BA Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Case Western Reserve University

Program Overview

The BA in Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism at Case Western Reserve University explores how nutrients work within the body and how metabolic processes influence health and disease, making it a strong fit for students interested in nutrition science, biomedical research, medicine, dentistry or other health professions. The program combines nutrition with chemistry, biology, biochemistry, physics and mathematics, while also allowing students to combine the major with fields such as Psychology, Sociology, Chemistry, Biology or Communication Sciences.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students establish their scientific foundation through BIOL 214: Genes, Evolution and Ecology, CHEM 105: Principles of Chemistry I and CHEM 113: Principles of Chemistry Laboratory, alongside calculus and general education courses. In the spring, BIOL 215: Cells and Proteins, CHEM 106: Principles of Chemistry II and NTRN 201: Nutrition introduce students to cellular biology, chemistry and the fundamentals of nutrition.

Second Year: The curriculum moves into more advanced biological and chemical concepts through BIOL 216/216L: Development and Physiology and Development and Physiology Lab, while CHEM 223: Introductory Organic Chemistry I and its laboratory component develop practical understanding of organic chemistry. Students continue with CHEM 224: Introductory Organic Chemistry II and CHEM 234: Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory II, alongside breadth and elective courses.

Third Year: Students begin connecting foundational science to nutrition and metabolism through BIOC 307: Introduction to Biochemistry: From Molecules to Medical Science, NTRN 363: Human Nutrition I: Energy, Protein, Minerals and PHYS 115: Introductory Physics I. The spring semester deepens this focus with NTRN 364: Human Nutrition II: Vitamins and NTRN 397: Research Methods and Disciplinary Communications in Nutrition, while physics and electives broaden their scientific preparation.

Fourth Year: The final year brings the program's nutrition and research themes together through NTRN 452: Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism and the NTRN 398: SAGES Senior Capstone Experience. Students then progress to NTRN 454: Advanced Nutrition and Metabolism: Investigative Methods and nutrition electives, giving them an opportunity to develop more advanced investigative and research-oriented knowledge.

Focus areas

Nutritional biochemistry and metabolism, human nutrition, macronutrients and micronutrients, metabolic regulation, nutrition and chronic disease, biochemistry, molecular nutrition, research methods, clinical nutrition, sports nutrition, lifestyle and preventive medicine, nutrition for women and children.

Learning outcomes

Graduates learn to explain the roles of macro- and micronutrients in health and disease, connect nutrition with chronic disease, evaluate nutrition interventions, understand nutrients within biochemical pathways, critically evaluate scientific literature, apply basic statistics to nutrition decisions and integrate foundational sciences into the study of nutrition and metabolism.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

The BA can accommodate pre-health requirements and can also be used as preparation for graduate study in nutrition or metabolic research and professional training in medicine, dentistry and allied health. Students who want to pursue dietetic internships can plan the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) with a department advisor; CWRU states that its DPD is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Reputation (employability rankings)

Case Western Reserve University reports that 95% of undergraduates are employed, enrolled in graduate school or pursuing other goals within six months of graduation, with a median starting salary range of $75,000–$79,000 and median earnings of $94,000 four years after graduation. These are university-wide undergraduate outcomes rather than outcomes specifically for the BA in Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The program is supported by a research-focused Department of Nutrition within the School of Medicine, giving students opportunities to move beyond classroom learning into laboratory research, faculty-led projects and applied nutrition experiences. Undergraduate students in Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism can participate in both paid and unpaid research, including structured summer research and hands-on work in nutritional biochemistry, molecular nutrition, metabolism and exercise physiology.

Students can build practical experience through several CWRU opportunities:

NTRN 390: Undergraduate Research — guided laboratory research in nutritional biochemistry or molecular nutrition under the supervision of a nutrition faculty member.
NTRN 397: Research Methods and Disciplinary Communications in Nutrition — includes lab sessions, scientific literature interpretation, written assignments and an oral presentation.
Wharton Summer Student Research Program — a paid, 10-week research experience for eligible undergraduate Nutrition and Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism students, involving faculty-directed research and a poster presentation. The 2026 program offered projects from May 26 through July 31, 2026.
Exercise and Nutrition Research Group (ENRG) — a CWRU research lab focused on practical sports-nutrition applications, including athlete fueling, metabolism and recovery. The group works with CWRU Athletics and has partnered with a majority of the university's varsity teams.
Hands-on exercise and nutrition research — ENRG projects include assessments such as body composition, grip strength and health and wellness questionnaires, giving students exposure to applied research methods.
DICE Program — students can encounter interdisciplinary nutrition work through the Diabetes Inspired Culinary Education program, which brings together registered dietitians, psychologists, endocrinologists and researchers in nutrition and culinary medicine.
School of Medicine Core Facilities — CWRU's School of Medicine provides access to more than 40 research-support core facilities offering specialized scientific equipment, technologies and services.
Career internships and practicums — the university's Career Center supports students in finding internships and practicum experiences through career advising, experiential-education resources and Handshake.
Career and employer networking — Handshake connects CWRU students with employers, internships, career fairs and job opportunities, while the Career Center provides career consultation and interview preparation.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The BA provides a foundation for careers and further education at the intersection of nutrition, metabolism, biomedical science and healthcare. CWRU specifically identifies graduate study in nutrition or metabolic research and further professional training in medicine, dentistry and allied health as progression routes, while its broader nutrition programs also support pathways into public health, dietetics and biomedical sciences.

Typical roles and directions include: Nutrition Research Assistant, Nutritional Science Researcher, Clinical Research Coordinator, Nutrition Program Assistant.

Key progression opportunities include:

Career development: CWRU's Center for Career Success helps students explore career options, search for jobs, internships and practicums, prepare for interviews and apply to graduate and professional schools.
Handshake: Students receive access to CWRU's career-management platform, which connects them with employers, internships, jobs, career fairs and networking opportunities.
University-wide outcomes: CWRU reports that 95% of undergraduates are employed, in graduate school or pursuing other goals within six months of graduation. The university reports a median starting salary range of $75,000–$79,000 and median earnings of $94,000 four years after graduation; these figures are university-wide rather than program-specific.
Research experience: Undergraduate students can undertake faculty-supervised research in nutritional biochemistry and molecular nutrition and can apply for paid summer research opportunities.
Industry and research connections: The Department of Nutrition's ENRG works with the CWRU Athletics Department and collaborates with the Pennington Biomedical Research Center on nutrition and exercise research.
Professional preparation: Students interested in dietetics can follow the DPD coursework, which CWRU states is accredited by ACEND, while students following a pre-health pathway can use the curriculum to accommodate requirements for professional health programs.
Accelerated study: CWRU allows undergraduate students to participate in accelerated pathways toward graduate or professional degrees, subject to the applicable program requirements.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the BA, students can continue into graduate study in nutrition, nutritional biochemistry, metabolic research, molecular nutrition, public health or other biomedical sciences, or pursue professional education in medicine, dentistry and other allied health fields. CWRU also offers an integrated BS/MS in Nutrition and graduate programs including an MS and PhD in Nutrition, providing potential routes for students who want to deepen their research or professional specialization.