Dietetics

Bachelor of Science in Dietetics

Dietetics is one of four undergraduate majors in the Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology. The program offers students a unique introduction to sports and clinical nutrition.

Students majoring in dietetics may earn a DPD (Didactic Program in Dietetics) Verification Statement (which is required to apply for a dietetic internship and registered dietitian exam).

The DPD program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago IL, 60606-6995
800/877-1600 ext 5400

Program Contact

Jennifer Farrell, MS, RD
Program Director for Didactic Program in Dietetics

jennifer.farrell@fsu.edu

 Click for Bio

ABOUT

The specialized access program  allows a unique dietetic education. After admission to the Univeristy, students must apply and be accepted to the major.

Courses are offered in person on the main campus in Tallahassee. Students enjoy smaller, more intimate classes and form strong connections with classmates. Core dietetics courses have approximately 35 students and consist of group projects, presentations, case studies and practicum experiences. The curriculum at FSU also requires a sports nutrition course. Students may enroll in electives such as exercise physiology or exercise testing and prescription.

MISSION

The mission of the Nutrition & Integrative Physiology Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) is to prepare a diverse group of competent individuals for entry-level positions in a variety of food and nutrition settings and for entry into post-baccalaureate dietetic internships and/or graduate school.

The program will provide a curriculum leading to a baccalaureate degree upon completion. The DPD graduate will have the requisite knowledge requirements as part of a rigorous science-based curriculum to successfully pursue and complete an accredited supervised practice program leading to eligibility for the CDR credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Goal 1. Graduates will achieve success pertaining to post baccalaureate opportunities leading to careers in the field of nutrition and dietetics.

  • Objective 1:  At least 80% of program students complete the program/degree requirements within 3 years (150% of the program length)
  • Objective 2: 70% of program graduates apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within 12 months of graduation.
  • Objective 3: 50% of program graduates are admitted to a supervised practice program within 12 months of graduation.
  • Objective 4: Of program graduates who apply to a supervised practice, at least 80% are admitted within 12 months of graduation.
  • Objective 5: Supervised practice program directors will rank 80% of program graduates as “prepared” for supervised practice
  • Objective 6: The program’s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of the first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.

Goal 2. The program will prepare a diverse group of graduates who demonstrate a commitment to community and professional service.

  • Objective 1: At least 75% of ethnically and/or gender diverse dietetics students will graduate with a DPD verification statement.
  • Objective 2: 80% of DPD graduates will have been a member of a related professional or pre-professional organization (such as: Student Dietetic Association, Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics or Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) prior to program completion.
  • Objective 3: 80% of program graduates will have completed >20 hours of volunteer or philanthropic activities prior to program completion.

Outcome data available upon request.

2022-23
Item Amount
Tuition & Fees (In-State) $5,616
Est. Housing $7,096
Books & Supplies $1,000
Meal Plan $4,496
Student Membership to AND (recommended) $58
Total $18,293

Florida State University provides multiple types of financial aid for students who apply. From institutional, state, and federal awards, to private scholarships and loans, funding options are available for all. Please see the Office of Financial Aid for more information.

Coursework

Requirement Hours
General Education 36*
Major Coursework 56*
Collateral Coursework 34*
Minor Coursework 0
Computer Skills 0 (beyond collateral)
Oral Competency 0-3 (beyond major)
College of Human Sciences Core (beyond major)
Electives varies
(as needed to reach total requirement)
Total Min. Hours Required 120

* Many courses may be used to satisfy more than one requirement—Prerequisites, General Education, Major, Collateral, Computer Skills Competency. Hours are not cumulative; all requirements may be finished in the required 120 hours.

(ALSO KNOWN AS “LIBERAL STUDIES”)
Requirement Hours
Quantitative and Logical Thinking 6
English Composition 6
History and Social Sciences 6
Humanities / Cultural Practice and Ethics 6
Natural Sciences 6
Electives 6
Total Hours 36
57 Hours
Course # Hours Name
DIE 3005 1 Introduction to Dietetics
DIE 4243 3 Medical Nutrition Therapy I
DIE 4310 3 Community Nutrition
(requires “B” or higher)
DIE 4244, 4244L 4 (3+1) Medical Nutrition Therapy (and lab)
(both require “B” or higher)
FOS 3026, 3026L 4 (3+1) Foods (and lab)
FOS 4114C 4 Food Science
FSS 4135 3 Food Economics
FSS 4312 3 Food Service Management
(requires “B” or higher)
HUN 4941 3 Nutrition Practicum and Professionalism in Dietetics
HUN 1201 3 The Science of Nutrition
(requires “B” or higher)
HUN 2125 3 Food and Society
HUN 3224 3 Intermediary Metabolism of Nutrients I
HUN 3226 3 Intermediary Metabolism of Nutrients II
HUN 3403 3 Life Cycle Nutrition
(requires “B” or higher)
PET 3322, 3322L 4 (3+1) Functional Anatomy & Physiology I (and lab)
PET 3322, 3322L Substitute*
BSC 2085, 2085L AND
2086, 2086L
8 (3+1, 3+1) Anatomy & Physiology (and labs)
(both require “C-” or higher)
*You must contact the department before enrolling in this option.
PET 3361 3 Nutrition and Sport
FAD 2230 3 Family Relationship
FAD 4601 3 Foundations of Counseling
34 Hours
The following coursework outside of the department must also be completed with a C minus or higher grade. Most of these courses may also be used to satisfy prerequisites, General Education or other graduation requirements.
Course # Hours Name
CGS 2060 3 Computer Literacy (or other University-approved computer literacy course)
ECO 2000 3 Introduction to Economics
or ECO 2013
or ECO 2023
PSY 2012 3 General Psychology
MAC 1105 3 College Algebra
STA 2122 3 Introduction to Applied Statistics
or STA 2023 (Fundamentals of Business Statistics)
CHM 1045, 1045L 4 (3+1) General Chemistry I (and lab)
CHM 1046, 1046L 4 (3+1) General Chemistry II (and lab)
CHM 2200, 2200L 4 (3+1) Survey of Organic Chemistry (and lab)
or CHM 2210, and CHM 2211
MCB 2004, MCB 2004L 4 (3+1) General Microbiology (and lab)
or approved Food Microbiology
BSC 3023 3 Survey of Biochemistry

* Many courses may be used to satisfy more than one requirement—Prerequisites, General Education, Major, Collateral, Computer Skills Competency. Hours are not cumulative; all requirements may be finished in the required 120 hours.

The State of Florida has identified common courses for all university programs. Typically, a course from one Florida institution will transfer as equal to another Florida institution if the first three numbers and last three numbers are equivalent.

The following is a list of courses that if taken at another Florida institution will transfer to FSU for the dietetics program:

Transferable Courses (FL Institutions to FSU)
PET X3322/PET x3323L
or BSC X085/X085L and BSC X086/X086L
or BSC X093C and BSC X094C
CGS X060
or CGX X061
CHM X045/X045L
CHM X046/X046L
CHM X200/X0200L
or CHM X210/X010L and CHMX211/CHMX011L
ECO X013
or X023
or X000
HUN X201
MAC X105
or MAC X142
MCB X004/X004L
or MCBX020C
PSY X012
or PSY X020
or PSY X113

Admissions to the Major

Students must meet the following admission criteria:

1. Admission to The Florida State University  Apply to FSU

2. Completion of academic mapping milestones through term 4

3. An overall undergraduate GPA of 2.75

*Students with exceptional circumstances who have not met the minimum 2.75 overall undergraduate GPA may enter an appeal to be considered for admission.

4. Receive a grade of “B” or better in HUN 1201 (Science of Nutrition)

5. Receive a grade of “Satisfactory (S)” in DIE 3005 (Introduction to Dietetics)

DIE3005 will be offered in the summer session. Transfer students will have the opportunity to complete this course in the summer at FSU before admission decisions are made. Detailed information about the application process will be provided in this course.

6. Submit a resume and personal statement

DIDACTIC PROGRAM IN DIETETIC (DPD)
VERIFICATION STATEMENT

A verification statement documents that an individual has completed the requirements of a nutrition and dietetics education program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics.

Learn more about ACEND verification statements.

Students at FSU may earn a DPD verification statement which establishes eligibility to apply to a Dietetic Internship or Individualized Supervised Practice Program. Upon completion of your supervised practice program you will receive another statement from your internship director.

Requirements to earn a verification statement:

  • B or better in the following courses:
    • DIE 4243 Medical Nutrition Therapy I
    • DIE 4244 Medical Nutrition Therapy II
    • DIE 4244L Medical Nutrition Therapy II Lab
    • DIE 4310 Community Nutrition
    • FSS 4312 Food Service Management
    • HUN3403 Life Cycle Nutrition
    • HUN 4941 Practicum and Professionalism in Dietetics
  • Graduating GPA of 3.0 or better
  • Pass assignments which meet knowledge requirements for dietitians and nutritionists (KRDNs) with a C- or better. These requirements are assessed by assignments in your core coursework listed above. Your syllabus for each course has the KRDN and corresponding assignment. After the completion of each semester your instructor will upload a met/not met indicator for each KRDN in the canvas gradebook on this site.

If you find you are off track for earning a verification statement, please see your program director.

Receiving your verification statement:

A few weeks before your graduation date you will be asked to fill out a survey in the canvas site. You must fill out this survey so we know where to send your verification statement.

Once degrees confer (this is usually a few weeks after the end of the term), the program director will review transcripts, complete verification statements and email them to you with a certified digital signature. These are good forever. Please keep them in a safe place. You will need to provide one to your internship director and possibly for licensure for the state in which you will be practicing.

List of ACEND accredited internships:

Find Internship

Internships

Internships include 1200 hours of supervised practice and provide you with the practical experience and knowledge required for the Registered Dietitian exam. Internship experiences are clinical, food service management, and community nutrition rotations. The typical duration is 9-12 months with hours that are equivalent to a full-time job. Rotations and length of each experience depends on the internship. While some internships may offer a stipend, most do not include such financial assistance.

Internships are extremely competitive. Completion of the dietetics degree does not guarantee acceptance to an internship.

To apply for an internship you must have earned a DPD verification statement.  For more information on verification statements, please see the previous section.  While each internship has minimum GPA qualifications, remember that you are competing against all the other applicants.  A strong GPA, in conjunction with volunteer service and/or related work experience, strengthens your application. Please visit the website for a list of internships and their qualifications.

Graduate School

Note: Dietitians becoming credentialed in 2024 or after must have a graduate degree.

You can apply to any program for which you have met the pre-requisites. Every program has a different set of pre-requisites. Check websites and research potential programs to find each program’s prerequisites. If you select a graduate program in nutrition, you probably have met all of the prerequisite coursework. However, if you choose a graduate program outside of nutrition, you may need to complete additional courses.  It is beneficial to do this before you graduate with your bachelor’s degree.

All graduate programs have different titles; there is no standard name for “nutrition programs”.  In general, you have probably completed the prerequisites for programs including “nutrition” or “dietetics” in the title. You will also have met the prerequisites for graduate programs that offer a dietetic internship.

The majority of M.S. programs take two years to complete.  Ph.D. programs can take several years, depending on the program and your area of research.

The dietetics program follows University policies and procedures as found in the University bulletin including but not limited to:

Formal assessment of learning and regular reports of performance and progress. Course grades are made available to students at the completion of each semester.  Students may access these grades through their secure account. https://registrar.fsu.edu/bulletin/graduate/information/academic_regulations/


Program retention and remediation procedures. All students have access to the University’s Center for Academic Retention & Enhancement, which includes tutoring and on-line platforms as made available by course instructors.


Disciplinary and termination procedures. All procedures are handled according to University policy with proper University personnel: https://sccs.fsu.edu/conduct-codes/student-conduct-codes Additional information regarding student expectations and disciplinary procedures may be found in the University Code of Conduct: https://sccs.fsu.edu/conduct-codes/student-conduct-codes


Grievances and complaint procedures are outlined in the Undergraduate Bulletin. https://registrar.fsu.edu/bulletin/graduate/information/integrity/


Tuition and Fees are handled by the University financial services. https://studentbusiness.fsu.edu/tuition-fees


Protection of privacy of student information. This protection is ensured through University policies and the FERPA act.  https://registrar.fsu.edu/records/ferpa/ Courses utilize learning management systems which require user logins and passwords. Exams and assignments may be uploaded into the learning management system. Exams may utilize services such as Honorlock which requires students to show their identification before beginning an assessment. Honorlock may record and/or monitor students while taking an exam. Videos are accessed only through the instructors’ canvas site.


Student performance monitoring and retention. The University utilizes academic mapping to ensure students progress in a timely manner and identify students who have fallen behind.  Students who have fallen behind two semesters in a row will have a hold placed on their registration and must meet with an academic advisor to have the hold lifted.

https://registrar.fsu.edu/bulletin/graduate/information/academic_regulations/

https://admissions.fsu.edu/first-year/academics/majors_faq.cfm#mapping


Assessment of prior learning. As part of the application process to the University, admissions counselors determine coursework equivalency. Please see the coursework section of this website and the University Undergraduate Bulletin for further information. https://registrar.fsu.edu/bulletin/undergraduate/information/academic_regulations/


The dietetics program follows the University academic calendar. View by term:  Fall  |  Spring  |  Summer


The University provides students with a wide range of support services. These include health services, counseling and mental health services, financial aid, academic counseling, assistance for those needing accommodations for class instruction, testing and notetaking.

https://registrar.fsu.edu/bulletin/undergraduate/information/student_services/

https://studentaffairs.fsu.edu/


Graduation requirements. Graduation requirements for a degree in dietetics are outlined in the university bulletin and the curriculum sheet. https://registrar.fsu.edu/bulletin/undergraduate/information/undergraduate_degree/


In addition to University policies, program policies include:

  • Students completing experiential learning as part of the Practicum course or other courses:
    • The instructor of record will verify health insurance. (all students have access to health insurance, https://studentinsurance.fsu.edu/  and car insurance for travel to and from sites.
    • The program will abide by the experiential practice facilities requirements for drug testing and background checks. If required, the student will be responsible for any costs incurred for these services.
    • Students will only observe patient advice or care. Students will not perform preceptor job duties without preceptor supervision and/or assistance.
    • Students will not be compensated for any experiential learning opportunities.
    • Grievances and complaints regarding experiential learning:
      • Students should bring their concerns to the instructor of record. The student and instructor will meet to determine a reasonable course of action. Concerns may be elevated to the program director and then to the department chair.
      • Practitioners providing experiential learning should bring their concerns to the instructor of record. The practitioner and instructor will meet to determine a reasonable course of action. Concerns may be elevated to the program director and then to the department chair.

Concerns regarding the program curriculum, standards or policies should be directed to the program director at Jennifer.farrell@fsu.edu


Concerns relating to ACEND accreditation standards and program compliance should be directed to  https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/public-notices-and-announcements/filing-a-complaint-with-acend/procedure-for-complaints-against-accredited-programs