Nutrition Career Paths
The UB Human Nutrition Institute graduate will:
- Promote and support awareness of the benefits of optimal nutrition to health and overall well-being
- Integrate biochemical and physiological science knowledge with nutritional evidence-based interventions and competent decision-making to to generate nutrition and lifestyle recommendations that will promote the optimal health of each individual
- Exhibit professional behavior that is ethical, collaborative, and culturally sensitive
- Demonstrate the ability to successfully complete the UB comprehensive nutrition exam
Nutrition certification and licensing
Interested in getting certified or licensed in nutrition? The two are separate processes. Find out more about licensing and certification.
Career paths and opportunities
The clinical nutritionist has become an increasingly popular healthcare option for many, whether you seek healthy weight management or a complement to medical treatment of chronic or serious disease. It differs from the role of Registered Dietician (RD), who traditionally works in institutional environments, such as hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and school systems under the direction of, or in coordination with medical physicians.
In addition to the careers in nutrition described below, as a graduate of a master’s program in Nutrition, you may also choose to go on to attain a PhD or DHSc.
Clinician
- Most Clinical Nutritionists (CN) maintain private nutritional counseling services or work as part of a team in an integrated medical clinic providing dietary counseling, targeted nutritional supplementation and wellness program development to enhance health and help individuals with specific health conditions.
- The CN often works in conjunction with other clinicians also dedicated to wellness care and functional medicine, such as nutritionally minded medical, chiropractic, and naturopathic physicians.
- Clinical Nutritionists who are already primary healthcare clinicians, such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc., simply incorporate what they have learned into their existing practices and offer more expanded nutritional and wellness services to their patients.
Education / academia
- Teach with the MS degree at the community college level
- Teach at the university level, after attaining a Ph.D.
Non-profit and service work
- Community health educator and advocate
- Domestic and overseas nutrition organization volunteer/worker/clinician
Industry consultant
The CN also has opportunities to work with nutritional supplement, nutraceutical, and clinical laboratory companies, in many roles including:
- Nutritional and nutraceutical sales representatives
- Product formulation and design
- Technical writing
- Educational program developer
- Clinical support for health care providers
Publishing
- Media expert in nutrition and wellness
- Writing and publication of books, magazine articles and web blogs on nutrition and wellness
Nutritional research
- Conduct clinical or natural product research
- Write grant proposals
- Develop research methodologies
- Write articles and scientific papers for professional publications
CNS® exam pass rates
| Date | All candidate pass rate | Pass rate of UB graduates (first-time test takers) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2020 | 74% | 93% |
| December 2020 | 72% | 100% |
| June 2021 | 72% | 97% |
| December 2021 | 70% | 91% |
| June 2022 | 75% | 100% |
| December 2022 | 72% | 90% |
| June 2023 | 69% | 94% |
| December 2023 | 73% | 100% |
| June 2024 | 70% | 100% |
Data from Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists (BCNS)
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