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WVU Morgantown

Human Nutrition and Food, B.S.

  • Overview
  • Faculty
  • Admissions Requirements
  • Major
  • Areas of Emphasis
  • Learning Outcomes

Degree Offered

  • Bachelor of Science

Nature of the Program

Becoming a Dietitian

The path to become a registered dietitian nutritionist includes a bachelor's and master's degree, completing a dietetic internship from an ACEND-accredited program, and passing the national registration exam. At WVU, students who wish to become a registered dietitian nutritionist must:

  1. earn a bachelor’s degree and complete the Didactic Program in Dietetics with a cumulative GPA of 2.75;
  2. apply for and complete an ACEND-accredited dietetic internship program or Individual Supervised Practice Pathway;
  3. pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s dietetic registration exam;
  4. gain licensure if required in your state of practice;
  5. maintain continuing education. Note that in 2024, a graduate degree will be required to be eligible to take the Commission on Dietetic Registration exam. In addition to the ACEND-accredited DPD, WVU offers an ACEND-accredited dietetic internship associated with a master’s degree. An undergraduate degree from WVU does not guarantee acceptance into the WVU dietetic internship

This program of study is additionally a good pre-professional option for students who wish to pursue the professional school programs of human medicine and the allied health professions, such as physician assistant school and medical school.

Students are required to complete core courses as well as courses in food science, nutrition, food service management, psychology, chemistry, biology, physiology, and microbiology.  Students are encouraged to select electives in areas that support anticipated career preferences, e.g., business, food science, nutritional biochemistry, advertising, writing, and exercise physiology.  There are required electives for the Didactic Program in Dietetics, and students who wish to pursue a registered dietitian nutritionist pathway should declare the Area of Emphasis (AoE) in Dietetics during their sophomore year.

Students must meet cumulative GPA requirements of 2.75 or higher to receive a verification statement.  After completion of the Didactic Program in Dietetics requirements and receiving a verification statement, seniors are eligible to apply for competitive dietetic internships by participating in a national match.  Acceptance into an internship is not guaranteed.  The dietetic internship involves an additional one to two years of education and supervised practice, depending on the site and whether graduate study is included.  Upon completion of the internship (and a graduate degree beginning in 2024), the graduate is eligible to take the examination to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). Students are also able to receive a verification statement to take the DTR (Diet Tech Registered) exam after graduation from our program with a 2.75 GPA or greater.


Faculty

Chair

  • Christopher M. Ashwell - Ph.D. (Wake Forest University)
    Functional genomics

Professors

  • Jacek Jaczynski - Ph.D. (Oregon State University)
    Food science and technology
  • Kristen Matak - Ph.D. (Virginia Tech)
    Food science and human nutrition
  • Melissa Olfert - Dr.P.H., M.S., R.D. (Loma Linda University)
    Human nutrition and foods
  • Janet C. L. Tou - Ph.D. (University of Toronto)
    Nutrition in bone health and chronic diseases

Associate professors

  • Melissa D. Ventura-Marra - Ph.D., R.D. (Florida International University)
    Diet related health disparities
  • Cangliang Shen - Ph.D. (Colorado State University)
    Safety of meat and fresh produce

Teaching Associate Professor

  • Nettie Freshour - M.S., R. D. (West Virginia University)
    Dietetics (L.D.N.)

Teaching Assistant Professor

  • Kelli George - Ph.D. (Florida State University)
    Dietetics

Admissions for 2025-2026

  • First-Time Freshman must meet WVU's first time freshman requirements.
  • Students transferring from another major within WVU must have a GPA >2.0.
  • Students transferring from another institution must meet WVU's transfer admission requirements.

Major Code: 1704

General Education Foundations

Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.

NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.

Course List
Code Title Hours
General Education Foundations
F1 - Composition & Rhetoric3-6
ENGL 101
& ENGL 102
Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric
and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research
or ENGL 103
Accelerated Academic Writing
F2A/F2B - Science & Technology4-6
F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning3-4
F4 - Society & Connections3
F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past3
F6 - The Arts & Creativity3
F7 - Global Studies & Diversity3
F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree)9
Total Hours31-37

Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.

Curriculum Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
University Requirements33
Human Nutrition and Food Program Requirements46
Human Nutrition and Food Major Requirements41
Total Hours120

University Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits)
Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 6, and 712
ANRD 191First-Year Seminar1
General Electives20
Total Hours33

Human Nutrition and Food Program Requirements 

Course List
Code Title Hours
MATH 124Algebra with Applications (or higher math placement; minimum grade of C-)3
STAT 211Elementary Statistical Inference3
or ECON 225 Elementary Business and Economics Statistics
Biology Requirement:4
BIOL 101
& 101L
& BIOL 102
& BIOL 102L
General Biology 1
and General Biology 1 Laboratory
and General Biology 2
and General Biology 2 Laboratory
Or
BIOL 115
& 115L
Principles of Biology
and Principles of Biology Laboratory
CHEM 115
& 115L
Fundamentals of Chemistry 1
and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory
4
CHEM 116
& 116L
Fundamentals of Chemistry 2
and Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 Laboratory
4
Select one of the following:4
CHEM 231
& 231L
Organic Chemistry: Brief Course
and Organic Chemistry: Brief Course Laboratory
CHEM 233
& 233L
Organic Chemistry 1
and Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory
AGBI 410Introductory Biochemistry3
or BMM 339 Introduction to Human Biochemistry
FDST 200Food Science and Technology3
MICB 200Medical Microbiology3
or AEM 341
& 341L
General Microbiology
and General Microbiology Laboratory
ANPH 301Introduction to Animal Physiology3
or PSIO 241 Elementary Physiology
or PSIO 441 Mechanisms of Body Function
AGEE 421Agricultural and Natural Resource Communications3
or WVUE 270 Effective Public Speaking
BCOR 370Principles of Management3
or ARE 204 Agribusiness Management
or AGEE 220 Group Organization and Leadership
PSYC 101Introduction to Psychology3
PSYC 241Introduction to Human Development3
or PSYC 251 Introduction to Social Psychology
Total Hours46

Human Nutrition and Food Major Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
A minimum grade of C- required for all HN&F and HN&F elective courses.
HN&F 171Introduction to Human Nutrition3
HN&F 201Professional Development in Dietetics3
HN&F 250
& 250L
Cross-Cultural Cuisine
and Cross-Cultural Cuisine Laboratory
3
HN&F 271Fundamentals of Nutrition3
HN&F 348
& 348L
Science of Food Preparation
and Science of Food Preparation Laboratory
3
HN&F 355Nutritional Assessment3
HN&F 364Nutrition Education & Counseling3
HN&F 401Senior Seminar in Nutrition (Capstone)2
Area of Emphasis or HN&F Electives *18
HN&F 200
Nutrition/Activity/Health
HN&F 353
& 353L
Food Service Systems Management
and Food Service Systems Management Laboratory
HN&F 460
Advanced Nutrition
HN&F 472
Community Nutrition
HN&F 473
Medical Nutrition Therapy 1
HN&F 474
Medical Nutrition Therapy 2
HN&F 491
Professional Field Experience
HN&F 495
Independent Study
HN&F 496
Senior Thesis
HN&F 497
Research
HN&F 512
Maternal and Child Nutrition
FDST 308
Food Plant Sanitation
FDST 365
Muscle Foods Technology
FDST 365L
Muscle Foods Technology Laboratory
FDST 445
Food Microbiology
FDST 445L
Food Microbiology Laboratory
FDST 450
Food Chemistry
HN&F 490
Teaching Practicum
AGBI 512
Nutritional Biochemistry
ANNU 361
Applied Nutrition
ANNU 362
Applied Nutrition 2
Total Hours41

Suggested Plan of Study

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours
ANRD 1911BIOL 102
& 102L (GEF 8)
4
BIOL 101
& 101L (GEF 2B)
4PSYC 101 (GEF 4)3
HN&F 171 (GEF 8)3General Elective3
MATH 124 (GEF 3)3General Elective3
ENGL 101 (GEF 1)3General Elective2
General Elective1 
 15 15
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours
HN&F 2013HN&F 3553
HN&F 2713PSYC 2413
ENGL 102 (GEF 1)3CHEM 1163
FDST 2003CHEM 116L1
CHEM 1153General Elective3
CHEM 115L1General Elective1
 16 14
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours
HN&F 348
& 348L
3HN&F 250
& 250L (GEF 5)
3
ANPH 3013AGEE 4213
AEM 3413GEF 63
AEM 341L1HN&F Elective3
HN&F 3643CHEM 2313
General Elective1CHEM 231L1
 14 16
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours
BCOR 3703HN&F 4012
AGBI 4103STAT 2113
HN&F Elective3GEF 73
HN&F Elective 3HN&F Elective3
HN&F Elective3HN&F Elective3
 General Elective1
 15 15
Total credit hours: 120

Area of Emphasis

  • Dietetics

Area of Emphasis in Dietetics

Course List
Code Title Hours
A grade of C- or higher is required in all coursework*
HN&F 353
& 353L
Food Service Systems Management
and Food Service Systems Management Laboratory
3
HN&F 460Advanced Nutrition3
HN&F 472Community Nutrition3
HN&F 473Medical Nutrition Therapy 13
HN&F 474Medical Nutrition Therapy 23
Total Hours15
*

Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 and have completed HN&F 201, 271 and CHEM 115 and 115L to be eligible for the Area of Emphasis in Dietetics.  Students must declare the Area of Emphasis no later than September 1 of the academic year in which they will be requesting a verification statement.  To receive a Didactic Program in Dietetics Verification Statement to sit for the Nutrition and Dietetics Technician Registered (NDTR) exam or to apply for dietetic internships students must graduate from the Human Nutrition & Foods major with a minimum GPA of 2.5, complete the Area of Emphasis in Dietetics, and earn a minimum grade of C- in all HN&F courses.  

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours
ANRD 1911BIOL 102
& 102L (GEF 8)
4
BIOL 101
& 101L (GEF 2B)
4General Elective3
HN&F 171 (GEF 8)3General Elective2
MATH 124 (GEF 3)3PSYC 101 (GEF 4)3
ENGL 101 (GEF 1)3General Elective3
General Elective1 
 15 15
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours
HN&F 2013HN&F 3553
HN&F 2713PSYC 2413
ENGL 102 (GEF 1)3General Elective3
FDST 2003General Elective1
CHEM 1153CHEM 1163
CHEM 115L1CHEM 116L1
 16 14
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours
HN&F 348
& 348L
3HN&F 353
& 353L
3
ANPH 3013HN&F 250
& 250L (GEF 5)
3
AEM 341
& 341L
4AGEE 4213
HN&F 3643GEF 63
General Elective2CHEM 231
& 231L
4
 15 16
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours
HN&F 4733HN&F 4743
HN&F 4723HN&F 4603
BCOR 3703HN&F 4012
HN&F Elective3STAT 2113
AGBI 4103GEF 73
 15 14
Total credit hours: 120

Major Learning Outcomes

Human Nutrition and Foods

  1. Graduates will acquire a high level of competency in the basic sciences required for disciplinary competency.
  2. Graduates will integrate basic knowledge and managerial skills related to the nutritional and food science disciplines.
  3. Graduates will acquire sufficient written and oral communication skills, problem solving and critical thinking skills to effectively impact lifelong societal and professional developments critical to their respective discipline of interest.
  4. Graduates will attain depth of knowledge relative to the scope of subfields of human nutritional sciences.
  • Agribusiness Management
  • Agribusiness Management and Applied Economics
  • Agricultural and Extension Education
  • Animal and Nutritional Sciences
  • Biochemistry
  • Energy Land Management
  • Environmental, Energy, and Land Management
  • Environmental and Natural Resources Economics
  • Environmental and Energy Resources Management
  • Environmental, Soil and Water Science
  • Forest Resources Management
  • Horticulture
  • Horticulture and Plant Sciences
  • Human Nutrition and Foods
  • Landscape Architecture
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Sustainable Design and Development
  • Sustainable Food and Farming
  • Wildlife and Fisheries Resources
  • Wood Science and Technology

WVU Morgantown

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P.O. Box 6878
Morgantown, WV 26506
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Phone: 304-293-5355

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