Nov 23, 2024  
2018-2019 Academic Catalog 
    
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2018-2019 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Dietetics, B.S.

Mission Statement of the Didactic Program in Dietetics

The mission of the Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics at Life University is to provide diverse didactic courses in biological, nutrition and dietetics science, as well as to facilitate practical experience for students so that the program graduates attain required knowledge and competencies for a variety of careers within the field of nutrition and dietetics.

Accreditation Status

The Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) and Dietetic Internship (DI) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND).

Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
120 South Riverside Plaza
Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 606-6995
1-800-877-1600 ext. 5400

Program Goals

Goal #1

To prepare graduates of the DP with a broad educational knowledge and skills for successful entry and completion of the supervised dietetic internship program.

Objectives for Goal 1:
  • Objective 1: Over a seven-year period, 80% of students entering junior year will complete the DP within 3 years.
  • Objective 2: Over a seven-year period, 80% of DP graduates will apply to a supervised practice program within the academic year that they complete the DP program.
  • Objective 3: Over a seven-year period, 60% of DP graduates who apply for dietetic internships within the academic year they complete the DP will be accepted. 
  • Objective 4: Over a seven-year period, 80% of those graduates not accepted or not applied to a dietetic internship within the academic year they completed the DP will seek further training or obtain employment.
  • Objective 5: Over a seven-year period, 80% of the IP Directors will feel the graduates of the Life University DP are prepared for the IP.

Goal #2

To prepare graduates of the DP to effectively perform job responsibilities of any entry level position in the field nutrition and dietetics and or pursuing an advanced degree.

Objectives for Goal 2:
  • Objective 1: Over a seven-year period, 80% of DP graduates will pass the national exam for registered dietitians on the first attempt.
  • Objective 2: Over a seven-year period, 80% of DP graduates who desire employment will obtain a position in their field of study within 12 months of graduation.
  • Objective 3: Over a seven-year period, 90% of employers of the DP graduates who take positions in the field of Nutrition and Dietetics feel Life University graduates are well prepared for their position.
  • Objective 4: Over a seven-year period, 10% of DP graduates will apply to an advanced degree program within 3 years of graduation. 

Career Opportunities

Job opportunities for graduates with Registered Dietitian credential are endless and include settings such as hospitals, public health nutrition programs and long-term care facilities. Dietitians also work in child nutrition and school lunch programs, community wellness centers, health clubs, nutrition programs for the elderly, food companies and in food service management settings. Their responsibilities are as varied as the settings in which they work. Dietitians also work with physicians providing individual and group therapy. Another possibility for Dietitians is to work for pharmaceutical companies with lines of Nutritional Products.

Credentialing Process for Dietetics Practitioners:

Students are required to go through a sequential three-step process to become a Registered Dietitian. Those steps are:

  1. Completion of didactic component of a ACEND Accredited program in dietetics.
  2. Completion of a ACEND Accredited dietetic internship program.
  3. Pass the National examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

The completion of this program fulfills the first step in the process. It also gives the student the competence and eligibility to complete a Dietetic Internship Program.

Bachelor of Science in Dietetics Completion Requirements:

  1. Satisfactory completion of all required courses (nutrition and non-nutrition), with a minimum overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above is required for a B.S. in Dietetics. Additionally, students are required to have an all nutrition GPA 3.25 and all science minimum course grade of C or better (, , , , , , , , , , and ) 

    1. If, upon completion, the student’s OVERALL GPA falls below a 3.0, the student becomes ineligible to graduate from the DPD Program and ineligible to receive a Verification Statement.

    2. If the student has a GPA below 3.0, he or she can be awarded a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition instead.

    3. To earn a BSD, the student must have an overall GPA of 3.0, an all nutrition GPA of 3.25 and a minimum science course grade of C or better.

  2. The DC student who chooses to enter the DPD program must strictly adhere to the DPD program requirements including a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.

  3. All courses from areas IV-VI must be completed with a grade of “B” or better.
    A minimum GPA of 3.0 or above is required for the Verification Statement that accompanies the application to Dietetic Internship Programs, however, nearly 80 percent of those accepted into internships have an average GPA above 3.0.

  4. Students must provide the Director of Didactic Program in Dietetics with their social security number and permanent address during their last quarter at Life University so that a Verification Statement can be mailed upon completing degree requirements.

  5. To receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics from Life University, a student must earn a minimum of the last 47 credits in residence at Life University, 30 of which are to be in Nutrition. All field experiences must be taken through Life University. Residency is defined as being enrolled (matriculated) as an on-campus student, as a distance learner or via independent study, and has earned the minimum requirements as outlined above.

  6. A recommendation for graduation and completion of an exit interview with the Nutrition Department Faculty.

  7. File a petition to graduate.

  8. Administrative and student reviews of records

    1. Registrar Office – Complete a formal academic records review
    2. Financial Aid Office – Exit interviews with a Counselor
    3. Student Accounting – “Perkins” Exit interview and rectify account balance
  9. Confirm ,  and  completion status requirements.

Degree Requirements

Students receiving a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics degree must complete a minimum total of 191 Quarter Credit hours of instruction.

Core Curriculum Offerings

Area I: Communications & Humanities 20 Quarter Credit Hours
Area II: Science, Mathematics and Computers 25 Quarter Credit Hours
Area III: Social Sciences 20 Quarter Credit Hours

Total: 65 Quarter Credit Hours

Bachelor of Science Offerings

Area IV: Nutrition Core 48 Quarter Credit Hours
Area V: Major Program Requirements 43 Quarter Credit Hours
Area VI (a): Nutrition Courses 33 Quarter Credit Hours
Area VI (b): Any 2 cr. hrs. Nutrition Courses Not Taken 2 Quarter Credit Hours
Area VII: Free Electives 0 Quarter Credit Hours

Total: 126 Quarter Credit Hours

Total Bachelor of Science Requirements: 191 Quarter Credit Hours

Bachelor of Science in Dietetics Curriculum

Areas I, II, III

  

Nutrition majors are required to take ENG 121 in Area I B, MAT 101 in Area II A, and BIO 111, BIO 201 and CHM 111 in Area II B.

Area IV: Nutrition Core

50 Quarter Credit Hours