2023-24 Academic Catalog

Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion

This is an archived copy of the 2023-24 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.msstate.edu.

Interim Department Head: Professor Ashli Brown
Office: 107 Herzer Building

The Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion major offers the opportunity to gain a broad education in food science, nutrition, and health, as well as the specific academic background to pursue careers as food scientists and dietitians/nutritionists. It involves the integration of new knowledge and advances in technology and the physical and biological sciences with psychological, sociological, and behavioral sciences in the provision of a safe, nutritious food supply. Research, teaching, and outreach extend the continuum from the processing of food to its marketing, consumption, and impact on public health and community.

Food scientists integrate knowledge from engineering, biological, and physical sciences to study the nature of foods, the causes of deterioration, the principles underlying food processing, and the improvement of foods for the consuming public. Food technology is the application of food science to the selection, preservation, processing, packaging, distribution, and use of safe, nutritious, and wholesome foods (http://www.ift.org/knowledge-enter/learnabout-food-science.aspx, 2013).

The Department offers a degree in Culinology®. This is a dual degree program in which students take courses at Mississippi State University and the Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, MS. The Culinology® curriculum includes courses that combine the disciplines of food science and culinary arts. Culinologists work in diverse areas within the food industries - from experimental chefs to food manufacturing and product development.

The Pre-Health Professions concentration is designed to develop students who have a thorough understanding of the principles of food science and have also fulfilled the prerequisites for medical school or other health-related professional or graduate school programs (examples include but are not limited to: medicine, nursing, physician's assistant, physical therapy, pharmacy, occupational therapy, public health, optometry, podiatry, and others). 

Dietitians are food and nutrition experts studying the relationship of nutrition and diet in promoting health and treating disease. Studies include nutritional science, medical nutrition therapy, community nutrition, food service, food production and management of food service operations, chemistry, physiology, plus a variety of supporting coursework in related disciplines. The Food and Nutrition concentration is an accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) through the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, providing the required course work needed to apply for a supervised practice program required for Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) eligibility. (The terms Registered Dietitian (RD) and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) are used interchangeably.)

Students in Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion have many exciting and diverse career opportunities. Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion careers include Research Scientist (Industrial, Government, Academic); Food Engineer; Food Microbiologist; Research and Development; Product Development Technologist; Research Chef; Food Manufacturing Operations Manager; Quality Control Technician; Regulatory Affairs; Food Packaging Specialist; Processing Engineer; Technical Sales in the Food Industry; Technical Services; Public Health/Community Nutritionist; Clinical Nutrition Educator; Nutrition Educator; Registered Dietitian (Pediatric, Cardiovascular, Renal, Private Practice, Sports/Wellness, Weight Management, Business and Industry, and Journalism and Communications); Healthcare/School Food Service Director; Pharmaceutical Sales Representative; and Public Relations and Marketing Specialists.

A major in Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion is also an excellent choice for students interested in pursuing pre-professional career paths like Veterinary School, Medical School, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Nursing School, and Dental School.

The following concentrations are offered in the Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion:

  • Food Processing/Business
  • Food Science
  • Food Safety (pre-vet)
  • Food and Nutrition
  • Pre-Health Professions

Food and Nutrition Concentration

The Food and Nutrition concentration prepares students for a wide variety of careers. For students interested in becoming a Registered Dietitian, the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) at Mississippi State University is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL, 60606-6995; telephone 800-877-1600 or 312-899-0040, http://www.eatright.org/ACEND. Upon completion of the DPD program, graduates may pursue participation in a supervised practice program/dietetic internship.

Didactic Program in Dietetics:

  1. To enter the Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPD) Food and Nutrition concentration, students must have a 3.0 GPA and have completed the following courses with a grade of "C" or better: CH 1213 Chemistry ICH 1211 Investigations in Chemistry I, CH 1223 Chemistry II, CH 1221 Investigations in Chemistry II, CH 2503 Elementary Organic Chemistry, CH 2501 Elementary Organic Chemistry Laboratory, BIO 1134 Biology I, FNH 2293 Individual and Family Nutrition, ST 2113 Introduction to Statistics.
  2. A grade of "C" or better is required in all DPD courses. A course with a final grade lower than a "C" must be repeated.
  3. Students who wish to receive a Letter of Intent and/or verification statement from the MSU Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) must have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA and a minimum grade of "C" or better in all of the required DPD courses.
  4. Six (6) hours are available for electives, and students are encouraged to consider an academic minor.
  5. Transfer credits with a grade of "C" or better will be considered toward fulfilling degree requirements. After completion of the DPD undergraduate degree, successful completion of the supervised practice program/dietetic internship, followed by passing the Registration Exam, a student fulfills the requirements to become a Registered Dietitian. Beginning in January 2024, a minimum of a Master's degree will be an eligibility requirement to take the Registration Exam.