Nutrition Major, B.S.P.H.

The bachelor of science in public health (B.S.P.H.) program in nutrition introduces the undergraduate student to the science of nutrition in health and disease and to social and behavioral aspects of eating in the context of public and individual health. The Department of Nutrition is one of the top-ranked nutrition departments in the country. The curriculum offers a range of courses on the nutritional and epidemiological aspects of human diseases.

Students may apply to one of two tracks of study:

  • Nutrition Science and Research Track - An excellent preparation for medical and other health professional graduate programs, this track provides students in-depth exposure to the science of nutrition and metabolism while incorporating required research under the supervision of a faculty member. 
  • Nutrition Health and Society Track - Recognizing the truly interdisciplinary nature of nutrition, this track provides students an opportunity to study nutrition through the lenses of policy, sustainable food systems, and interventions. Students are also required to use 18 credits (taken during the junior and senior years of the program) to obtain a second major or minor* in a field of their choice.

Students who are admitted to the B.S.P.H. program in nutrition can apply for a B.S.P.H/M.S. dual degree, which can be completed within one year after completion of the B.S.P.H. program.

*Classes taken prior to admission to the nutrition major can contribute towards the second minor or major; however, 18 elective credits must still be taken during the junior and senior year of the nutrition major.  

Admission to the program is required.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the nutrition program, students should be able to:

  • Describe the nutritional needs of individuals across the life cycle; the psychological, behavioral and social factors that affect food consumption and nutritional status, and the programs and services available to help individuals meet their nutritional needs.

  • Communicate public health information, in both oral and written forms and through a variety of media, to diverse audiences. 
  • Locate, use, evaluate, and synthesize public health information.
  • Describe health inequities, identify their root causes at multiple levels of the social ecological framework, and discuss approaches to advancing health equity. 

Students who complete the Nutrition Science and Research Track should be able to:

  • Demonstrate knowledge of nutritional biochemistry, the metabolism and function of nutrients, and the nutritional components of diseases through advanced courses in nutrition.
  • Apply the scientific method in the areas of nutritional biochemistry, nutritional epidemiology, and intervention and policy.

Students who complete the Nutrition Health and Society Track should be able to:

  • Understand the role of food and nutrition as an essential element of life — from cell, to an individual, to society.
  • Demonstrate effective communication of nutrition information within social, multi-ethnic, and environmental dimensions.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the roles of the individual, society, government, and business in providing accessible, healthy food supplies, and in promoting healthy eating.

Prerequisite Courses Required for Admission to Both Tracks: 

BIOL 101
101L
IDEAs in Action General Education logo Principles of Biology
and IDEAs in Action General Education logo Introductory Biology Laboratory 1, H, F
4
BIOL 252
252L
IDEAs in Action General Education logo Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology
and Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory 1, H
4
CHEM 101
101L
IDEAs in Action General Education logo General Descriptive Chemistry I
and IDEAs in Action General Education logo Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory I 1, H, F
4
CHEM 102
102L
IDEAs in Action General Education logo General Descriptive Chemistry II
and Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory II 1, H, F
4
Total Hours16
H

Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply.

F

FY-Launch class sections may be available. A FY-Launch section fulfills the same requirements as a standard section of that course, but also fulfills the FY-SEMINAR/FY-LAUNCH First-Year Foundations requirement. Students can search for FY-Launch sections in ConnectCarolina using the FY-LAUNCH attribute.

Additional Prerequisite Courses for the Science and Research Track: 

NUTR 240Introduction to Human Nutrition 13
CHEM 261Introduction to Organic Chemistry I 1, H3
Total Hours6
H

Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply.

1

Must receive a C (not C-) or better in all prerequisite courses. 

Admission

The Gillings School of Global Public Health offers four undergraduate majors: biostatistics, environmental health sciences, health policy and management, and nutrition. The undergraduate degree offered is the bachelor of science in public health (B.S.P.H.). Enrollment in the B.S.P.H. degree programs is limited, and students must apply for admission. Students typically apply in January of their sophomore year for admission beginning in the fall of their junior year.

For current UNC–Chapel Hill students, the initial step of B.S.P.H. application is available in ConnectCarolina under the "Apply for Majors Change" tab.  For additional information on application deadlines and how to apply, please visit the Public Health Undergraduate Majors website.

Transfer students interested in any of the B.S.P.H. degree programs must apply through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions using the Transfer Common application.

For high school seniors, our four majors participate in the Assured Enrollment program through Undergraduate Admissions. Assured enrollment programs guarantee students a spot in an undergraduate major within one of Carolina’s professional schools or a spot in an accelerated undergraduate/graduate program. For additional information, please visit Undergraduate Admissions: Special Opportunities.

Students are subject to the requirements in place when they are admitted to the Gillings School of Global Public Health; consequently, the requirements described in this catalog particularly apply to students admitted to Gillings during the 2023–2024 academic year.

Requirements

The nutrition program provides two options: 

Nutrition Major, B.S.P.H.–Nutrition, Health, and Society 

In addition to the program requirements listed below, students must

  • attain a final cumulative GPA of at least 2.0
  • complete a minimum of 45 academic credit hours earned from UNC–Chapel Hill courses
  • earn a C (not C-) or better in all prerequisite, core, and additional courses required for the major
  • take at least half of their major course requirements (courses and credit hours) at UNC–Chapel Hill

For more information, please consult the degree requirements section of the catalog.

Core Courses
Public Health Core Courses:
BIOS 600Principles of Statistical Inference 13
EPID 600Principles of Epidemiology for Public Health 13
SPHG 351Foundations of Public Health 13
SPHG 352Public Health Systems and Solutions 14
Other Core Courses: 2
NUTR 175IDEAs in Action General Education logo Introduction to Food Studies: From Science to Society3
NUTR 240Introduction to Human Nutrition3
NUTR 245Sustainable Local Food Systems: Intersection of Local Foods and Public Health3
NUTR 405Fundamentals of Food and Nutrition Policy in Public Health3
NUTR 470Foundations of Nutrition Interventions3
NUTR 611Food And Your Life Stages3
NUTR 630Nutrition Communication and Culture3
Research and Capstone:
NUTR 295Undergraduate Research Experience in Nutrition 43
Additional Requirements
BIOL 101
101L
IDEAs in Action General Education logo Principles of Biology
and IDEAs in Action General Education logo Introductory Biology Laboratory H, F
4
CHEM 101
101L
IDEAs in Action General Education logo General Descriptive Chemistry I
and IDEAs in Action General Education logo Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory I H, F
4
CHEM 102
102L
IDEAs in Action General Education logo General Descriptive Chemistry II
and Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory II H, F
4
BIOL 252
252L
IDEAs in Action General Education logo Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology
and Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory H
4
18 hours of elective courses (e.g., 6 courses) from other fields of study 3,5,618
Total Hours71
H

Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply.

F

FY-Launch class sections may be available. A FY-Launch section fulfills the same requirements as a standard section of that course, but also fulfills the FY-SEMINAR/FY-LAUNCH First-Year Foundations requirement. Students can search for FY-Launch sections in ConnectCarolina using the FY-LAUNCH attribute.

1

Must receive a C (not C-) or better.

2

All other courses for the nutrition major, including science required courses, must receive a C (not C-) or better.

3

Possible options include coursework from minors in anthropology; coaching education; cognitive science; composition, rhetoric, and digital literacy; education; exercise and sport science; food studies; global american studies; health and society; medicine, literature and culture; neuroscience; social and economic justice. Other options may be approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies.   

4

May be taken multiple times during the program for credit but must be done in the final semester as a capstone experience. May be substituted with NUTR 691H or NUTR 692H for students completing a Senior Honors Thesis. 

5

If a student pursues the food studies minor, which requires NUTR 175 and four additional courses from an approved list, then they should complete NUTR 175 for the major and take 5 courses from the list that are approved for the minor that do not overlap with the major requirements. In other words, a course may not be used to fulfill multiple requirements in the major.

6

Any additional 18 hours (not including gen ed, core courses for the major, and additional requirements for the major).

Nutrition Major, B.S.P.H–Nutrition Science and Research 

In addition to the program requirements listed below, students must

  • attain a final cumulative GPA of at least 2.0
  • complete a minimum of 45 academic credit hours earned from UNC–Chapel Hill courses
  • earn a C (not C-) or better in all prerequisite, core, and additional courses required for the major
  • take at least half of their major course requirements (courses and credit hours) at UNC–Chapel Hill

For more information, please consult the degree requirements section of the catalog.

Core Courses
Public Health Core Courses:
BIOS 600Principles of Statistical Inference 13
EPID 600Principles of Epidemiology for Public Health 13
SPHG 351Foundations of Public Health 13
SPHG 352Public Health Systems and Solutions 14
Other Core Courses: 2
NUTR 295Undergraduate Research Experience in Nutrition 53
NUTR 400Introduction to Nutritional Biochemistry3
NUTR 600Human Metabolism: Macronutrients3
NUTR 611Food And Your Life Stages3
NUTR 620HUMAN METABOLISM: MICRONUTRIENTS3
NUTR 692HHonors Research in Nutrition (optional)3
Additional Requirements 2
BIOL 101
101L
IDEAs in Action General Education logo Principles of Biology
and IDEAs in Action General Education logo Introductory Biology Laboratory 3, H, F
4
BIOL 103IDEAs in Action General Education logo How Cells Function 4, F3
BIOL 252
252L
IDEAs in Action General Education logo Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology
and Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory 3, H
4
CHEM 101
101L
IDEAs in Action General Education logo General Descriptive Chemistry I
and IDEAs in Action General Education logo Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory I 3, H, F
4
CHEM 102
102L
IDEAs in Action General Education logo General Descriptive Chemistry II
and Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory II 3, H, F
4
CHEM 241
241L
Modern Analytical Methods for Separation and Characterization
and Laboratory in Separations and Analytical Characterization of Organic and Biological Compounds H
4
CHEM 261Introduction to Organic Chemistry I 3, H3
CHEM 262
262L
Introduction to Organic Chemistry II
and IDEAs in Action General Education logo Laboratory in Organic Chemistry H
4
MATH 231IDEAs in Action General Education logo Calculus of Functions of One Variable I 3, H, F4
NUTR 240Introduction to Human Nutrition 33
PHYS 114IDEAs in Action General Education logo General Physics I: For Students of the Life Sciences F4
or PHYS 118 IDEAs in Action General Education logo Introductory Calculus-based Mechanics and Relativity
PHYS 115IDEAs in Action General Education logo General Physics II: For Students of the Life Sciences F4
or PHYS 119 IDEAs in Action General Education logo Introductory Calculus-based Electromagnetism and Quanta
Total Hours76
H

Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply.

F

FY-Launch class sections may be available. A FY-Launch section fulfills the same requirements as a standard section of that course, but also fulfills the FY-SEMINAR/FY-LAUNCH First-Year Foundations requirement. Students can search for FY-Launch sections in ConnectCarolina using the FY-LAUNCH attribute.

1

Must receive a C (not C-) or better.

2

All other courses for the nutrition major, including science required courses, must receive a C (not C-) or better.

3

Prerequisite course required for admission to the program. 

4

BIOL 220 (Molecular Genetics) is also recommended for students planning to apply to graduate and medical schools

5

May be taken multiple times during the program for credit but must be done in the final semester as a capstone experience. May be substituted with NUTR 691H or NUTR 692H for students completing a Senior Honors Thesis. 

Dual Bachelor’s–Master’s Degree Program

The Department of Nutrition offers a B.S.P.H.–M.S. dual degree for students who wish to increase their knowledge in nutrition and acquire additional skills in nutrition-based research. This dual degree will be useful for students interested in becoming researchers in industry, program officers for nongovernmental and governmental organizations, project or laboratory managers in academic or nonacademic settings, international workers in nutrition-related programs, and graduate students pursuing a doctoral degree or eventually attending medical or another professional school. B.S.P.H.–M.S students will perform advanced research in nutrition and take graduate nutrition and other courses that will provide the information and experience needed to help them choose their career path. Additionally, for those students who are uncertain about whether they wish to enter the department’s doctoral program, the B.S.P.H.–M.S program offers an excellent opportunity to determine whether a more advanced degree would be appropriate. The B.S.P.H.–M.S degree is not specific to any of the department divisions; rather, it builds on the work (both classroom-based and research) begun in the B.S.P.H. program. In summary, the B.S.P.H.–M.S program in nutrition allows students the opportunity to explore nutritional research at an advanced level. The program can be completed in one calendar year (summer, fall, spring) following completion of the B.S.P.H. in nutrition program.

Nutrition B.S.P.H. students interested in the dual-degree program are strongly advised to consult their research advisor and the director of undergraduate studies in nutrition during their junior year to discuss eligibility and an appropriate plan of study. For more information see the B.S.P.H.–M.S Dual Degree Nutrition Handbook.

Special Opportunities in Nutrition

Honors in Nutrition

The Department of Nutrition provides an opportunity for honors study for qualified students. To be eligible for admission to the honors program students must have, at a minimum, a cumulative grade point average of 3.3 at the beginning of their senior year and must maintain the grade point average throughout the major if they intend to pursue honors. Students register for NUTR 295 (three credits) in the fall and/or spring semester of the first year and then enroll in NUTR 691H and NUTR 692H (six credits) in their final two semesters while completing an honors thesis in nutrition.

Departmental Involvement

The Nutrition Coalition meets several times each semester to address student concerns and to plan service and social activities. Open to the entire University, the coalition strives to broaden the scope of understanding of the various fields and environments in which nutrition is making advances. The Food Justice student organization seeks to facilitate student and faculty involvement in food justice issues through fostering a more inclusive environment for individuals of all backgrounds. Career development workshops are available each year to provide guidance for students applying to graduate and medical schools.

Experiential Education

Two courses in nutrition include experiential components (NUTR 245 and NUTR 295). However, NUTR 295, available only to nutrition majors, fulfills the General Education experiential education requirement.

Undergraduate Awards

Nutrition honors research students may apply for the honors undergraduate research awards. The application is available on the Honors Carolina Web site. Students also may be considered for any of the following awards: Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Student Activities and Leadership, The Order of the Golden Fleece, The Order of the Grail-Valkyries, The Order of the Old Well, Frank Porter Graham Honor Society, Phi Beta Kappa, and the Joseph Edozien Outstanding Undergraduate Award in Nutrition.

Undergraduate Research

To enhance students’ general education and help them decide whether a research career is something they might pursue, all B.S.P.H. nutrition students are required to complete nutrition research for at least one semester (final semester as capstone), either as part of the honors thesis or as independent research.

Department of Nutrition

Visit Program Website

260 Rosenau, CB# 7461

(919) 966-7212

Program Co-director

Ian Carroll

ian_carroll@med.unc.edu

Chair

Melinda Beck

melinda_beck@unc.edu

Program Director

Ian Carroll

ian_carroll@med.unc.edu

General Student Inquiries

nutrition@unc.edu