I’m currently a prospective student searching for a university with a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition Sciences (not Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies). I have many questions!
Some schools have a B.Sc. option and a B.A. option for nutrition sciences. What’s the difference?
What’s the difference between a BS in Nutrition and a BS in Dietetics (like here: http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/culinary/academics/nutrition/index.cfm)?
Can I be an M.D. and an R.D.?
I really want to do a lot of lab/trial/rat work when I’m older. Should I still become an R.D.?
Do I need to go to schools for 4, 6, or 8 years to become and R.D.?
Would I benefit from getting another masters degree in nutrition after I get my bachelor’s?
Where are some places to get a really solid nutrition science degree that’s in a warm environment (texas, louisianna, florida)?
That’s it for now!
Thanks for anything and everything.
Celloboy 
Nutrition as a major is most commonly offered in public landgrant universities, usually either in the college of agriculture or in a the college of human ecology (aka home economics or family & consumer sciences). Sometimes, a nutrition major is offered in a school of allied health sciences, or a school of public health (usually at the graduate level). Most such schools would offer a solid program in this field, especially at the undergrad level. It can be somewhat confusing since different universities use different titles for these programs and situate them in different constituent units of the university. So, your search for a university probably should start with pubic land grant universities. Here is a list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_land-grant_universities. Since you prefer the warm weather states of Texas, Louisiana or Florida, check out Texas A&M, U Florida, or LSU.
Many nutrition departments offer at least two different tracks for their majors: Nutrition Science and Dietetics. Nutrition science is a research-based field that focuses on the biochemistry and physiology of nutrition. Dietetics is an applied health profession that leads to qualifications as a registered dietitian for those who complete a dietetics internship and pass an exam. Dietitians prescribe therapeutic diets, conduct nutrition education and counseling, sometimes supervise institutional food services, etc. There is no consistent practice regarding whether a program is designated as a BA or BS degree, though usually a BS degree requires additional coursework in the department and/or additional coursework in supporting sciences (e.g., chemistry). You will just have to check the actual requirements for the options that interest you at specific universities in order to determine if they match your stated interests. It is also possible to apply for a Master’s or Doctoral degree program in nutrition after completing an relevant undergrad major in a non-nutrition field (e.g., biology, physiology, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, etc.)
Some pre-med students major in nutrition. Though I’ve heard some people discourage this, it seems like a good background to have for those interested in preventive medicine and it’s commonly an area in which physicians do not have adequate training. As long as you can meet the pre-med requirements within the framework of the program I don’t see why it would not be a suitable preparation for medical school. I haven’t really heard of any physicians who also are registered dieticians, though I suppose it’s possible.
Becoming an RD will require 4-5 years, depending on your internship arrangements. If you are primarily interested in conducting nutrition research, then you should plan on getting a PhD or DPH degree. A PhD probably will take a minimum of 4 years after your BS degree. Many medical schools offer joint MD/PhD or MD/MPH programs.
Thank you so much! That was unbelievably helpful! You are amazing!