HHP: Dietetics, B.S.

Pre-Dietetics

The Didactic Program in Dietetics prepares students for the first stage of a three-stage process leading to the Registered Dietitian credential. The second stage requires that Dietetic program graduates complete a 1200-hour, nationally competitive, clinically supervised internship. The third stage requires that graduates pass the National Registration Exam for Dietitians after completing their Dietetic Internship.

Dietitians are the “nutrition experts” in healthcare and wellness. They are employed in a variety of settings from large corporations to small community programs, working to assess the nutritional needs of individuals and groups; to provide practical and timely recommendations founded on “evidence based practice,” to improve the daily diet and well being of individuals. Registered Dietitians in healthcare may specialize in research, pediatrics, geriatrics, cancer, surgery and trauma, etc. They may also work in their own private practice or as part of a medical practice group. A growing number of dietitians are working with professional and university athletes. On an outpatient basis, they may assist individuals with diabetes, eating disorders or weight control issues. Many work in public health programs, while others develop wellness programs for corporations. The possibilities are practically endless.

Accreditation
The Didactic Program in Dietetics at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 200, Chicago, IL, 60606-6995, (312) 899-0040 ext. 5400. http://www.eatright.org/ACEND.

Admission and Continuation

Students must meet the same admission requirements as all other applicants to the University. Academic advising for students selecting Pre-Dietetics as their major should be done by DPD faculty. Admission to the University does not ensure acceptance into the DPD program; nor does acceptance into the DPD program ensure post-graduation placement in a Dietetic Internship.

Admission Requirements
Pre-Dietetics majors who wish to pursue dietetics as a career must complete the following steps by March 1st.

• Turn in a completed application form, available from the Nutrition Program section of the Health and Human Performance Department website.

• Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale with no grade lower than a C, and a science GPA of at lease 2.8 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants must also have a minimum grade of B in all Nutrition (NUTR) courses.

• Complete the following General Education and Cognate Foundation courses:
         6 hours of Rhetoric and Writing
         6 hours of Fine Arts and Humanities
         PSY 1010
         MATH 1130 or higher
         An approved General Education statistics course
         CHEM 1110/1110L, CHEM 1120/1120L, CHEM 3010/3010L
         NUTR 1450, 2210

• Submit a letter of recommendation from a non-dietetics faculty member. Any other university faculty/community organization advisor or employer is acceptable. If you have difficulty finding an individual, check with a DPD faculty member for additional sources.

• Candidates will receive written notification of their admission or denial into the program by April 1.

• Acceptance into the UTC Didactic Program in Dietetics does not ensure acceptance into a post-baccalaureate internship program. However, maintaining high academic standards and being fully engaged in recommended opportunities and experiences may improve your chances of selection into a dietetic internship program, which is required to be eligible for the RD exam.

Continuation Standards

• Students must maintain a minimum cumulative 3.0 grade point average with no grade lower than a C in any required program course. A student receiving a grade lower than a C in any required course will be placed on probation until the course is repeated with a grade of C or higher. If the student fails to receive a C on the second attempt or their cumulative GPA remains below 3.0, they will be dropped from the Dietetics program. Students who are dropped from the program may reapply at the next available application date.
• Students admitted to the program must attend a one-day seminar for the DPD program the week prior to fall term the year they are admitted to the program.
• Didactic program majors are expected to be student members of the American Dietetic Association and members of the Chattanooga Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as well as the Student Food and Nutrition Organization.
• Didactic program majors are highly encouraged to complete 200 hours of paid or volunteer work experience in nutrition, dietetics or foods/food service. Many internship programs recommend applicants complete 100-200 paid or volunteer hours of work experience in a nutrition/dietetics organization prior to applying for their internship program.
• Finally, students are highly encouraged to take the GRE exam, late fall semester of their senior year. More and more internship programs are requiring a GRE score even though their internship does not have a master’s degree component. If a student has not taken the GRE, they may be limited in their application process.

Program Objectives
At the time of application submission for post-graduation placement in a dietetic internship, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate the use of chemistry and chemical concepts related to food and nutrition.
• Categorize anatomical structures and differentiate normal from abnormal physiological systems.
• Analyze food and food product ingredients for functional properties.
• Interpret data from parametric and nonparametric statistics.
• Evaluate the role of specific nutrients in disease prevention and health promotion.
• Compare statistical methods for the interpretation of research data.

Program outcomes data is available upon request.