Admission Requirements
Nutrition Science & Dietetics Program (Step 1)
Prospective students enter the Nutrition Science & Dietetics program upon acceptance to Andrews University. Students must apply to the professional program* at the end of their sophomore year. The Nutrition Science Concentration is recommended for students wishing to pursue professional degrees in the fields of nutrition, medicine, dentistry, research and other health related graduate degrees.
Pre-requisite Courses: two years of the following:
- Introductory professional (e.g., Food Science and Nutrition)
- Sciences (e.g., General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Foundations of Biology, and Physics)
- Social sciences (e.g., Sociology and Psychology)
- Math (MATH 191 Calculus I)
- Andrews Core Experience (ACE)
These courses may be obtained at Andrews University or another accredited college or university, or equivalent institution for international students.
Professional Program in Nutrition Science & Dietetics (Step 2)
Applying to the Program*
To transition into the professional program, students need to apply to the director of the Didactic Program in Nutrition Science & Dietetics (DP) at the end of their sophomore year. Students must apply to the program in order to register for FDNT 351 Food Service Management, a required course for the major.
Courses
The professional program includes two years of study including courses in:
- medical nutrition therapy
- food-service management
- nutrition and metabolism
- community nutrition
These courses are to be obtained on the Andrews University campus.
Application Deadline
For acceptance to the program, applications need to be submitted to the program director by the last Friday in March, September, or November for the following semester.
Acceptance
- Full acceptance into the BS Nutrition Science & Dietetics Program requires successful completion of all prerequisite courses and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, and a minimum overall GPA of 2.5 in the sciences and FDNT courses.
- Students who are not fully accepted into the program by their senior year will be unable to register for FDNT 441 Medical Nutrition Therapy which is required for the completion of the program.
Registration Examination Eligibility
Andrews University offers two programs to prepare the student for the registration examination given by the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND).
The DPD program, which meets the academic requirements for registration eligibility.
The Dietetic Internship, a post-baccalaureate program, designed to meet the supervised practice requirements for registration eligibility.
Dietetic Internship
After completion of the BS course work for the Nutrition Science & Dietetics BS, students are elible to apply for the an eight-month accredited Dietetic Internship that must be completed by a dietetic student for registration eligibility. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and DP (Didactic program in Nutrition Science and Dietetics) GPA of 3.2 is recommended for admission into the program.
This supervised practice provides experiences in three main areas of dietetics—community nutrition, clinical nutrition, and food-service management. The Internship Program is available at several hospitals affiliated with Andrews University. Successful completion of this intensive eight-month supervised practice permits a student to write the national registration exam in dietetics. Students who successfully complete the internship will be issued an Internship Program verification statement.
Upon passing the registry exam, graduates receive formal recognition as Registered Dietitians (RD). This status is maintained by participating in continuing professional education activities approved by AND. With advanced study or experience, the dietitian may qualify as a specialist in clinical dietetics, food service management, nutrition education, or research.
Student Learning Outcomes
Domain 1: Scientific and Evidence Base of Practice: integration of scientific information and research into practice
KRDN 1.1: Demonstrate how to locate, interpret, evaluate and use professional literature to make ethical, evidence-based practice decisions.
KRDN 1.2: Use current information technologies to locate and apply evidence-based guidelines and protocols.
KRDN 1.3: Apply critical thinking skills.
Domain 2: Professional Practice Expectations: beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviors for the professional dietitian level of practice
KRDN 2.1: Demonstrate effective and professional oral and written communication and documentation.
KRDN 2.2: Describe the governance of nutrition and dietetics practice, such as the Scope of Nutrition and Dietetics Practice and the Code of Ethics for the Profession of Nutrition and Dietetics; and describe interprofessional relationships in various practice settings.
KRDN 2.3: Assess the impact of a public policy position on nutrition and dietetics practice.
KRDN 2.4: Discuss the impact of health care policy and different health care delivery systems on food and nutrition services.
KRDN 2.5: Identify and describe the work of interprofessional teams and the roles of others with whom the registered dietitian nutritionist collaborates in the delivery of food and nutrition services.
KRDN 2.6: Demonstrate an understanding of cultural competence/sensitivity.
KRDN 2.7: Demonstrate identification with the nutrition and dietetics profession through activities such as participation in professional organizations and defending a position on issues impacting the nutrition and dietetics profession.
KRDN 2.8: Demonstrate an understanding of the importance and expectations of a professional in mentoring and precepting others.
Domain 3: Clinical and Customer Services: development and delivery of information, products and services to individuals, groups and populations
KRDN 3.1: Use the Nutrition Care Process to make decisions, identify nutrition-related problems and determine and evaluate nutrition interventions.
KRDN 3.2: Develop an educational session or program/educational strategy for a target population.
KRDN 3.3: Demonstrate counseling and education methods to facilitate behavior change for and enhance wellness for diverse individuals and groups.
KRDN 3.4: Explain the processes involved in delivering quality food and nutrition services.
KRDN 3.5: Describe basic concepts of nutritional genomics.
Domain 4: Practice Management and Use of Resources: strategic application of principles of management and systems in the provision of services to individuals and organizations
KRDN 4.1: Apply management theories to the development of programs or services.
KRDN 4.2: Evaluate a budget and interpret financial data.
KRDN 4.3: Describe the regulation system related to billing and coding, what services are reimbursable by third party payers, and how reimbursement may be obtained.
KRDN 4.4: Apply the principles of human resource management to different situations.
KRDN 4.5: Describe safety principles related to food, personnel and consumers.
KRDN 4.6: Analyze data for assessment and evaluate data to be used in decision-making for continuous quality improvement.
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