The Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) provides students an opportunity to complete academic requirements for becoming a Registered Dietitian. The DPD is located in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences and is part of the College of Education and Professional Studies. Upon graduation, students will be awarded a Bachelor of Science Degree in Family and Consumer Sciences with a concentration in Dietetics. Following graduation, students must complete an American Dietetic Association approved dietetic internship to qualify for the national examination to become a registered dietitian.

Mission
The mission of the Didactic Program in Dietetics is to provide students with the knowledge, skills, standards, and ethics necessary for productive and satisfying professional careers in the areas of dietetics, nutrition and foods.

Admission Requirements
Students must apply for admission to the Dietetics program before the last semester of their sophomore year. To be admitted to the Didactic program, students must complete all courses listed for the freshman and sophomore years with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and must maintain this average to remain in the program. Students must also earn a minimum grade of "C" on all science-based courses. Students may be admitted conditionally for one semester. Application forms and additional information may be obtained from program advisors.

Purpose and Goals
The purpose of the DPD is to prepare graduates academically to enter approved dietetic internships leading to professional registration. After completing the requirements for the B.S. Degree, graduates are expected to have acquired:

1. Knowledge of the interdependence of human nutrition and health.

2. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills necessary for professional practice.

3. Knowledge of effective dietetics services in health care, community and other settings.

4. Communication skills necessary for effective professional performance.

5. Knowledge and principles of quantity food production and foodservice management.

6. An appreciation of the need for lifelong personal and professional development to maintain professional competence.

Course Listing

122 Fundamentals of Food Preparation and Meal Management (3). Lecture and laboratory experiences. An introduction to the study of food including selection, principles of preparation, evaluation of food products, survey of the market place, and management of resources in the preparation and serving of food.

301 Career Paths in Dietetics (1). Prerequisite: Junior Status. A survey of the career paths in dietetics and the process for entering the field.

322 Normal Nutrition (3). Prerequisite: Four hours of chemistry or biological science. Application of fundamentals of human nutrition including various nutrients and requirements for different individuals and groups.

323 Experimental Foods (3). Prerequisite: FCS 122. Lecture and laboratory experiences. The advanced study of food including the physical and chemical properties of food and factors affecting the quality of standard food products.

325 Quantity Food Production (3). Prerequisites: FCS 323. Lectures and Laboratory experiences. Introduction to institutional preparation and service of food, equipment operation and maintenance, menu planning, and recipe standardization.

327 Nutrition in the Life Cycle (3). Prerequisite: FCS 322. How age, growth, and normal development influence the nutritional requirements for individuals at each stage of the life cycle.

332 Social Cultural Aspect of Apparel (3). Overview of social, psychological, and cultural aspects of apparel.

337 Methods of Nutritional Assessment (3). Prerequisite: FCS 322. An introduction to the profession and practice of dietetics, emphasizing assessment techniques, feeding modalities and counseling methods.

339 Professional Communications in Family and Consumer Sciences (3). The fundamentals of communication skills necessary for professions related to the field of Family and Consumer Sciences. Emphasis on materials and methods necessary for satisfactory communication.

338 Community Nutrition (3). Prerequisite: FCS 215 or 322. Application of community nutrition strategies to health care problems and exploration of approaches useful in the design and evaluation of these programs.

352. Child Growth and Development (2). Development and guidance of young children from infancy through middle childhood.

353. Child Growth and Development Laboratory (1). Taken concurrently with FCS 352 lecture; two hours per week. Methods of guidance of young children, ages three and four.

355. Family Life Education (3). A study of family relations and the skills needed to function within the family setting. Emphasis on interpersonal communication, conflict resolution, and parenting.

371. Management of Family Resources (3). Focuses on the practical application of management principles for use of resources to maximize individual and family quality of life.

420. Medical Nutrition Therapy I (3). Prerequisite: FCS 322 and FCS 337. The study of relationships between diseases and nutrition. Application of assessment techniques and alternative feeding modalities in medical/nutritional case studies.

421. Medical Nutrition Therapy II (3). Prerequisite: FCS 420. A continuation of Medical Nutrition Therapy I. The study of relationships between diseases and nutrition. Application of assessment techniques and alternative feeding modalities in medical/nutritional case studies.

422. Foodservice Management (3). Prerequisite: FCS 122. Management techniques and functions in foodservice with emphasis on personnel management, materials management, and systems approach to foodservice management.

427 Special Problems in Family and Consumer Sciences (3). Prerequisite: Senior status. May be duplicated for credit for a total of six (6) semester hours. Individual work in selected area.

429. Advanced Nutrition Metabolism (3). Prerequisites: FCS 322, BY 263, and PE 400. Normal nutrition metabolism and an overview of aberrations in normal metabolism as affected by disease.

448 Alternative Medicine and Dietary Supplements (3). Prerequisites: FCS 322 and Junior status. Advanced study of the safety and efficacy of herbal and dietary supplements; mechanisms of action including potential rug/herbal/nutrient interactions; evaluation and regulation of health claims.

471 Family Housing and Interiors (3). Prerequisite: Junior Status. An overview of present-day family housing needs including location, space needs, house construction and selection, alternative housing, and home furnishings.

Program Checklist

Dietetics Student Handbook