Nutrition Major: Dietetics Option (B.S.)

Nutrition is the study of how nutrients and food components function at molecular, cellular, and whole-body levels to impact human health and disease. Students are grounded in fundamental sciences as they develop nutrition-specific competencies in nutrition and health, foods, nutritional assessment, wellness, life cycle nutrition, and/or metabolic biochemistry.

The nutrition program prepares students for entry-level positions in health care, education, research, or the biotechnology industry, or entry into post-baccalaureate professional programs. Nutrition faculty have expertise in clinical nutrition, telehealth, epidemiology, and food science, as well as assessing risk factors of chronic disease risk (i.e. obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular, cognitive) in diverse populations (pediatric, young adult, older adult).

The curriculum for the Dietetics option is accredited by the Academic Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). Students who complete the B.S. in Nutrition with the Dietetics option are eligible to apply for a masters degree and dietetic internship, a prerequisite for becoming a registered dietitian. 

Degree Requirements

All Major, Option and Elective Requirements as indicated.
*Major GPA requirements as indicated.

Major Requirements

A grade of C-minus or better must be earned in all NUTR courses required by the major.

Dietetics Capstone Experience

One capstone experience, supervised and approved within the major, is required of all seniors. The capstone explores areas of interest based on the integration of prior learning. The capstone requirement for Dietetics students is satisfied through the completion of NUTR 720 Community Nutrition or NUTR 780 Critical Issues in Nutrition during their senior year.

Both NUTR 720 and NUTR 780 are required courses; one of these courses must be taken during the student's senior year to fulfill the university's capstone requirement.

SAMPLE Course Sequence for Dietetics

• Demonstrate how to locate, interpret, evaluate and use professional literature to make ethical, evidence-based practice decisions.
• Select and use appropriate current information technologies to locate and apply evidence-based guidelines and protocols.
• Apply critical thinking skills.
• Demonstrate effective and professional oral and written communication and documentation.
• Describe the governance of nutrition and dietetics practice, such as the Scope of Practice for the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and the Code of Ethics for the Profession of Nutrition and Dietetics.
• Assess the impact of a public policy position on nutrition and dietetics practice.
• Discuss the impact of health care policy and different health care delivery systems on food and nutrition services.
• Identify and describe the work of interprofessional teams and the roles of others with whom the registered dietitian nutritionist collaborates.
• Demonstrate cultural humility, awareness of personal biases and an understanding of cultural differences as they contribute to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Describe contributing factors to health inequity in nutrition and dietetics including structural bias, social inequities, health disparities and discrimination.
• Participate in a nutrition and dietetics professional organization and explain the significant role of the organization.
• Defend a position on issues impacting the nutrition and dietetics profession.
• Use the Nutrition Care Process and clinical workflow elements to assess nutritional parameters, diagnose nutrition related problems, determine appropriate nutrition interventions and develop plans to monitor the effectiveness of these interventions.
• Develop an educational session or program/educational strategy for a target population.
• Demonstrate counseling and education methods to facilitate behavior change and enhance wellness for diverse individuals and groups.
• Practice routine health screening assessments, including measuring blood pressure and conducting waived point-of-care laboratory testing (such as blood glucose or cholesterol). 
• Describe concepts of nutritional genomics and how they relate to medical nutrition therapy, health, and disease.
• Develop nutritionally sound meals, menus and meal plans that promote health and disease management and meet client’s/patient’s needs. 
• Apply management theories to the development of programs or services.
• Evaluate a budget/financial management plan and interpret financial data.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the regulation system related to billing and coding, what services are reimbursable by third party payers, and how reimbursement may be obtained.
• Apply the principles of human resource management to different situations.
• Apply safety and sanitation principles related to food, personnel, and consumers.
• Explain the processes involved in delivering quality food and nutrition services.
• Evaluate data to be used in decision-making for continuous quality improvement.
• Perform self-assessment that includes awareness in terms of learning and leadership styles and cultural orientation and develop goals for self-improvement.
• Identify and articulate one’s skills, strengths, knowledge and experiences relevant to the position desired and career goals.
• Practice how to self-advocate for opportunities in a variety of settings (such as asking for needed support, presenting an elevator pitch).
• Practice resolving differences or dealing with conflict.
• Promote team involvement and recognize the skills of each member.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the importance and expectations of a professional in mentoring and precepting others.