2020-2021 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Dietetics, B.S.
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 Return to: College of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies
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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:
- Completion of didactic component of a ACEND Accredited program in dietetics.
- Completion of a ACEND Accredited dietetic internship program.
- 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:
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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 (BIO 111 , BIO 201 , BIO 203 , BIO 431 , BIO 433 , CHM 111 , CHM 112 , CHM 211 , CHM 212 , CHM 315 , and CHM 316 )
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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.
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If the student has a GPA below 3.0, he or she can be awarded a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition instead.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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To receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics from Life University, a student must earn at least 25% of coursework at Life University, 30 credit hours 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.
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Completion of SLP requirements and documentation on co-curricular transcript.
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File a petition to graduate.
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Administrative and student reviews of records
- Registrar Office – Complete a formal academic records review
- Complete Exit Counseling, if applicable, online at www.StudentLoans.gov
- Student Accounting – rectify any account balance
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: |
Humanities, Health and Wellness |
25 Quarter Credit Hours |
| Area II: |
Social Sciences |
15 Quarter Credit Hours |
| Area III: |
Science, Mathematics and Computers |
20 Quarter Credit Hours |
Total: 60 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: |
Nutrition Courses |
35 Quarter Credit Hours |
| Area VII: |
Free Electives |
5 Quarter Credit Hours |
Total: 131 Quarter Credit Hours
Total Bachelor of Science Requirements: 191 Quarter Credit Hours
Bachelor of Science in Dietetics Curriculum
Area IV: Nutrition Core
48 Quarter Credit Hours
Area V: Major Program Requirements
43 Quarter Credit Hours
Area VI: Other Nutrition Requirements
35 Quarter Credit Hours
(A) The following 33 Quarter Credit hours:
(B) Any 2 Quarter Credit hours of Nutrition Courses not already taken.
Area VII: Free Electives
5 Quarter Credit Hours
Any undergraduate course offered not previously taken.
Verification Statement Requirements
Life University’s Department of Nutrition provides qualified students a Verification Statement for entrance into an accredited Dietetic Internship Program. Students who have obtained a BS degree from a regionally accredited program with a GPA of 3.0 or better and only need courses required to obtain a Verification Statement and thus be able to apply to an internship can do so at Life University without having to complete requirement for the entire BS in Dietetics Degree. Satisfactory completion of all required courses with a minimum overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for the Verification Statement. If upon completion, the student’s cumulative GPA falls below a 3.0, the student becomes ineligible to receive the Verification Statement.
Verification Statement Coursework Requirements**
Total: 42-53 Quarter Credit Hours
**All prerequisites must be met. If the student has not taken the prerequisite as part of the undergraduate nutrition degree obtained elsewhere, he/she must take that prerequisite at Life University.
Verification Statement Completion Requirements
*Please note that the information in the following section has been updated since the publication of this catalog. Further details and the updated content can be viewed on the Catalog Addenda page.
- All nutrition courses must be completed with a grade of “B” or better.
- A minimum overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better is required for all courses listed above. However, nearly 80 percent of those accepted to internships have an average GPA over 3.0 or better.
- Additionally, students required to have all nutrition GPA 3.25 and all science GPA 3.0 (BIO 111, BIO 201, BIO 213, BIO 431, BIO 433, CHM 111, CHM 112, CHM 211, CHM 212, CHM 315, and CHM 316)
- All credit hours required for the Verification Statement must be completed at Life University. Courses cannot be transferred in from another University to meet the above stated requirements.
- Students must provide the Didactic Program in Dietetics Director with their social security number and permanent address during their last quarter at Life University so that a Verification Statement can be mailed upon completion of the requirements.
Note:
- Students that received a B.S. in Nutrition from Life University within the past three years may be exempt from some courses.
- Anyone who has a degree that is not nutrition related must complete all degree requirements for the dietetics degree (excluding any transfer credits).
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