Everyone eats! It is the goal of Cal Poly's Food Science and Nutrition Department to educate students in every aspect of food and nutrition - from the development of new foods to the study of how foods impact health, wellness, and disease prevention - in order to meet the increasing demand for food and nutrition professionals worldwide.
Our undergraduate programming encompasses all aspects of food processing, food packaging, and food product development, as well as the nutritional implications related to human health, metabolism, and wellness. Both the Food Science and Nutrition curricula span the broad scope of sciences relevant to producing food and understanding how nutritional components interact with people over the human life-span.
As a department within the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, our focus is on providing the public with well-prepared and highly competent food science and nutrition professionals. The university's "learn by doing" philosophy sets our students apart; our students are directly involved in the community, participating in unique "hands-on" learning opportunities which translate to industry-readiness. All undergraduates, regardless of discipline, complete a senior project as a final demonstration of critical thinking and food and nutrition knowledge. This active learning environment has earned Cal Poly tremendous respect in the business world.
Nutrition
The Nutrition major is comprised of four concentrations: Applied Nutrition, Nutrition Science, Culinary Science and Management in Nutrition, and Nutrition and Food Industries.
Food Science
The Food Science major is comprised of two concentrations: Basic Food Science (approved by the Institute of Food Technologists), and the Applied Food Technology Concentration.
Wine and Viticulture
In the spring of 2004 Cal Poly announced the addition of a new bachelor's degree in Wine and Viticulture, the first interdisciplinary program in the College of Agriculture. The Food Science and Nutrition Department will sponsor the enology concentration, which will prepare students to enter the vital California coastal wine industry as winemakers.
Advising
Food Science and Nutrition undergraduates receive immediate faculty support through individual faculty/student advising. Additional support is provided to nutrition students through the Nutrition Peer Advising Center (located in Bldg. 11, Room 104A).
Minors
The Food Science and Nutrition Department offers minor programs to students in other disciplines who wish to complement their study program in the area of Food Science or Nutrition.