If you enjoy working with people and are interested in sciences and food, you may find a home in the field of dietetics. Dietitians have become an integral part of the wellness movement as people become more conscious of diet and exercise. UW-Stout’s Dietetics program prepares you to meet the challenges of this growing field.
Interested?
Professional employment includes positions in public health, community nutrition, food industry and food service companies, wellness, education and research. Dietitians are an integral part of the health care team. They work in private practice, hospitals, nursing homes, medical clinics and research laboratories, using their knowledge to plan diets which help people regain or maintain their health. Dietitians may also work with athletic teams or in the area of sports nutrition. Dietitians also are instrumental in weeding out nutritional myths so prevalent in today’s society. They are recognized as nutrition experts.
UW-Stout's program draws students from all parts of the United States and countries such Taiwan, Japan, China, England, Granada and India. Field experience offers an opportunity for you to gain experience in the professions prior to graduation. Staff members are qualified — many are registered dietitians, have been employed as dietitians and have earned doctoral degrees.
Students can become involved in the Stout Student Dietetic Association as a way to expand their interest and knowledge of dietetics. The organization encourages student participation in committees, program development, research projects and field experiences.
Preparing for UW-Stout
Students interested in the Dietetics program are encouraged to take three years of high school math, chemistry and biology. This preparation, although not a requirement for entrance, is helpful for students when making the transition into the program.
Starting Out
Course work in your first semesters is a combination of general education and introductory courses. General education courses include English composition, psychology, physiology and anatomy, chemistry and mathematics. Dietetics as a Profession serves as an introductory course to the field. The program director provides assistance with course selection and career choices. Help is also available through academic advisers, the Counseling Center, and Career Services.
As You Progress
As a dietitian, you have many career choices. UW-Stout’s program prepares you for a variety of those choices which include hospitals (inpatient and acute care); clinics and ambulatory care centers; community and public health programs; extended care facilities; consultation (primarily to health-care facilities; other for-profit organizations and industries; other non-profit organizations; private practice (primarily to individual clients); school food service (K-12 and college); consultation, primarily to other organizations; HMOs, physician and other care providers; and home care.
The program uses courses from more than 15 departments to give you background in communication, food service administration, clinical and community nutrition, physical sciences and liberal studies. The communication block includes several writing courses, a technology management course, speech and presentation courses, and statistics. Food service administration includes food science, sensory evaluation, quantity food production, finance, meal management, food service equipment, and cost control. Community nutrition, advanced physiology, advanced nutrition, nutrition counseling, nutrition education, and medical nutrition therapy courses give you a solid background for subsequent supervised practice. Courses in the sciences include microbiology, biochemistry and organic chemistry. General education electives and a technology course give you an opportunity to explore other interest areas.
In addition to course work in these four areas, you may choose three credits of elective courses relating to dietetics ranging from clinical or lifespan nutrition to nutrition for sports. You pick the area that interests you. The academic program meets the requirements of the American Dietetic Association.
All dietetics students are required to complete a 320-hour field experience. Usually this is done during the sophomore or junior year. Field experience is paid or unpaid work done in the area of dietetics and is independently sought by the student with approval from the program director.
Entry Positions
Upon graduation, most students become dietetic interns, entering formalized on-the-job training at one of approximately 290 institutions across the country. Others prefer to pursue a graduate degree in Food Science and Nutrition. The ultimate goal of the program is for you to become a registered dietitian by earning a bachelor's degree, completing an internship from a CADE-approved site, and passing the Registration Examination for Dietitians.