Do you have an interest in food and healthy eating for you and your family? Have you ever been curious about the science behind nutrition recommendations? Do you find yourself reading the package labeling on items at the grocery store?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, consider joining the growing field of nutrition and dietetics by becoming a registered dietitian nutritionist! The need for nutrition professionals has never been more important as we navigate a world of different dietary practices, cultural food beliefs and habits, GMO, shrinking biodiversity in our food supply, feeding a hungry world, and science that continues to evolve and help us understand the significance of nutrients in our bodies.

Immaculata’s nutrition and dietetics major is designed to prepare you for a dietetic internship. Our program offers specialized courses in medical nutrition therapy, counseling, community nutrition, research, and food service management.

Our program also contains a significant amount of experiential learning within the curriculum. Students graduate with a minimum of 150 hours covering a variety of experiences in clinical, community, and food service nutrition. This experiential learning component gives students the opportunities to apply knowledge, think critically, and have a better understanding of what the day-to-day profession of the registered dietitian nutritionist is like.

Opportunities

Although you may feel that you do not have time, consider joining the Immaculata Student Dietetic Association (SDA), a dynamic club for all nutrition and dietetics majors. The club hosts guest speakers, provides community service, partners with the IU Gardening Club to grow vegetables for a local food cupboard, provides nutrition education fact sheets for the student food pantry, and participates annually in the NEDA Walk. In the past the SDA has raised money for charity, provided education and cooking classes for elementary school children, and hosted a fun run.

Students can become a member of Kappa Omicron Nu, a national honor society for Immaculata students majoring in Nutrition and Dietetics and Fashion Merchandising.

Students can continue their education in Immaculata’s Master of Arts in nutrition education.

Where Can I Work

A degree in nutrition and dietetics prepares you for a variety of career opportunities including: community nutrition; sports nutrition counseling; fitness and wellness centers; schools, colleges and universities; food service management; Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) programs and other public health agencies; home care, programs for underdeveloped countries, e.g. Peace Corps, United Nations;
hospitals and long-term care facilities; specialized patient care, e.g., athletes, pediatrics; rehabilitation centers; private practice; nutrition research laboratories and pharmaceutical industry.

Accreditation

The Nutrition and Dietetics program is currently granted initial accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995. Phone: 312-899- 0040. This program provides the academic preparation necessary to become an entry level registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).