About the Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics Bachelor’s Program
The nutritional science and dietetics bachelor’s degree is intended for students who intend to seek a post-graduate internship, and eventually earn professional certification as a Registered Nutritionist or Registered Nutritionist Dietitian. As a registered dietitian, students will find opportunities to work for many types of organizations, including hospitals, clinics, community agencies, private consulting, long-term care, extension services, foodservice operations, corporate wellness or fitness centers, research areas, pharmaceutical companies, and food and nutrition-related businesses and industries.
The Didactic Program in Dietetics at Texas Tech University is approved by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Ste. 200, Chicago, IL 60606-6995. More information can be found by visiting www.eatright.org/ACEND or calling 312.899.0040. The curriculum is designed to achieve the core knowledge and competencies necessary to prepare graduates for an internship program or to pursue careers in the food, wellness and health, nutrition or foodservice industries. This option requires a strong science background supported with courses in chemistry, biochemistry, human anatomy and physiology, and food sanitation. Students will study food preparation, science of nutrition, nutrition in the life cycle, medical nutrition therapy, community nutrition, and experimental methods in food preparation.
Acceptance into the Didactic Program in Dietetics is granted after completing 60 hours and is based on an overall 3.0 GPA, an average of a 3.0 GPA after the first three NS courses, and a minimum of a 2.0 GPA in the first three chemistries, as well as human physiology. A list of the exact courses and criteria for acceptance may be found at www.depts.ttu.edu/hs/ns/docs/DPD_Requirements.pdf. Once accepted, students are eligible to complete upper-level NS courses. Students who successfully complete the academic program with a C or better in all major and supporting coursework receive a verification statement that qualifies them to apply for a dietetic internship (such as the post-baccalaureate offered at Texas Tech University).
Internship. The dietetic internship consists of a minimum of 1,200 hours of supervised practice to gain the competencies needed to practice as an entry-level dietitian. Upon completion of the internship, graduates are eligible to take a national examination to become a registered dietitian. Students who graduate with this degree must earn a C or better in all major and supporting course work. Any variation from this is subject to department approval.
Communication Literacy Requirement. Students attending Texas Tech University for the first time in the Fall 2017 term or later will complete a Communication Literacy requirement in their program(s) of study.
Texas Tech University’s transition from the Writing Intensive requirement to the Communication Literacy requirement signals the university’s awareness that in addition to the fundamental role that writing plays in enabling students to explore, develop, focus, and organize a message, other types of communication must also be taught as appropriate for a student’s discipline. Throughout each program of study, then, students must be given ample opportunity to develop their skills in forms of communication central to that program.
Communication literacy in Nutritional Sciences is evidenced by competence in locating, reading, interpreting and presenting the nutrition information. This is accomplished through critiquing scientific literature as well as mainstream publications and through written communication and public speaking to a variety of audiences with varied educational background. These communication skills are measured in three required courses. Courses in the CL plan are NS 2380 , NS 4330 , and NS 4350 .
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