Dietetics Concentration

Bachelor of Science in Nutrition

Nutrition and Integrated Health Sciences

Dietitian teaching client about foods and nutrition

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Nutrition with a concentration in Dietetics is focused on preparing students for careers in nutrition and in meeting the healthcare needs of the region and the state by providing a cohesive, up-to-date, and comprehensive program in nutrition. Program outcomes data are available on request. 

Apply Now   Contact Advisor

Why Study Nutrition?

Majoring in Nutrition with a concentration in Dietetics at ETSU means joining a student-centered community committed to improving quality of life in our region and beyond. You’ll study how food and nutrients shape health across the lifespan and learn to translate the science into practical care—always with an eye toward service and real-world impact.

Our program blends rigorous coursework with community-engaged learning so you can practice your skills in meaningful settings—clinics, schools, and partner organizations—while developing as a compassionate, evidence-based practitioner. This hands-on approach aligns with ETSU’s institutional emphasis on going “beyond the classroom” through engagement and service.

You’ll graduate ready to collaborate on interprofessional teams and address the nutrition challenges that matter most in our communities—prevention and management of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and more—reflecting the College of Health Sciences’ mission to meet patient, client, and community health needs.

Graduates of the Dietetics concentration earn a B.S. degree in Nutrition and receive a DPD Verification Statement, which makes them eligible to apply to graduate programs and dietetic internships on the path to becoming an RDN. Students who choose not to apply for a dietetic internship also have several career options in nutrition education, sales, public health, school nutrition, or food service management, as well as the option to become a Nutrition and Dietetic Technician, Registered (NDTR), which requires sitting for the registration examination.

The video below from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics provides a brief overview of the variety of career opportunities available to RDNs.

Accreditation

The undergraduate program in Nutrition with a concentration in Dietetics is a nationally accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606, (800) 877-1600, (312) 899-0040 ext. 5400, email education@eatright.com, ACEND website: https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend. 

Steps to Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)

  1. Complete a minimum of a master's degree granted by a college or university accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency or foreign equivalent, and coursework through an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics accredited Didactic, Coordinated, Graduate or International program. Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) requires a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become an RDN. ETSU's undergraduate program is a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD), which includes the pre-requisite coursework resulting in a DPD Verification Statement and eligibility to apply to the Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition graduate program and Dietetic Internship.
  2. Complete required supervised practice/experience through an ACEND-accredited Dietetic Internship, Coordinated Program, Graduate Program, or an Individualized Supervised Practice Pathway offered through an ACEND-accredited program. ETSU offers a combined Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition and Dietetic Internship program that meets the requirements for successful graduates to take the national board examination to become an RDN.
  3. Pass a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration. For more information regarding the examination, refer to CDR's website.
  4. Meet requirements to practice in your state. Many states have regulatory laws (i.e. licensure) for food and nutrition practitioners. All states accept the RDN credential for state licensure purposes. The Tennessee Board of Dietitians/Nutritionists Examiners is the licensing body in the state of Tennessee, and newly credentialed dietitians who plan to practice in Tennessee must apply for licensure prior to practice. For information on licensing requirements for other states, visit the Commission on Dietetic Registration licensure map.
  5. Stay up-to-date in dietetics through continuing education. After successfully passing the national exam and earning the credential, RDNs maintain ongoing professional development in order to stay up to date on the latest research, recommendations and best practices.

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Nutrition with a Concentration in Dietetics program is designed to help students gain foundational knowledge and skills in nutrition that prepare them for successful completion of a graduate program in nutrition and dietetics and supervised practice experience, leading to eligibility to take the national board certification exam.

  • Mission, Goals, and Objectives

    Mission

    The mission of the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) is to provide graduates with quality education and learning experiences that foster innovative professional collaborations, community awareness and service, and critical thinking skills needed to successfully prepare entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists, and nutrition and dietetic technicians registered for a dietetics supervised practice program, leading to eligibility for the CDR credentialing exam to become registered dietitian nutritionists.

    Program Goal 1

    The DPD program will prepare graduates to become entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists and for successful completion of supervised practice and the registration examination.

    Program Objectives for Goal 1:

    1. Supervised Practice Application and Placement Rates
      1. 50% of program graduates apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within twelve months of graduation.
      2. 60% of program graduates are admitted to a supervised practice program within 12 months of graduation.
      3. Of graduates that seek employment, 40% are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.
    2. Examination Pass Rates
      1. The program pass rate on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%, within one year following their first attempt.
    3. Program Graduate Preparation
      1. The mean rating of “knowledge base” that internship directors will give program graduates will meet or exceed “good” on surveys.
      2. 75% of program graduates who respond to a survey will indicate agree or agree strongly regarding how well the curriculum prepared them for supervised practice, nutrition and dietetics technician registered (NDTR) or graduate education.

    Program Goal 2

    The DPD program will support student growth and development through academic and career advisement based on individual post-graduation goals.

    Program Objectives for Goal 2:

    1. Cohort Completion and Graduation Rates
      1. At least 80% of program graduates complete program/degree requirements within three years or nine semesters.
      2. The program will graduate on average at least 80% of the cohort each year.
      3. 90% of graduates will indicate that they received sufficient academic advising based on their individual goals.
      4. 90% of graduates will indicate that they received sufficient career advising based on their individual goals.
      5. 90% of graduates will indicate that they were overall “prepared” for their first role post program completion.
  • Application and Admission Requirements

    Admission Requirements to the Dietetics Concentration include a minimum GPA of 2.8 and completion of the following prerequisite courses with a grade of C or higher:

    • General Chemistry I with lab (CHEM 1110/1111)
    • General Chemistry II with lab (CHEM 1120/1121)
    • Anatomy & Physiology I with lab (HSCI 2010/2011 OR HSCI 3000)
    • Anatomy & Physiology II with lab (HSCI 2020/2021 OR HSCI 3200)
    • Principles of Nutrition Science (NTFD 2420)
    • Introduction to Psychology (PSYC 1310)
    • Introduction to Sociology (SOCI 1020)
    • Probability and Statistics (MATH 1530)

    Once the prerequisites are met, students will complete the Application for Admission to the Dietetics Concentration.   

    Transfer students should first submit an application to ETSU, and once admitted, submit the application for admission to the Dietetics Concentration. Transfer students are encouraged to talk with an advisor, as well as the DPD director, throughout the process.

  • DPD Student Handbook
    Coming Soon!
  • Suggested Four-Year Program of Study
  • Credit for Prior Learning

    To complete the DPD requirements for a verification statement, a student must:

    • Earn (or have previously earned), at the minimum, a bachelor's degree.
    • Complete all ETSU DPD courses or accepted equivalent courses from accredited universities (See DPD Course List). The required DPD courses for the verification statement equal a total of 94 units of academic credit. Only courses with a grade of C or better will be accepted for transfer.
    • Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.8 or better, including ETSU and any transfer courses, or at the discretion of the DPD director.

    Core Courses: Any student wishing to obtain a verification statement from the East Tennessee State University will be required to complete the following Core courses regardless of whether equivalents have been taken elsewhere in order to be eligible to obtain a verification statement: NTFD 4425/4426, 4435/4436, and either NTFD 3465 or 4447 (per DPD director).

    Recency Policy: Transcripts will also be reviewed for recency of coursework completion. Coursework completed prior to the time limits are outlined below will need to be repeated:

    • Stats, English, Gen-Eds, and Nutrition elective(s): No time-limit
    • Sciences (Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology): 8 years
    • Chemistry (General Chemistry I and II; Organic Chemistry I): 8 years
      • If the student has completed the first course of the chemistry sequence one semester prior to the 8-year recency policy, we will allow for the course to count toward DPD requirements
    • All NTFD courses: 6 years

    International coursework: The following required DPD courses will not be accepted from an institution outside of the United States because they include content that is specific to dietetics practice guidelines for practice in the United States: Nutrition Through the Lifecycle (NTFD 3250), Community Nutrition (NTFD 3430), Clinical Nutrition I (NTFD 4425), Clinical Nutrition II (NTFD 4435), Food Systems Administration (NTFD 4415), and Management of Food Systems Operations (NTFD 4475).

    International transcripts must be evaluated by an ACEND-approved foreign degree evaluation agency prior to being evaluated by East Tennessee State University.

    Non-degree seeking students: Students with a prior Bachelor's degree may elect to enroll as a "special undergraduate student" to complete the Didactic Program in Dietetics to receive their DPD Verification Statement and be eligible to apply to graduate programs in nutrition and dietetics and supervised practice experiences. The Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) Verification Statement verifies completion of a minimum of 94 units of educational requirements and is required for application to accredited Dietetic Internship (DI) programs. A minimum of 24 units of coursework must be completed at the East Tennessee State University in order to receive a verification statement.

    Students holding a Bachelor's degree or equivalent can request a transcript review by the program director or a designated appointee (such as an academic advisor). DPD course deficiencies that are identified must be completed before a Verification Statement will be awarded. At the discretion of the director, DPD course requirements may be substituted or waived based on the collective experiences of the individual student, such as in work history or prior coursework. All non-degree seeking students will be required to complete the following courses in order to obtain a verification statement: NTFD 3485, 4425/4426, 4435/4436, 4415, 4475 and either 3465 or 4447.

    Transfer Credit: The following courses or equivalencies are required to complete the DPD program:

    Course ETSU Designation
    General Chemistry I with lab CHEM 1110/1111 (4 credits)
    General Chemistry II with lab CHEM 1120/1121 (4 credits)
    Organic Chemistry I with lab CHEM 2010/2011 (5 credits)
    Anatomy & Physiology I with lab HSCI 2010/2011 or 3000 (4 credits)
    Anatomy & Physiology II with lab HSCI 2020/2021 or 3200 (4 credits)
    Microbiology with lab HSCI 2230/2231 (4 credits)
    Statistics MATH 1530
    Psychology PSYC 1310
    Sociology SOCI 1020
    Biochemistry NTFD 4447

    If you believe you have completed equivalent courses at another institution, you'll need to provide syllabi to determine their transferability. Any courses on the above list taken greater than what is outlined in the recency policy will need to be retaken.

    Students who are taking courses within our DPD program that they intend to transfer back to their home institution must meet our prerequisite and recency policies. Additionally, students who are transferring to ETSU to complete their DPD verification statement must have their transfer courses reviewed for equivalency. Even if a course is evaluated as equivalent, the student must work with the DPD Director to assure they satisfy DPD program requirement for any KRDNs aligning with a transfer course.

  • Knowledge for RDNs
    Students in the DPD program are required to meet and complete a series of Knowledge Requirement for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (KRDN) to receive a verification statement upon graduation. KRDNs prepare students with the necessary knowledge to enter a dietetics supervised practice internship. KRDNs are measured in several DPD courses.
  • Verification Statement Policy

    To receive a Verification Statement upon graduation, students must successfully complete all DPD degree requirements and demonstrate achievement of each KRDN.

    • Students must meet the minimum passing score determined for each assessment method to demonstrate competency for the KRDN.
    • If a student does not meet the minimum score required for a KRDN in the course on the first attempt, the student will be offered the opportunity for remediation by the instructor before the end of the semester.
    • Students are responsible for reaching out to their instructor within 1 week of the grade being posted to discuss a remediation plan if necessary.
    • Remediation will require additional work but will not change the original grade in the course.
    • Remediation may include any of the following:
      • The student may be offered a different assignment that demonstrates the required knowledge.
      • The student may re-submit the assignment or section of the assignment to demonstrate the required knowledge.
      • Other remediation efforts may be considered based on instructor discretion.
    • If a student does not achieve the minimum score after a first attempt for remediation, the course instructor will notify the DPD Director and a second remediation plan will be agreed upon by the DPD Director, student, and instructor of record for the course.
    • If a student does not complete their opportunity for remediation or does not respond to attempts by the instructor to provide remediation, the course instructor will notify the DPD Director for further action.
    • A Verification Statement will not be awarded unless the student demonstrates achievement of all required KRDNs before graduation.

    Any student wishing to obtain a verification statement from the East Tennessee State University will be required to complete the following Core courses regardless of whether equivalents have been taken elsewhere in order to be eligible to obtain a Verification Statement: NTFD 4425/4426, 4435/4436, and either NTFD 3465 or 4447 (per DPD director). Please be advised that students who are pursuing a B.S. in Nutrition with a Concentration in Dietetics will be required to complete all courses on the degree checklist.

    Transcripts will also be reviewed for recency of coursework completion. Coursework completed prior to the time limits as outlined below will need to be repeated:

    • Stats, English, Gen-Eds, and Nutrition elective(s): No time-limit
    • Sciences (Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology): 8 years
    • Chemistry (General Chemistry I and II; Organic Chemistry I): 8 years
      • If the student has completed the first course of the chemistry sequence one semester prior to the 8-year recency policy, we will allow for the course to count toward DPD requirements
    • All NTFD courses: 6 years
  • Program Costs

    Average tuition for the full-time student varies each academic year. Tuition rates are listed for both Tennessee residents and out-of-state students on the Bursar's website. All tuition and fee schedules are subject to change from semester to semester. 

    Some labs require additional fees per semester.

    In addition to tuition, course and laboratory fees and textbook costs, the student in dietetics can expect to incur some additional expenses. Additional costs to undergraduates include:

    • Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Student Membership (optional) ($58.00 per year; includes state affiliate membership)
    • District membership (optional) ($10.00 per year)
  • Academic and Program Calendar

    All important dates and deadlines are available in the online Academic Calendar.

    Generally, fall semester starts in late-August and ends in early/mid-December. Spring semester begins in mid-January and ends in early-May. The first summer session is generally the month of June and the second summer session is the month of July. There is also Maymester, which is the three weeks between May graduation and the beginning of first summer session in June. Winter session is the time between December graduation and the beginning of spring semester in January. Holiday closures will follow the official ETSU calendar (noted in the Academic Calendar above).

    Students are encouraged to meet with their Academic Advisors regularly throughout their undergraduate career.

  • Financial Aid and Scholarships

    All degree-seeking students are eligible to apply for federal aid by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Contact the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office for more information.

    For students enrolled in the DPD, college scholarships are available and awarded on a competitive basis using criteria such as scholastic achievement and financial need. A single application can be submitted for a pool of scholarships available in the College of Health Sciences.

    Scholarships for dietetics students at all levels of study are also available through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation.

  • Undergraduate Honors Research Program (UHRP)

    Honors Students are eligible to apply for the Undergraduate Honors Research Program. Accepted students work with Dr. Mary Andreae (andreae@etsu.edu) to identify a faculty mentor and design and implement a nutrition-focused research project during their junior and senior years. Applications are typically due March 1st. For more information, visit the Honors College website.

  • Technology Requirements

    For assistance with technology, contact the ITS Helpdesk.

  • Questions?