Undergraduate Program
If you enjoy the sciences and enjoy working with people, a career in nutrition may be right for you. The Department of Nutrition offers a program leading to a Bachelor of Science degree. Ours is one of the largest programs in Tennessee and is academically strong so that our graduates are prepared for a successful career and many become leaders in the field. Our mission and goals aim to guide the program to continuously improve performance of our graduates. Established policies and procedures guide day-to-day operations. The program includes:
• Nutrition science: How the body uses nutrients at the cellular level and in the whole body system plus food and nutrient needs throughout the life cycle in both health and disease states. You will have extensive coursework in the sciences to form a basis for the understanding of nutrient functions.
• The influence of attitudes, knowledge and beliefs on food consumption patterns among individuals and groups: Coursework in psychology and community nutrition is included in the curriculum.
• Communication: You will have coursework in communication studies and many of the major courses include oral presentations and research papers. The ability to critically evaluate nutrition information and effectively communicate nutrition information to other healthcare professionals, administrators, and the general public is a necessary skill.
• Effective management of food service delivery: You will have coursework in foods principles, management, and foodservice operations.
• The roles of nutrition professionals in a variety of practice settings: You will have coursework on careers in nutrition and on professional issues in the practice of nutrition and dietetics.
This program is developmentally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) as a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD). Therefore, successful completion of the bachelor’s degree in nutrition at UT qualifies you to compete for placement in CADE-accredited dietetic internships. Following completion of a dietetic internship, students will take a national registration examination to earn the registered dietitian (RD) credential. You may contact CADE for additional information:
Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education
American Dietetic Association
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000
Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995
Phone: 312-899-0040 ext. 5400
Email: cade@eatright.org
http://eatright.org/cade
Why become a R.D.?
Registered dietitians apply the science of nutrition by utilizing nutrition knowledge to promote health and/or treat disease in hospitals, clinics, community settings, private consulting practices, sports nutrition and corporate wellness programs, newspapers and magazines, food and nutrition-related businesses and industry, pharmaceutical companies, and more. Most of these settings require the R.D. credential for employment. For more detailed information on careers in dietetics, see the ADA website careers information.
As an alternative to pursuing the R.D. credential, our undergraduate
nutrition curriculum also provides an outstanding foundation for pursuing
careers in medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry and other biomedical
sciences, as well as graduate study and research careers in nutrition
and related areas.
Contact the Department of Nutrition
1215 W. Cumberland Ave.
229 Jessie Harris Building
Knoxville, TN 37996-1920
Brenda Hart
bhart57@utk.edu
Phone: (865) 974-5445
Fax: (865) 974-3491