Nutrition and Dietetics, B.S.

Nutrition and Dietetics Major

The curriculum in Nutrition and Dietetics is interdisciplinary in nature and includes courses that provide a broad background to prepare students for employment as dietitians and nutritionists in a wide variety of settings. RU’s program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Upon completion of the B.S. Degree, students are eligible to apply to an accredited dietetic internship and subsequently sit for the national registration exam, the final step in the credentialing process to become a Registered Dietitian (RD). Registered Dietitians are employed in hospitals, wellness centers, health departments, private practice, health-related agencies and consulting positions with pharmaceutical and food companies.

RU’s curriculum is focused on preparing students for careers in wellness, disease prevention and nutrition therapy. Alternative career paths also include food service management, public health and the food industry.

Academic Advising

All Nutrition and Dietetics students are assigned to a faculty advisor. Students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisor regularly to facilitate smooth progress towards completion of their degree. In addition, the Advising Center provides support and assistance to students and faculty within the department. Both faculty advisors and the Advising Center staff are committed to assisting students in: exploring educational and career options; clarifying university and departmental requirements; selecting appropriate courses; evaluating academic progress; and obtaining referral information for academic and student support services.

B.S. Degree

All requirements for a degree are outlined below.

Core Curriculum Requirements (43-45 credits)

(See here )

Majors are required to complete the following prerequisite courses and are advised to take them as part of their Core Curriculum requirements:

• CHEM 111 - General Chemistry I
• PSYC 121 - Introduction to Psychology
• MATH 137 - College Algebra
• STAT 200 - Introduction to Statistics
• NUTR 214 - Introduction to Nutrition

Other Prerequisite Courses (12 credits)

• BIOL 105 - Biology for Health Sciences
• BIOL 334 - Microbiology
• CHEM 122 - General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry for the Life Sciences

Electives (2-4 credits)

Recommended electives include Spanish courses that indicate fluency in conversational Spanish.

Major Core Requirements (55 credits)

• NUTR 300 - Medical Terminology
• NUTR 301 - Introduction to Professions in Nutrition and Dietetics
• NUTR 303 - Nutrition Assessment
• NUTR 304 - Research Methods in Nutrition and Dietetics
• NUTR 310 - Food Service Studies I: Introduction to Food Service Systems
• NUTR 315 - Food Service Studies II: Operations Management
• NUTR 316 - Nutrition in the Life Cycle I: Maternal and Child
• NUTR 317 - Nutrition in the Life Cycle II: Adult and Elderly
• NUTR 320 - Food Science and Preparation
• NUTR 405 - Community and Cultural Nutrition
• NUTR 414 - Advanced Nutrition and Biochemistry I
• NUTR 415 - Advanced Nutrition and Biochemistry II
• NUTR 420 - Diet Planning and Preparation
• NUTR 425 - Medical Nutrition Therapy I
• NUTR 426 - Medical Nutrition Therapy II
• NUTR 435 - Nutrition Counseling and Education I
• NUTR 436 - Nutrition Counseling and Education II

B.S. Degree Requirement (6 or 8 credits)

• BIOL 322 - Human Anatomy and Physiology for Pre-Nursing Majors or

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• BIOL 310 - Human Structure and Function I and
• BIOL 311 - Human Structure and Function II

Major Grade Point Average (GPA)

A 3.0 GPA on all college work attempted and a 3.0 GPA in the major.  Students are required to achieve and maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher to complete and graduate in this major.

Total Credits Needed for Degree 120

Admission Criteria to Upper Division Courses

Applicants must meet the following criteria for admission to the Nutrition and Dietetics upper division coursework:

1. Official transcripts reflecting a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better from all post secondary schools attended including RU.
2. Completion and grade of C- or better in the following prerequisite courses:
   1. NUTR 214
        
   2. CHEM 111  
   3. CHEM 122  
   4. BIOL 105  
   5. BIOL 322  or BIOL 310  and BIOL 311  
   6. BIOL 334  
   7. PSYC 121  
   8. MATH 137  
   9. STAT 200  
3. Submission of transcripts for those intending to enroll in upper division courses is due by March 31 for fall enrollment for current students and before fall registration for new students.

Honors Program in Nutrition and Dietetics

The Nutrition and Dietetics program offers an honors program. For a general description of the Honors Academy at Radford University, see Honors College . For specific requirements of this program, contact the department head or the director of the Honors Academy.