Nutrition Degree Programs
Find out how to become a nutritionist or registered dietitian (RD) through an education at Bastyr
Bastyr University's innovative nutrition degree programs encompass a "whole-food" approach a study of food in its entirety, its individual components and how it affects the human body. The Department of Nutrition and Exercise Science at Bastyr prepares students to meet the nutritional needs and challenges of individuals and equips graduates with the tools to make an impact on societal and global scales.
Our nutrition degree program provides students with a comprehensive education that merges the science of nutrition with a broader view of wellness, community and the environment. Bastyr's experienced faculty guides students through the physiological, biochemical, socioeconomic, political and psychological aspects of human nutrition.
The University's progressive curriculum emphasizes that good nutrition also involves understanding and meeting the greater needs of the planet. This includes using food as affordable medicine and learning how growing and processing food impacts the environment.
Programs of Study
*The Bastyr Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) is a developmental approved curriculum satisfying the American Dietetic Association (ADA) required competencies in the appropriate coursework. It is the first step in pursuing a career as a registered dietitian (RD). Verified graduation from the DPD program provides students with the technical and academic knowledge to compete for a dietetic internship (DI), the second step to becoming a registered dietitian, with the third step being successfully passing the RD Exam.
Advantages of the Nutrition Degree Programs
- A rigorous science-based curriculum prepares graduates for a mainstream profession with a natural health perspective.
- Highly qualified faculty coupled with a strong advising program.
- A modern and fully equipped whole-foods nutrition kitchen where students develop their culinary skills and deepen their understanding of nutritional concepts.
- Availability of Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) and Dietetic Internship (DI).
- Small class sizes coupled with the University's numerous resources, including: financial aid; student housing; gourmet vegetarian cafeteria; health sciences library; laboratories; and research center.
- Bastyr nutrition students help maintain the University's Medicinal Herb Garden and its 350 species of herbs and seasonal crops. The garden serves as a laboratory for organic, sustainable and renewable agriculture.
- The University's 51-acre campus is immediately adjacent to the pristine 316-acre Saint Edward State Park, which features a gymnasium, an indoor heated swimming pool and miles of hiking, running and biking trails.
- Access to related elective classes within the broad Bastyr curriculum, including herbal sciences, naturopathic medicine and health psychology.
- A diverse student body drawn from across the United States and 35 other countries.
Career Opportunities