Applied Nutrition Major
The applied nutrition major allows the student to pursue one of three concentrations: dietetics, culinary nutrition or environmental nutrition.
Dietetics Track
The dietetics track is for those interested in careers in clinical nutrition, nutrition counseling, public health/community nutrition, wellness, sports nutrition, retail nutrition, and food-service management. The program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), the accrediting agency for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Students who complete the concentration qualify to sit for a national exam to become a nutrition and dietetic technician, registered (NDTR). Completing the dietetics concentration is also the first step to becoming a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). To become an RDN, students must also complete an accredited supervised practice program and effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam.
ACEND can be contacted by email (ACEND@eatright.org), phone (1.800.877.1600 x5400), or mail (120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995).
Mission and Goals
The mission of Ohio University, is encompassed in the following statement, “Ohio University holds as its central purpose the intellectual and personal development of its students.”
- The mission of the College of Health Sciences and Professions: We SERVE our communities (big and small); We SOLVE the world’s greatest health issues; We SUCCEED in training the next generation of health care professionals.
- The mission of the School of Applied Health Sciences and Wellness is to provide distinctive programs that integrate theory, research, and practice. Our programs foster the development of successful graduates that enhance health, wellness, and quality of life through prevention, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation.
- The mission of the Division of Food and Nutrition Sciences is to build distinctive programs in food and nutrition sciences that integrate theory, research, and practice, fostering the development of successful food and nutrition sciences students and graduates.
- The mission of the Didactic Program in Dietetics is to build a distinctive program that integrates theory, research, and practice, fostering the development of successful DPD students and graduates.
The Goals and Objectives of the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD):
Goal 1: Program graduates will be prepared for entry into supervised practice programs.
- Objective 1: At least 80% of students complete program requirements within three years (150% of time planned for completion).
- Objective 2: At least 60% of graduates apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within 12 months of graduation.
- Objective 3: Of program graduates who apply to a supervised practice program, at least 70% percent are admitted within 12 months of graduation
- Objective 4: The program’s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.
- Objective 5: At least 80% of Supervised Practice Program Directors will rate DPD graduates as prepared for supervised practice as indicated by a 4 (agree) out of 5 on the 1-year Program Director Survey.
Goal 2: Program graduates will be prepared for entry into graduate school.
- Objective 6: At least 80% of Supervised Practice Program Directors/Graduate School Directors will rate DPD graduates as prepared for graduate coursework as indicated by a mean of 4 (agree) out of 5 on the 1-year Program Director Survey.
- Objective 7: At least 80% of graduates will rate themselves as prepared for graduate coursework as indicated by a 4 (agree) out of 5 or higher on the Alumni Survey.
Program outcome data available upon request.
Admission
Admission requirements to the dietetics program are the same as those for admission to Ohio University in general. No special prerequisites need to be met prior to declaring a major in applied nutrition-dietetics. Candidates are encouraged, however, to begin the program early in their college careers. High school chemistry and biological science courses also are strongly recommended. For information on admission to Ohio University for both freshmen and transfer students, go online to Ohio University Admissions.
Dietetics Graduation Requirements
Students enrolled in the dietetic track must earn and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 or higher to complete the degree conferral process. For students applying to dietetic internships programs, a GPA or 3.25 or higher is considered competitive. Completing the graduation requirements of Ohio University and the applied nutrition program (dietetics concentration) does not guarantee that you will be accepted into post-baccalaureate programs for professional experience after graduation. You must apply to and be granted acceptance into such programs.
Post graduate options for dietetic graduates include A) application for the nutrition and dietetic technician examination. (see cdrnet.org) B) application to the dietetic internship (supervised practice program) and/or C) application to graduate school.
"Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). In order to be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor’s degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into CDR’s Registration Eligibility Processing System (REPS) before 12:00 midnight Central Time, December 31, 2023. In addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).
Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited didactic program at Ohio University are eligible to apply to the MSDI program at Ohio University or other ACEND-accredited supervised practice program. Completion of these requirements will enable them to apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN..
Graduates may need to obtain state licensure or certification to practice.
Educational pathways to become a RDN
Cost to the Student
Please visit the Office of the Bursar for program costs.
Additional Information
Please see the Didactic Program in Dietetics Student Handbook to learn more about the program calendar, financial aid, scholarship opportunities, technology requirements, policies and procedures to evaluate prior credit and more. Complete program information can be found in the Didactic Program in Dietetics Student Handbook. PDF available by contacting the DPD Program Director (hovland@ohio.edu).
Dietetics Concentration Program Plan
Didactic Program in Dietetics Student Handbook
Environmental Nutrition
The environmental nutrition concentration is for students interested in careers involving sustainability, agriculture, wellness and food policy. The concentration's curriculum also fulfills the requirements for earning an Undergraduate Certificate in Environmental Studies Sustainability and Resilience. Graduates are prepared to pursue careers in community and government agencies, industry, and agriculture, especially in areas that focus on sustainability and the environment. Graduates are also prepared for graduate study in a wide range of fields. Outstanding incoming environmental nutrition students may enter the accelerated pathway. This pathway offers students early assurance into the Master of Science in Food and Nutrition Sciences at Ohio University and an opportunity to earn 7 graduate hours during their undergraduate studies.
Environmental Concentration Program Plan
Culinary Nutrition
The culinary nutrition concentration is for those interested in culinary nutrition, school nutrition, child nutrition, institutional wellness, and food-service management. Schools and universities employ those with a school nutrition background, and graduates are also prepared to work in other institutions and to pursue careers in the food-service industry. Students who complete this concentration qualify for a variety of School Nutrition Association (SNA) certifications. They can also, with the addition of field experience, fulfill SNA credentialing requirements to become a school nutrition specialist.
Culinary Concentration Program Plan
Applied Nutrition Minor
The minor in applied nutrition is designed for students interested in strengthening their knowledge of nutrition principles and applications. After completing the minor, students will possess basic nutrition knowledge to help others identify reliable sources of nutrition information. This minor complements the studies of those pursuing careers in the health sciences, exercise physiology, medicine, environmental studies, hospitality management, health communication, journalism and other related fields.