSC 340. It is highly recommended that CHEM 350 be in progress or completed the semester students apply for admission to the option.

12 courses required:

Clinical Nutrition

Students preparing for advanced degrees or careers in nutrition research should complete the required units of the Option in General Dietetics and also complete the following courses, which include a Chemistry minor.

OR (the following course may be substituted for the above)

Electives Requirement:

To complete the total units required for the bachelor's degree, select additional elective courses from the total University offerings. You should consult with an advisor regarding the selection of courses which will provide breadth to your University experience and possibly apply to a supportive second major or minor.

Suggested elective:

Advising Requirement:

Advising is mandatory for all majors in this degree program. Consult your undergraduate advisor for specific information.

Honors in the Major:

Honors in the Major is a program of independent work in your major. It requires 6 units of honors course work completed over two semesters.

The Honors in the Major program allows you to work closely with a faculty mentor in your area of interest on an original performance or research project. This year-long collaboration allows you to work in your field at a professional level and culminates in a public presentation of your work. Students sometimes take their projects beyond the University for submission in professional journals, presentation at conferences, or academic competition. Such experience is valuable for graduate school and professional life. Your honors work will be recognized at your graduation, on your permanent transcripts, and on your diploma. It is often accompanied by letters of commendation from your mentor in the department or the department chair.

Some common features of Honors in the Major program are:

• You must take 6 units of Honors in the Major course work. All 6 units are honors classes (marked by a suffix of H), and at least 3 of these units are independent study (399H, 499H, 599H) as specified by your department. You must complete each class with a minimum grade of B.
• You must have completed 9 units of upper-division course work or 21 overall units in your major before you can be admitted to Honors in the Major. Check the requirements for your major carefully, as there may be specific courses that must be included in these units.
• Your cumulative GPA should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
• Your GPA in your major should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
• Most students apply for or are invited to participate in Honors in the Major during the second semester of their junior year. Then they complete the 6 units of course work over the two semesters of their senior year.
• Your honors work culminates with a public presentation of your honors project.

While Honors in the Major is part of the Honors Program, each department administers its own program. Please contact your major department or major advisor to apply.