10 Top Double Majors With a Nutrition Degree

Are you interested in improving health through good dietary choices? Helping people reach their full fitness potential? Making sure food is safe for consumption? Regardless of your career goals, you can find professional success by pursuing a double major with nutrition.

Double majoring allows you to tailor your education to your unique career interests, and it can help you develop a wider range of skills that can prove beneficial in your job search. If you plan to major in nutrition, choosing a relevant double major can give you a broader knowledge base to help you in whatever career path you choose.

Nutrition Double Majors

Let's look at 10 popular majors that go together well with nutrition degrees.

Health Science

Health science is a broad foundational degree that can lead to a variety of allied healthcare careers. When paired with a nutrition major, students gain additional skills and knowledge that can help them provide better patient care regardless of the specific health profession they choose.

Exercise Science

Exercise science is an excellent major for those hoping to pursue fitness and athletic careers. It goes hand in hand with nutrition, as proper food and dietary choices can improve performance. Double majoring in these two fields is a popular choice that will help you provide more holistic guidance to your clients or patients.

Sports Medicine

Sports medicine is another common athletic degree. It is specifically geared toward treating and preventing athletic injuries and providing rehabilitative services. Again, this major pairs well with nutrition majors because proper dietary choices can lead to quicker recovery and better overall health.

Kinesiology

Kinesiology is the study of movement, and those who major in kinesiology have a range of career opportunities. They commonly work in sports medicine, rehabilitative therapy, physical education, and related fields. Double majoring in kinesiology and nutrition provides a more well-rounded education that can help you provide more beneficial services to your patients and clients.

Athletic Training

Athletic training is a specialized branch of sports medicine that typically involves providing immediate care following athletic injuries. It is a good double major with nutrition because good diet choices can help guard against injuries and provide speedier recovery times.

Food Science

Food science is a generalized major that covers food preparation and safety. It takes a scientific approach to the food system that can be applied in a variety of professional settings. Food science pairs well with nutrition since both majors involve food; students who double major in these areas can use their knowledge of both food safety and good nutritional choices to provide enhanced levels of service and education.

Dietetics

Dietetics is a specialized major that is often available at the master's degree level. When offered as a bachelor's degree, it is commonly paired with nutrition, as the two majors are closely related. If offered as separate programs, double majoring in nutrition and dietetics can enhance your knowledge of how food impacts human health, helping you provide better guidance in whatever professional setting you choose.

Psychology

Psychology provides a deeper understanding of the human mind and reasons behind specific actions. Double majoring in psychology and nutrition can help students learn how mental health impacts physical health, in turn helping them provide more holistic guidance in both areas.

Business Administration

Nutrition majors can benefit from taking business courses, especially if they plan to establish their own private practice. Double majoring in nutrition and business administration provides a more in-depth instruction in business tactics, giving students a better chance of success when they set out to build their nutrition business.

Communications

Communications is a broad liberal arts degree with many professional applications. Those with nutrition degrees spend a lot of their time interacting with patients, clients, and other professionals, so having good communication skills is essential. Double majoring in nutrition and communications can give you the skills you need for success.

What Is a Double Major?

A double major is a single degree comprising two separate (but sometimes related) areas of study. Students who complete a double major have completed all requirements for two separate degree programs.

All bachelor's degrees consist of general education requirements, core courses, and electives. Students who double major commonly complete the same amount of general education courses as those pursuing a single major; however, they take two separate sets of core courses, one for each major. Any remaining credit hour requirements are attained in the form of electives.

Depending on the specific majors chosen, there may be a lot of overlap between the two programs. Double majors commonly graduate within four years after completing at least 120 credits, the same as they would do for a single major.

Double Major vs. Dual Degree

Double majors and dual degrees sound similar, but they actually have several differences. The most notable difference is that a double major leads to a single degree, whereas a dual degree leads to two separate diplomas.

Those taking dual degrees may have completely different course requirements, may need to take two separate sets of general education requirements, and may have fewer courses that overlap between the two programs. They often obtain two entirely different kinds of degrees, such as a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science.

Dual degrees can be completed at the same time or at different times and even different schools. They often require 150 total credits or more and usually take longer than four years to complete.

FAQs About Double Majoring With Nutrition

Still have questions about getting a double major with your nutrition degree? Let's take a look at some answers to common questions you may be wondering about.

Can You Double Major With Nutrition?

Yes, it is possible to double major with a nutrition degree. Doing so will take planning and organization, as you'll need to fulfill requirements for two majors instead of just one. Talk with an academic advisor at your school to make sure you enroll in all of the necessary classes to graduate with both majors.

Is a Double Major With Nutrition Worth It?

Getting a double major takes extra planning and effort, but doing so can help you expand your professional skill set and have better job opportunities. With this in mind, getting a double major with nutrition is definitely worth it.

What Are the Benefits of Double Majoring With Nutrition?

Getting a double major with nutrition can provide many personal and professional benefits. Some of these include:

• expanded knowledge and skills
• more job opportunities
• improved hireability
• increased confidence

Will a Double Major With Nutrition Improve My Career Outlook?

Yes, while there are many job opportunities in nutrition, focusing your career goals with a second major can provide better options within more specialized fields. Having a double major may also help you stand out to employers, giving you a better chance of landing the jobs that interest you.