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Top Nutrition and Dietetics Universities in 2022-2023

Apr 28, 2022
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Best Nutrition and Dietetics Colleges and Universities in the World

About Nutrition and Dietetics

Nutrition and dietetics belong to a branch of medicine that studies diverse foods and their nutritional qualities in order to meet public health and fitness goals. Staying healthy and fit has been the norm in the twenty-first century, with people from all walks of life making healthy lifestyle choices. Therefore, nutritionists and dieticians who are experts in food and diet are in great demand nowadays. Dieticians work with both healthy and sick people. Nutritionists mainly work with healthy patients to maintain their health.  

Although nutrition and dietetics are two distinct professions, they lie under the umbrella of public health due to their striking similarities with respect to the study of food and nutrition. These fields are best suited for those who are interested in health and wellness. This article discusses nutrition and dietetics as career options, especially for international students. It also provides a reference list of top universities that offer different programs in these subjects. 

Duties of Nutritionists and Dieticians 

Since nutrition and dietetics are considered separate fields, the duties of a nutritionist differ from those of a dietician. Nutritionists are somewhat limited in what services they can offer, for instance, nutritionists cannot diagnose or treat eating disorders, but dieticians can. Let us take a look at some of their responsibilities one by one:

Duties of a Nutritionist

  • Create nutrition and fitness programs for clients
  • Track and document progress and encourage patients to stay to it
  • Analyze the nutritional and health requirements of clients
  • Deliver presentations on the importance of food nutrition to promote health and nutrition
  • Create nutrition and food-related educational materials
  • Keep up with the latest food and nutritional science research, or contribute to it
  • Encourage a healthy lifestyle

Duties of a Dietician

  • Provide personalized nutrition counseling to patients to manage diseases like diabetes, lipid disorders, hypertension, and obesity
  • Diagnose and treat malnutrition and eating disorders.
  • Treat patients with a variety of acute and chronic diseases using diet and nutrition therapy
  • Analyze the nutritional and health requirements of critically ill patients
  • Improve athletes’ nutrition for improved performance
  • Keep up with the most recent food-related public health and scientific research and contribute to it
  • Promote a healthy way of life
  • Create nutrition-related educational material to educate patients

Popular degrees for pursuing a career in Nutrition and Dietetics

Although the functions of a nutritionist and dietician differ from each other, their education revolves around food and human nutrition. Many of the classes required for dieticians are often included in nutritionist degree programs, as well as the majority of public health degrees offered by many universities. Hence candidates who wish to enter these fields can opt for the following degrees.

Bachelor’s programs 

Bachelor’s degrees in nutrition and dietetics are referred to as B.S. in the USA and B.Sc. in the UK and Europe. Students can enroll in the following courses for their undergraduate degree in nutrition and dietetics:

  • Nutrition
  • Dietetics
  • Nutritional Science
  • Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Nutrition and Food Studies
  • Public Health

Master’s programs

Similarly, in the USA, master’s degrees are commonly referred to as M.S., but in the UK and Europe, they are referred to as M.Sc., where both terms refer to the master of science degrees. Advanced degrees like master’s are particularly useful for skill development and professional advancement. Some of the popular graduate programs in nutrition and dietetics are:

  • Nutrition
  • Dietetics
  • Nutritional Science
  • Nutrition Education
  • Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Human Clinical Nutrition
  • Global Public Health/Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Public Health Nutrition
  • Clinical Nutrition

Doctoral programs

Students who want to pursue a career in academia or research can pursue terminal degrees such as a Ph.D. For obtaining a Ph.D. degree in nutrition or dietetics, a dissertation, as well as research article publications, are required.

Because nutrition is not as regulated as dietetics, students can pursue certification and online courses offered by top institutes to become a nutritionist.

Specializations in Nutrition and Dietetics

After earning a bachelor’s degree, nutritionists and dieticians can pursue master’s or doctoral degrees in one of the following specializations:

  • Nutrition science
  • Community health service
  • Public health science
  • Pediatric nutrition
  • Health and wellness
  • Naturopathy
  • Holistic medicine
  • Human diet and nutrition
  • Food systems and hunger studies
  • Personalized nutrition
  • Applied nutrition and culinary medicine
  • Lifestyle medicine or nutrition

Duration of programs in Nutrition and Dietetics

The duration of programs in nutrition and dietetics is similar to that of other undergraduate and postgraduate degrees offered in the field of public health. In America, most bachelor’s degrees in nutrition science and dietetics are of four-year duration, and master’s degrees are of two-year duration, whereas in the UK and Europe, a bachelor’s can range from 3 to 4 years and a master’s from 1 to 2 years. 

Country Bachelor’s Degree Master’s Degree Doctoral Degree
USA and Canada 4 years 2 years 4-7 years
UK 3-4 years 1-2 years 4-7 years
Australia 3-4 years 1-2 years 4-7 years
Others 3-4 years 1-2 years 4-7 years

Career opportunities in Nutrition and Dietetics

As more individuals become health-conscious, the nutrition and dietetics profession is flourishing, generating a wealth of employment opportunities for qualified candidates. Both nutritionists and dieticians are capable of working in government, the private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), education, and research. Here are some career options available for them:

Nutritionist  Dietician
Health coach  Clinical dieticians 
Certified nutritionist  Community dieticians
Wellness coach Management dieticians 
Infant nutritional coach R & D dietician
Nutrition therapist Diet technician
Sports nutritionist Food and nutrition industries 
Nutritional specialist Sports dietician

Average salaries for Nutritionists and Dieticians

Nutritionists and dieticians earn a variety of salaries based on the responsibilities they do as well as the type of employment and expertise they have in the industry. The average salary for nutritionists and dieticians in the USA is 63,090 USD/year (Source: US News). 

Nutritionists in the UK earn 32,256 USD/year (Source: Payscale). A dietician in the UK on the other hand earns 31,201-39,801 USD/year (Source: Prospects).

In Australia, the annual average salary for a dietician is 70,254 USD/year (Source: Talent) and the average base salary for a nutritionist is 51,221 USD/year (Source: Indeed). 

Nutritionists earn 52,347 USD/year in Canada, whereas dieticians earn 74,334 USD/year per year (Source: Talent).

*Note: All prices mentioned in the USD are for reference only. Exchange rates may vary from time to time and from country to country.

Top 50 Universities in the world for Nutrition and Dietetics based on subject rankings (US World News/Shanghai/QS):

US World News Ranking Shanghai Ranking QS Ranking  University Country Bachelor’sPrograms Master’s Programs
1 1 1 Harvard University USA  Click Here  Click Here
2 30 3 Stanford University USA  Click Here  Click Here
3 10 2 University of Oxford UK  Click Here Click Here 
4 2 5 Johns Hopkins University USA Click Here  Click Here
5 5 NA University College London UK   Click Here  Click Here
6 17 26 University of Michigan–Ann Arbor USA  Click Here  Click Here
7 4 15 University of Washington USA Click Here  Click Here
8 12 16 Columbia University USA Click Here  Click Here
9 8 32 University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill USA Click Here  Click Here
10 11 13 University of Toronto Canada Click Here  Click Here
11 20 4 University of Cambridge UK Click Here  Click Here
12 17 40 Utrecht University Netherlands Click Here  Click Here
13 25 11 Yale University USA Click Here  Click Here
14 3 44 London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine UK Click Here  Click Here
15 36 29 University of British Columbia Canada Click Here  Click Here
16 27 8 University of California–Los Angeles USA Click Here  Click Here
17 26 20 University of California–Berkeley USA Click Here  Click Here
18 39 16 Duke University USA Click Here  Click Here
19 16 25 University of Melbourne Australia Click Here  Click Here
20 47 14 University of Pennsylvania USA Click Here  Click Here
21 201-300 6 Massachusetts Institute of Technology USA Click Here  Click Here
22 34 22 University of Sydney Australia Click Here  Click Here
23 14 7 University of California–San Francisco USA Click Here  Click Here
24 24 38 University of Queensland Australia Australia Click Here  Click Here
25 76-100 36 University of Amsterdam Netherlands Click Here  Click Here
26 6 12 Imperial College London UK Click Here  Click Here
27 19 49 Erasmus University Rotterdam Netherlands Click Here  Click Here
28 51-75 36 New York University USA Click Here  Click Here
29 201-300 NA London School of Economics and Political Science UK Click Here  Click Here
30 301-400 286 Arizona State University–Tempe USA Click Here  Click Here
31 51-75 16 University of California–San Diego USA Click Here  Click Here
32 28 23 King’s College London UK Click Here  Click Here
33 301-400 374 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong Click Here  Click Here
34 13 19 University of Copenhagen Denmark Click Here  Click Here
35 51-75 87 University of Minnesota–Twin Cities USA Click Here  Click Here
36 101-150 152 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Netherlands Click Here  Click Here
37 301-400 157 Pennsylvania State University–University Park USA Click Here  Click Here
38 51-75 55 University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Click Here  Click Here
39 37 35 Monash University Australia Click Here  Click Here
40 101-150 59 Wageningen University and Research Center Netherlands Click Here  Click Here
41 151-200 62 Peking University China Click Here  Click Here
42 50 110 University of Southern California USA Click Here  Click Here
43 151-200 20 Cornell University USA Click Here  Click Here
44 21 31 McGill University Canada Click Here  Click Here
45 151-200 71 University of Wisconsin–Madison USA Click Here  Click Here
46 401-500 149 University of Texas–Austin USA Click Here  Click Here
47 23 45 Boston University USA Click Here  Click Here
48 151-200 42 University of Manchester UK Click Here  Click Here
49 201-300 133 Michigan State University USA Click Here  Click Here
50 51-75 27 National University of Singapore Singapore Click Here  Click Here

Top Universities in the USA for Nutrition and Dietetics

When it comes to higher education, international students choose to study in the USA. The quality of education, cultural variety, and job prospects are some of the reasons why the USA sees the highest number of international students every year. When it comes to nutrition and dietetics education, the USA continues to lead the pack. In the USA, full-time bachelor’s programs in nutrition science typically run for four years, whereas master’s programs in nutrition science often last two years. Part-time courses have varying lengths. The following is a list of the best nutrition and dietetics universities in the USA as ranked by US World News, Shanghai, and QS rankings.

US World News Ranking Shanghai Ranking QS Ranking University Country Bachelor’sPrograms Master’s Programs
1 1 1 Harvard University USA Click Here Click Here
2 30 3 Stanford University USA Click Here Click Here
4 2 5 Johns Hopkins University USA Click Here Click Here
6 17 26 University of Michigan–Ann Arbor USA Click Here Click Here
7 4 15 University of Washington USA Click Here Click Here

Top Universities in the UK for Nutrition and Dietetics

The UK offers an excellent higher-education system and hundreds of world-class universities in nutrition and dietetics for international students. Therefore, studying in the UK is the next best choice. The UK offers a wide range of options to study bachelor’s courses in nutrition science as well as master’s courses pertaining to nutrition science. Below is a list of top universities in the UK that specialize in nutrition and dietetics courses.  

US World News Ranking Shanghai Ranking QS Ranking University Country Bachelor’sPrograms Master’s Programs
3 10 2 University of Oxford UK Click Here Click Here
5 5 NA University College London UK Click Here Click Here
11 20 4 University of Cambridge UK Click Here Click Here
14 3 44 London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine UK Click Here Click Here

Top Universities in Canada for Nutrition and Dietetics

Studying in Canada is a wonderful choice for international students because of its high quality of life, economic independence, and educational opportunities. It offers handsome salaries to nutritionists (52,347 USD/year) and dieticians (74,334 USD/year per), therefore the scope of these fields is high in Canada. Typically, the demand for undergraduate nutrition science courses in Canada is on the lower side, but the demand is high for postgraduate programs in nutrition science as they pay more. Below is the list of some top universities in Canada for nutrition science as ranked by top-ranking agencies. 

*Note: All prices mentioned in the USD are for reference only. Exchange rates may vary from time to time and from country to country.

US World News Ranking Shanghai Ranking QS Ranking University Country Bachelor’sPrograms Master’s Programs
10 11 13 University of Toronto Canada Click Here Click Here
15 36 29 University of British Columbia Canada Click Here Click Here
44 21 31 McGill University Canada Click Here Click Here

Top Universities in Australia for Nutrition and Dietetics

Many overseas students prefer studying in Australia as it offers higher minimum wages than the rest of the countries. Here is a list of top-ranked Australian universities offering bachelor’s courses in nutrition science as well as master’s courses in nutrition science. 

US World News Ranking Shanghai Ranking QS Ranking University Country Bachelor’sPrograms Master’s Programs
19 16 25 University of Melbourne Australia Click Here Click Here
22 34 22 University of Sydney Australia Click Here Click Here
24 24 38 University of Queensland Australia Australia Click Here Click Here
39 37 35 Monash University Australia Click Here Click Here

Top Universities in the Netherlands for Nutrition and Dietetics

The Netherlands is one of the most popular countries in Europe for international students. In comparison to other European countries, it boasts the largest number of international students and lower tuition fees.  Kindly go through the list of top universities in the Netherlands that offer a variety of bachelor’s programs in nutrition science and master’s level courses in nutrition science.

US World News Ranking Shanghai Ranking QS Ranking University Country Bachelor’s Programs Master’s Programs
12 17 40 Utrecht University Netherlands Click Here Click Here
25 76-100 36 University of Amsterdam Netherlands Click Here Click Here
27 19 49 Erasmus University Rotterdam Netherlands Click Here Click Here
36 101-150 152 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Netherlands Click Here Click Here
40 101-150 59 Wageningen University and Research Center Netherlands Click Here Click Here

Academic requirements for studying Nutrition and Dietetics

Although entry requirements for studying nutrition and dietetics do vary, some general requirements for international students are summarised below:

Bachelor’s level

Undergraduate admissions criteria for a bachelor’s in nutrition and dietetics typically include some combination of the following:

  • A high school diploma with GPA 3.0 or greater (on a scale of 4.0)
  • Academic transcripts
  • Personal statement 
  • Letter of recommendation
  • Valid passport
  • English proficiency test scores such as TOEFL (generally above 90) or IELTS (generally above 6.0)

Master’s level

Similarly, admissions criteria for master’s degrees in nutrition and dietetics typically include a mix of the following:

  • A bachelor’s degree in nutrition, dietetics or relevant field with GPA 3.0 or greater (on a scale of 4.0)
  • Academic transcripts
  • Personal statement 
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Valid passport
  • Work and/or research experiences
  • English proficiency test scores such as TOEFL (generally above 90) or IELTS (generally above 6.0)

Steps to become a Registered Dietician (RD)

Each country has its regulatory agency that makes rules and regulations for becoming a dietician. Any international student who wishes to practice as a registered dietician must comply with the requirements of these regulatory authorities. Another category of registered dieticians is a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). It places a greater emphasis on the nutritional and fitness components of training. This distinction is important because while all dieticians are nutritionists, not all nutritionists are educated to diagnose and treat health problems. 

The following are the steps to becoming a (RD):

  • Obtain a bachelor’s or master’s degree in nutrition science or a similar field from an authorized university. For example, if a student wishes to study in the USA then he or she can go for the courses approved by a USA-based accreditation agency like Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).
  • Complete a dietetic internship under a licensed professional (approximately 1,200 hours) to gain some hands-on experience. Students can do internships either after completing a bachelor’s or a master’s degree.
  • Pass the state dietetic registration exam 
  • Apply for licensure in the state or country where a prospective professional intends to work, and then keep the license active through continuing education and learning.

Steps to become a Certified Nutritionist (CN)

The term “nutritionist” is not legally protected in many countries as that of a dietician and therefore tends to have fewer credentials than that of a dietician. But the titles such as certified/clinical nutritionist are protected. Here are some general guidelines for becoming a CN:

  • Earn a master’s degree or doctoral degree in nutrition or a related field such as public health, biochemistry, health science, dietetics, etc.
  • Have some supervised experience in the field of nutrition (1,000 hours)
  • Pass the certification exam for the Certification of Nutrition Specialists (CNS) (for instance in the USA, the Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists conducts the CNS exam).

In many countries, the term “nutritionist” is not regulated, and anyone with some education and experience in the field of nutrition can call oneself a nutritionist. However, a nutritionist can get a membership or certification by regulating agencies such as

  • Association for Nutrition (AfN)
  • Federation of Nutritional Therapy Practitioners (FNTP)
  • Association of Naturopathic Practitioners (The ANP)
  • Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT)
  • Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
  • Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)
  • Naturopathic Nutrition Association (NNA)
  • British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT)
  • Federation of Nutritional Therapy Practitioners (FNTP)

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FAQ’s

Although nutritionists and dieticians have a lot in common in terms of their functions, they have a major differences. Dieticians must and should be legally registered with a dietetic regulatory body of the country where they practice, whereas the registration of nutritionists is voluntary.

The USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, Denmark, the Netherlands, China, Hong Kong, and Singapore are some popular countries that offer undergraduate and graduate nutrition and dietetics programs. 

Yes, since people are becoming more and more health-conscious, careers such as nutritionist and dietician are growing more popular. These professions have a lot of potential in the coming years.

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