Cornell University

Nutritional Sciences draws upon several disciplines, including biological sciences, to understand the relationships between food, nutrients, and human health. The concentration in Human Nutrition offers Biological Sciences majors courses concerned with the nature and biochemical function of essential and non-essential nutrients, nutrient requirements, the role of nutrients in gene expression, and the role of diet in both risk of chronic disease and treatment of existing disease states.

The Human Nutrition concentration requires one core course, NS 3310 Human Nutrition and Nutrient Metabolism (Spring, 4 cr), as well as at least 9 credits selected from a list of didactic NS courses related to the nature and biochemical function of essential and non-essential nutrients, nutrient requirements, the role of nutrients in gene expression, and the role of diet in both risk of chronic disease and treatment of existing disease states.

Students in this concentration are encouraged to complete a diverse set of advanced courses affording a perspective on current knowledge of nutrient requirements and function and how this knowledge can be put to use. Faculty advisors work with individual students to develop a curriculum that fits the students’ interests.

As part of their program, students are also encouraged to obtain laboratory experience either through coursework or research. Faculty in Nutritional Sciences are engaged in a wide variety of research activities, including nutritional regulation of gene expression, nutrient function, and regulation of nutritional status, employing diverse approaches such as cell culture, animal experimentation, and human metabolism studies.

Students completing the concentration in Human Nutrition most often choose to continue their education in medical or graduate school, and pursue careers in the applied aspects of nutrition or in laboratory-based or epidemiological research.