Prospective Students

Join us today!

The Department of Nutrition and Food Science (NSFC) is a great choice for students who are interested in food, science and like to help people. Our department's unique strength in Food Science, Nutritional Science, and Dietetics Program prepare students with comprehensive knowledge in their major, strong communication skills, paired with research experience and critical thinking skills. This opens graduates up to a wide variety of positions in the dynamic, global food, pharmaceutical, and biotech industry; public health and community  nutrition sectors; health care and biomedical research; as well as academia and government. Many of our dietetic internship graduates enter graduate school within five years with an employer paying some or all of the associated cost.

Which major will you choose? 

NFSC offers two undergraduate majors for students who would like to pursue challenging careers in the growing field of food and nutrition.  The Nutrition and Food Science major offers three options for students interested in nutritional science, food science, and dietetics. There are approximately 200 undergraduate students majoring in Nutrition and Food Science. The new Fermentation Science major debuting this fall aims to increase knowledge around this ancient way to prepare and preserve food, while giving students the knowledge to turn it to newer uses like climate-friendly biofuels and pharmaceutical development. 

Nutritional Science

The Nutritional Science concentration (formerly known as Human Nutrition and Foods) focuses on the physiological and biological aspects of foods and nutrients. Opportunities for nutritional scientists include research positions in laboratories, hospitals, and industry. This option prepares students for graduate study. The program also meets premedical and pre-dental requirements.

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Food Science

The Food Science concentration prepares students to apply the principles of science and engineering to better understand the complex and heterogeneous materials recognized as food. There is a great demand in the global food industry and government for highly knowledgeable and competent food scientists. Opportunities for food scientists include food safety, food quality control, food product development, production management, technical sales and service, ingredient management, research, and teaching.

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Fermentation Science

Fermentation Science is a collaboration between the Department of Nutrition and Food Science and the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture. This major will prepare students for workforce demand of the broadly defined fermentation industries that include beverages (beer, wine, distilled spirits and kombucha), vegetable foods (kimchi, tempeh and miso), dairy foods (cheese and yogurt) and biotechnology industries (biofuels and pharmaceuticals). In addition to general education courses, students will take core required courses on fermentation science and participate in industrial internships for practical experiences and experiential learning with fermentation industries and possible placement in those companies.

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Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD)

The program has a rigorous science-based curriculum and also meets premedical and pre-dental requirements. View the Dietetics Program flyer to see program features, core courses, and routes to meet eligibility for Registration Exam for Dietitians after 1/1/2024.The dynamic field of Dietetics is ever growing and Registered Dietitians (RD) continue to find new and different ways to communicate nutrition information to the public. Dietitians work in many areas including hospitals, private practice, pharmaceutical companies, schools and universities, sports nutrition, federal and state organizations, research, and others.

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Ready to Apply?

Admissions to the University of Maryland go through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Admission application forms and deadlines may be obtained at the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website. You may also want to visit the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources to find out more information about our college. The Undergraduate Catalog contains information on admission, as well as withdrawal and refund of tuition and fees, academic calendars, protection of privacy of information, access to personal files, access to student support services, grievance procedures and disciplinary/termination procedures.

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Contact or visit us today

If you are interested in pursuing Nutritional Science or Food Science, please contact Sara Kao. Those interested in pursuing Dietetics should contact Dr. Margaret Udahogora.

Don’t forget to schedule a campus tour! Also, check out the AGNR Prospective Students page for useful resources including information on financial aid and scholarships. 

We look forward to hearing from you!