The Dietetics pathway is being phased out and is not available as an option for starting in Fall 2023. Current students admitted to CSB and SJU in the 2022-2023 academic year will be able to continue in the Dietetics pathway and appropriate opportunities to complete the major will be provided to these students through Spring 2026.

The Nutrition major at CSB and SJU will remain, and students interested in becoming a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) can complete the Nutrition major as the first step on the path to becoming an RDN.

Dietitians are experts in the use of food and nutrition principles to promote health and manage a variety of diseases. The accredited dietetics program as CSB/SJU has a long history of providing students with essential knowledge and skills for successful dietetics careers.

The DPD at CSB/SJU is currently granted full accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, 312/899-0040 ext 5400.

Required courses fulfill the academic coursework that is a necessary step for earning the credential of Registered Dietitian (RD). Students who successfully complete the DPD curriculum and meet all graduation requirements at CSB/SJU receive a Bachelor of Arts in Nutrition, area of concentration in Dietetics, and a verification statement indicating that they are eligible to enroll in an accredited, post-graduate internship program.  The following process is required to obtain the credential of Registered Dietitian:

1. Obtain a baccalaureate degree from an accredited U.S. college or university
2. Completion of an accredited dietetics curriculum
3. Completion of an accredited dietetic internship
4. Passing the national Registration Examination for Dietitians
5. NEW GRADUATE DEGREE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2024
   The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) is the credentialing agency responsible for administering the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) exam. Effective January 1, 2024, CDR has changed the degree requirement for dietitian registration eligibility from a baccalaureate degree to a graduate degree.  For further information from CDR, go to the  following website.

The DPD at CSB/SJU does not guarantee placement in an internship; however, the Nutrition department will assist students with the application process, and the internship placement rate for CSB/SJU dietetics students is very high. The DPD recommends that students maintain a GPA at CSB/SJU of 3.2 or higher to be competitive for selection to an accredited dietetic internship program after graduation.

With careful planning, students enrolled in the DPD may study abroad, and/or complete a second major or a minor within 8 semesters.  Students completing the DPD may also apply to graduate programs in nutrition or related fields.  Students interested in the DPD should attend all group advising sessions offered during their first academic year, and seek guidance from an academic advisor in the Nutrition Department prior to registration for spring semester of the first year.

Required Courses

70 credits – 20 in supporting work and 50 in Nutrition

Supporting Course Work (20 credits) –

Biology (2 courses, 8 credits)

• BIOL 101 Foundations of Biology (lab) - 4 credits (fall semester only)
• BIOL 216 Physiology in Practice - 4 credits (spring semester only)
  or
  BIOL 201 Intermediate Cell Biology and Genetics - 4 credits (spring semester only)

Chemistry (2 courses, 8 credits)

• CHEM 125 Introduction to Chemical Structures and Properties - 4 credits
• CHEM 250 Reactivity  - 4 credits

Mathematics (1 course, 4 credits)

• MATH 124 Probability and Statistical Inference - 4 credits

Nutrition Courses (50 credits)

Please see course descriptions for prerequisites.

• NUTR 125 Concepts of Nutrition Science (with lab) - 4 credits
• NUTR 220 Exploring Weight Issues - 2 credits
• NUTR 225 Experimental Food Science (with lab) - 4 credits
• NUTR 230 Food and Culture - 4 credits
• NUTR 305 Leadership in Dietetics -  2 credits (fall semester of senior year)
• NUTR 312 Nutrition Assessment - 2 credits
• NUTR 320 Micronutrient Metabolism and Nutritional Supplementation - 2 credits
• NUTR 323 Public Health Nutrition - 4 credits
• NUTR 330 Nutritional Biochemistry and Assessment - 4 credits (fall only)
• NUTR 333 Nutrition Therapy: Chronic Disease - 4 credits (fall only)
• NUTR 337 Nutrition Therapy: Critical Care - 4 credits (spring only)
• NUTR 341 Nutrition Education - 2 credits
• NUTR 342 Interviewing and Counseling - 2 credits
• NUTR 343 Food Production and Procurement (lab) - 4 credits (fall only)
• NUTR 345 Entrepreneurship and Management Systems in the Food Industry (lab) - 4 credits (spring only)
• NUTR 395 Senior Nutrition Seminar (capstone course) - 2 credits (spring only)
  or
  NUTR 396  Nutrition Research* (capstone course) - 2 credits (spring only)

*NUTR 380 and NUTR 381 are prerequisites for NUTR 396