Nutritional Sciences Minor
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) Minor in Nutritional Sciences is designed to provide students with foundational knowledge in nutrient requirements and how the food we ingest relates to function, health, and well-being; complex influences that shape food choice and eating behavior; and the connections between physical activity and exercise, food and eating, and health and well-being.
The flexibility within the minor provides students the opportunity to “choose their own adventure” and deepen their understanding in this exciting field. Students can customize their minor by selecting courses that explore topics such as the science behind food preparation, nutrition through the lifecycle, nutrition and disease prevention, how to facilitate behavior change, food insecurity and hunger, and many more!
Program Type
Program Format
The 21-credit Nutritional Sciences minor includes 9-credits of required coursework and 12 credits of NUTR coursework (including 6 credits at the 300-level or above) that can be customized to align with students’ personal interests and goals.
Upon completing the Minor in Nutritional Sciences, all students will be able to…
- describe the relationship between food and nutrients in human health and well-being;
- discuss the function, physiology, dietary sources, and symptoms and consequences of deficiency and toxicity for macro- and micronutrients;
- discuss how multiple levels of influence (i.e., intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional, community, political, and cultural) shape food choice and eating behavior;
- describe the role activity, physical fitness, and nutrition play in health maintenance and disease risk reduction.
What can you do with a Minor in Nutritional Sciences?
The Minor in Nutritional Sciences is a great fit for anyone working in or studying a field that has a relationship with food. It will enhance the credentials of anyone aspiring to work in:
- The food services or processing industry
- Nutrition and health
- Social work
- Nursing
- Medical fields (general)
- Education
- Any career where food is made, distributed and appreciated
This curriculum is for students beginning the minor on or after September 1, 2022. Please contact your advisor if you started prior to fall 2022 for that curriculum. Existing students may opt-in to the new curriculum; students should contact their advisor for further guidance.
The Nutritional Sciences minor requires a minimum of 21 credits, including at least 6 credits of upper-level NUTR courses (300-level or above). Students must attain a GPA of 2.0 (no grade lower than C) in all courses being applied toward the minor, including any transfer work. A minimum of 12 credits must be taken in residence at UWM.
Core Courses (15 credits)
| Required Courses (Nine credits) | Offered* | Credits |
| BMS 232: Introduction to Nutrition OR NUTR 235: Introduction to Nutrition for the Health Professions (only one of these two courses may count towards the minor) | F/S/Su | 3 |
| NUTR/KIN 230 Health Aspects of Exercise and Nutrition | F/S/Su | 3 |
| NUTR 241 Why We Eat What We Eat: An Ecological Approach | F/Su | 3 |
| Choose Your Own Adventure (12 credits) | ||
| Select from the array of NUTR courses offered (6 credits must be at the 300-level or above) | Varies | 12 |
Graduation
To be awarded the Minor in Nutritional Sciences you must:
- Maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA;
- Complete the 21 credits of coursework with no grade lower than a “C”;
- Satisfy the published prerequisites for all selected courses.
Students may declare their intent to pursue the Nutritional Sciences Minor on the program’s website. Students concurrently enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program who successfully complete the requirements for the minor will be awarded the Minor in Nutritional Sciences at the time of graduation.
To be awarded the Minor in Nutritional Sciences you must:
- Complete the 21 credits of coursework with no grade lower than a “C” in all courses being applied toward the minor (including any transfer work); and
- complete a minimum of 12-credits counting towards the minor in residence at UWM.