Dietetics
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Health
What is Dietetics?
Dietetics is the area of health science that studies people's nutritional needs and works to improve their nutrition. Consider this career if you enjoy science and are interested in good nutrition, food science, education, and counseling.
What are the features of Miami's program?
Focus: Miami has one of the few dietetics programs housed in a department of kinesiology and health. This gives you the option of focusing your program in the popular areas of exercise and health, exercise physiology, or sports.
Experience: For your capstone experience, you have a semester-long field placement with a dietitian. You also have opportunities to work with Miami faculty on research projects.
High pass rates: Traditionally, Miami graduates have had outstanding pass rates on the National Registration Exam for dietitians.
Nationally acknowledged: Miami's program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of the American Dietetic Association (ADA).
Are there special admission requirements?
To enter this major, students must enroll in the Department of Kinesiology and Health (KNH) to take KNH courses as pre-majors. Once enrolled as a dietetics pre-major, students are eligible to apply to the major after completing at least 24 credit hours of coursework (including three courses of program requirements) and achieving a g.p.a. of 2.5 or higher. Due to a target enrollment for each major, students with the highest g.p.a. will receive preference in admittance if more applicants than positions exist.
What courses would I take?
In addition to a core of courses in health, exercise science, and sport/leisure, Miami's program in dietetics includes courses in food science, nutrition, exercise, and health, with supporting courses in natural science, social science, and management. You can also choose courses for a special emphasis, such as sports nutrition or gerontology (the study of aging), or to strengthen an area of special interest, such as business or science.
The program also fulfills the didactic portion of the requirements needed to become a registered dietician and a member of the American Dietetic Association (ADA). To become a registered dietician, students must complete an ADA-approved clinical experience following graduation. These clinicals, usually lasting 10–12 months, are offered by healthcare facilities or educational institutions.
What can I do with this major?
Dieticians are professionally prepared to perform nutritional assessment and nutritional counseling and education as components of preventive, curative, or restorative healthcare. Dietitians may work in health care facilities, community health programs, businesses, or food service and sport/fitness fields as clinicians, managers, planners, teachers, or researchers. A growing number of dietitians work as consultants in physicians' offices, nursing homes, and food service companies. Several specialty areas have developed in nutritional support, sports nutrition, eating disorders, and pediatric nutrition.
Who can I contact for more information?
For general information about Miami University, please contact:
Office of Admission
301 S. Campus Ave.
Miami University
Oxford, OH 45056-3434
513-529-2531 (v/t)
www.muohio.edu/requestinfo
For specific information on the Dietetics major, please contact:
Department of Kinesiology and Health
106 Phillips Hall
Miami University
Oxford, OH 45056
513-529-2700
www.muohio.edu/knh
