Bean Town Times

Newberry College has announced nutrition as its newest undergraduate major, set to launch this fall.

 

The program will specialize in functional nutrition, applying to health care, recoveries, weight management and fitness. Graduates of this program will be equipped to provide nutritional guidance in and out of clinical settings, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, athletic programs and schools.

 

“Nutrition is the foundation for good health, and different conditions require different diets, so nutritionists play a vital role in health care,” said Dr. Jerry Alewine, interim dean of nursing & health sciences.

 

The program will include core curriculum on campus, followed with online nutrition courses in the late junior and senior years to allow students to gain experience in the field. Alewine said that the nutrition major pairs well with minors in biology, chemistry or health care management.

Alewine also said graduates of the program will be able to transition smoothly into graduate programs to become registered dieticians, if they so desire. However, a bachelor’s degree will allow graduates to embark immediately on successful careers as functional nutritionists.

 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the field of nutritionists and dieticians to grow by 7% by 2031, with about 5,600 openings each year. The field’s median salary was $61,650 in 2021, according to the bureau.

 

“Newberry College gives students a competitive advantage after graduation, helping them develop highly valued skills to thrive in this rapidly growing, economically strong field,” said Dr. Sid Parrish, vice president for academic affairs.

 

Nutrition joins other growing health and wellness-related programs at Newberry College, including exercise science and human performance, health care management, health science, neuroscience, nursing, respiratory therapy, and the RN-to-BSN degree completion program.

 

The Darby Nursing & Health Science Center, the new home of nutrition and other health programs, is expected to open this summer at the corner of College and Evans streets. The facility will also include a daytime health clinic operated by Newberry County Memorial Hospital.

Original source can be found here.