Dietetics (B.S.)

The dietetics program focuses on the study of food and nutrition in relation to preventing and treating disease and maintaining and promoting good health. Dietetics is a people-oriented, science-focused and evidence-based field.

Studying dietetics is the first step toward earning the registered dietitian professional credential. Many dietitians work in clinical health care settings such as hospitals and extended-care facilities.

The MSU Dietetics undergraduate program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) in Nutrition and Dietetics as a didactic program in dietetics (DPD) that meets or exceeds the minimum academic requirements for professionally qualified dietitians. MSU has one of the largest dietetics programs in the United States.

See more on dietetics licensing board contact information and approval status.

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Dietetics

Core areas of study include:

  • Nutrition and foods.
  • Chemistry and biochemistry.
  • Physiology and psychology.
  • Management skills and processes.
  • Medical nutrition therapy.

Enrollment in the dietetics major is limited, and the profession requires acceptance into a competitive post-bachelor’s dietetic internship in order to be eligible to take the registered dietitian examination. Learn more about the dietetics major entry requirement.

Learn more about required courses in the undergraduate dietetics program.

Read more on the Mission, Goals, and Objectives of the MSU DPD program.

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Career Opportunities

A large number of dietitians work in a clinical practice like a hospital or extended care facility. Many also work in community health settings, such as at a health departments and with programs for at-risk populations, including children and seniors. Some dietitians' responsibilities are concentrated in the food service operations where dietary modifications may be necessary.

Dietetics prepares students for a variety of career paths:

  • Clinical nutrition practice.
  • Public health nutrition.
  • Corporate wellness/health promotion.
  • Higher education.
  • Food industry.
  • Food service management.
  • Private practice/nutritional counseling.

Faculty members and advisors maintain close relationships with past graduates, which can help with internships, scholarships and employment in nutrition, dietetics and food-related fields.

Louanges Ndayishimiye and Fleur Mushumba with faculty sponsors Drs. Dave and Lorraine Weatherspoon.

FSHN students win competitions at 2019 MANRRS conference

April 12, 2019

Two FSHN undergraduate students received first place awards in competitions at the 2019 MANRRS conference.

Venu Gangur has created a model that tests the allergenicity of wheat varieties with help from students Haoran Gao and Rick Jorgensen.

Study aims to combat wheat allergy

February 1, 2020

MSU researchers look to validate method to test allergenicity of wheat proteins.

Dietetics Advisor

Schedule advising appointments online.

Student Life

In addition to student jobs and internships, there are study abroad and undergraduate research opportunities.

There are also a variety of student clubs and organizations including:

  • Food and Nutrition Association.
  • Nutritional Sciences Student Organization.
  • Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Education Club.
  • Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences.

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Human Health Majors

  • Biosystems Engineering (B.S.)

    The Biosystems Engineering program combines biology with engineering to ensure there is safe and plentiful food, clean water, renewable energy and a healthy environment.

  • Dietetics (B.S.)

    The dietetics program helps students develop expertise in nutritional assessment and care, as well as food service management systems.

  • Food Industry Management (B.S.)

    The Food Industry Management program provides a system-wide perspective of managerial problems confronting firms in the food industry, recognizes the increasing interdependence among such firms and focuses on creating consumer value.

  • Food Science (B.S.)

    Food Science is a multidisciplinary field applying chemistry, microbiology, engineering and nutrition to develop new food products and design processes to improve the safety and quality of foods.

  • Nutritional Sciences (B.S.)

    Nutritional Sciences focuses on the biological and physical sciences of nutrition and its relationships to human health with concentrations in biomedical and molecular nutrition, global nutrition and health and public health nutrition.

  • Packaging (B.S.)

    Packaging is a multidisciplinary program focused on all aspects of the industry from materials and processes through systems development and testing.

Dietetics (B.S.)

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