Experts are stressing the necessity of maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle today. Professional courses provide an overall knowledge of human anatomy, physiology, and metabolism, and help understand how different foods can regulate the system efficiently. If you are someone who wants to work with diet plans and fitness or have a knack for the development of community health, these courses can be extremely beneficial.
Why is a Nutrition and Dietetics Course Beneficial?
Do you know people who find it difficult to plan and maintain a balanced diet? Do you often wonder how you can incorporate nutritional choices into your day-to-day food habits? A professional course in nutrition and dietetics provides all the necessary information and resources you will need to ensure healthy eating habits and better food-related decisions.
If you have an interest in personalized diets and want to work as a fitness coach or specialize in pediatric or geriatric nutrition, formal courses can be really useful. A degree in nutrition would provide a holistic understanding of the discipline and prepare you for the professional world.
Available Courses – An Overview
A number of reputed universities in India offer Nutrition and Dietetics courses. Here’s a list of the courses that you can opt for depending on your interests and educational qualifications –
B.Sc. in Nutrition and Dietetics is a 3-year degree program that would introduce you to the fundamentals of nutrition and food science, details of human anatomy, physiology, and metabolism. The course also provides a glimpse of community health, the public healthcare system, and the basics of grassroots-level planning for improvement in disease prevention.
M.Sc. in Nutrition and Dietetics is a 2-year course that would help develop your understanding of Anatomy and Metabolism, advanced nutrition, and other associated subjects. You will receive training in conducting extensive research and studying public healthcare systems closely. With a Master’s degree, you will have all the knowledge and expertise to work as a fitness instructor, dietician, nutritionist, and so much more.
Diploma and Certificate Courses can span anywhere between 10 weeks and 1 year. These provide an overview of the discipline and an understanding of the fundamentals of food science and nutrition. You could learn about customized diet plans, disease prevention, community health, maternity and post-partum nutrition, and other subjects.
What is the Fee Structure like?
Course fees vary across the country depending on the depth of the curriculum, industry exposure and project-based evaluations, infrastructural facilities, and other details. The fee also differs according to the state/city. Follow the table for a basic idea of fee structures –
| Type of Course | Type of Institution | Fee Range (in INR – ₹) |
| B.Sc in Nutrtion and Dietetics | Government | 7,000 – 50,000 |
| Private | 7,000 – 95,000 | |
| M.Sc. in Nutrition and Dietetics | Government | 5,200 – 50,000 |
| Private | 50,000 – 2,70,000 | |
| PG Diploma | Government | 2,000 – 20,000 |
| Private | 30,000 – 4,00,000 | |
| Certification Courses | Government | 2,000 – 25,000 |
| Private | 10,000 – 40,000 |
Eligibility Criteria
The standard criteria for admission to an undergraduate degree/diploma course is completion of 10+2 (any subject combination) with at least 50% aggregate from a recognized board. Most universities will require you to take an entrance test/personal interview as a part of their admission process.
For admission to postgraduate degree courses (M.Sc.), you might take the national-level Common University Entrance Test (CUET) – PG, or other exams/interviews that institutes offer. You would also need a minimum of 50% aggregate in your UG degree.
Institutes offering PG diplomas in nutrition and dietetics or other related subjects might conduct their own eligibility tests/PIs or other procedures.
Job Opportunities
There are a plethora of job roles you can apply for with a nutrition degree. You could, for instance, work in food safety, F&B management, or public healthcare. You can work as a dietary aide, nutritionist, and health coach.
If you want to further specialize in a particular subject, you could opt for food technology, pediatric nutrition, catering services, and much more.
Salary Breakdown
Since the jobs are quite diverse, the salary often varies based on the nature and complexity of the work. If you’ve just finished your B.Sc. in nutrition and dietetics, entry-level jobs might offer a salary between ₹3 LPA and ₹6 LPA.
Take a look at the table below to get an idea of the initial salary ranges for different job titles.
| Job Titles | Entry-level salary (approximate) in Lakh INR (₹) Per Annum |
| Nutritionist | 2.8 – 4.2 |
| Sports Nutritionist | 4.0 – 6.0 |
| Educator | 3.0 – 4.0 |
| Dietary Aide | 2.3 – 3.8 |
| Health and Wellness Coach | 2.0 – 5.0 |
| Assistant Health Coach | 2.0 – 3.5 |
| Assistant Dietician | 2.0 – 3.0 |
Conclusion
Nutrition and related courses are becoming popular for their emphasis on public health and welfare, cooking within budget, Culture and nutrition, and economic and psychosocial factors that have an impact on health and nutrition.
With the well-structured courses AAFT offers, you could learn about F&B management, Diet, basics of microbiology, yoga, and ayurveda, and explore a variety of jobs. Revolving around community health planning, research, analysis, and in-depth case studies, you can access the best resources and boost your professional growth.
