Brigham Young University

Prerequisites

1st Semester

*Chem 101 3

Math 102 3

WRTG 150 3

Am Her 100 3

Religion 121 2

Elective 2

16

3rd Semester

NDFS 200 3

MM Bio 221 3

MM Bio 222 1

NDFS 290 1

Stat 121 3

Soc 113 3

Religion 2

16

Professional Sequence

5th Semester

NDFS 300 4

NDFS 374 2

Eng 316 3

(or NDFS 375)

PD Bio 365 4

Religion 2

15

7th Semester

NDFS 400 3

NDFS 401 .5

NDFS 405 .5

NDFS 440 3

NDFS 458 3

NDFS 491 1

Civilization 2 3

14

*Students may take the Chem 105, 106, 107, 351, 352, 481 sequence if desired

2nd Semester

Chem 285 4

PD Bio 220 3

NDFS 100 3

Psych 111 3

Religion 122 2

15

4th Semester

NDFS 250/251 4

PD Bio 305 4

Phys Sci 100 3

Acct 200 3

Religion 2

16

6th Semester

NDFS 356 3

NDFS 445 3

NDFS 375 2

(or Eng 316)

NDFS 424 2

Civilization 1 3

Religion 2

15

8th Semester

NDFS 475 2

NDFS 466 3

NDFS 435 4

NDFS 490 2

Art or Letters 3

Religion 2

16

Brigham Young University’s Didactic Program in Dietetics is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, (312) 899-0040 ext 5400.

http://www.eatright.org/ACEND

Didactic Program in Dietetics

Program Requirements

Application

Students must apply by February 15th for admission into the professional sequence in the Fall. Enrollment is limited to 40 students. The application is located under DPD Application at http://dietetics.byu.edu .

● Four of the following eight courses must be complete at the time of application: NDFS 100, 200, 290; PDBio 220, 305; Chem 285; MMBio 221, Acc 200. (All prerequisites must be complete before beginning professional sequence.)

● GPA and performance in NDFS courses will be considered. Successful applicants typically have major and total GPAs ≥3.0 and NDFS course grades ≥B-.

● Applicants need 300 hours of dietetics-related work and/or volunteer experience.

Course Sequence

Students may wish to take classes in Spring and/or Summer Terms to lighten credit hour loads. All NDFS classes in the professional sequence must be taken in the semester shown, even if other courses have been completed.

The course sequence of students who transfer from other majors may leave them with available time prior to entering the professional sequence in a Fall Semester. Students with sufficient time may wish to take recommended courses or pursue a minor.

Recommended: The following courses may be taken at any point in the program (dependent on completion of any prerequisites) as time and interest allow:

NDFS 310 PD Bio 120 Bus M 201 ISYS 100 TMA 150 NDFS 380 Bus M 241

Minor: The following minors are very complementary to the dietetics major, but any area of interest could be considered:

Business Gerontology (in School of Family Life)

Spanish International Development

Dietetic Internship

To become a Registered Dietitian, students must complete an accredited Dietetic Internship (DI) following graduation. Application to internships is made during the final semester of study. Following successful completion of a seven- to twelve-month internship, graduates are eligible to take the Registration Examination.

Admission to internships is highly competitive. To increase the likelihood of obtaining a position in a DI, students should prepare by:

·  maintaining at least a 3.0 GPA,

·  having 1000 hours of dietetics-related work and/or volunteer experience,

·  participating in meaningful volunteer activity, and

·  demonstrating leadership ability in work or volunteer settings.

Meeting these criteria does not guarantee placement in a supervised practice program, but failure to meet them will almost surely preclude placement.

Dietetics-related Work and/or Volunteer Experience

Admittance to the BYU Didactic Program in Dietetics requires 300 hours of dietetics-related experience. [Many internships, including BYU ‘s, require 1000 hours of related experience—the additional 700 hours are added to the 300 required for the DPD.] The experience can be gained through paid employment, volunteer activities, or a combination of both. Obviously, the types of experience you can gain while still in school are not the things a dietitian actually does, but rather are the things dietitians might plan and supervise.

The experience should be completed under supervision in an established organization. While it is impossible to list all of the experiences that might “count,” here are some examples:

Foodservice

Healthcare, (hospital, nursing home, assisted living center, etc)

Virtually any position in the food and nutrition care department of a healthcare facility will give you exposure to the production, sanitation, and service areas of foodservice.

School Lunch/Child Nutrition Program

University/College Dining Service

Commercial restaurant

Only “counts” if in a supervisory or food production position—not wait staff, host, cashier positions.

Patient Care

Diet clerk, diet tech, or dietary aid may have direct patient contact. CNA (nursing assistant), physical therapy aid, occupational therapy aid, and other positions involved with direct patient care in a hospital or nursing home provide excellent experience. Working in the medical billing and reimbursement area of a hospital provides experience with an important part of health care.

Community Services

Many of the opportunities in the community will be volunteer rather than paid, although some paid positions exist. Any agency that has nutrition education/feeding as a component of its mission is a possibility—Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Heart Association, Diabetes Association, Cancer Society, March of Dimes, food banks, food/shelter coalition, soup kitchens, meal preparation for Special Olympics, Headstart, Aging Services etc.

Government

Food and Drug Administration, World Health Organization, US Department of Agriculture, and other agencies provide experiences in the legislative and oversight aspects of nutrition and food. If you happen to be in or near Washington DC these may be an option.

Teaching Assistant

Being a teaching assistant in nutrition or food science classes, anatomy lab, or other major classes gives good experience.

Sensory Analysis Lab

Brigham Young University

Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science

Dietetics Curriculum

Prerequisites (Must be complete before professional sequence)

Additional GE Requirements (To complete at any point prior to graduation)

Professional Sequence Courses (To complete following acceptance into the Didactic Program in Dietetics)

Recommended Courses (As time and interest allow)

DIETETIC PRACTICE GROUPS OF

ACADEMY OF NUTRITION AND DIETETICS

2012

Behavioral Health Nutrition (BHN) - www.bhndpg.org

Nutrition professionals work with clients with developmental disabilities, psychiatric disorders, substance abuse, and eating disorders.

Clinical Nutrition Management (CNM) - www.cnmdpg.org

Managers who direct clinical nutrition programs across the continuum of care.

Diabetes Care and Education (DCE) - www.dce.org

Members involved in patient & professional education, plus research for the management of diabetes.

Dietetic Educators of Practitioners (DEP) - www.depdpg.org

Educators of dietetics practitioners for entry & advanced levels of dietetics practice.

Dietetic Technicians in Practice (DTP) - www.dtpdpg.org

Advocates for Dietetic technicians, registered as dietetics professionals in providing quality client care.

Dietetics in Health Care Communities (DC-HCF) – http://www.dhccdpg.org/

Practitioners providing nutritional consultation to acute and long-term-care facilities, home care companies, healthcare agencies, corrections, and the foodservice industry.

Dietitians in Business & Communications (DBC) – www.dbconline.org

Food & nutrition professionals work for or consult with corporations, businesses, & organizations, or who are self-employed or business owners.

Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine (DIFM) – www.integrativerd.org

Food and nutrition practitioners that promote the integration of conventional nutrition practices with evidence-based alternatives, including functional and integrative medicine and nutrition genomics.

Dietitians in Nutrition Support (DNS) – www.dnsdpg.org

Practitioners integrate the science of specialized nutrition to provide appropriate nutrition support to individuals in hospitals, clinics, home care, & pediatrics.

Food & Culinary Professionals (FCP) – www.foodculinaryprofs.org

Members promote food education & culinary skills to enhance quality of life & health of public.

Healthy Aging (HA) – www.gndpg.org

Practitioners who provide & manage nutrition programs & services to older adults in a variety of settings.

Hunger & Environmental Nutrition (HEN) – www.hendpg.org.

Leading the future in sustainable & accessible food and water systems using education, research, & action.

Infectious Diseases Nutrition (IDN) – www.idndpg.org

Members sharing cutting-edge information on nutrition management of Infectious Diseases and providing an avenue for research, monitoring and advocacy for nutrition intervention.

Management in Food & Nutrition Systems (MFNS) – www.rdmanager.org

Managers generally employed in healthcare institutions, universities, corrections, & other facilities.

Medical Nutrition Practice Group (MNPG) – www.mnpgdpg.org

Professionals practice a wide range of Medical Nutrition Therapy across the continuum of care.

Nutrition Education for the Public (NEP) – www.nepdpg.org

Involved in the design, implementation, and evaluation of nutrition education programs for target populations.

Nutrition Educators of Health Professionals (NEHP) – www.nehpdpg.org

Members involved in education & communication with physicians, nurses, dentists, & other health care professionals.

Nutrition Entrepreneurs (NE) – www.nedpg.org

Consult in developing and delivering nutrition-related services and/or products. Membership ranges from veteran business owners to members establishing new practices.

Oncology Nutrition (ON) – www.oncologynutrition.org

Nutrition professionals involved in the care of patients with cancer, cancer prevention, & research.

Pediatric Nutrition (PNPG) – www.pediatricnutrition.org

Practitioners who provide nutrition services for the pediatric population in a wide variety of settings.

Public Health/Community Nutrition (PHCNPG) – www.phcnpg.org

Nutrition professional who provide nutrition services to all age groups in a community setting.

Renal Dietitians (RPG) – www.renalnutrition.org

Provide medical nutrition services to chronic kidney disease patients in dialysis facilities, clinics, hospitals, university settings & private practice.

Research (RDPG) – www.researchdpg.org

Members who conduct research in various areas to promote practice standards, health policy, & disease prevention.

School Nutrition Services (SNS) – www.snsdpg.org

School food service directors, nutrition educators, and corporate dietitians working in the delivery of food service & nutrition education to children.

Sports, Cardiovascular & Wellness Nutritionists (SCAN) – www.scandpg.org

Nutrition professionals with expertise & skills in promoting the role of nutrition in physical performance, cardiovascular health, wellness, & disordered eating.

Vegetarian Nutrition (VN) – www.vegetariannutrition.net

Nutrition professionals who focus on information & resources about plant-based diets.

Weight Management (WM) – www.wmdpg.org

Practitioners who work in the prevention and treatment of overweight & obesity throughout the life cycle.

Women’s Health (WH) – www.womenshealthdpg.org

Practitioners practicing women’s nutrition care issues during the reproductive period through menopause.