Nutrition & Food Sciences
The undergraduate curriculum in Nutrition and Food Sciences consolidates the curricula in the areas of Nutritional Sciences and Food Science and Technology. Students in this curriculum take core courses that provide basic knowledge required for specialization in one of four areas of concentration: Dietetics; Nutritional Sciences/Pre-Medical; Nutrition, Health and Society; and Food Science and Technology (with Pre-Med option). Students who enter this major should give special attention to the mathematics and science courses they select and should consult with an advisor when registering for these courses. Students must be ready for the required courses when they enter the program.
Concentrations in Dietetics, Nutritional Sciences/Pre-Medical, and Nutrition, Health, and Society
The concentrations in Dietetics, Nutritional Sciences/Pre-Medical, and Nutrition, Health, and Society in the Nutrition and Food Sciences Curriculum prepare students for careers in the health professions specifically in dietetics, medicine, dentistry, or related fields. The Dietetics concentration is currently accredited as a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of the American Dietetic Association (ADA), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Students successfully completing this program will receive a verification statement that allows them to apply for a CADE accredited dietetic internship. This internship is required before students are eligible to sit for the registry examination to become a registered dietitian (RD). Registered dietitians provide expertise in nutrition and food service management in a variety of settings, including public and private schools, universities, hospitals, clinics, care centers, the armed services, research laboratories, commercial and industrial establishments, and local, state and federal health programs. Students who successfully complete the knowledge requirements of the dietetics concentration, as outlined by CADE, but do not enter and complete a dietetic internship are qualified to sit the examination to become a dietetic technician, registered (DTR). Information about both the RD and DTR programs are available through the Commission on Dietetic Registration. The Nutritional Sciences/Pre-Medical concentration provides students with a strong grounding in nutritional sciences while meeting the course work requirements for students planning to apply to medical, dental or graduate school. Since nutrition plays a role in many chronic and acute disease processes, understanding the role of nutrients in the body provides premedical students with a strong basis for building their medical careers. The concentration in Nutrition, Health and Society prepares students for a variety of careers in nutrition, including, but not limited to nutrition education, the food industry or scientific writing. Neither the Nutritional Sciences/Pre-Medical concentration nor the concentration in Nutrition, Health and Society prepares students to enter a dietetic internship or sit the examination to become a DTR or to obtain other professional credentials in dietetics.
Requirements for Graduation
Students in the Dietetics concentration of the Nutrition and Food Sciences curriculum must earn a grade of “C” or better in all required HUEC courses, as well as in BIOL 2160 and BIOL 2083 .