Students enrolled in a bachelor's program in dietetics or nutrition will be required to meet general education requirements as part of the program curriculum. General education typically refers to courses in liberal arts areas such as English, foreign languages and psychology. Completing general education requirements helps ensure that a student is receiving a well-rounded education at the undergraduate level. As part of the general education requirements, a student majoring in dietetics or nutrition will be required to take natural science courses. For example, Florida International University requires dietetics and nutrition majors to take chemistry, microbiology and general biology. These courses are necessary to be adequately prepared for upper-level classes in the major area.
Major courses are those courses specifically related to the study of dietetics or nutrition. During the first two years of an undergraduate program, a student will take introductory-level, or core, courses that introduce them to the principles and fundamentals of nutrition and food science. Core courses prepare the student for advanced studies in the field. Nutrition majors at New York University take classes in nutrition and health, food microbiology and sanitation and food production and management. During the junior and senior years, nutrition majors build on what they have learned during the first two years by completing courses in areas such as community nutrition, nutrition counseling and dietetic management. These advanced courses provide students with exposure to specialty areas that they may wish to pursue either in graduate school or as practicing dietitians and nutritionists.
The practicum provides dietetics and nutrition majors with valuable hands-on experience that prepares them to apply for internships after graduation. Internships are a necessary step toward becoming a Registered Dietitian, according to Drexel University's website, and competitive applicants to post-graduate internship programs have experience in food and nutrition departments at health care facilities or community health agencies. Practicums are typically completed for credit during the junior and/or senior years.