Program: Nutrition and Dietetics (B.S.) - South Dakota State University

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Apr 07, 2025

Two people cooking in a kitchen.

Program Coordinator/Contact

Chris Comstock, Lecturer
School of Health and Human Sciences
Wagner Hall 447, Box 2275A
605-688-6285

Program Information

Dietetics is the education and practice of food, nutrition and wellness and offers a wide variety of jobs in the health promotion, wellness, nutrition care and foodservice administration areas. Registered dietitian nutritionists (RDN) provide nutrition education and counseling and are pivotal in preventive health care and community nutrition programs. Additionally, an RDN is essential to the total care of a patient in a healthcare facility through nutritional assessment and medical nutrition therapy. Students develop an understanding and competency in food, nutrition, wellness, and management and a background in the basic and behavioral sciences to apply the science of nutrition for the promotion of health and disease prevention.

The employment opportunities are in health promotion and wellness programs, public health agencies, foodservice and food production industries, schools, universities, the armed services, hospitals, nursing homes, and state, national and international organizations. Governmental regulations require the services of dietitians in federally supported programs. The consulting services of a dietitian are often sought by architects and hospital administrators in planning and equipping food preparation and services facilities.

Mission and program objectives are available on the Nutrition and Dietetics homepage at www.sdstate.edu/health-and-nutritional-sciences/nutrition-and-dietetics. Program outcome data are available upon request from the program director.

Accreditation, Certification and Licensure

The program has been continuously approved/accredited since inception by the Accreditation Council for Education of Nutrition and Dietetics as a Didactic Program in Dietetics by the Accreditation Council for Education of Nutrition and Dietetics (120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995), the accrediting agency for Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (http://www.eatright.org/resources/acend).

All students successfully graduating from SDSU with a B.S. degree in Nutrition and Dietetics and the courses required to receive a verification statement must have “C” or better in all major (course with NUTR prefix) coursework to receive the verification statement. To become a RDN, one must complete an accredited didactic program in dietetics, a bachelor’s degree, an accredited supervised practice (dietetic internship) and pass the Commission on Dietetics Registration examination for registered dietitian nutritionist. In 2024, a graduate degree will also be required to take the CDR registration examination. The dietetic internships are post-graduation, require additional fees, and are competitive. To practice in the state of South Dakota the RDN must apply for licensure through the State Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners (www.sdbmoe.gov).

Course Delivery Format

The program offers coursework through lecture, discussion, and laboratory experiences.

Additional Program Requirements

Students must be current on immunizations and may need to complete a criminal background check for certain educational components of the program. Additional costs may be incurred for laboratory materials and student membership in the national organization of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Academic Requirements

A minimum final grade of “C” is required in all NUTR prefix required courses in the major to graduate.

Requirements for Nutrition and Dietetics Major: 120 Credits

Bachelor of Science

System General Education Requirements

Goal #1 Written Communication:
ENGL 101 - Composition I (COM) [SGR #1, HSDC] Credits: 3
and
ENGL 201 - Composition II (COM) [SGR #1, HSDC] Credits: 3
Goal #2 Oral Communication:
CMST 101 - Foundations of Communication (COM) [SGR #2, HSDC] Credits: 3
Goal #3 Social Sciences: HDFS 210 - Lifespan Development (COM) [SGR #3, HSDC] Credits: 3 and SGR #3 Elective Credits: 3
Goal #4 Arts and Humanities:
SGR #4 Electives Credits: 6
Goal #5 Mathematics:
MATH 114 - College Algebra (COM) [SGR #5, HSDC] Credits: 3
Goal #6 Natural Sciences: CHEM 106 - Chemistry Survey (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3 , CHEM 106L - Chemistry Survey Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1 , CHEM 108 - Organic and Biochemistry (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 4 , and CHEM 108L - Organic and Biochemistry Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1

College of Education and Human Sciences Requirements

EHS 119 - EHS Seminar Credits: 2
EHS 319 - Life, Love, and Money Credits: 2

Major Requirements

BIOL 221 - Human Anatomy (COM) Credits: 4
BIOL 221L - Human Anatomy Lab (COM) Credits: 0
BIOL 325 - Physiology (COM) Credits: 4
BIOL 325L - Physiology Lab (COM) Credits: 0
CHRD 475 - Motivational Interviewing and Wellness Counseling Credits: 3
HLTH 220 - Social Determinants of Health Credits: 3
HLTH 475 - Principles of Community Health Education Credits: 3
HLTH 479 - Health Promotion Programming and Evaluation Credits: 2
HMGT 251 - Foodservice Sanitation Credits: 1
HMGT 380 - Foodservice Operations and Purchasing Management Credits: 3
HMGT 381 - Quantity Food Production and Service Credits: 1
HMGT 381L - Quantity Food Production and Service Lab Credits: 3
HSC 200 - Integrative Holistic Healthcare Credits: 3
LDR 435 - Organizational Leadership and Team Development Credits: 3
MGMT 360 - Organization and Management (COM) Credits: 3
MICR 231 - General Microbiology (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 4
MICR 231L - General Microbiology Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 0
NURS 201 - Medical Terminology Credits: 1
NURS 323 - Introduction to Pathophysiology Credits: 3
NUTR 111 - Food, People and the Environment Credits: 3
NUTR 141 - Foods Principles Credits: 3
NUTR 141L - Foods Principles Lab Credits: 1
NUTR 315 - Human Nutrition (COM) Credits: 3
NUTR 322 - Nutrition Assessment Credits: 3
NUTR 323 - Nutrition Across the Life Cycle Credits: 3
NUTR 341 - Food Science for Nutrition and Dietetics Credits: 3
NUTR 341L - Food Science for Nutrition and Dietetics Lab Credits: 1
NUTR 422 - Advanced Human Nutrition and Metabolism Credits: 4
NUTR 423 - Medical Nutrition Therapy I Credits: 3
NUTR 425 - Medical Nutrition Therapy II Credits: 3
NUTR 460 - Nutrigenomics and Molecular Nutrition Credits: 3
NUTR 487 - Professionalism I Credits: 1
NUTR 488 - Professionalism II Credits: 1
STAT 281 - Introduction to Statistics (COM) [SGR #5, HSDC] Credits: 3
or HSC 445 - Epidemiology Credits: 3

Electives

Taken as needed to complete any additional degree requirements.

Total Required Credits: 120

Summary of Program Requirements

Bachelor of Science
System General Education Requirements*	33 Credit Hours
College of Education and Human Sciences Requirements	4 Credit Hours
Major Requirements	82 Credit Hours
Electives**	1 Credit Hours

*System General Education Requirements for students pursuing a baccalaureate degree shall include a minimum of 30 credit hours. Some general education coursework may be counted for Major Requirements and Supporting Coursework.
**Taken as needed to complete any additional degree requirements.

Academic Advising Guide Sheet

The goal of the academic advising guide sheets and sample plans of study is to promote undergraduate student success by guiding all students to timely completion of an undergraduate degree. Students are not limited to the course sequence provided for their academic program. Instead, the sample plan of study is one possible path to completing your degree and is meant to be used as a guide for planning purposes in consultation with an academic advisor. The plans also help students prepare for meetings with their academic advisor and track their progress in their selected academic program.

Nutrition and Dietetics (B.S.)

Nutrition and Dietetics (B.S.)

Location(s): Brookings Main CampusClose