Nutrition and Dietetics, B.S.
Immaculata’s Nutrition and Dietetics major is designed to prepare you for professional practice through a combination of experiential learning and cultural competence.
Do you have an interest in food and healthy eating? 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.
At A Glance
Program: Bachelor of Science
Audience: Undergraduate students
Format: Face-to-face classes
Next Start Date: January 16, 2024
Cost: Full-time tuition
Time to Completion Four years
"Immaculata’s Nutrition program has exceeded my expectations by providing me with opportunities and experiences in food service, community and clinical positions. This program has not only expanded my knowledge and education but has prepared me academically for further studies. I found each program course to be beneficial for me in some way. Some courses improved my writing skills, many taught me the science behind food, our body and how diet affects our health, while others taught me how to make souffles! These diverse courses demonstrate to students the various career paths offered in nutrition and dietetics. The faculty are both supportive and encouraging, which allowed me to feel more prepared and confident as a student and in the workforce. This has inspired me to become a Registered Dietitian by furthering my education through a master’s degree and internship at Immaculata University."
Karina Ellis '22
Graduate student in clinical nutrition
Immaculata’s Nutrition and Dietetics major is designed to prepare you for a dietetic internship. Our program emphasizes cultural competence throughout the curriculum, and offers specialized courses in medical nutrition therapy, counseling, education, community nutrition, research, and food service management.
In addition to learning these essential components of professional practice, our didactic program in dietetics (DPD) contains a significant amount of experiential learning . Students graduate with a minimum of 150 hours covering a variety of experiences in clinical, community, and food service nutrition. Instructors will help guide students for supervised experience placement, but students are ultimately responsible for locating the majority of these hours.
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. This experience will help you be prepared for the dietetic internship that you complete after finishing your undergraduate program.
In addition, students who major in Nutrition and Dietetics at Immaculata are also members in the Student Dietetic Association that offers different clubs and numerous activities to provide students with opportunities to socialize and build professional and leadership skills.
Students can continue their education in Immaculata’s Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition.
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.
Immaculata University’s Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL, 60606-6995, (312) 899-0040 ext 5400.
Additional Fees
DPD program fees are estimated. We cannot anticipate all fees. Additional fees are possible.
- Text and resource materials (~ $200 per course)
- Department fees
- Food Science Laboratory and supplies fee (~$70 per lab course)
- Practicum fee for FNU 359 and FNU 370 ($55 for both courses)
- Medical insurance
Additional required documentation fees are possible and can include: Child abuse clearance screening, Flu shot, Criminal background check and Drug testing.
3+2 B.S. and Graduate Nutrition Program
IU’s 3+2-year B.S. and M.S. allows you to earn your bachelor’s in just three years and enter an IU graduate nutrition program. To qualify, you must fulfill the admission requirements of a minimum high school GPA, letters of recommendation, an essay and an interview with the program director. You will take courses year-round and must earn at least a C in chemistry and biology courses, a B- in foods and nutrition courses, and a 3.0 GPA.
You will be guaranteed acceptance into Immaculata’s M.S. in Nutrition Education and Counseling. Alternatively, you may apply for the M.S. in Clinical Nutrition with Dietetic Internship, which provides the academic preparation and supervised practice necessary to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).
Program Completion Requirements
Undergraduate students in the Nutrition and Dietetics program are required to have a minimum overall GPA of 2.6 and earn a minimum grade of B- in all FNU courses to graduate and receive the Verification Statement. This document is required to apply for a dietetic internship or to be eligible to take the exam to be a Registered Dietetics Technician.
- Transfer students are required to complete a minimum of 12 credits at Immaculata University to complete the DPD and receive the Verification Statement.
Students who meet the minimum GPA but have earned lower than a B- in any FNU course(s) must repeat the course(s) before graduation and earn at least the minimum grade requirement to receive a Verification Statement. If students do not meet the program minimum and/or overall GPA requirement, they may still graduate but will not earn a Verification Statement.
Graduation (Degree) Requirements
All undergraduate students must meet both the institutional degree requirements outlined in the university’s Undergraduate Catalog in the “Academic Life” section, under the subheading “Degree Requirements” and the requirements specific to a given major/program.
As described in the catalog, to complete a baccalaureate degree at Immaculata University, candidates must:
- fulfill the general (major and core) curriculum requirements of the college (including ethics and writing intensive requirements);
- earn a minimum of 126 credit hours if a student in the College of Adult Professional Studies and 128 credit hours if a student in the College of Undergraduate Studies, with a minimum GPA of 2.00 (C).
- if enrolled in the College of Undergraduate Studies, complete a First Year Seminar (FYS) course and two contact hours in physical education;
- meet the departmental requirements appropriate for the concentration program chosen.
The mission of the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) at Immaculata University is to provide educational excellence that prepares graduates for supervised practice, leading them to be eligible for the CDR credentialing exam to become registered dietitian nutritionists. The Didactic Program also strives to promote a lifelong appreciation for the attributes of a liberal arts education beyond graduation, encompassing ethical integrity, service, justice, and peace.
To accomplish this mission, the DPD program has the following goals:
Goal 1 – Graduates will be well prepared in the field of nutrition and dietetics, demonstrating logical and critical thought, independent study, and integration of knowledge.
- Objective 1.1: At least 80% of program students complete program/degree requirements within 6 years (150%) of the program length.
- Objective 1.2: Graduates who respond to the post-program completion survey will rank program satisfaction as a minimum overall mean score of 4.0 out of 5.0.
- Objective 1.3: 80% of supervised practice program directors will indicate overall satisfaction with graduate’s preparation for supervised practice.
Goal 2 – Graduates who successfully complete the DPD program will be eligible for supervised practice, graduate school, or employment.
- Objective 2.1: At least 70% of program graduates apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within 12 months of graduation.
- Objective 2.2: Of program graduates who apply to a supervised practice program, at least 70% are admitted within 12 months of graduation.
- Objective 2.3: The programs one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.
- Objective 2.4: Graduates who respond to the post-program completion survey will indicate that the program promoted mastery of subject material to prepare them for employment as a minimum overall mean score of 4.0 our of 5.0.
Goal 3 – Graduates will be prepared to communicate ideas effectively in a multicultural society, while respecting diversity, exhibiting personal integrity, and displaying ethical conduct.
- Objective 3.1: Graduates who respond to the post-program completion survey will rank preparedness to work professionally and communicate within a multicultural society as a minimum overall mean score of 4.0 out of 5.0.
- Objective 3.2: Graduates who respond to the post-program completion survey will rank overall coursework relating to professional growth as a minimum overall mean score of 4.0 out of 5.0.
Steps to Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) or Registered Dietetic Technician (DTR)
After completing your bachelor’s in Nutrition and Dietetics from Immaculata and receiving your Verification Statement confirming your eligibility to apply for an internship, Immaculata Nutrition faculty advise and support you as you apply and match with an internship. However, since dietetic internships are very competitive, there is no guarantee of a match with an internship site.
Our recent graduates have a high rate of acceptance to internship programs at places such as Aramark, Inspira Health Network, Johns Hopkins Medical Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Metropolitan University of Denver, University of Maryland Medical Center, and various other internship programs.
All dietetic internships require 1,200 hours of supervised practice in clinical or community nutrition, food service, and other areas. Once you successfully completed the internship, you must pass the CDR credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist. More information is available here.
Those interested in becoming a Registered Dietetic Technician (DTR) can learn more here.
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