By ASIA GRAHAM, CSC College Relations
CHADRON – Chadron State College’s new program, Nutrition and Dietetics, will be offered in Fall 2022. The degree program, based on the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) standards, requires a combination of Biology, Chemistry, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Nutrition courses.
According to Dr. Erin Norman, associate professor in Family and Consumer Sciences, the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) is an excellent match for students interested in science, health care, and nutrition. She said the core curriculum is similar to those in pre-medicine and pre-nursing nursing programs, but with an emphasis on nutrition and food. Graduates with this degree can pursue careers in food service, public health, community nutrition, long-term care, sports nutrition, research and education.
Norman is excited for the program to start.
“There is a great need for more registered dietitians as the health issues in the United States continue to climb, especially in rural regions. Our DPD program is specially designed to give our graduates a strong competitive edge, and it meets the pre-requisite requirements to be accepted into many different master's degree programs at a wide variety of colleges and universities,” Norman said. “This is key, as the Registered Dietitian requirements move to the master’s degree level starting in 2024 and the competition will be high.”
After graduation with 120 credit hours, students with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher in general studies courses, a B or higher in previous nutrition classes, and a C or higher in all DPD required science classes will receive verification statements. The verification statement is needed before students apply for a required ACEND accredited supervised practice experience.
Norman said CSC graduates may become a Registered Dietitian or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist if they complete the required course work, and a dietetic internship or supervised practice experience that has been accredited by ACEND. Finally, students will need to pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration exam for the credential they seek, and obtain any additional certifications required by the state where they want to work.
For more information about the program, visit csc.edu/fcs/nutrition/index.csc.