Food and Nutrition (B.S.)

This concentration begins preparation to become a registered dietitian through a concentration in:

Coordinated Program in Dietetics 4+1 (UFN4)
Nutrition and Dietetics (UFND)
Nutrition and Dietetics Education 4+1 (UFNE)
Nutrition and Food Service Program Management (UFNS)

All new students, both First-Year or Transfers, admitted into the Food & Nutrition major are placed in this pre-concentration. When students are enrolled in or have completed CHEM 300 Principles of Biochemistry, they must apply to either the Nutrition and Dietetics or Coordinated Program in Dietetics concentration.

The Coordinated Program in Dietetics (CPD) 4+1 program includes both the academic requirements and the supervised practice requirements which qualify students to take the Registration Examination for Dietitians upon graduation with the Master of Science degree. Admission to the CPD is competitive. Twenty-four (24) undergraduate and graduate students are admitted to this program each year.

Applications are accepted only in the spring semester; applicants must be enrolled in or have completed CHEM 300 Principles of Biochemistry. Minimally, second semester junior standing is required, but applications are also accepted from seniors. Transfer students must be matriculated at the University before applying for the concentration. An application form can be found on the departmental website.

In order to complete undergraduate and graduate requirements within five years, students will need to enroll in two graduate courses, including NUTR 827 Nutrition in the School Environment (0.5 course credit) in the summer prior to the start of their fifth year. Continuing Education course tuition/fees apply for courses taken during the Summer Session and fifth year.

Completion of both the supervised practicum coursework and the master’s degree are required in order to receive the Verification Form permitting the writing

These courses are in addition to the major core requirements (9 courses) and preconcentration requirements (5 courses).

Students are prepared to meet the requirements of the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD). Students in this concentration intend to apply for admission to an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) accredited supervised practice program upon graduation. Twenty-four (24) students are accepted to this concentration each year. Admission to the DPD is competitive. Minimally, second semester sophomore standing is required, but applications are accepted from juniors and seniors.

• Students apply to this concentration while they are enrolled in or after completing CHEM 300 Principles of Biochemistry. In addition, transfer students must complete one (1) semester at the University before being accepted into this concentration.

• Students who are not accepted into the Nutrition and Dietetics Concentration or the Coordinated Program in Dietetics Concentration must choose another different concentration under Food & Nutrition or a different major offered at the University.

• Minimal requirements include maintaining a GPA of 2.70 for the Nutrition and Dietetics Concentration and a GPA of 2.50 in science courses, as well as earning a minimum grade of C- (1.7) in all Biology, Chemistry, and Food & Nutrition courses. An application form can be found on the departmental website.

• During the fall semester of their senior year, students work with the DPD Director to apply to a post-baccalaureate ACEND-accredited supervised practice program by registering for NUTR 400 Preparation for Dietetic Internship.

• Students are eligible to take the Registration Examination for Dietetic Technicians upon graduation.

These courses are in addition to the major core requirements (9 courses) and pre-concentration requirements (6 courses).

Students completing this concentration have met the academic requirements to sit for the Massachusetts licensure exam to be a licensed nutritionist dietitian (LDN). See http://www.mass.gov/ocabr/licensee/dpl-boards/nu/.

Students are prepared to meet the requirements of the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD), a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). In addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by ACEND.

Students who complete this Nutrition and Dietetics Education concentration will receive a verification statement attesting that they have met the ACEND coursework requirement. The concentration also allows students to begin master’s-level studies during their senior year, as part of both their undergraduate and master’s degree requirements for the Master of Education concentration in Nutrition Education program (M.Ed.). After successful completion of the undergraduate Food and Nutrition concentration in Nutrition and Dietetics Education, students complete the remaining coursework and written exam for the Master of Education concentration in Nutrition Education through the Department of Graduate and Continuing Education. Upon completion of the M.Ed. component of this 4+1 program, students will receive a verification statement attesting that they have met the ACEND master’s degree requirement. Students may apply for an accredited external supervised practice experience during or after their senior year in the undergraduate portion of the 4+1 program. In addition to both the undergraduate and M.Ed. components of this 4+1 program, students must complete an ACEND-accredited supervised practice experience to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist.

• Students must have at a minimum second semester junior standing to apply to this concentration.

• Students apply to this concentration while they are enrolled in or after completing CHEM 300 Principles of Biochemistry. In addition, transfer students must complete one (1) semester at the University before being accepted into this concentration.

• Minimal requirements for the Nutrition and Dietetics Education Concentration include a GPA of 2.70, a GPA of 2.50 in science courses, and a minimum grade of C- (1.7) in any Biology, Chemistry, and Food & Nutrition course. An application form can be found on the departmental website.

• During the fall semester of their senior year, students work with the DPD Director to apply to a post-baccalaureate ACEND-accredited supervised practice program by registering for NUTR 400 Preparation for Dietetic Internship (no course credit).

• Students are eligible to take the Registration Examination for Dietetic Technicians upon graduation.

Application is a stepwise process: 

Application forms for the M.Ed. concentration in Nutrition Education can be found on both the department’s website and on the graduate admissions website.

These courses are in addition to the major core requirements (9 courses)

The Nutrition and Food Service Program Management Concentration offers an academic curriculum to prepare students for careers in the field of food and nutrition that do not require a Registered Dietitian Certification. This interdisciplinary concentration includes a strong foundation in nutrition and nutrition science and offers opportunities to build vital management skills which can be used in a variety of nutrition and food-related work environments including nutrition and food education, foodservice management, school nutrition, and community program management.