Department Contact:

Office Location:

Health Professions Center 2089

812-461-5213

Dietetics

The baccalaureate in Food and Nutrition Dietetics option is designed to provide educational opportunities for students to examine nutrition and its relation to disease prevention, treatment, and health promotion. Dietetics is the science of managing food and nutrition to promote health. The registered dietitian (R.D.)/Registered dietitian nutritionist credential is nationally recognized and considered the nutrition expert.

MissionThe mission of the Dietetics program at the University of Southern Indiana is to prepare future dietetic leaders to apply their food and nutrition knowledge and skills wisely both in their personal and professional lives. The Dietetics program:

provides quality, innovative and relevant education and service learning opportunities for a diverse group of students to assure that they are able to maximize their personal potential and meet the needs of the changing Dietetics field, and prepares them to enter supervised practice,

promotes a collaborative research environment

promotes community support through service, continuing education, and consultation activities

supports the professional career aspirations of students, faculty, and alumni; and

exhibits a caring and collegial spirit.

Goals

Prepare competent students for supervised practice or entry-level employment utilizing their knowledge and skills in dietetics, food and nutrition.

Recruit, retain and graduate a highly motivated and diverse population of undergraduate dietetics students who will serve as leaders in the food and nutrition field.

Prepare students for success on the registration exam or in entry-level employment.

Prepare graduates capable of doing collaborative research related to dietetics.

Prepare graduates who engage in community service learning and exhibit professional leadership.

To become a R.D./R.D.N. the student must complete a minimum of a bachelor's degree with course work approved by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (A.N.D.), a supervised practice program, and pass a national exam.

At the completion of the accredited baccalaureate specialty in dietetics at USI, the student will be eligible to apply for a ACEND accredited supervised practice program within the United States. The practice program can be typically completed within 6-12 months. After completion of the supervised practice program, the student is eligible to take the national registration exam to become a R.D.

The baccalaureate degree starts with a strong foundation in the biological sciences. All food and nutrition majors are exposed to a strong grounding in both food and nutrition courses. Students who specialize in dietetics will focus on:

Pre-Dietetic students who are seeking formal admission to the Dietetics program will need to meet the following admission criteria:

Admission Criteria:

All applicants must first seek admission to the University by completing an application, having all official transcripts from high school and/or previous universities/colleges attended sent to USI, and complete all other University requirements. Applicants with a minimum of a 2.0 grade point average may complete an information packet throughout the year to the Bachelor of Science or Art in Food and Nutrition program and be designated as a Pre-Dietetics student (A GPA of 2.5 is encouraged).

Pre-Dietetic students who are seeking formal admission to the Dietetics program will need to meet the following criteria:

Complete the following course work (or equivalent) with a minimum 2.9 overall grade point average in the following courses: *BIOL 121, PSY 201, ENG 101, CMST 101 or 107, MATH 111, *CHEM 261, *NUTR 203 and *NUTR 376

After application is made to the program, the application will be reviewed and the student will be notified of a decision. Upon acceptance to the dietetics program, students are provided with a faculty advisor and will be instructed on registration procedures for dietetics courses.

A candidate for the Bachelor of Science or Art in Food and Nutrition degree must meet the general requirements for graduation as outlined in the University bulletin and successfully complete the food and nutrition courses required for the major area of study.

Verification of Dietetics CompletionVerification of dietetics program completion is a method to ensure academic requirements have been met. An appropriately completed Verification Statement allows the student to be eligible to participate in a Supervised Practice Program, specifically a Dietetic Internship, after graduation from the University. A determination of the coursework the student must complete to fulfill dietetic program curriculum requirements is done by the Program Director. To receive a Verification Form students must have earned academic credit for coursework indicated by an asterisk "*" on the Dietetics Graduation Checkout Sheet.

Program Progression Requirements to Graduation

Requirements for progression in the Dietetics program have been approved by the University Curriculum Committee and Faculty Senate and are as follows: the student must:

Complete the University Core 39 requirements as outlined in the Schedule of Classes; a minimum of 39 hours.

Complete required nutrition core courses: 26 credit hours

Complete 38 hours of Dietetics option courses

Complete a minimum of 120 credit hours

Complete a minimum of 30 hours taken from the University of Southern Indiana

Obtain an average of 2.0 grade point average or better on all work taken at the University of Southern Indiana*; and

Achieve a grade of C or better in all core nutrition and dietetic courses, Biology 121, Biology 122, Chemistry 261, and Chemistry 262**.

*Cumulative grade point averages are evaluated by the Office of the Registrar at the end of fall, spring and summer terms. Students who do not meet the standards will be placed on probation. Failure to meet the cumulative GPA standards by the end of the probationary term will result in academic dismissal from the University.

**Students must retake the course/s until a grade of C or better is obtained.

Obtaining a 3.0 or higher grade point average at degree completion is encouraged for application to supervised practice programs.

Graduate OutcomesThe University of Southern Indiana Dietetics graduate is a critical thinker who is competent to enter supervised practice, employment or advanced education. Graduates demonstrates enthusiasm and are directive in their efforts to serve their community and employer in a professional and ethical manner. Graduates possess knowledge and skills to lead team efforts and uses investigative techniques to improve dietetic processes and outcomes.

For additional information or about outcome measures, please contact:

Dr. Julie McCullough, 8600 University Boulevard, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Evansville, IN 47712, jmccullo@usi.edu or 812-461-5213.

Computer Matching Process

Upon accreditation of the dietetics program students will be able to participate in a competitive computer matching process for Dietetic Internships offered throughout the United States. For more information about the computer matching process visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Additional information can also be found under Student Resources. Upon successful completion of an ACEND accredited internship, students are eligible to take the registration exam for dietitians. If planning to practice in Indiana, they then can apply for certification.

Pass Rate on Registration Exam

Current first-time testing pass rate on the national registration exam is 100% for our graduates.

Cost Estimation for Program

Estimated additional costs for the Food and Nutrition program include uniforms, equipment, lab fees, exam fees, physical examination, and immunizations and are approximately $350 for the duration of the program.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), employment of dietitians and nutritionists is expected to grow because of the emphasis on disease prevention, a growing and aging population, and public interest in nutrition.

Career OpportunitiesRegistered dietitians work in a variety of settings including health care, business and industry, public health, education, research and private practice. Many work environments, particularly those in medical and health care settings, require that an individual be credentialed as an R.D./R.D.N. In addition to R.D./R.D.N. credentialing, many states have regulatory laws for dietitians and nutrition practitioners. Frequently these state requirements are met through the same education and training required to become an RD. Work settings may include:

If using a personal computer, it is recommended that the computer have Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8, or Mac OS X 10.6 or newer. For compatibility, you will want to have access to Microsoft Office 2013, Office 2010, or Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac. In some cases, Office 365 may be sufficient. For some course content, you will also need Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash Player and/or Windows Media Player (Macs should use Flip4Mac WMV Components for QuickTime). Additionally, a broadband Internet connection would be very beneficial; AOL is not recommended. Lastly, if your course uses the Blackboard e-Learning platform, you may wish to verify that you have a compatible web browser.

If your computer is more than 6 years old or does not meet the requirements for running one the above versions of Microsoft Office (Windows system requirements / Mac system requirements), you may want to consider purchasing a new computer.

Dean of Students

Students rights and responsibilities are described at the Dean of Students website.

The University of Southern Indiana is committed to providing equal opportunity for all qualified individuals. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, gender, marital status, or handicap in the administration of its educational and admissions policies, financial affairs, employment policies and programs, student life and services, or any other university-administered program.

AccreditationThe Dietetic Program in Dietetics at the University of Southern Indiana is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) (formerly CADE). ACEND is recognized as the accrediting agency for bachelor level dietetic programs in the United States.