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).
Licensure and/or Certification
Graduates with a BS in Dietetics are eligible to sit for the Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, Registered (NDTR) exam from the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
Please go to UAA's Authorization by State website for information about licensure or certification in a state other than Alaska.
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:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL A111 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| BIOL A112 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 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 or test score placement into higher level 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. |
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:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Support Courses | ||
| 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 |
| HLTH A151 | Breaking Trail on Your Health and Social Services Career | 3 |
| MATH A151 | College Algebra for Calculus (or any course for which MATH A151 is a prerequisite or test score placement into higher level course) | 4 |
| Fine Arts GER | 3 | |
| Humanities GERs (language recommended) | 6 | |
| Oral Communication Skills GER | 3 | |
| Social Sciences 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 | |
or WRTG A2W | Written Communication Skills GER | |
| 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/CA 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 | 4 |
| DN A355 | Weight Management and Eating Disorders | 3 |
| DN A360 | Sports Nutrition | 3 |
| DN A401 | Medical Nutrition Therapy I | 3 |
| DN A402 | Medical Nutrition Therapy II | 4 |
| DN A415 | Community Nutrition * | 3 |
| DN A430 | Research Methods in Nutrition and Dietetics | 3 |
| DN A450 | Dietetic Management | 3 |
| DN A475 | Advanced Nutrition | 3 |
| DN A492 | Senior Seminar in Dietetics | 2 |
| Total | 119 | |
A minimum of 120 credits is required for this degree, of which 42 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.