Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences

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Department Head: Heidi Wengreen
Location: Nutrition and Food Sciences 212
Phone: (435) 797-1806
FAX: (435) 797-2379
E-mail: heidi.wengreen@usu.edu
WWW: ndfs.usu.edu

Undergraduate Advisor:

Dawnetta Mahnken, Agricultural Science Building Room 417 and Nutrition and Food Sciences Room 221, (435) 797-3096, dawnetta.mahnken@usu.edu 

To schedule an appointment, visit caas.usu.edu/advising.

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science (BS) in Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences; Master of Science (MS) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nutrition and Food Sciences; Master of Food Safety and Quality (MFSQ); Master of Dietetics Administration (MDA)

Undergraduate emphases: BS—Food Science, Nutrition Science, and Dietetics

Graduate specializations: MS, PhD—Dietetics, Food Biotechnology, Food Chemistry, Food Engineering, Food Microbiology, Food Processing, Human Nutrition, and Nutrient Metabolism

Full details of the learning objectives, assessment plan, student outcomes, and evidence of continuous improvement for these programs of study can be found at ndfs.usu.edu/assessment.

Undergraduate Programs

Objectives

The Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences has the following three objectives:

1. To provide students with the scientific/academic background necessary to function well in further academic pursuits or future work environments.
2. To provide students with the critical thinking and problem-solving skills necessary to enhance further academic pursuits or future work environments.
3. To provide students with practical application and work experience credentials to provide personal and employment satisfaction.

Program Emphases and Career Opportunities

Food Science

A degree in the Food Science emphasis applies principles of engineering, biology, and physical science to food. Students in this discipline focus on the production, selection, preservation, processing, packaging, distribution, and use of safe, nutritious, and wholesome food. Graduates receive an excellent background in chemistry, engineering, food processing, microbiology, sensory evaluation, and statistics. Students planning to apply to graduate school are encouraged to major in Food Science instead of Food Technology Management. The Food Science program is approved by the Institute of Food Technologists.

Nutrition Science

The Nutrition Science emphasis is for students who are interested in studying the molecular and cellular aspects of human health and disease. This is a multi-disciplinary program in which students learn to apply techniques from the fields of molecular and cellular biology, physiology, genetics, and biochemistry to issues in nutrition. Students will gain experience in laboratory, clinical, and epidemiological methods, and may have the opportunity to gain laboratory research experience in nutrition studies being conducted by faculty members. The undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree qualifies a student with the Nutrition Science emphasis to find employment in industry or academic laboratories, as well as in government agencies. It can also be used as preparation for medical or graduate school.

The Nutrition Science option may also apply to students planning to pursue medical school, dental school, or another professional degree. The curriculum is based on undergraduate admission requirements for the University of Utah Medical School and meets most medical school admission requirements. Because nutrition is an applied science and offers research opportunities, completing a degree in this emphasis area may give students an advantage for admission to medical school, over applicants representing other science majors.

Dietetics

Students in the Dietetics program prepare to become Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN) and receive excellent instruction and hands-on experience in clinical nutrition, community nutrition, and food service management.

In the past, USU has offered two programs in Dietetics—the Didactic Program in Dietetics and the Coordinated Program in Dietetics (not currently enrolling students). Both are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Effective January 1, 2024, a graduate degree will be required to be eligible to take the Commission on Dietetic Registration exam. Due to this change, the Coordinated Program in Dietetics is no longer enrolling students. ​USU’s Coordinated program in dietetics will be moving to a graduate Certificate of Advanced Practice in Dietetics beginning in fall of 2024. 

Graduates of the Didactic Program in Dietetics are eligible to receive an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) Verification Statement. Students will need to obtain a master’s degree and apply for an ACEND accredited program that provides the required supervised practice, such as the Distance Dietetic Internship and the Certificate of Advanced Practice in Dietetics (beginning 2024), prior to sitting for the registration exam and becoming a Registered Dietician Nutritionist (RDN).

Admission into the Didactic Program in Dietetics requires formal application when prerequisite coursework is completed. Students with an institution GPA of 3.0 or higher and a grade of C- or better in required prerequisite coursework are eligible to apply to the Didactic Program in Dietetics. Selected applicants are expected to register for dietetics courses beginning the following semester.

Students are encouraged to discuss their supervised practice and graduate school plans with their advisor early in their education to ensure they meet all necessary requirements for admission.

Completion of courses required for the Food Science Emphasis, Nutrition Science emphasis, or Dietetics emphasis may be suitable preparation for students planning to apply to medical school. Students need to meet with the departmental undergraduate advisor to develop an individualized plan of study.

Financial Support

The Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences and the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences award scholarships in addition to those available through the university Financial Aid Office. Information and application forms may be obtained from the department office. Students may also contact the department for assistance in finding employment that will enhance their academic studies. Many students are employed by the department and by private firms near the university.

Assessment of Instruction

Information about assessment within each of the departmental programs can be found at ndfs.usu.edu/htm/assessment.

University Honors Program

The University Honors Program offers students in all colleges and majors the unique opportunity to deepen their educational experience with hands-on practical applications of their academic knowledge. The Honors Program admits incoming, transfer, and existing USU students based on application. High achieving students with at least one year remaining are encouraged to apply.  See the University Honors Program catalog entry and website (honors.usu.edu) for more information.

Additional Information

For more information about Bachelor of Science requirements and the sequence in which courses should be taken, see major requirement sheet, available from the Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences Department.

Graduate Programs

Registration Requirements for Graduate Students

Once admitted, students are required to maintain enrollment as follows: at least 3 credits to use university facilities and receive direction (including thesis or dissertation direction) from their major professor; at least 6 credits if on a Graduate Teaching or Research Assistantship (9 credits if employed less than 15 hours per week); at least 9 credits if on a Research Fellowship or unsupported; at least 6 credits if receiving tuition waivers, student loans, or other university-administered financial aid; and no more than 6 credits if employed full time by the university.

Assistantship Policy on Additional Employment

Graduate students in the department receiving a 0.5 FTE assistantship may not accept additional employment without written permission of their major professor and the department head; this policy is to ensure that graduate students have sufficient time available to complete the academic requirements of their degree in a timely fashion. 

Financial Assistance

Some teaching assistantships and many research assistantships are available to graduate students in the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences. Teaching assistantships are used to cover the teaching needs of the department. Research fellowships and research assistantships are available through individual faculty members. Most research assistantships are tied to specific research projects.

Graduate students in the department receiving a 0.5 FTE assistantship may not accept additional employment without written permission of their major professor and the department head; this policy is to ensure that graduate students have sufficient time available to complete the academic requirements of their degree in a timely fashion.

The Gandhi Scholarship is available, on a competitive basis, to support outstanding students during their graduate education in food science. Each incoming student may select any advisor who fits his or her area of interest in food science. Awards are available for entering master’s degree students, as well as for PhD candidates. Applications are due February 1. To obtain an application, visit the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences website or contact the departmental staff.

Career Opportunities

There is a continuing shortage of MS and PhD graduates in nutrition and food sciences. Many MS graduates go on to obtain a PhD, but all graduates have a wide choice of career opportunities.

Additional Information

Additional information and updates may be obtained by writing or telephoning the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences directly or by checking out the departmental website at ndfs.usu.edu.

Graduation requirements described in this catalog are subject to change. Students should check with the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences concerning possible changes.
 

FACULTY - College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences  
 

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