Dietetics

With the shift in the force of health care toward prevention, Food and Nutrition professionals will play an important role in educating and, in the case of dietetics, treatments. A student in the Food and Nutrition program learns to evaluate the role of nutrition in optimizing health throughout the life cycle and responds to harmful nutrition practices through the three specialties offered: Dietetics, Food Service Management, and Nutrition and Wellness.

Students in the Dietetics specialty examine nutrition and its relation to disease prevention, treatment, and health promotion. Dietetics is the science of managing food and nutrition to promote health. More information about the role of a Dietitian can be found here US Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook.  The national median pay is $58,920 per year.

The registered dietitian (R.D.) credential is nationally recognized and considered the nutrition expert. Additional information regarding the credentialing exam is available here Commission on Dietetic Registration.

Before a student can take the R.D. credentialing exam the student must apply for a supervised practice internship. Placement in the internship is competitive and is done through a national clearing house which can place the student in any city or state in the US. Students must complete this internship prior to sitting for the credentialing exam. USI intern placement rates are above the national average.

The Dietetics Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) (formerly CADE).

For additional information, including full course layout, visit the Dietetics Homepage