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Dietetics (AGLS)

This is an archived copy of the 2020-2021 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.iastate.edu.

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Dietitians are nutrition experts who strive for optimal health and nutrition of individuals and the population. The curriculum for the dietetics program as well as the diet and exercise program meet the academic requirements of the Didactic Program in Dietetics and prepares students for a career in the field of dietetics. The program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, the accrediting agency for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Administered by the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition

The dietetics undergraduate curriculum meets the academic requirements as the Didactic Program in Dietetics and is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, the accrediting agency of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Graduates of the program are eligible to apply for admission to accredited supervised practice programs/dietetics internships. There is a $30 fee for the verification statement of completion of the accredited dietetics program.

Total Degree Requirement: 120 cr. 

Students must fulfill International Perspectives and U.S. Diversity requirements by selecting coursework from approved lists. These courses may also be used to fulfill other area requirements. Only 65 cr. from a two-year institution may apply to the degree which may include up to 16 technical cr.; 9 P-NP cr. of  electives; 2.00 minimum GPA. 

International Perspectives: 3 cr.
U.S. Diversity: 3 cr.
Communications and Library: 10 cr.
ENGL 150Critical Thinking and Communication3
ENGL 250Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition3
LIB 160Information Literacy1
SP CM 212Fundamentals of Public Speaking3
Total Credits10
Humanities and Social Sciences: 6-12 cr.
Select Humanities course from approved list3
PSYCH 101Introduction to Psychology3
If H Sci student, select:6
Additional Humanities course
Additional Humanities or Social Science course
Ethics: 3 cr.
FS HN 342World Food Issues: Past and Present3
Mathematical Sciences: 6-8 cr.
Select at least 3 credits from: 3-4
College Algebra
Preparation for Calculus
Survey of Calculus
Calculus I
Select at least 3 credits from:3-4
Principles of Statistics
Introduction to Statistics
Total Credits6-8
Physical Sciences: 9-12 cr.
Select from:5-8
College Chemistry
and Laboratory in College Chemistry
General Chemistry I
and Laboratory in General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry II
CHEM 231Elementary Organic Chemistry3
CHEM 231LLaboratory in Elementary Organic Chemistry1
Total Credits9-12
Biological Sciences: 20-21 cr.
BBMB 301Survey of Biochemistry3
BIOL 211Principles of Biology I3
BIOL 212Principles of Biology II3
BIOL 212LPrinciples of Biology Laboratory II1
BIOL 255Fundamentals of Human Anatomy3
BIOL 255LFundamentals of Human Anatomy Laboratory1
Select at least 3 credits from:
Fundamentals of Human Physiology
and Fundamentals of Human Physiology Laboratory
Principles of Human and Other Animal Physiology
MICRO 201Introduction to Microbiology2
MICRO 201LIntroductory Microbiology Laboratory1
Total Credits17
Food Science and Human Nutrition: 40 cr.
FS HN 110Professional and Educational Preparation1
FS HN 167Introduction to Human Nutrition3
FS HN 203Contemporary Issues in Food Science and Human Nutrition1
FS HN 214Scientific Study of Food3
FS HN 215Advanced Food Preparation Laboratory2
or FS HN 115 Food Preparation Laboratory
FS HN 265Nutrition for Active and Healthy Lifestyles3
FS HN 340Foundations of Dietetic Practice1
FS HN 360Advanced Nutrition and the Regulation of Metabolism3
FS HN 361Nutrition and Health Assessment2
FS HN 362Nutrition in Growth and Development3
FS HN 367Medical Terminology for Health Professionals1
FS HN 403Food Laws and Regulations2
FS HN 411Food Ingredient Interactions and Formulations2
FS HN 461Medical Nutrition and Disease I4
FS HN 463Community Nutrition3
FS HN 464Medical Nutrition and Disease II3
FS HN 466Nutrition Counseling and Education Methods3
Total Credits40
Management: 12 cr.
HSP M 380Food Production Management3
HSP M 380LFood Production Management Experience3
HSP M 391Foodservice Systems Management I3
HSP M 392Foodservice Systems Management II3
Total Credits12
Electives: 0-13 cr. Select from any university coursework to earn at least 120 total credits.

Admission to the dietetics program:  Students enter the university designated as pre-dietetics. During spring semester of the second year, interested students apply to the Didactic Program in Dietetics. Admission to the program is based on overall GPA (3.0 or above required), completion of required coursework, and completion of the application with interest in becoming a registered dietitian. Students then progress toward earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics and receive a Verification Statement upon graduation, which is needed to enter an accredited dietetics internship.

Go to FS HN courses.

Dietetics, B.S.

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
FS HN 1101FS HN 1673
CHEM 163 or 177 4CHEM 178 (if CHEM 177 taken) or elective*3
CHEM 163L or 177L1BIOL 2123
BIOL 2113BIOL 212L1
MATH 140, 143, 160, 165 or 1813PSYCH 1013
ENGL 1503Humanities Course3
LIB 1601 
 16 16
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
CHEM 2313FS HN 2653
CHEM 231L1BBMB 3013
BIOL 2553BIOL 256 and 256, or 3353-4
BIOL 255L1MICRO 2012
ENGL 2503MICRO 201L1
FS HN 2031Humanities course (H Sci) or Elective* (AgLS)3
STAT 101 or 1043-4Apply for admission to the program by March 1 
 15-16 15-16
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Acceptance into the Didactic Program in Dietetics is required before the third year FS HN 3612
FS HN 3401FS HN 3623
FS HN 3603FS HN 3671
FS HN 2143HSP M 3803
FS HN 215 or 1151-2HSP M 380L3
SP CM 2123FS HN 3423
Humanities/social sci. (H Sci) or Elective* (AgLS)3 
 14-15 15
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
FS HN 4614FS HN 4643
FS HN 4633HSP M 3923
HSP M 3913FS HN 4032
FS HN 4112FS HN 4801
FS HN 4663Electives*5-6
 15 14-15