Nutrition - San Diego State University (2024)

OFFICE: Exercise and Nutritional Sciences 351
TELEPHONE: 619-594-5541
WEBSITE: http://ens.sdsu.edu

Didactic Program in Dietetics is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).

Undergraduate Information

The Major

The major in foods and nutrition offers a comprehensive multidisciplinary study of the nature and quality of the food supply and the nutritional requirements for health in people. Students take core sequences of coursework in the areas of food management, food science, and nutrition founded on prerequisite courses in anatomy, behavioral and social sciences, biochemistry, biology, chemistry, management, and physiology. Course emphasis in the major is placed upon the composition, properties, quality, and safety of foods and food ingredients; the relationships of metabolism and utilization of nutrients in food by the human body to health and disease states; influences of exercise and fitness; the physiological basis for diet therapy; nutrition problems in the community; and organization, management and operation of food service facilities.

This major is planned for students interested in qualifying professionally for diverse careers in the fields of dietetics, food service management, and food industries. Successful completion of the didactic program in dietetics allows students eligibility to apply for post-baccalaureate accredited dietetic internship/supervised practice programs and/or take the registration examination for dietetic technicians. Students must be admitted to and complete a dietetic internship/supervised practice program and pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) credentialing examination in order to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). A master’s degree is required to become an RDN.

Professional careers in dietetics include administrative, public service, research, teaching, and therapeutic positions in clinics, hospitals, long-term care, schools, and other public and private organizations and institutions. Graduates may also qualify as food science technical specialists within food companies, governmental agencies, and laboratories; as food service managers; and as specialists in advertising, sales, or marketing of foods and nutritional products and services.

Retention Policy

The College of Health and Human Services expects that all foods and nutrition majors will make reasonable academic progress towards the degree. Foods and nutrition premajors who have earned 60 units, but have less than a 2.9 GPA may be removed from the foods and nutrition premajor. An academic advising consultation is required for students not meeting impaction criteria.

Impacted Program

The foods and nutrition major is an impacted program. To be admitted to the foods and nutrition major, students must meet the following criteria:

1. Complete the following courses (or their equivalents): NUTR 200,NUTR 201, NUTR 203, NUTR 205; BIOL 100, BIOL 100L, BIOL 211, BIOL 211L, BIOL 212; CHEM 100, CHEM 130, CHEM 160; ECON 201(or STAT 250);PSY 101; SOC 101. A grade of C (2.0) or better must be earned in CHEM 100and CHEM 130. These courses cannot be taken for credit/no credit (Cr/NC);
2. Have a cumulative GPA of 2.90 or better.

To complete the major, students must fulfill the degree requirements for the major described in the catalog in effect at the time they are accepted into the premajor at SDSU (assuming continuous enrollment).

Major Academic Plans (MAPs)

Visit http://www.sdsu.edu/mymap for the recommended courses needed to fulfill your major requirements. The MAPs website was created to help students navigate the course requirements for their majors and to identify which General Education course will also fulfill a major preparation course requirement.

Graduate Information

Associateships and Assistantships

Graduate teaching associateships are available for a limited number of qualified students. These provide essential education, technical training, and creative experience necessary for future professional and scholarly activity or college-level teaching. Graduate assistantships are also available in some cases to aid faculty research. Applications and additional information on graduate programs may be obtained from the School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences website at https://ens.sdsu.edu.

General Information

The School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences offers graduate study leading to the Master of Science degree in nutritional sciences and a concurrent graduate program leading to the Master of Science degree in nutritional science and Master of Science degree in exercise physiology.

Enrollment in the didactic program in dietetics (accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics), is limited to students admitted to the Master of Science degree program in nutritional sciences, or the concurrent Master of Science degree in nutritional science and Master of Science degree in exercise physiology. For admission consideration to the didactic program in dietetics, students must have completed all of the following (or equivalent courses) with a GPA of 3.1 or better: BIOL 100, BIOL 100L, BIOL 211, BIOL 211L, BIOL 212, BIOL 336; CHEM 100, CHEM 130, CHEM 160; and a statistics course (e.g. PSY 280).

Admission to Graduate Study

Applicants for admission should complete the steps to apply as described on the SDSU Graduate Admissions website: https://admissions.sdsu.edu/graduate.

All applicants must also submit supplemental materials via Interfolio as detailed on the School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences website: https://ens.sdsu.edu/academic-programs/masters/.

Students who do not fully meet the requirements for admission with classified graduate standing may be considered for conditionally classified graduate standing upon recommendation of the admissions committee and the graduate adviser.

Master of Science Degree in Nutritional Sciences

General Information

For information regarding graduate coursework and research experience leading to a Master of Science degree in nutritional sciences, contact the graduate adviser in the School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences. The general program of study may include coursework in nutrition or food science. Thesis research in nutrition may be conducted using human subjects or experimental animals. Research activity of the faculty currently includes: appetite and eating behavior; athletic performance; body composition; cardiometabolic health among vulnerable populations; diet behaviors; diet quality; dietary factors and risk for chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes; energy balance; food access; food choices; food safety; food security; functional foods; lipid metabolism; neuroimaging; nutritional factors that influence musculoskeletal aging and interventions to improve physiological changes with aging, including cardiovascular dysfunction, impairments in cognitive function, and reductions in motor performance; obesity; odor perception; and weight regulation. Laboratories, including animal facilities and equipment, at SDSU support research conducted under the direct supervision of the nutritional sciences graduate faculty. In addition, students may conduct research at other facilities in the community in conjunction with collaborative studies pursued by nutritional sciences faculty and researchers at other institutions in San Diego.

Graduates with the M.S. degree in nutritional sciences are employed as administrators or service providers of community nutrition programs, food service supervisors, and community college educators, as well as in administrative, research, or quality control positions within industry and government.

Faculty

Director: Mahar, Matthew T., Professor of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences, Director (B.S., State University of New York, Cortland; M.Ed., Ed.D., University of Houston)

Graduate Adviser/Lecturer: Petrisko, Mayumi J., M.S., R.D., Exercise and Nutritional Sciences (M.S., San Diego State University)

Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty:

Hong, Mee Young, Professor of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences (B.S., M.S., Ewha Womans University, South Korea; Ph.D., Texas A&M University)

Hooshmand, Shirin, Professor of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences (B.S., Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Iran; M.S., Oklahoma State University; Ph.D., Florida State University)

Kern, Mark J., Professor of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences (B.S., M.S., Indiana University; Ph.D., Purdue University)

Liu, Changqi, Associate Professor of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences (B.E., Sichuan Agricultural University, China; M.S., University of Kentucky; Ph.D., Florida State University)

Bhutani, Surabhi, Assistant Professor of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences (B.Sc., M.Sc., University of Delhi; Ph.D., University of Illinois)

McClain, Amanda C., Assistant Professor of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences (B.S., University of Evansville; M.S., University of Memphis; Ph.D., Cornell University)

Zhao, Jing, Assistant Professor of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences (B.S., China Agricultural University; Ph.D., University of Kentucky)

Lecturers:

Lane, Kelly J., M.S., Exercise and Nutritional Sciences

Petrisko, Mayumi J., M.S., Nutrition

Weaver, Connie M., Distinguished Research Professor (B.S., M.S., Oregon State University; Ph.D., Florida State University)

Emeritus Faculty:

Beshgetoor, Donna L., Ph.D., 1996-2013, Associate Professor of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences

Cooke, Gwen C., Ph.D., 1978-1992, Professor of Family Studies and Consumer Sciences

Josephson, Ronald V., Ph.D., 1975-2001, Professor of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences

Robasciotti, Carole A., M.S., 1980-2004, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts; Lecturer in Exercise and Nutritional Sciences

Programs

• Foods and Nutrition, B.S. in Applied Arts and Sciences
• Nutritional Sciences, M.S.
• Nutritional Sciences, M.S. and Exercise Physiology, M.S.