Nutritional Sciences (NUTR): Nutritional Physiology & Biochemistry Option (2025)

Nutritional Sciences (NUTR) – Nutritional Physiology & Biochemistry Option NSO Enrollment Guide

Advising

Center for Student Advising and Engagement
5 Henderson Building
University Park, PA

Find your adviser and schedule an appointment through Starfish: http://starfish.psu.edu Links to an external site.

Important Websites

Entrance to Major Requirements

  • 29.1 or more earned credits
  • 2.0 cumulative GPA

Nutritional Physiology and Biochemistry Option – For students interested in applying to medical, dental, physician assistant, and other health professional schools, or pursuing jobs in industry, academia, or government, or applying to graduate programs in Nutritional Sciences or related disciplines.

Course Recommendations

  • Summer: Choose 2 courses (6–7 credits overall) *
    • *LEAP Students: Be sure not to choose courses for the fall that you are taking this summer.
  • Fall: Choose 5–6 courses (15–17 credits overall)

Major

  • NUTR 251: Introductory Nutrition (GHW)
    • NOTE: They can take NUTR 251 in first or 2nd semester if it fits in their schedule.

Writing/Speaking (GWS) (select 2)

  • ENGL 15, ENGL 15A, ENGL 30 or ESL 15: Rhetoric and Composition
  • CAS 100A, B, or C: Effective Speech

First-Year Seminar

  • NUTR 123S (1 credit) —AND— PSU 14 First-Year Seminar (1 credit)
    • In place of NUTR 123S, students can take any of the thematic courses offered by the HHD departments including: BBH 123S (1), CSD 297(1), HPA 123S (1), HM 297(1), HDFS 101S (3), KINES 123S (1), NUTR 123S (1) or RPTM 120S (3).
  • BBH 102S (varsity athletes only, to be registered later, 3 credits, fulfills FYS requirement)
  • LEAP and Aurora enrollment are approved subs for FYS. Students enrolled in those programs do not have to schedule a First-Year Seminar and thematic course

Quantification (GQ) (select 1, check ALEKS score first)

  • If ALEKS score is 76 or higher, consider taking MATH 140: Calculus first semester.
  • If ALEKS score is below 76, take appropriate MATH based on ALEKS score to prepare for MATH 140
  • (consider for special circumstances) STAT 200: Elementary Statistics or STAT 250: Biostatistics

Natural Science (GN) (take both CHEM and BIOL, check ALEKS score)

  • CHEM 110 (and possibly 108): Chemical Principles I (if ALEKS is below 61, take appropriate MATH to prepare for CHEM 110)
  • BIOL 110: Biology: Basic Concepts and Biodiversity or BIOL 161 and 162: Human Anatomy & Physiology I – Lecture and Lab

Social/Behavioral Science (GS) (select 1)

  • PSYCH 100 as prerequisite course if considering med/PA school

Humanities (GH) (select 1)

  • Any GH of interest – Should consider Ethics course

Integrative Studies (also known as Interdomain courses) (select 1)

  • NUTR 175N is required for this option (as a major requirement) does NOT meet the Interdomain course requirement
  • Students could consider NUTR 175N as a major requirement plus an Interdomain of their choice to fulfill Integrative Studies for this option
  • NUTR 291N

Supporting Courses (select 1)

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