Nutrition and Dietetics (B.S.)

Location(s): Brookings Main Campus

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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

South Dakota State University offers two distinct academic pathways for students interested in nutrition. The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Nutrition and Dietetics is a four-year, non-accredited program that provides a strong foundation in nutrition science. This degree prepares graduates for a wide range of careers in nutrition-related fields such as public health, food service, wellness, and fitness, and can also serve as a steppingstone for students pursuing advanced or professional degrees in areas such as medicine, food science, or public health. Graduates of this program may provide general healthy eating and wellness education but are not eligible to provide medical nutrition therapy or pursue Registered Dietitian (RD) credentialing without additional education and training.

Students who wish to become Registered Dietitians should declare a nutrition and dietetics major and apply to the Nutrition and Dietetics M.S. (NDMS) program once all prerequisites are completed. The NDMS is a three-year, ACEND-accredited accelerated program that awards both a B.S. and an M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics. The program includes all of the supervised practice hours required to sit for the credentialing exam and is designed specifically for students seeking professional preparation and credentialing as Registered Dietitians.

Certification and Licensure

To graduate from SDSU with a B.S. degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, students must have a “C” or better in all major coursework (courses with the NUTR prefix). To become an RDN, one must earn a minimum of a graduate degree from an accredited dietetics program, complete an accredited supervised practice experience (dietetic internship) and pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s Examination for RDNs. 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).

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: 3
BIOL 221L - Human Anatomy Lab (COM) Credits: 1
BIOL 325 - Physiology (COM) Credits: 3
BIOL 325L - Physiology Lab (COM) Credits: 1
CHRD 475 - Motivational Interviewing and Wellness Counseling Credits: 3
or HLTH 405 - Health Coaching Concepts and Skills Credits: 3
FS 341 - Applied Food Science Credits: 3
FS 341L - Applied Food Science Lab Credits: 1
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: 3
MICR 231L - General Microbiology Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1
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 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.