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Nutrition Science Impact

Nutrition Science

The Nutrition Science minor provides students the opportunity to study food and nutrients, their physiological functions, nutritional requirements, and the various influences on food choice and eating behavior throughout the lifecycle.

The 18-credit Nutrition Science minor will broaden students’ knowledge of the biological sciences, with a particular emphasis on the interdisciplinary nature of nutrition. This program provides students with not only an understanding of nutritional sciences, but also the ability to develop critical thinking and professional communication skills that could be applied to their major and future career.

This minor provides further preparation for students who intend to pursue careers in the healthcare, and fitness industries, or those planning to enter exercise science, nursing, and physical or occupational therapy. In addition, a minor in Nutrition Science provides a strong knowledge base for students planning to attend graduate or medical school.

Mission

The mission of the Fairmont State Nutrition Science Minor is to prepare knowledgeable graduates with the ability to understand and communicate science-based nutrition.

Students completing the Nutrition Science Minor will be able to:

  • Describe the relationship between food and nutrients in human health and well-being.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking skills and analytical abilities to identify and explain dietary problems.
  • Identify nutritional status of individuals in various life-cycle stages.
  • Discuss nutrient metabolism and functions as well as food sources.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the science of nutrition in professional health care environments.
  • Describe the social and environmental responsibilities of food production and availability to facilitate healthy lifestyle choices.
  • Recognize dietary patterns for prevention of chronic disease and demonstrate the necessary nutrient requirements.
  • Analyze nutrition needs of communities and research incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases and other factors relating to health.
  •  Examine the multiple levels of influence that shape food choice and eating behaviors.

View Nutrition Minor Academic Map

Compliment Your Major

Nursing 

Knowledge of nutrition aids nurses to make sound assessments, to know when to make appropriate referrals, and to work effectively as a team member with registered dietitians in developing and accessing care plans to provide adequate nutrition for the patient.

Exercise Science

A nutrition minor could help Exercise Science students excel in the health/fitness field. The wealth of nutrition information received from this minor gives students who plan to actively participate in the health-related fields an understanding regarding nutrition-related metabolism and influences on athlete performance.

Community Health

Community Health professionals dedicated to changing their communities’ health environments would benefit from the nutrition minor by learning the associated contributions of nutrition-related health. The Nutrition Science minor provides the community health student with knowledge for efficacy in both community and organizational-based nutrition programs.

Personal Interest 

Students who have personal interest in nutrition would benefit from this minor. Nutrition Science provides you with knowledge of the foundations of nutrition. This can be applied to your own life to promote healthy dietary patterns that can be used throughout your lifetime.

Contact

Paige Brown

Program Coordinator, Assistant Professor of Nutrition

 314 Colebank Hall

 304-367-4509

 Paige.Brown@fairmontstate.edu