Nutritional Sciences BS, Dietetics Option

The UMass Lowell DPD, BS In Nutritional Sciences, Dietetics Option is accredited by The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND^®). ACEND^® is the accrediting agency for education programs preparing students for careers as registered dietitian nutritionists or nutrition and dietetics technicians, registered. ACEND^® can be contacted by:

The mission of the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) Didactic Program in Dietetics is to promote health by preparing graduates for: supervised practice (leading to eligibility for the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists), graduate school, and/or a career in the health sciences. 

To keep with the mission to promote health by preparing graduates for: supervised practice (leading to eligibility for the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists), graduate school and/or a career in the health sciences, specific goals have been developed for the UML Didactic Program in Dietetics. 

1. The first goal for the UML Didactic Program in Dietetics is to prepare graduates for successful entry into a supervised practice program, graduate school, or career in the health sciences. 
2. The second goal is to prepare graduates to use an evidence-based approach to practice. 

Goal one is to prepare graduates for successful entry into supervised practice, graduate school, or job in the health sciences. 

Program Objectives 

1. At least 80% of program students complete program requirements within six years (150% of the program length).
2. Graduate Application and Acceptance into Supervised Practice: 1. At least sixty percent of program graduates apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within 12 months of graduation.” 2. “Of program graduates who apply to a supervised practice program, at least fifty percent are admitted within 12 months of graduation. 
3. Graduate Performance on Registration Exam: The program’s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.
4. Satisfaction with Graduate Performance: At least eighty percent of supervised practice program directors, graduate program directors, or employers who respond to a director survey will rate graduates as acceptable or higher in their preparedness for supervised practice, graduate program or career within 12 months of graduation. 

Goal two is to prepare graduates to use an evidence-based approach to practice. 

Program Objectives

1. At least sixty percent of program graduates will report using evidence-based recommendations in their supervised practice program, graduate school, or career within 12 months after graduation. 
2. At least sixty percent of supervised practice program directors, graduate program directors or employers who respond to a director survey will report that graduates have evidence-based recommendations in their supervised practice program, graduate school, or career within 12 months after graduation.

Many RDNs workplaces, particularly those In medical and healthcare settings, require that an individual be credentialed as an RDN. 

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists work in: 

• Hospitals, HMO's or other health-care facilities, educating patients about nutrition and administering medical nutrition therapy as part of the health-care team. They may also manage the foodservice operations in these settings, as well as in schools, day-care centers and correctional facilities, over-seeing everything from food purchasing and preparation to managing staff. 
• Sports nutrition and corporate wellness programs, educating clients about the connection between food, fitness and health. 
• Food and nutrition-related business and industries, working in communications, consumer affairs, public relations, marketing, product development or consulting with chefs in restaurants and culinary schools. 
• Private practice, working under contract with health-care or food companies, or in their own business. RDNs may provide services to foodservice or restaurant managers, food vendors and distributors or athletes, nursing home residents or company employees. 
• Community and public health settings, teaching, monitoring and advising the public and helping improve their quality of life through healthy eating habits.
• Universities and medical centers, teaching physician’s assistants, nurses, dietetics students, dentists and others the sophisticated science of foods and nutrition. 
• Research areas in food and pharmaceutical companies, universities and hospitals directing or conducting experiments to answer critical nutrition questions and find alternative foods or nutrition recommendations for the public.

Visit UMass Lowell's full time undergraduate tuition and fees section.

Additional annual fees for undergraduate Nutritional Science BS, Dietetics option students include:

• Estimated books: $1,200
• Estimated health insurance (if not already covered): $2,401
• Student membership to the Academy of Nutrition (junior year only): $58
• Any medical expenses incurred are the responsibility of the student.

Fees for drug testing and criminal background checks are paid for by the university. Uniforms do not need to be purchased.

• Financial Aid Information

Scholarship information will be shared by the Program Director and faculty when available.

The DPD B.S. Nutritional Sciences, Dietetics Option will provide a deep and varied education that will prepare students for a career in nutrition as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). 

Individuals who would like to become an RDN must complete a bachelor’s degree to earn a supervised practice-eligible verification statement from an ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD). Upon completion of DPD program, students will apply to a supervised practice program: Dietetic Internship, Future Education Model (FEM) Graduate Program, Coordinated Program or Individualized Supervised Practice Pathway (ISPP). 

Note that some of these programs use the Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Services (DICAS) for matching and some use direct application to the school/program. It is up to the student to determine what programs to which he or she would like to apply. If using DICAS the student will need to register and pay (for each program to which you apply). 

Then, you will register with D&D Digital Systems to participate in program matching. There is a fee for this matching service.

These programs are competitive, and many are combined with graduate degree programs. These programs will provide the student with the experience necessary (1000 hours across ACEND-defined domains and precepted by RDNs) to sit for the national Commission on Dietetic Registration CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN.

Students who have not completed the entirety of their supervised practice program by December 31, 2023, and who have not already earned a graduate degree (in any field) will have to earn a graduate degree to be eligible to sit for the national Commission on Dietetic Registration CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN.

• Undergraduate Admissions information
• Transfer student information

Academic Standards for Remaining in the DPD BS in Nutritional Sciences, Dietetics Option

The Dietetics program follows the University Academic Calendar.

Students who wish to pursue the DPD BS in Nutritional Sciences, Dietetics Option should meet the following minimum criteria to remain in the dietetics option after their sophomore year:

• Cumulative GPA of 2.500 or greater
• Grade of B- or higher in Human Nutrition

Upon graduation students successfully completing the DPD BS in Nutritional Sciences, Dietetics Option receive a Verification Statement, which is needed to earn a position in a supervised practice program. The Dietetics option requires unique standards and admissions policies as outlined below.

Requirements for Completion of DPD BS in Nutritional Sciences, Dietetics Option

1. Overall semester and cumulative GPAs must be at least 2.500 
2. Maintain a basic science cumulative GPA of at least 2.500, based on the following courses: 

• Human Anatomy & Physiology I and II Lecture and Lab 
• Physiological Chemistry I and II Lecture and Lab 
• Human Nutrition (B- minimum for dietetics students) 

1. Students admitted as freshmen to any of the BNS degree pathways who finish a semester with one infraction will receive a warning letter and can continue in the program. 
2. Freshmen with a second infraction, and all other students with their first infraction, will be notified of their dismissal from their major, or option if there is more than one (i.e., ABS and NS), with the right to appeal for reinstatement into their major or option. Student appeals are considered by a Professional Review Committee (PRC) specific for each degree program and reinstatement is based on the likelihood of future success of the student in the same major or option, as determined by the PRC. 
3. Students who are reinstated into their major or option shall return on a probational status, with conditions that must be met by a certain deadline, typically the end of the semester to which they were reinstated. Students are allowed only one probationary period during their undergraduate career in their major or option, and those who fail to meet the criteria for continuation within one semester of reinstatement will be dismissed from their major or option, with no further possibility to appeal. 
4. For majors having more than one option, students can opt to transfer into an alternate option of the same major, if they qualify, under probational status. An additional infraction will then result in dismissal from the major, with no further possibility of appeal.