Bachelor of Science in Dietetics

The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Dietetics prepares students to meet the eligibility requirements to sit for the Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, Registered (NDTR) exam. The BS in Dietetics is also designed to prepare students for graduate coursework and supervised practice in programs leading to eligibility for the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential. To be successful in their field, NDTRs and RDNs need a strong science foundation along with courses in management, clinical and community nutrition, food science, communication, counseling, therapeutic nutrition, and nutrition for the lifespan. The BS in Dietetics is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) as a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD). 

Admission Requirements

• Complete the Admission Requirements for Baccalaureate Programs.
• All students will initially be admitted to a pre-major status. Admission as a pre-major does not guarantee admission to the dietetics program. 
• Students may apply for admission to the full dietetics major in the spring semester in which they are completing the final prerequisites for the full major (see course list below). The application deadline for the BS in Dietetics is February 15. The application form and full requirements can be found on the UAA dietetics program website. Applicants transferring credit from another institution should apply to UAA no later than November 1 prior to spring application to the dietetics program to allow sufficient time for application processing and transcript evaluation. Spring enrollment in another institution may postpone transcript evaluation and therefore affect program acceptance.
• Complete the following courses with a minimum grade of C and an overall GPA of 3.00*. BIOL, CHEM and DN courses (or a higher level course in similar subject matter as approved by the program director) must have been completed within the past 10 years:

Special Considerations

Expenses beyond tuition generally include, but are not limited to, activity fees, lab fees, student organization membership, immunizations, fingerprinting and criminal background checks for practicums, cost of Serv Safe certification and food/supplies for some DN courses.

Graduation Requirements

• Complete the General University Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
• Complete the General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
• Meet the following GPA requirements:
  • A minimum overall GPA of 3.00 in major requirements.
  • A minimum grade of C in all courses that count toward the major.
  • A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50.
• Complete the following major requirements:

A minimum of 120 credits is required for this degree, of which 39 credits must be upper-division.  

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a BS in Dietetics will be able to:

• Integrate scientific information and the translation of research into practice. 
• Demonstrate beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviors for the professional dietitian nutritionist level of practice.  
• Develop nutrition-related information, products and services to individuals, groups, and populations. 
• Apply principles of management and systems in the provision of nutrition-related services to individuals and organizations.

Sample Plan

The academic plan below is one pathway through the degree/certificate. It includes all requirements, taking into account recommendations from program faculty. Each student’s plan may vary according to their initial course placement, intended course load, additional majors and/or minors, and their placement into required prerequisite courses. Any change in the plan below can have an unforeseen impact on the rest of the plan. Therefore, it is very important to meet with your academic advisor to verify your personal academic plan.

Please review the following terms, definitions, and resources associated with the sample academic plan below.

• Each course in the far left column links to a pop-up bubble with a course description, prerequisite requirements, and associations with university requirements. For example, if a course fulfills a general education requirement, you will see that in the pop-up bubble.
• GER: indicates a General Education Requirement. GERs that also count toward degree/certificate requirements appear as a specific course in the plan. For these courses, "GER" is not indicated explicitly in the table, but if you click on the course, you will see the course's GER status in the pop-up bubble.
• Program Elective: indicates a specific course selection determined by program faculty to fulfill a degree/certificate requirement. Students should seek assistance from their academic advisor.
• Elective: indicates an open selection of 100-400 level university courses to fulfill elective credits needed to meet the minimum total credits toward the degree/certificate.
• Upper Division Program Elective: indicates a specific 300-400 level course selection determined by the program faculty to fulfill a degree/certificate requirement. Students should seek assistance from their academic advisor.
• Upper Division Elective: indicates an open selection of 300-400 level courses to fulfill elective credits needed to meet the minimum total credits toward the degree/certificate. These courses must be upper division in order to meet General University Requirements for the particular degree/certificate type.