The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates job opportunities to be 9 percent higher by 2016. With statistics like this and ongoing interest in healthier meal planning and human nutrition, more students are seeking a degree. New York state offers graduate and undergraduate programs appealing to those interested in basic nutrition or those looking to delve further as RNs, MDs and clinical nutritionists.
Known for it's amazing institutes of higher learning, thirteen of New York's acclaimed schools offer degrees in nutrition. Not surprisingly, NYU was ranked the 6th most popular college for a degree in nutrition on campusexplorer.com.
Each of these schools set themselves apart by offering different internships, double majors or minors in health science and separate tracks for those also interested in work as a dietician. Depending on your area of interest and expertise, different colleges throughout the state may appeal to you more than others. Some offer different internships, areas of study, and some, like Cornell, offer graduate degrees as well.
Hunter College, located in New York's Upper West Side, has a very selective Nutrition and Food Science program that offers a BS degree, an accredited Dietician internship, and a public health degree. A branch of the CUNY, Hunter is in a collegiate family with Brooklyn College and Lehman College, both of which offer degrees in nutrition as well.
New York University also offers a degree in nutrition, but with the added perk of three paths of study. At NYU, a degree in Food and Science leads to a Bachelor in Science in either Nutrition and Dietetics, Food and Restaurant Management or Food Studies. The school also offer a dietician internship to prepare students for a career in dietary planning.
If life outside of the city is more your speed, colleges and universities from Rochester to Syracuse also offer nutrition degrees. In fact, three universities, all under the state system of SUNY, have on-campus nutrition programs: SUNY College at Buffalo, Oneonta and Plattsburgh. These campuses offer internships with the American Dietetic Association for those majoring in nutrition.
Outside of the SUNY family, but still inside the confines of suburbia and non-city living, are D'Youville College in Buffalo, Marymount College of Fordham University and Syracuse University.
Columbia University is well-renowned for its academics and, while it does not offer an undergraduate degree in nutrition, the Teachers College at Columbia University offers a Master of Science in Nutrition and Education, Nutrition and Public Health and Applied Physiology in Nutrition. Additionally, a Master's of Education is offered in Community Nutrition Education. Teacher's College also offers Doctorates in nutrition.
Syracuse University also offers students the chance to earn their Master of Science in nutrition. Other schools include New York Institute of Technology-Old Westbury and NYU Steinhardt.
A degree in nutrition is increasingly sought after but not easy to attain. Students seeking these degrees need strong backgrounds in math and science as well as a real interest in bettering the lives of others.
It is a rewarding degree, both personally and monetarily, and careers are expected to flourish. As with most college education and most things in New York, the cost is expensive, but a degree from a great school and a job you love outweigh the cost.