Bachelor of Science in Dietetics
The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Dietetics provides individuals the didactic requirements needed to complete a Dietetic Internship and then be eligible to take the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) exam. The Bachelor of Science in Dietetics mission statement is to guide the future of dietetics in Alaska by preparing students for supervised practice. To be successful in their field, 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. This degree has been designed in accordance with the accreditation standards from the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. There is a competitive application process for admissions to the Bachelor of Science in Dietetics. Please contact the Dietetics and Nutrition Program for application information.
The Dietetics and Nutrition (DN) course requirements are online courses to facilitate access to the BS in Dietetics degree statewide. Some courses require students to complete practicums with RDNs in their communities. If practicums are located in health care settings, fingerprinting and criminal background checks will be required and paid for by the student.
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.
Admission Requirements
Satisfy the Application and Admission Requirements for Baccalaureate Programs.
Students who apply to the baccalaureate dietetics program are admitted first as dietetics pre-majors.
Admission as a pre-major does not guarantee admission to the dietetics program. There is limited capacity in the program. Students may apply for admission to the full dietetics major (didactic program in dietetics, or DPD) in the spring semester in which they are completing the final prerequisites for the full major (see No. 4 below). The application deadline for the DPD 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.
The requirements for application to the full dietetics major are:
- Satisfy the Application and Admission Requirements for Baccalaureate Programs.
- Schedule an advising session with a dietetics and nutrition program advisor regarding application and program admission requirements prior to application. For an advising appointment, call 786-1276.
- Submit a DPD admissions application (found on the dietetics program website).
- 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 DPD director) must have been completed within the past 10 years:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL A111 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| BIOL A112 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| BIOL A240 | Introductory Microbiology for Health Sciences | 4 |
| CHEM A105 & A105L | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM A106 & A106L | General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory | 4 |
| DN A100 | The Profession of Dietetics | 1 |
| DN A203 | Nutrition for Health Sciences | 3 |
| MATH A151 | College Algebra for Calculus (or higher level math course) | 4 |
| Humanities GER (language is recommended) | 6 | |
| Oral Communication Skills GER | 3 | |
| PSY A111 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| or SOC A101 | Introduction to Sociology | |
| Written Communication Skills GER | 6 | |
| At least 6 additional credits of required Dietetics and Nutrition (DN) coursework in residence at UAA (see Major Requirements). | 6 | |
| * | Conditional acceptance to the program can be granted if the students are in the process of taking any of the prerequisite courses during the spring semester. Students will need to provide official proof of course completion with a minimum grade of C prior to starting the program. |
Advising
- Call the dietetics and nutrition program at (907) 786-1276 for an appointment with a dietetics and nutrition program advisor to plan a personal program of study.
- Contact Testing Center (786-4500) to take a UAA-approved placement test of mathematics, reading and writing skills. Place a copy of the results in the department portfolio. SAT, ACT and other post-secondary transcripts may also be submitted to the department. These records will be used for advising only.
- All students in the BS in Dietetics program (including pre-majors) are required to participate in a dietetics advising session a minimum of one time per year.
Academic Requirements
In order to progress within the DPD, students must earn a grade of C or higher in each required course and maintain a GPA of 3.00 or higher in all required courses.
Graduation Requirements
- Satisfy the General University Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
- Complete the General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
- Complete the major requirements listed below.
- Meet the following GPA requirements:
- A minimum overall GPA of 3.00 in major requirements.
- A grade of C or higher in all courses that count toward the major.
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50.
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Support Courses * | ||
| BA A151 | Business Foundations | 3 |
| BIOL A111 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| BIOL A112 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| BIOL A108 | Principles and Methods in Biology | 6 |
| CHEM A105 & A105L | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM A106 & A106L | General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory | 4 |
| MATH A151 | College Algebra for Calculus (or any course for which MATH A151 is a prerequisite) | 4 |
| Fine Arts GER | 3 | |
| Humanities GERs (language recommended) | 6 | |
| Oral Communication Skills GER | 3 | |
| PSY A111 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| or SOC A101 | Introduction to Sociology | |
| STAT A200 | Elementary Statistics | 3 |
| WRTG A111 | Writing Across Contexts | 3 |
or WRTG A1W | Written Communication Skills GER | |
| WRTG A212 | Writing and the Professions | 3 |
| or WRTG A213 | Writing and the Sciences | |
| Core Courses | ||
| BIOL A240 | Introductory Microbiology for Health Sciences | 4 |
| CHEM A321 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM A441 | Principles of Biochemistry I * | 3 |
| DN A100 | The Profession of Dietetics | 1 |
| DN A151 | Nutrition Through the Life Cycle | 3 |
| DN A203 | Nutrition for Health Sciences | 3 |
| DN A270 | Culinary Nutrition | 3 |
| DN A275 | Introduction to Culinary Medicine | 3 |
| DN A301 | Nutrition Assessment | 3 |
| DN A312 | Nutrition Communication and Counseling | 3 |
| DN A325 | Food & Nutrition in Modern Alaska | 3 |
| DN A350 | Foodservice Systems and Quantity Foods | 3 |
| DN A355 | Weight Management and Eating Disorders | 3 |
| DN A401 | Medical Nutrition Therapy I | 3 |
| DN A402 | Medical Nutrition Therapy II | 3 |
| DN A415 | Community Nutrition * | 3 |
| DN A430 | Research Methods in Nutrition and Dietetics | 3 |
| DN A475 | Advanced Nutrition | 3 |
| DN A492 | Senior Seminar in Dietetics | 2 |
| PHIL A302 | Biomedical Ethics | 3 |
| Electives | 9 | |
| Total | 120 | |
| * | Courses may be used to satisfy General Education Requirements. |
A minimum of 120 credits is required for this degree, of which a minimum of 42 credits must be upper-division.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
At the completion of this program, students 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.