Internet Resource Guide for Nutrition Majors:

Exploring Career Options

Sarah Hostetter
ENGL202C, Section 025
11 February 2016

Table of Contents
1

Preface
1.1

Contents/Scope3

1.2

Audience/Purpose3

1.3

Guide Assumptions..3

1.4

Organization of Guide..4

1.5

Tips for Using Guide.......4

Resources within this Guide

Registered Dietitian.5
2.1.1 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics...6
2.1.2 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Scope of Practice
for the Registered Dietitian..7

2.2

Non-Registered Dietitian.8
2.2.1 Non-R.D. Options: Careers with a Degree in Nutrition..9

2.3

Pre-Health Professions...10
2.3.1 Pre-Health Professions..11

2.4

Government Publications.......................................................................12
2.4.1 United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural
Library Food and Nutrition Information Center.13
2.4.2 PubMed Central....14
2.4.3 Catalog of U.S. Government Publications15
2.4.3.i. Example Search within the CGP.......................15

1
Preface
1.1
Contents/Scope
This guide is intended to cover an array of useful publications regarding career options for those
planning to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences. The traditional route of
completing a dietetic internship is addressed through a few resources. Additionally, alternate
career routes are explored, including health professional schools, pursuing an advanced degree in
nutrition, and research and academia. All of the reputable sources included in the guide are from
academic and governmental websites.

1.2
Audience/Purpose
This guide is intended for students majoring in nutritional sciences, in particular, those in their
junior and senior years of their undergraduate studies. The purpose of the guide is to offer
resources for students to explore career options related to the field of nutrition. This guide offers
resources that will act as a starting point to pique the readers interest in a certain career choice.
Additional resources are found in the publications of this guide in order to further the readers
research in a specific career.

1.3
Guide Assumptions
This guide has been created with the assumption that the reader has at least entered into his or
her junior year of undergraduate studies in nutrition and will, therefore, be familiar with some of
the career paths. Background information on the process of applying to a dietetic internship has
been omitted from this guide, as this is covered extensively in your academic studies as a
nutrition major. Additionally, this guide assumes that, as a nutrition major, you have a familiarity
with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, which is an organization that is frequently
addressed in nutrition courses.

1.4
Organization of Guide
This guide includes a table of contents which allows for easy navigation of this guide. The guide
is broken down into two main parts; the preface, which includes the front matter, and the
resources included within the guide. The guide contains resources related to becoming a
Registered Dietitian, Non-Registered Dietitian options, pre-health profession information, and
government publications. Each page is numbered for further ease of navigation. The guide has
been organized to include resources on the dietetic internship, health professional schools,
research and academia, and government jobs. This guide has been organized by abstracts for four
internet sites, a professional journal, periodical literature, and the Catalog of U.S. Government
Publications.

1.5
Tips for Using Guide
In order to get the most out of this internet resource guide, you must first have a general idea of
the aspects of nutrition that most interest you. Carefully consider if you would like to continue
pursuing an advanced degree in nutrition or a related health field. Keep in mind the additional
financial costs of continuing education beyond obtaining a Bachelor of Science in nutrition. This
guide will offer you the resources needed to spark more of an interest in a specific aspect of
nutrition and health. From there, these resources may be used to continue your research based on
the career choice that most interests you at this point in time.

2.1
Registered Dietitian
As a nutrition major, one of the career paths that you are able pursue is becoming a Registered
Dietitian (RD). In this section of the guide, you will find resources related to becoming an RD.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has many helpful links to explore if you are interested in
becoming an RD. If you would like to know more about becoming an RD, refer to the resource
in this section discussing the scope of practice for an RD.

2.1.1
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Website
Location
Title: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
URL: http://www.eatright.org
Description
The website for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers information and articles that are
backed by scientific evidence and written by those with a Registered Dietitian License or those
with an advanced degree in nutrition. There are homepages that are specific for consumers as
well as those that are specific for professionals in the field of nutrition. As a student in the
nutritional sciences field, you will find this website particularly useful, as you are required to
have a membership to the Academy for evidence-based research and networking. The website is
further broken down for tabs that are specific for kids, parents, men, women, and seniors. This
website contains a wide variety of articles that can help you hone in on your interests related to
nutrition and help you pick a career path.
Tips

Use the tabs located at the top of the website in order to navigate to the section of
nutrition-related information that you would like to peruse.
You can search the website for any specific nutrition-related search that you would like to
complete, but the most recent articles are posted on the homepage for easy viewing.
Get connected to the Academy on social media using the links located underneath the
post. tweet. repeat. heading on the homepage.
Additional useful resources and links are located at bottom of the page.

2.1.2
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Scope of Practice for the
Registered Dietitian
Professional Journal
Location
Title: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Scope of Practice for the Registered Dietitian
URL: http://www.andjrnl.org/article/S2212-2672(12)01937-5/pdf
Description
In this article, found in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the scope of
practice for Registered Dietitians is covered thoroughly. Additionally, the process of becoming a
Registered Dietitian (RD) is explored. One purpose of the article is to educate students on the
scope of practice for Registered Dietitians. Topics covered throughout the article include
headings such as education and credentialing requirements, what is a nutritionist?, scope of
practice, RD roles: services and activities, etc. Specific areas of practice for Registered
Dietitians are also covered extensively, including research, school nutrition, sports nutrition, and
work at universities. The strength of this article is found in identifying the steps to becoming a
Registered Dietitian as well as the scope of practice for the RD in a variety of settings. If you are
considering becoming an RD, this article offers a wide variety of relevant information to the field
of nutrition and dietetics.
Tips

Take advantage of the many helpful headings included in the article as this will make
navigating the article easier.
The bulleted and numbered information are especially important to refer to in the article.
There is a chart with additional certifications in an area of interest that the Registered
Dietitian may acquire after becoming a licensed professional.
A glossary is located at the end of the article, which is beneficial, should there be any
unfamiliar terms in the article.

2.2
Non-Registered Dietitian
In this section of the guide, you will find a resource that explores a variety of career options for
those with a degree in nutrition.

2.2.1
Non-R.D. Options: Careers with a Degree in Nutrition
Website
Location
Title: Non-R.D. Options: Careers with a Degree in Nutrition
URL: https://www.umass.edu/sphhs/nutrition/student-student/career-options/non-rd-options
Description
From the Department of Nutrition at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst under the
Career Options tab, there is a link for Non-R.D. career options for those with a degree in
nutrition. This link is particularly of interest for students that do not wish to participate in the
Dietetic Internship. However, there are other helpful links included for Dietetic Internships,
Further Education, Tips and Timetables, and Interviews. This website breaks down the
careers for individuals with a degree in nutrition from those that require further education and
those that work with private organizations or work with government agencies. Finally, this
website offers several links for job searching sites, which is helpful for students beginning the
search for their entrance into the workforce.
Tips

Follow the headings listed on the webpage, which include, Career Opportunities For
Individuals Who Have a Degree in Nutrition, Careers that Require Advanced Degree or
Certification, Private & Non-Profit Organizations that Employ Individuals With A
Nutrition Degree, Government Agencies (Federal, State, County, Municipal) That
Employ Individuals With A Nutrition Degree, and Links To Job Searching Sites.
Follow the links on the left-hand side of the webpage for additional helpful information
and to navigate the website with ease.

2.3
Pre-Health Professions
This section is of particular interest for those with a degree in nutrition with an interest in
pursuing further education. The resource provided within this section of the guide explores a
variety of health professions that may be pursued after obtaining a degree in nutrition.

10

2.3.1
Pre-Health Professions
Website
Location
Title: Pre-Health Professions
URL: http://www.fshn.hs.iastate.edu/undergraduate-programs/nutritional-science/pre-health/
Description
If you would like to get a glimpse of the requirements for medical school, dental school,
pharmacy school, or physicians assistant school, this resource is for you. As nutrition is
considered a pre-health major, you would be able to work towards applying for health profession
schools. Each health profession listed on this website includes a dropdown section that refers to
relevant coursework that you take as a nutrition student that prepares you for work in the medical
field. From here, the website suggests that you refer to the specific requirements for each
university that you would be interested in attending. This is particularly of use for students that
do not wish to become an RD and wish to explore career options that require further education.
Tips

Underneath the Fulfilling requirements heading, there are links to click on that allow
you to view the course requirements for medical school, dental school, pharmacy school,
and physicians assistant school.
The website includes details on how health professional schools view a degree in
Nutritional Sciences and the impact that this choice in majors has for health professional
school selection.
The website includes a section that offers helpful tips for having a backup plan and things
to consider when contemplating career choices.

11

2.4
Government Publications
This section of the guide contains resources containing government publications as well as
resources used by researchers. This section is particularly of interest for those who wish to
pursue a PhD in nutrition and would eventually like to conduct research or work for the
government.

12

2.4.1
United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural
Library Food and Nutrition Information Center
Website
Location
Title: Food and Nutrition Information Center
URL: https://fnic.nal.usda.gov/
Description
The Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) provides access to trustworthy food and
nutrition resources for consumers as well as health professionals, researchers, and educators.
These resources span from government and non-government sources. The website provides
credible resources for students to use throughout their undergraduate studies as well as important
information to recall when working in the field.
Tips

The homepage consists of multiple links to click on that include spotlights from the
website that the FNIC would like to highlight.
You can search the website by using the search bar located in the upper left-hand corner
of the website.
You can browse the website by subject and even view topics from A to Z that can be
found through the FNIC.
On the bottom right-hand corner of the website, the FNIC offers other websites to visit to
continue your search regarding nutrition related topics.

13

2.4.2
PubMed Central
Electronic Index
Location
URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/
Description
PMC archives 3.7 million articles in biomedical and life sciences journal literature that are
offered for free for the public to view. The homepage has a variety of links to access. Of note,
under the Get Started heading, there is an overview of PMC, a guide for users, a list of
journals, and a frequently asked questions section. As a student in nutritional sciences that is
considering the option of pursuing a PhD in nutrition or a related science, this database is
paramount for research efforts. PubMed Central (PMC) allows you to conduct a general search.
However, you may place limits on the search or conduct an advanced search. When searching the
database, possible related searches will appear in the search bar to guide your search.
Tips

Enter the desired topic into the search bar at the top of the website. If you would like to
make any specializations on the search, set limits to the search or conduct an advanced
search.
If setting limits on the search: you can search for a specific author or journal, set dates in
which the article was published, article type, and add search field tags.
After searching, browse through the results and read any striking articles. If you have an
account with PMC, you may create a folder of saved articles that you would like to use
for your research.
PMC also lists similar articles to the current article that you are reading, which is useful if
you are collecting a variety of articles.
Take advantage of the many headings and links on the homepage, as these offer tips for
getting started as well other resources that may be used during your research efforts.
The Training and Tutorials link listed at the bottom of the homepage under the Getting
Started option offers support for users that are perusing the database as well as specific
information related to those in the field that are skilled at using PMC.

14

2.4.3
Catalog of U.S. Government Publications
Government Agency Database
Location
Title: Catalog of U.S. Government Publications
URL: http://catalog.gpo.gov/F
Description
The Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP) is a resource that contains electronic and
print publications from the branches of the U.S. government. These publications range from
historical records to current publications. There have been more than 500,000 records entered
into the database since July 1976 and the CGP is updated daily. For publications issued before
1976, the printed Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications should be
reviewed. As a nutrition student, you will find the vast number of records useful for coursework.
Additionally, for students interested in government jobs, you can analyze the publications to gain
insight into what a research job might look like for nutrition.
Tips

Use the basic, advanced, and expert search options to complete your search and set as
many limits as you would like including a date range, format, language, etc.
Use the search hints when completing a search for additional help
Click on the Help tab in order for more information on how to use the CGP.
Records that are of interest to you can be emailed for further review.

2.4.3.i
Example Search Within the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications
Title: Improving Health Through Nutrition Research: an Overview of the U.S. Nutrition
Research System
URL: www.ers.usda.gov/publications/err-economic-research-report/err182
Description
After completing a search for nutrition, one relevant search item is Improving Health
Through Nutrition Research: an Overview of the U.S. Nutrition Research System. The structure
and function of the U.S. nutrition research system is analyzed in this report. The development of
nutrition research and the implementation of the research through education, communication,
regulation, and food assistance is explored in the publication. Using this article, if you are
considering a job in research and academia, you might find this publication useful in considering
the implications of a career in this pathway.

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