Individuals who are interested in entering the field of nutrition can pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree in nutrition or nutrition science online. Online associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs also are available in related areas such as food science, clinical nutrition, human nutrition, fitness nutrition or dietary management. To get into an online associate or bachelor's degree program in nutrition, students must have a high school diploma or GED. In addition to completing class requirements, students sometimes also must complete supervised clinical rotations near them as part of these online nutrition degree programs. Hundreds of nutrition degree programs are approved by the American Dietetic Association's Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education. These programs also prepare students for licensure, statutory certification or registration in various states.
Some colleges offer online degrees in dietetics or holistic nutrition as well. Dietetics programs teach students about healing and preventing certain health conditions by recommending specific foods and other nutritional systems. Graduates of online bachelor's degree programs in dietetics can sit for the voluntary Credentialing Examination for Registered Dietitians available through the Commission on Dietetic Registration. Online holistic nutrition programs emphasize human physiology and the effects of nutrition on health, particularly as a way of healing or preventing ailments. These programs usually fall under the umbrella of alternative or complementary medicine.
An online degree program in nutrition mirrors a nutrition program offered at a brick-and-mortar school. The chief difference is online students are able to work at their own pace. They simply need a computer with a high-speed Internet connection. A student should check with his institution about technology requirements before enrolling in an online nutrition degree program.
Online degree programs in nutrition cover topics such as physiology, anatomy, chemistry, biology, psychology, food systems and nutrition therapy. Students also might study food service systems management and assessment/intervention. In addition, students might learn about individual nutrition plan creation/maintenance, food preparation and even vegetarian diets. Other possible classes include nutrition for special populations and food safety/microbiology, according to Kaplan University, which offers a nutrition science bachelor's degree program online.
Individuals who complete an online degree program in nutrition can find work as private nutritionists or even teachers. They also can become registered dietitians who work in schools, hospitals, prisons, and health and fitness clubs, according to Distance-learning-college-guide.com. Graduate degree-holders also can find employment as food science researchers or work for a pharmaceutical company. Employment of dietitians and nutritionists is expected to grow 9 percent through 2018. Median annual wages of these professionals in May 2008 were $50,590, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.