Cornell University Registrar

Program Description

A major in Nutritional Sciences focuses on the complex interrelationships of food patterns, nutritional status, and health. This field draws upon chemistry, biology, and the social sciences to understand questions such as: How are nutrients used by the body? What factors influence human food choice? What nutrients and dietary patterns are recommended to promote growth, maintain health, or reduce the risk of chronic disease? Students in this program may also fulfill the courses required for didactic training in dietetics toward becoming a Registered Dietitian, which will enable them to be employed as nutrition counselors, clinical nutritionists, sports nutritionists, or administrators of food and nutrition services. Students also may prepare for medical school and other types of advanced degree programs through this major. This major is offered by the Division of Nutritional Sciences. More information about this major can be found on the Division's webpage, which includes descriptions of all of the majors that are offered.

Academic Standards

Program Policies

• DNS students may not use courses to fulfill more than one requirement.
• All major requirements must be taken for a letter grade.
• A passing grade must be earned to meet major requirements within a course.

Program Information

• Program Mode of Delivery: In Person
• Program Location: Ithaca, NY
• Minimum Credits for Degree: 120

​Program Requirements

In addition to college distribution requirements, students in the Nutritional Sciences Major must complete a minimum of 65 credits as listed below:

• Nutritional Sciences majors in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) must complete the Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Graduation requirements. This includes minimum total credits to graduate, CALS credit and distribution requirements, and University requirements. 
• Nutritional Sciences majors in Cornell Human Ecology must complete Human Ecology Graduation requirements. This includes minimum total credits to graduate, CHE credit and distribution requirements, and University requirements.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
NS 1150	Nutrition, Health, and Society	3
NS 2450	Social Science Perspectives on Food and Nutrition	3
NS 3450	Introduction to Physiochemical and Biological Aspects of Foods	3
NS 3310	Human Nutrition and Nutrient Metabolism	4
NS 3320	Methods in Nutritional Sciences	3

Advanced Electives in Nutrition (9 Credits)

At least 9 credits of NS courses at the 3000 level or above¹. 

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
NS 3150	Obesity and the Regulation of Body Weight	3
NS 3420	Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory	2
NS 3600	Epidemiology	3
NS 4140	Maternal and Child Nutrition and Health	3
NS 4200	Diet and the Microbiome	3
NS 4210	Precision Nutrition and Health	3
NS 4250	Nutrition Communications and Counseling	3
NS 4300	Proteins, Transcripts, and Metabolism: Big Data in Molecular Nutrition	3
NS 4330	Nutrition and the Brain	3
NS 4410	Nutrition and Disease	4
NS 4420	Implementation of Nutrition Care	3
NS 4430	Applied Anatomy and Physiology	2
NS 4450	Toward a Sustainable Global Food System: Food Policy for Developing Countries	3
NS 4480	Economics of Food and Malnutrition	3
NS 4500	Public Health Nutrition	3
NS 4510	Nutrition and Health Equity	3
NS 4570	Health, Poverty, and Inequality: A Global Perspective	3
NS 4600	Explorations in Global and Public Health	3
NS 4880	Applied Dietetics in Food Service Systems	4
NS 5510	Nutrition Assessment	3
NS 6310	Micronutrients: Function, Homeostasis, and Assessment	2-4
NS 6320	Regulation of Macronutrient Metabolism	4

¹

• May include NS 3410 only if BIOAP 3110 is used to fulfill the physiology requirement.

• May include no more than a total of 3 credits from NS 4000 Directed Readings, NS 4010 Empirical Research, NS 4020 Supervised Fieldwork, and NS 4990 Honors Problem. These credits must be taken for a letter grade. However, if a NS 4020 Supervised Fieldwork experience or section is offered solely on an S/U basis, up to three credits may be applied toward the major requirement by exception.

• May not include NS 3200 Introduction to Human Biochemistry, NS 3980 Research in Human Nutrition and Health, or NS 4030 Teaching Apprenticeship.

Introductory Chemistry (8 Credits)

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Select one of the following options:
OPTION A: 2
CHEM 2070 & CHEM 2071 & CHEM 2080 & CHEM 2081	General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory and General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory
OPTION B: 2
AP Chemistry score of 5 or IB Chemistry score of 6 or 7 (AND)
CHEM 2080 & CHEM 2081	General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory
OPTION C: 3
AP Chemistry score of 5 or IB Chemistry score of 6 or 7 (AND)
CHEM 2150	Honors General and Inorganic Chemistry

²

Students may use an AP Chemistry score of 5 or an IB Chemistry score of 6 or 7 to place out of CHEM 2070 + CHEM 2071. Pre-health (e.g. pre-med) students are not recommended to use AP scores to fulfill chemistry requirements. Students who take CHEM 2070 + CHEM 2071 forfeit AP or IB credit.

³

Students should only select option (c) if they are very strong in chemistry and are not considering a pre-health (e.g. pre-med) track.

 

Introductory Biology (8 Credits)

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Select one of the following labs:
BIOG 1500	Investigative Biology Laboratory
or BIOSM 1500	Investigative Marine Biology Laboratory
Select two out of the three lecture options 4
BIOMG 1350	Introductory Biology: Cell and Developmental Biology
BIOG 1440	Introductory Biology: Comparative Physiology 5
or BIOG 1445	Introduction to Comparative Anatomy and Physiology, Individualized Instruction
BIOEE 1610	Introductory Biology: Ecology and the Environment 5
or BIOEE 1780	An Introduction to Evolutionary Biology and Diversity

⁴

Students may use use AP Biology score of 5 or IB HL Biology score of 7 to place out of one introductory biology lecture. Pre-health (e.g. pre-med) students should not use AP scores to fulfill biology requirements.

⁵

Cannot take both courses within one category to fulfill this requirement.

Organic Chemistry Lecture (3+ Credits)

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Select one of the following options:
OPTION A:
CHEM 1570	Introduction to Organic and Biological Chemistry (not for pre-health)
OPTION B: 6,7
CHEM 3570 & CHEM 3580	Organic Chemistry for the Life Sciences and Organic Chemistry for the Life Sciences
OPTION C: 6,7
CHEM 3590 & CHEM 3600	Honors Organic Chemistry I and Honors Organic Chemistry II

⁶

Students interested in pre-health tracks should take a two-course sequence of organic chemistry lectures (option b or c above).

⁷

Students who select options b or c above must take both courses in sequence; one course alone will not fulfill the requirement.

 

Organic Chemistry Lab (2-4 Credits)

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
CHEM 2510	Introduction to Experimental Organic Chemistry
or CHEM 3010	Honors Experimental Chemistry I

Physiology (3-4 Credits)

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
NS 3410	Human Anatomy and Physiology
or BIOAP 3110	Principles of Animal Physiology

Biochemistry (4-6 Credits)

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Select one of the following:
NS 3200	Introduction to Human Biochemistry
BIOMG 3300	Principles of Biochemistry, Individualized Instruction
BIOMG 3310 & BIOMG 3320	Principles of Biochemistry: Proteins and Metabolism and Principles of Biochemistry: Molecular Biology
BIOMG 3310 & BIOMI 2900	Principles of Biochemistry: Proteins and Metabolism and General Microbiology Lectures
BIOMG 3350	Principles of Biochemistry: Proteins, Metabolism, and Molecular Biology

First Year Writing Seminars (6 Credits)

Must be completed during the first two semesters at Cornell.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Select one of the following options:
OPTION A:
Two FWS Courses
OPTION B:
AP Literature or Language score of 5 or IB Literature or Language score of 7 (AND)
One FWS Course

Calculus/Advanced Math (3-4 Credits)

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Select one of the following:
MATH 1105	Finite Mathematics for the Life and Social Sciences 8
MATH 1106	Modeling with Calculus for the Life Sciences
MATH 1110	Calculus I
MATH 1120	Calculus II
A score of 4 or higher on the AB or BC Calculus AP Exam 8,9

⁸

Not for pre-health

⁹

Unless a student scored a [4 or 5] on the BC Calculus AP Examination, they must take Calculus at Cornell.

Statistics (3-4 Credits)

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Select one of the following: 10
STSCI 2150	Introductory Statistics for Biology (recommended) 11
STSCI 2200	Statistics I 11
PUBPOL 2100	Introduction to Statistics
AEM 2100	Introductory Statistics
ILRST/STSCI 2100	Introductory Statistics and Data Science
PSYCH 2500	Statistics and Research Design
SOC 3010	Statistics for Sociological Research

¹⁰

AP Statistics credit is not accepted; statistics must be completed at Cornell or another higher education institution. No dual credit allowed unless accepted as transfer credit.    

¹¹

Students planning to take NS 3600 must take either STSCI 2150 or STSCI 2200.

Outside Nutritional Sciences Requirement (11 Credits)

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Students must complete a minimum of 11 total credits from the subject areas listed below: 12,13,14
Design and Environmental Analysis (DEA)
Fiber Science & Apparel Design (FSAD)
Human Development (HD)
Human Ecology non-departmental (HE) at the 1500 level or higher
Public Policy (PUBPOL)

¹²

FWS, PUBPOL 2100, PUBPOL 3120, DEA 3550, HD 2830, HE 3400, and Special Studies (4000, 4010, 4020, 4030) do not count.

¹³

Courses in this section may also double count with the following requirements: Humanities and Free Electives.

¹⁴

This requirement applies exclusively to Cornell Human Ecology students.

University Graduation Requirements

Requirements for All Students

In order to receive a Cornell degree, a student must satisfy academic and non-academic requirements.

Academic Requirements

A student’s college determines degree requirements such as residency, number of credits, distribution of credits, and grade averages. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the specific major, degree, distribution, college, and graduation requirements for completing their chosen program of study. See the individual requirements listed by each college or school or contact the college registrar’s office for more information.

Non-academic Requirements

Conduct Matters. Students must satisfy any outstanding sanctions, penalties or remedies imposed or agreed to under the Student Code of Conduct (Code) or Policy 6.4. Where a formal complaint under the Code or Policy 6.4 is pending, the University will withhold awarding a degree otherwise earned until the adjudication process set forth in those procedures is complete, including the satisfaction of any sanctions, penalties or remedies imposed.

Financial Obligations. Outstanding financial obligations will not impact the awarding of a degree otherwise earned or a student’s ability to access their official transcript. However, the University may withhold issuing a diploma until any outstanding financial obligations owing to the University are satisfied.

Additional Requirements for Undergraduate Students

The University has two requirements for graduation that must be fulfilled by all undergraduate students: the swim requirement, and completion of two physical education courses. For additional information about fulfilling University Graduation Requirements, see the Physical Education website.

Physical Education

All undergraduate students are required to take two credits (two courses) of Physical Education prior to graduation. It is recommended they complete the two courses during their first year at Cornell. Credit in Physical Education may be earned by participating in courses offered by the Department of Athletics and Physical Education and Cornell Outdoor Education, by being a registered participant on a varsity athletic team, or performing in the marching band.

Students with medical concerns should contact the Office of Student Disability Services. 

CALS Graduation Requirements for the Bachelor of Science

Students are responsible for tracking their progress toward graduation and ensuring all degree requirements are met. Students must promptly notify the college of any discrepancies or issues with their academic records.

CALS undergraduate students must follow the college distribution requirements corresponding to their matriculation (entry) term and class standing. Students matriculating/entering Cornell before Fall 2025 and junior transfers entering in Fall 2026 will complete the pre-2025 CALS distribution requirements. All other students will be subject to the new CALS 2025+ distribution requirements. All students must adhere to the requirements designated for their matriculation/entry term and class standing. There are no exceptions to this policy. 

Although specific requirements vary between the curricula, all students must complete the following Graduation Requirements to earn the Bachelor of Science degree:

1. University Graduation Requirements
2. Credit Requirements
3. Distribution Requirements
4. Residency Requirement
5. GPA Requirement
6. Major Requirements

Credit Requirement Policies 

1. Minimum total credits: 120 academic credits are required for graduation. 
   • Important Exceptions:
     • Repeated Cornell courses: If a course does not allow repeat credit, the repeated credits do not count toward the 120 credits required for graduation. They do count toward the 12 credits required for full-time status and good academic standing.
     • Forbidden overlaps: Credits from courses with a forbidden overlap do not count toward graduation credits. They do count toward the 12 credits required for full-time status and good academic standing. More information is available on the Course Enrollment and Credits page.
     • Review or supplemental courses: Courses at the 1000–1099 level do not count toward graduation credits. They also do not count toward the 12 credits required for full-time status or good academic standing.
     • Physical Education (PE) courses: PE courses do not count toward the 120 academic credits required for graduation. They also do not count toward the 12 credits required for full-time status or good academic standing.
2. Minimum Credits Completed at Cornell: Students must complete at least 60 academic credits at Cornell. This includes Education Abroad, Cornell in Rome, Capital Semester, the Brooks School Cornell in Washington, DC, Connect Program, and Shoals Marine Laboratory.
3. Maximum Non-Cornell Credits: Students may apply up to 60 non-Cornell credits toward their degree requirements. This includes AP, CASE, IB, GCE, French Baccalauréat, Cambridge Pre-University, and pre-approved external transfer coursework. Refer to Non-Cornell (Transfer) Credit under Policies and Procedures for additional information. 
   • Students may transfer up to 15 academic credits earned before matriculating as a first-year student at an accredited college or university. These 15 credits include credits earned through programs such as AP, CASE, IB, GCE, and French Baccalauréat.
4. In addition to the 120-credit minimum, all CALS students must meet minimum requirements for CALS credits, structured credits, and letter-graded credits. See the curriculum sections below for details.

Residency Requirements

• Residency Requirement: Students are expected to complete eight (8) semesters of full-time study. External transfer students receive one (1) semester in residence for each full-time semester (or equivalent) completed at another accredited institution before matriculating at Cornell.
• Internal transfer students must complete at least two (2) semesters in residence in CALS.
• The final semester before graduation must be completed as a full-time student in a Cornell program during the fall or spring semester. Summer and winter terms do not satisfy the final-semester residency requirement. The School of Continuing Education (SCE) does not count toward this requirement. 
• Students in their ninth semester (9th) (or equivalent) and final semester may be eligible for prorated tuition. Eligibility criteria are available online.
• The following programs are in residency: Cornell in Rome, Cornell in Washington, D.C. Connect Program (Fall or Spring only), Capital Semester, OGL Approved Education Abroad Programs, and Shoals Summer Semester.

Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirements

Minimum cumulative GPA: 2.00 or above must be maintained. Students must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 or better to graduate. The cumulative GPA includes all letter grades earned at Cornell.

CALS Degree Requirements Prior to 2025 (applies to Transfers entering Fall 2026)

These requirements apply to: First-year students who matriculated before Fall 2025, sophomore transfers who matriculate prior to Fall 2026, and junior transfers who matriculate before Fall 2027. All students must follow the requirements based on their matriculation and expected graduation dates. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Students are required to fulfill:

1. University Graduation Requirements:
   1. Physical Education.
   2. Swim Requirement. 
2. Credit Requirements: Students must complete 120 academic credits for graduation. Of those, at least 55 credits must be taken in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell, and at least 100 credits must be earned for a letter grade. PE and supplemental courses do not count as academic credit.
   • CALS Credits: Students must complete at least 55 CALS credits for graduation.
     • CALS credits include courses offered in CALS and in the following affiliated areas: Applied Economics and Management, Biological Sciences, Biology & Society, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Environment and Sustainability, Information Science, Nutritional Science, and Statistics and Data Science.
     • CALS credits also include courses with these subject codes: AGSCI, AIISP, ALS, AEM, ANSC, BEE, BIOG, BIOAP, BIOCB, BIOEE, BIOMG, BIOMI, BIOMS, BIONB, BIOSM, BSOC, BTRY, COMM, DSOC, EAS, EDUC, ENTOM, ENVS, FDSC, GDEV, IARD, INFO, LA, LEAD, NS, NTRES, PLBIO, PLBRG, PLHRT, PLPPM, PLSCI, PLSCS, STSCI, VIEN.
   • Minimum Letter-Graded Credits: Students must complete at least 100 letter-graded credits. This requirement may be prorated for students who transfer non-Cornell credits. (see Proration Chart for non-Cornell credit).
   • Structured Credit Requirement: To graduate, students must complete at least 105 structured credits. After they meet this requirement, they may apply unstructured coursework toward the 120 credits required for graduation. Unstructured coursework includes Special Studies, such as independent study, research, teaching assistantships, and internships. The structured credit requirement may be prorated for students who transfer non-Cornell credits. (see Proration Chart for non-Cornell credit). 
3. Residency: Students are expected to complete eight semesters of full-time study. External transfer students receive one semester of residency credit for each full-time semester (or equivalent) completed at another accredited institution before matriculating at Cornell.
4. GPA: Students must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 to graduate. The cumulative GPA includes all letter grades earned at Cornell.
5. Physical and Life Sciences: Students must complete 18 credits in the physical and life sciences. This must include at least 6 credits in introductory life sciences/biology and at least 3 credits in chemistry or physics.
6. Quantitative Literacy: Students must demonstrate minimum competency in quantitative literacy. This requirement may be satisfied by completing an approved calculus or statistics course.
7. Social Sciences and Humanities: Students must complete 4 courses across the 7 categories of humanities and social sciences. These courses must span at least 3 different categories. Human Diversity (D-AG) is required. Humanities courses must be at least 3 credits.
8. Written and Oral Expression: Students must complete 9 credits total, including at least 6 credits in Written Expression. Oral Expression is not required by the college, but it may be required by some majors. If a student’s major does not require Oral Expression, all 9 credits may be in Written Expression.
9. Major: See the individual department listings for major requirements.

Distribution Requirements

The purpose of the distribution requirement is to have all students achieve common learning outcomes. It is expected that through college and major course requirements graduates will be able to:

• Explain, evaluate, and effectively interpret factual claims, theories, and assumptions in the student’s discipline(s) (especially in one or more of the college’s priority areas of Food & Energy Systems, Social Sciences, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sciences) and more broadly in the sciences and humanities.
• Find, access, critically evaluate, and ethically use information.
• Integrate quantitative and qualitative information to reach defensible and creative conclusions.
• Communicate effectively through writing, speech, and visual information.
• Articulate the views of people with diverse perspectives.
• Demonstrate the capability to work both independently and in cooperation with others.

Through the study of Physical and Life Sciences, students develop their understanding and appreciation of the physical sciences, enhance their quantitative reasoning skills, and gain an appreciation of the variability of living organisms. Social Sciences and Humanities gives students perspective on the structure and values of the society in which we live and prepares them to make decisions on ethical issues that will affect their work and role in society. Written and Oral Expression is designed to help students become competent and confident in the use of oral and written communication to express themselves and their ideas.

Important Notes:

• Credits received for independent study, fieldwork, teaching, research, work experience, and internships cannot be used to fulfill the distribution requirements
• Review or supplemental courses, such as 1000- to 1099-level courses, will not be counted in the distribution areas.
• First-Year Writing Seminars (FWS) cannot be used to satisfy the Physical and Life Sciences distribution area.
• Courses that fulfill distributions are approved by the CALS Curriculum Committee. Distributions cannot be applied to a course retroactively, and individual student petitions for Cornell courses to fulfill distributions will not be accepted. Students may request a review of external transfer courses for fulfilling distribution requirements. 

Physical and Life Sciences:

Eighteen (18) credits, of which six (6) credits must be Introductory Life Sciences/Biology and three (3) credits in Chemistry or Physics. Courses that count for Introductory Life Sciences/ Biology, Chemistry/Physics, Quantitative Literacy, and Other Physical and Life Sciences count towards the eighteen (18) credits for this requirement

Introductory Life Sciences/Biology Requirement (BIO-AG):

Students must complete at least six (6) academic credits of Introductory Life Sciences/Biology. Courses that count towards this requirement have the BIO-AG distribution attribute. Note: CALS does NOT accept BIO-AS for BIO-AG. BCS-AG does not automatically fulfill BIO-AG. 

Offerings in the area provide a foundation in the field of biology. Courses must include: an evolutionary component, instruction on applying the process of science and a significant student-centered teaching component.

Chemistry/Physics (CHPH-AG):

Students must complete a minimum of three (3) credits of Chemistry or Physics. Includes all Cornell courses with the CHEM or PHYS prefix (excluding courses that are supplemental, independent study, research, TA, internship, and First-Year Writing Seminar). Courses that count towards this requirement have a CHPH-AG distribution attribute. Additionally, courses with the prefix CHEM or PHYS of at least 11xx numbering and a minimum of three (3) credits are accepted as fulfilling CHPH-AG. PSC-AG does not automatically fulfill CHPH-AG. 

Courses that meet the CALS Chemistry or Physics (CHPH) requirement provide students with a foundational understanding of key scientific principles. These courses delve into the study of chemistry (focusing on the composition, properties, and transformations of substances) or physics (exploring the principles of matter, energy, and their interactions). Fulfilling this requirement equips students with essential scientific knowledge that supports practical and innovative applications in fields like agriculture, environmental science, and food science, thereby fostering their ability to address and solve critical challenges within these domains.

Quantitative Literacy (MQL-AG):

Students must complete one (1) Quantitative Literacy course. Courses that count towards these requirements have an MQL-AG distribution attribute. Additionally, courses of at least 11xx numbering with the MATH prefix may fulfill this category. Calculus courses and Introductory Statistics courses may also fulfill MQL-AG. DLG-AG and DLS-AG do not automatically fulfill MQL-AG.

Faculty legislation requires minimum competency in quantitative literacy. Courses that fulfill the Mathematics and Quantitative Literacy distribution in CALS enhance students’ problem-solving skills by teaching them to understand abstract, logical relationships. These classes focus on the mathematical analysis of data, modeling natural and man-made systems, and developing algorithms critical for computation. Students will learn various quantitative methods and how to apply quantitative reasoning across different fields.

This requirement can also be satisfied by earning a score of four (4) or five (5) on the AP Calculus exam or a score of five (5) on the AP Statistics exam, or transfer of an approved calculus or statistics course with a minimum letter grade of “C” or better.

Other Physical Life Sciences (OPHLS-AG):

Other Physical Life Sciences courses count towards the eighteen (18) credit total for the Physical and Life Sciences requirement.  Courses that count towards this requirement have the OPHLS-AG distribution attribute. The number of OPHLS-AG courses taken will vary by student.  Courses with the following distributions are also accepted for the CALS OPHLS-AG distribution: PBS-HE, BIO-AS, PHS,AS, SDS-AS.  Additionally, any course with BIO-AG, CHPH-AG or MQL-AG may alternatively fulfill OPHLS-AG.

Offerings in this area explore additional physical and life science subjects as well as quantitative literacy (math) courses. Courses satisfying this requirement help students understand and appreciate the physical sciences, enhance quantitative reasoning skills, or explore the variability of living organisms.

Social Sciences and Humanities:

Students must complete four (4) courses within the seven (7) categories of Humanities and Social Sciences. The courses MUST span at least three (3) different categories. Human Diversity (D) is a required category. Humanities courses must be a minimum of three (3) credits.

No more than two (2) courses in the same department will be counted toward the distribution requirement. Social Sciences & Humanities Categories:

(Also refer to Distribution Requirement Codes)

Cultural Analysis (CA-AG)

These courses study human life in particular cultural contexts through interpretive analysis of individual behavior, discourse, and social practice. Topics include belief systems (science, medicine, religion), expressive arts and symbolic behavior (visual arts, performance, poetry, myth, narrative, ritual), identity (nationality, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality), social groups and institutions (family, market, community), and power and politics (states, colonialism, inequality).

CALS also accepts courses of at least three (3) credits with the following distributions as fulfilling CA-AG: ALC-AS, ALC-HA, ALC-AAP, CA-HE, CA-AAP, GLC-AS

Foreign Language (FL-AG)

Foreign Language courses available for CALS students at Cornell are offered by several departments, including Africana Studies and Research Center (AS&RC – language courses only), Asian Studies with languages such as Bangla-Bengali, Burmese, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Sanskrit, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese, and Classics (CLASS – language courses only). Additional offerings are provided by German Studies, which includes German, Dutch, and Swedish (language courses only), Linguistics (LING – language courses only), Near Eastern Studies (NES - language courses only), Romance Studies with languages like Catalan, French, Italian, Portuguese, Quechua, and Spanish, and Russian Studies, covering Russian, Hungarian, Polish, Serbian/Croatian, and Ukrainian. CALS will recognize these Foreign Language (FL) classifications by any college at Cornell, provided the class is taken for three (3) or more credits. Transfer students may have non-Cornell courses that meet SUNY World Languages requirements and are a minimum of three (3) credits reviewed as fulfilling FL-AG.

Human Diversity (D-AG)

These courses analyze historical or contemporary marginalized communities and the culturally specific contexts that produce unequal power relations in terms of race, nationality, ethnicity, indigeneity, sexuality, disability, religion, gender, or economic status.

Definition of “marginalize”: Any groups with reduced access to social status, political influence, economic advancement, educational advancement, healthcare, information, or any of the goods, services, and powers of a society can be considered “marginalized.” Causes of marginalization may be related to ethnic status, religion, country of origin, sexual orientation, geography, economics, and government policies. Those who exist on the furthest margins of a society are frequently subject to several of these forces.

CALS also accepts courses of at least three (3) credits with the following distributions as fulfilling D-AG: SCD-AS, SCD-HA, D-HE.

Non-equated external transfer courses will only be considered for junior transfer students who have taken an appropriate course at their prior institution and whose schedule does not allow space to take a Human Diversity (D-AG) course at Cornell. These situations will be reviewed individually after a required appointment with CALS Student Services.

Historical Analysis (HA-AG)

These courses interpret continuities and changes—political, social, economic, diplomatic, religious, intellectual, artistic, scientific—through time. The focus may be on groups of people, dominant or subordinate, a specific country or region, an event, a process, or a time period.

CALS also accepts courses of at least three (3) credits with the following distributions as fulfilling HA-AG: HA-AAP, HST-AAP, HST-AS, HST-HA, HA-HE

Knowledge, Cognition, and Moral Reasoning (KCM-AG)

These courses investigate the bases of human knowledge in its broadest sense, ranging from cognitive faculties shared by humans and animals such as perception, to abstract reasoning, to the ability to form and justify moral judgments. Courses investigating the sources, structure, and limits of cognition may use the methodologies of science, cognitive psychology, linguistics, or philosophy. Courses focusing on moral reasoning explore ways of reflecting on ethical questions that concern the nature of justice, the good life, or human values in general.

CALS also accepts courses of at least three (3) credits with the following distributions as fulfilling KCM-AG: ETM-AAP, ETM-AS, ETM-HA, KCM-AAP, KCM-HE.  ETH-AG does not automatically fulfill KCM-AG.

Literature and the Arts (LA-AG)

These courses explore literature and the arts in two different but related ways. Some courses focus on the critical study of artworks and on their history, aesthetics, and theory. These courses develop skills of reading, observing, and hearing and encourage reflection on such experiences; many investigate the interplay among individual achievement, artistic tradition, and historical context. Other courses are devoted to the production and performance of artworks (in creative writing, performing arts, and media such as film and video). These courses emphasize the interaction among technical mastery, cognitive knowledge, and creative imagination.

CALS also accepts courses of at least three (3) credits with the following distributions as fulfilling LA-AG, ALC-AS, ALC-HA, ALC-AAP, LA-AAP

Social and Behavioral Analysis (SBA-AG)

These courses examine human life in its social context through the use of social scientific methods, often including hypothesis testing, scientific sampling techniques, and statistical analysis. Topics studied range from the thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and attitudes of individuals to interpersonal relations between individuals (e.g., in friendship, love, conflict) to larger social organizations (e.g., the family, society, religious or educational or civic institutions, the economy, government) to the relationships and conflicts among groups or individuals (e.g., discrimination, inequality, prejudice, stigmas, conflict resolution).

CALS also accepts courses of at least three (3) credits with the following distributions as fulfilling SBA-AG: SSC-AS, SBA-HE, SBA-AAP, SSC-AAP

Written and Oral Expression:

Nine (9) credits total, of which at least six (6) must be in Written Expression. Oral Expression is not required by the college but may be required for some majors.  If Oral Expression is not required by the major, all nine (9) credits may be in Written Expression. Writing in the Majors (WIM) courses do not count towards Written Expression.

Written Expression (WRT-AG)

All students are required to take at least six (6) credits of Written Expression and may take nine (9) credits to fulfill the Written and Oral Expression requirement. Courses that fulfill the Written Expression requirement in CALS focus on enhancing students’ writing skills. Courses meeting this requirement devote at least 50% of class time to writing proficiency, involve at least five (5) writing assignments with detailed feedback, and emphasize revision and development. These courses ensure personalized attention and help students articulate ideas clearly, argue effectively, and engage with evidence critically. This structure supports students in improving both their writing mechanics and their ability to communicate persuasively across contexts.

CALS also accepts FWS courses as fulfilling WRT-AG. Transfer students may have courses that meet the SUNY Writing Requirement considered to fulfill this requirement.

Oral Expression (ORL-AG)

Students may take one (1) Oral Expression course towards the nine (9) required credits for Written and Oral Expression. Courses that fulfill the CALS Oral Expression requirement enhance students’ public speaking and communication skills. Courses meeting this requirement center on improving oral proficiency, dedicating over 50% of class time to the principles of effective communication. Each course involves at least five (5) formal oral presentations, with four (4) undergoing detailed revisions based on structured feedback that focuses on speech organization, clarity, evidence use, and delivery. These courses offer personalized guidance and encourage students to apply feedback to subsequent presentations. The aim is to refine students’ abilities to articulate ideas persuasively and adapt messages for different contexts, ensuring they can communicate effectively on any topic.

CALS 2025+ Degree Requirements 

The 2025+ CALS Curriculum applies to all students who entered Cornell Fall 2025 and after, with the exception of Junior transfer students entering Fall 2026. There are no exceptions to this policy.

All students are required to complete:

1. University Graduation Requirements
2. Credit Requirements
3. 120 Credits are required to graduate, of the 120:
   • A minimum of seventy-five (75) CALS Credits (fifty-five (55) for external transfer students) must be earned.
   • A minimum of 105 structured academic credits is required (transfer courses and education abroad courses can count toward this requirement).
   • A minimum of one hundred (100) letter-graded academic credits (transfer courses and education abroad courses can count towards this requirement).
   • The following courses do not count towards the 120: PE course, courses numbered 1000-1099, forbidden overlap courses, and repeated courses (that do not allow repeats).
4. Residency Requirement
5. GPA Requirement
6. Distribution Requirements
7. E3 Learning Milestone
8. Major Requirements: See individual department listings for major requirements.

75 CALS Credits

Students are required to take seventy-five (75) CALS Credits. The following counts as CALS Credit for students entering Fall 2026 who are following the CALS 25+ Curriculum:

• Any course with the following prefixes: AGSCI, AIIS, ALS, ANSC, BEE, BIOG, BIOAP, BIOCB, BIOEE, BIOMG, BIOMI, BIOMS, BIONB, BIOSM, COMM, EAS, EDUC, ENTOM, ENVS, FDSC, GDEV, INFO, LA, LEAD, NS, NTRES, PLSCI, STSCI, VIEN*
  • *For students who entered Fall 2025 or earlier, the prefix BSOC counts as CALS credit. The prefix BTRY was previously listed as CALS credit but is no longer an active prefix, effective Fall 2026.
• Courses of any prefix the FWS attribute (two (2) courses maximum) may count as CALS credit
• The AEM prefix will not count towards the required seventy-five (75) CALS Credits, except for students who have officially been accepted to the AEM major. CALS students who choose to complete an AEM minor cannot count AEM courses towards their seventy-five (75) required CALS courses. 
• Any course that is cross-listed with a course that has CALS prefix noted above will count for CALS credit. For example an AEM course cross with ALS will count as CALS credit.  

Students with matriculation status of Transfer will have a requirement of fifty-five (55) CALS Credits.

Distribution Requirements 

College of Human Ecology Graduation Requirements

Students are responsible for monitoring their progress toward graduation by regularly reviewing degree requirements and their official transcript. Official transcripts may be requested through the Office of the University Registrar.

Students are expected to plan their course selections carefully to ensure all major, college, and university graduation requirements are completed within eight semesters. Once all requirements have been satisfied, the College will confer the degree; students should therefore monitor their progress closely.

Minor programs, honors programs, research, and other enrichment opportunities are not considered degree requirements. Students who complete all university, college, and major degree requirements will have their degree conferred in the term in which those requirements are satisfied and may not extend enrollment solely to complete non‑degree requirements or activities.

Transfer students may be allotted fewer semesters depending on the number of transferable credits awarded at admission. Students who require additional time to complete degree requirements must meet with a Human Ecology College Advisor (1210 MVR Hall) and be approved through the formal petition process.

Credit Requirements

Cornell Credit Requirements

• To graduate, a student must earn a minimum of 120 academic credits. Physical education credits and 10XX courses do not count toward the 120 required credits.
• Of the 120 credits required to graduate, at least 60 credits must be earned at Cornell University (applicable to transfer students).
• Students who matriculate as first-years may apply a maximum of 15 non-Cornell credits earned prior to matriculation (including AP, IB, and approved college-level coursework) toward the 120 credits required for graduation.
• Transfer students may apply up to 60 non-Cornell credits earned prior to matriculation, as awarded at the time of admission. After matriculation, all students (both first-year and transfer) may apply a maximum of 15 extramural credits (coursework taken outside of Cornell) toward the 120 credits required for graduation.
• No college credit earned before matriculation and used to meet Cornell's minimum admission requirements may be counted in the 120 credits required for graduation. This policy does not apply to transfer students.
• Courses taught by a college in the high school setting or counted toward high school graduation are not allowed to count for either credits or fulfillment of requirements.
• Strict limitations exist on the number of credits that can be applied toward the 120-credit minimum for special studies courses (including but not limited to 4000, 4010, 4020), for 4030 courses, and for courses taken with an optional S–U grade. Details follow.

Human Ecology Core Requirement^1,2

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Core Courses
HE 1800	Blazing Your Trail in Human Ecology (Required in the first fall semester of matriculation to Human Ecology) 1
HE 1850	Introduction to Human Ecology (Required in the first spring semester of matriculation to Human Ecology)
HE 2000	Social Justice, Thriving, and the Human Experience 2

¹

Internal and external transfer students are exempt from HE 1800.

²

Internal and external transfer students must complete HE 2000 in their first fall semester in Human Ecology.

Human Ecology Distribution Requirement

Students must complete the college distribution requirements listed below. Each course applied to a distribution category must be a minimum of 3 credits, and the total credits in each category must meet the specified requirement (3 or 6 credits).  A list of courses that fulfill each Distribution Requirement code can be found on the College of Human Ecology Distribution Requirement Course List page of this catalog.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Natural Sciences 3		6
Courses that carry any of the following distribution codes will count toward the Natural Sciences requirement:
BIO-AG, BIO-AS, BSC-AG, PBS-HE, PHS-AS, PSC-AG
Social Sciences		6
Courses that carry any of the following distribution codes will count toward the Social Sciences requirement:
ETH-AG, ETM-AS, KCM-AG, KCM-HE, SBA-AG, SBA-HE, SSC-AAP, SSC-AS, SSC-HA
Humanities		3
Courses that carry any of the following distribution codes will count toward the Humanities requirement:
ALC-AAP, ALC-AS, ALC-HA, CA-AG, CA-HE, HA-AG, HA-HE, HST-AS, LA-AG
Quantitative Analysis		3
Courses that carry any of the following distribution codes will count toward the Quantitative Analysis requirement:
DLG-AG, DLS-AG, MQL-AG, MQR-AAP, MQR-HE
First-Year Writing Seminar (FWS) - Must be completed during the first two semesters at Cornell 4		6
Select one of the following options:
Two Knight Program First-Year Writing Seminar (FWS) courses
One Knight Program First-Year Writing Seminar course and a score of 5* on AP English Language or AP English Literature
One Knight Program First-Year Writing Seminar course and a score of 7* on IB English Literature or IB English Language

³

Courses with exam credit may not count.

⁴

Juniors, seniors, and transfer students may use ENGL 2880 Expository Writing to satisfy one First-Year Writing Seminar (FWS) requirement. For additional information on FWS courses and guidelines, please visit the John S. Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines.

45 Human Ecology Credit Requirement^4,5,6

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Students must complete a minimum of 45 credits from the following Human Ecology subject areas:		45
Design and Environmental Analysis (DEA)
Fiber Science & Apparel Design (FSAD)
Human Development (HD)
Human Ecology non-departmental (HE) at the 1500 level or higher
Nutritional Sciences (NS)
Public Policy (PUBPOL)

⁴

Courses that fulfill College Distribution or Major Requirements may not be taken S–U unless S–U is the only grading option available.

⁵

Courses taken S–U that count toward Electives may also be applied to the 45-credit requirement.

⁶

Students should refer to the S–U grading section for complete policy details.

Minimum Semester Requirements

Students enrolling in the college as first‑years must enroll in a minimum of one 3‑credit course each semester in HE for their first four semesters, excluding winter and summer sessions (i.e., fall and spring semesters only). Students must carry 12 credits each semester, excluding physical education.

Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement for Graduation

Students must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 (C) or better to graduate.

Degree Requirements by Catalog Year

 All degree requirements are based on the term in which the student matriculated to Human Ecology with no exceptions. If a student changes majors within Human Ecology, they should speak with the Human Ecology College Advisor or Registrar to discuss options. 

Special Studies

• A maximum of 12 credits of special study course work from Human Ecology or other colleges will count towards the 120 overall credits. Courses will be indicated on the class roster with a Component of either IND or RSC. Additional special study credits may be taken but will not be applied toward the student’s major, college, or university degree requirements.
• A maximum of 12 credits of 4000-4030 may count toward the 45 HE credit requirement.

10XX Courses

10XX‑numbered courses do not count toward graduation requirements but do count toward full‑time enrollment status.

S-U Grade Options

The S‑U grading option may not be used for College Distribution courses or required major courses unless it is the only grading option available for the course. S‑U grading may be applied to courses taken to fulfill the Outside‑of‑Major requirement and to elective courses.

Students may apply no more than 12 credits of S‑U graded coursework toward the 120 credits required for graduation. Required courses that are offered only on an S‑U basis do not count toward this limit. In addition, Honors Research (4990) taken S‑U is excluded from the 12‑credit maximum. Students may enroll in additional S‑U courses beyond this limit; however, those credits will not be applied toward graduation requirements.

Advanced Placement and Advanced Standing Credit

Learning Outcomes

Upon graduation with the Nutritional Sciences major, students should be able to:

• Integrate knowledge from the biological and social sciences to address nutrition and health problems facing individuals, societies and governments.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the complex and evolving nature of scientific knowledge in the promotion of health and the etiology and prevention of disease.
• Demonstrate the ability to access and critically evaluate scientific information from the primary research literature to investigate the influences of nutrition and other environmental factors in human health and disease.
• Develop positions on nutrition-related health issues.
• Communicate positions on nutrition-related health issues to colleagues and lay/target audiences.
• Demonstrate knowledge of ethical principles, considerations and dilemmas relevant to the research and practice of nutrition.