BS in Dietetics

MTSU’s Nutrition and Food Science Major, Dietetics Concentration (aka Didactic Program in Dietetics or DPD), has been preparing graduates to become competitive registered dietitians/registered dietitian nutritionists (RD/RDNs) for more than 50 years. Graduates have a significantly higher match rate of 100% than the national rate of 70% (average for the last three years) for obtaining competitive spots in post-baccalaureate dietetic internships.

Dietetics students have fun learning in and out of the classroom by:

• Creating their own healthy recipes in our food science lab.
• Meeting the cows at MTSU’s Dairy Farm.
• Coaching others on making nutritious food decisions to improve their health.
• Practicing medical nutrition therapy in the University’s high-fidelity simulation lab.

Curriculum: Nutrition and Food Science, Dietetics

Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Freshman

• ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
• ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
• Humanities and/or Fine Arts (2 prefixes) 6 credit hours
• SOC 1010 - Introductory Sociology 3 credit hours (Soc/Beh Sci)
• NFS 1010 - Career Orientation in Dietetics 2 credit hours
• NFS 2220 - Nutrition for the Health Sciences 3 credit hours
• CHEM 1010 - Introductory General Chemistry I 4 credit hours (Nat Sci) and
• CHEM 1011 - Intro to General Chemistry I Lab 0 credit hours (Nat Sci)

or

• CHEM 1110 - General Chemistry I 4 credit hours (Nat Sci) and
• CHEM 1111 - General Chemistry I Lab 0 credit hours (Nat Sci)
• CHEM 1020 - Introductory General Chemistry II 4 credit hours and
• CHEM 1021 - Intro to General Chemistry II Lab 0 credit hours

or

• CHEM 1120 - General Chemistry II 4 credit hours and
• CHEM 1121 - General Chemistry II Lab 0 credit hours
• BIOL 2010 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I 4 credit hours (Nat Sci) and
• BIOL 2011 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I Lab 0 credit hours (Nat Sci)

Subtotal: 32 Hours

Sophomore

• ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) or
• ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) or
• HUM 2610 - World Literatures 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)
• CDFS 3320 - Family Relations 3 credit hours
• COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 credit hours (Comm)
• MATH 1530 - Applied Statistics 3 credit hours (Math)
• NFS 3100 - Cultural Food Studies 3 credit hours
• Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
• BIOL 2020 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II 4 credit hours and
• BIOL 2021 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II Lab 0 credit hours
• BIOL 2230 - Microbiology 4 credit hours and
• BIOL 2231 - Microbiology Lab 0 credit hours

Choose 6 hours from:

• HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours
• HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours
• HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours
• HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours
• HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 32 Hours

Junior

• NFS 3200 - Food Science 3 credit hours and
• NFS 3201 - Food Science Lab 0 credit hours
• NFS 3260 - Community Nutrition 3 credit hours
• NFS 3280 - Sports Nutrition 3 credit hours
• NFS 3400 - Food Safety and Sanitation 1 credit hour
• NFS 4240 - Experimental Food Study 3 credit hours
• NFS 4270 - Advanced Nutrition I 3 credit hours
• NFS 4271 - Advanced Nutrition II 3 credit hours
• NFS 4275 - Applied Nutrition Across the Lifespan 4 credit hours
• CHEM 2030 - Elements of Organic Chemistry 4 credit hours and
• CHEM 2031 - Elements of Organic Chemistry Lab 0 credit hours
• CHEM 3530 - Principles of Biochemistry 4 credit hours and
• CHEM 3531 - Principles of Biochemistry Lab 0 credit hours

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Senior

• NFS 4010 - Professional Issues in Dietetics 2 credit hours
• NFS 4020 - Senior Seminar in Dietetics 2 credit hours
• NFS 4285 - Successful Approaches in Dietetics Research 2 credit hours
• NFS 4320 - Food Systems Management 4 credit hours
• NFS 4322 - Dietetics Management 4 credit hours
• NFS 4300 - Medical Nutrition Therapy I 4 credit hours
• NFS 4305 - Nutrition Coaching and Counseling Skills 3 credit hours
• NFS 4310 - Medical Nutrition Therapy II 4 credit hours

Subtotal: 25 Hours

Nutrition and Dietetics is a highly versatile professions. MTSU’s degree will provide you with the academic foundation to pursue your dreams and help lead you down many fascinating career paths-what an exciting time to choose a career in nutrition and dietetics!

Dietitians are a trusted source for evidence-based nutrition information. You will find them working in:

• Corporate wellness programs
• Diabetes clinics
• Extension
• Grocery stores
• Hospitals
• Journalism
• Private practice
• Public health clinics
• Restaurants
• Schools from elementary to universities
• Sports nutrition programs