Wondering whether a degree in nutrition and food science might be right for you? Contact our office to ask questions or set up a conversation with one of our advisors.
Phone: 530-898-6805
Email: nfsc@csuchico.edu
Food is an essential part of life. Every day, we eat to stay energized, healthy, and happy. But what makes some food better for us than others? And how is food sourced, prepared, and served to people in schools and hospitals every day? Why do some communities have more access to good food and others less?
Our food and nutrition program digs into food’s role in sustaining humanity. Learn from dedicated faculty with extensive experience as nutritionists, dietitians, food supervisors, and more, and find your way to a successful career in an industry that will always be essential.
Nourishing Communities
You’ll enjoy a mix of lab work, theory, and practical training. From the basics of safety and sanitation to specialized areas of food science like sports nutrition and public health communication, you’ll graduate with the knowledge and training to start your career right away.
Major Options
Food and Nutrition Communication
Develop skills for working in communications, such as public health and promotion, outreach and education, community nutrition, and sports nutrition. This option also leads to healthcare careers, including nursing and physician assistants.
Food and Nutrition Management
Dive into the science behind food plans for diverse settings ranging from K-12 schools to community resource centers and restaurants. Become a certified dietary manager, school nutrition specialist, child nutrition director or food service director in a healthcare setting.
General Dietetics
This is the path you need to take if you want to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). It will prepare you for a dietetic internship and the Commission on Dietetic Registration exam.
Science is Not a Spectator Sport
Our faculty, alumni, and students are using their skills and knowledge to solve complex problems and promote healthier, happier communities.
Advocating for Food Access
Seth Selorm Klobodu is well-suited for his role as the data manager for the Center for Healthy Communities CalFresh Outreach Program (CFO), which supports students relying on CalFresh for food assistance at dozens of college campuses.
A Call to Climate Action
Food science professor Maria Giovanni realized she needed to do more to help her students understand climate change—her students now study how Chico State’s Associated Students Dining has reduced food waste in its kitchen, and how Enloe Health uses a food rescue program at its hospital to find uses for surplus.
End Hunger for Generations
Alum Lucas Alamprese (Nutrition and Food Science, ’08) believes we can all do our part to address hunger and malnutrition—whether advocacy and fundraising, developing new technologies, or working directly with nutrition programs.
A Call to Service
Whether you’re working in our food lab, conducting food science and food preparation classes, or working in the University’s range of dining halls, you can put your skills and knowledge to practice in a range of meaningful ways on campus.
Center for Healthy Communities
Bring your unique perspectives, lived experiences, and creativity to an externship at the Center for Healthy Communities—an award-winning program that brings research-based nutrition, physical activity, and policy changes to support community health.
Get Involved with FitU
Practice the skills needed to compete in the food and nutrition field by interning at FitU, a program on campus that teaches you how to love food and your body. There, you’ll help others develop positive associations with food, nutrition, and body image.
Nutrition and Food Science Association
Become an advocate for the nutrition profession by joining the Nutrition and Food Science Association (NFSA), one of the more than 220 student-led clubs and organizations on campus. NFSA offers workshops, events, guest speakers, and social gatherings to help you and your peers.
Related Programs
Nutrition and Food Science Department
Wondering whether a degree in nutrition and food science might be right for you? Contact our office to ask questions or set up a conversation with one of our advisors.
Phone: 530-898-6805
Email: nfsc@csuchico.edu