B.S. Dietetics

• Tuition, Board & Fees
• Lab Coat: Approximately $25-$30
• Course Fees (FN105; FN461; FN312/ HT234): Approximately $258 total
• Immunizations, TB Tests & Titers: No cost for enrolled students; may be required by certain field experience facilities
• Background Checks: Variable, depends on requirements of field experience facility
• Drug Testing: Variable, may be required by certain field experience facilities
• DICAS Internship Applications: $50 first site; $25 for each additional site when applying for an internship
• Professional Liability Insurance: Approximately $25; may be required by some field experience facilities
• WAND Annual State Dietetics Conference: Approximately $200, not required but suggested
• Stout Student Dietetic Association Membership: $10, not required but suggested
• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Membership: $58, not required but suggested

Our Mission

The mission of the UW-Stout Dietetics program is to prepare students for successful entry into an into ACEND-accredited supervised practice (Dietetic Internship) and masters degree program, qualify to take the Dietetic Technician Registration Exam, eligibility for the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN and entry level employment in dietetics. Learning experiences are situated in curricula that integrate evidenced-based science, critical thinking skills and practical application, while infusing the use of technology.

Dietetic Program Goals & Objectives

1. Provide education in a hands-on learning environment that prepares graduates to demonstrate foundation knowledge and skills resulting in competency for dietetic registration.
   • Objective #1: At least 80% of students complete program requirements within 3 years (150% of planned program length). Note the program length is being measured starting with Junior status, of our3 or 4-year degree program.
   • Objective #2: At least 60% of program graduates apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within 12 months of graduation.
   • Objective #3: Of program graduates who apply to a supervised practice program, at least 80% are admitted within 12 months of graduation.
   • Objective #4: 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%.
   • Objective #5: At least 80% of graduates attending a supervised practice will be rated a 3 or higher on a 1-5 point scale by the supervised practice director.
2. Graduates of the program will participate in and contribute to the profession.
   • Objective #1: At least 10% of graduates continue professional development by completing graduate school within 3 years of completing the DPD.
   • Objective #2: At least 80% of graduating students indicate that they have volunteered and/or mentored dietetics students.

Program outcomes data are available upon request from the director of the Dietetics Program, Karen Ostenso PhD, RD at ostensok@uwstout.edu 

The first step to become a DTR and/or RD is a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics at UW-Stout! Our faculty of experienced registered dietitians will prepare you for practice in nutrition related fields and to take the Registration Exam for Dietetic Technicians. Students will also be prepared to apply to an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) accredited supervised practice/dietetic internship, and finally the National Registration Examination for Dietitians, administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). Prior to taking the registration exam a student must have a master's degree.

Our graduates work as professional dietitians and practitioners in health sciences, sports, food industry, and foodservice areas of nutrition at hospitals, community agencies, and various government and private organizations. UW-Stout's dietetics program challenges you with experiential learning in the classroom and 180 hours of field experience. Our students graduate with skills and knowledge in:

• Clinical and community nutrition
• Food science and production
• Lifespan and sports nutrition
• Nutrition counseling and education
• Medical nutrition therapy
• Advance physiology and behavior
• Food service administration

The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics is the accrediting agency for education programs preparing students for careers as registered dietitian nutritionists or nutrition and dietetics technicians, registered.

ACEND® serves and protects students and the public by assuring the quality and continued improvement of nutrition and dietetics education programs. ACEND® is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Title IV gatekeeper. This recognition affirms that ACEND® meets national standards and is a reliable authority on the quality of nutrition and dietetics education programs. ACEND® is also a member of the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors and abides by its code of good practice.

Information on education programs preparing students to become a Nutrition and Dietetic Technicians Registered (NDTR) and a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) can be found in the ACEND® website.

Please read through the Bachelor of Science in Dietetics, Department of Food & Nutrition, University of Wisconsin-Stout Handbook describing the UW-Stout Dietetics program. If you have any further questions concerning the program, contact the dietetics program director.

Karen Ostenso, PhD, RD
Phone: 715-232-2394
Email: dietetics@uwstout.edu

The UW-Stout Dietetics program is committed to preparing undergraduate students to succeed in the field of Dietetics. The ultimate goal of the program is to help students meet learning objectives/competencies and prepare them for graduate school, the DTR Pathway III, and application to an Accredited DI program. UW-Stout Dietetics program Benchmark System is designed so that student progress is reviewed at various points throughout their academic career and data is gathered from multiple assessment measures. Benchmark I assesses the students’ completion of prerequisite science coursework and introductory knowledge of the dietetics field. Benchmark II assesses completion and success in introductory nutrition coursework and preparation for completing field experience hours. Benchmark III assesses completion of all degree requirements.

• ​Benchmark Rubrics [PDF] 

Benchmark I (Spring of Second Year)

Benchmark I is the first level where student progress is reviewed. The purpose of Benchmark I is to determine the student’s readiness for core nutrition coursework and assess the student's completion of prerequisite science coursework and introductory knowledge of the profession of dietetics.

Complete the following before Benchmark I Review:

1. Completed 45 semester credit hours
2. Cumulative GPA of 2.75 (3.5 or higher for internship recommended)
3. Completed FN-101 Dietetics as a Profession (minimum grade of “C” required)
4. Completed CHEM-135 College Chemistry I (minimum grade of “C” required)*
5. Completed BIO-234 Physiology & Anatomy (minimum grade of “C” required)*
6. E-Portfolio Progress**
   • Dietetics as a Profession (Resume)
   • Dietetics as a Profession (Personal Philosophy Statement)
   • Dietetics as a Profession (RD Interview Paper)
   • First Year Reflection
7. A cumulative GPA of 2.50 to in the following block of courses is required
   • CHEM-135 College Chemistry I
   • BIO-234 Physiology & Anatomy
8. A cumulative GPA of 3.00 in the following course is required
   • FN-212 Nutrition (this course will be completed by the second benchmark)

**See complete E-portfolio requirements and add additional projects if courses have been completed. 

When to sign up for an interview:

Upon completion of all criteria listed above, sign up for an interview (after advisement day) with your adviser. For most students Benchmark I should be completed in the spring of their sophomore year. 

What to bring with to your interview:

For Benchmark I please bring:

• Dietetics as a Profession Paper/RD Interview Paper (with graded rubrics-if available)
• Reflection of your first year in the program
• A recent copy of your grades
• Copy of your resume 

Preparing for the interview:

Benchmark I Review rubric (used by faculty/staff interviewers). Please read this carefully before your interview.  

Benchmark II (Spring of Third Year)

Benchmark II is the second level where student progress is reviewed. The purpose of Benchmark II is to assess the student’s success in nutrition coursework and other required courses, and to assess the student's development of a plan for achieving required field experience hours.

Complete the following before Benchmark II Review:

1. Completed 75 semester credit hours
2. Cumulative GPA of 2.75 (3.5 or higher for internship is recommended)
3. Completed FN-212 Nutrition (minimum grade of “B” is required)*
4. Attended A Field Experience Meeting
5. Completed Field Experience Plan
6. E-Portfolio Progress**
   • Nutrition Paper (Evaluation of Research Article with Skepticism)
   • Nutrition Assessment (Client Assessment)
   • Menu Planning (Cycle Menu Assessment)
   • Second-year reflection
7. A cumulative GPA of 2.50 in the following block of courses is required.
   • CHEM-135 College Chemistry I
   • BIO-234 Physiology & Anatomy
8. A cumulative GPA of 3.00 in the following course is required
   • FN-212 Nutrition (this course will be completed by the second benchmark)

**See complete E-portfolio requirements and add additional projects if courses have been completed. 

When to sign up for an interview:

Upon completion of all criteria listed above, sign up for an interview (after advisement day) with your adviser. For most students Benchmark II should be completed in the spring of their junior year. 

What to bring with to your interview:

• Dietetics related artifacts (with graded rubrics-if available)
  • Nutrition Paper (Evaluation of Research Article with Skepticism)
  • Nutrition Assessment (Client Assessment)
  • Menu Planning (Cycle Menu Assignment)
• Second-year reflection
• Completed Field Experience Plan
• Updated Resume
• A recent copy of your grades

Preparing for the interview:

Benchmark II Review rubric (used by faculty/staff interviewers). Please read this carefully before your interview.  

Benchmark III (Spring of Fourth Year)

Benchmark III is the final review that occurs after completion of all Dietetics program coursework. Upon completion of all degree requirements, students will receive information about their dietetic verification statement, necessary for the DTR exam.

Complete the following before Benchmark III Review:

1. Completed 120 semester credit hours
2. Cumulative GPA of 2.75 (3.5 or higher for internship is recommended)
3. Completed all course requirements for dietetics program and meets all graduation requirements*
4. Completed field experience portfolio
5. Completed E-Portfolio**
6. A cumulative GPA of 2.50 in the following block of courses is required.
   • CHEM-135 College Chemistry I
   • BIO-234 Physiology & Anatomy
7. A cumulative GPA of 3.00 in the following course is required
   • FN-212 Nutrition (this course will be completed by the second benchmark)

A grade of “C” or higher is required in all program coursework.

**See complete E-portfolio requirements and add additional projects if courses have been completed. 

When to sign up for an interview:

Upon completion of all criteria listed above, sign up for an interview (after advisement day) with your adviser. For all students Benchmark III should be completed in the semester in which they intend to graduate. 

What to bring with to your interview:

• Dietetics related artifacts (with graded rubrics-if available)
  • Advanced Nutrition (Research Project)
  • Medical Nutrition Therapy I (Joe Case Study)
  • Preprofessional Development (Personal Statement)
• Completed Field Experience Portfolio
• Completed E-Portfolio
• Third-year reflection
• A recent copy of your grades

Preparing for the interview:

Benchmark III Review rubric (used by faculty/staff interviewers). Please read this carefully before your interview. 

If you are interested in the Dietetics Program, you are encouraged to take three years of high school math, chemistry and biology. This preparation, although not a requirement for entrance to the Dietetics program, is helpful when beginning the program.

Program Coursework

The Dietetics program combines course in general education and required courses to provide you with an education that will prepare you for a career in dietetics. The program uses courses from more than 15 departments to give you the knowledge and education to succeed in the world of dietetics.

The courses incorporate a wide variety of skills and education such as: communication skills, food sciences and service management, nutrition/medical nutrition education and community nutrition, analytic and natural sciences, social sciences, physical and biological sciences, statistics and data skills, and more.

Communication Skils

• Writing skills
• Public speaking/presentation skills

Food Science & Service Management

• Multicultural Food and Nutrition
• Science of Food
• Art and Science of Food
• Food Service Purchasing, Production, and Distribution Services
• Food Service Sanitation
• Menu Planning and Food Procurement

Nutrition/Medical Nutrition Education & Community Nutrition

• Nutrition Assessment
• Advanced Nutrition
• Medical Terminology
• Nutrition Through the Lifecycle
• Medical Nutrition Therapy
• Research in Nutrition and Dietetics
• Nutrition Education and Counseling
• Community Nutrition

Sciences

• Anatomy and Physiology
• College Chemistry
• Microbiology
• Advanced Physiology
• Organic Chemistry
• Biochemistry

Statistics & Data Skills

• College Algebra
• Elementary Statistics
• Statistical Methods

Career Awareness

• Dietetics as a Profession
• Preprofessional Developments in Dietetics and Nutrition
• Field Experience

The program director, program advisors, and academic advising will provide assistance with course selection and scheduling of courses to keep you on track to graduate within either the 3-year plan or 4-year plan options.

Graduates of the Dietetics program become registered dietetics technicians and begin working in areas of nutrition and foodservice at hospitals, community agencies, and government and private organizations, health sciences, food industry and sports nutrition. Many other graduates prefer to pursue the goal of becoming a registered dietitians (RDN) with completion of a masters degree and dietetic internship program. For the latest data regarding income/wages for dietetic technicians and registered dietitians, see the Bureau of Labor Statics reports.

Employment Opportunities for Dietetics Technicians

Clinical/Counseling

• Clinical Dietitian
• Consulting Dietitian
• Medical Nutrition Therapist
• Nutrition Consultant
• Nutrition Counselor
• Rehabilitation Consultant
• Extended Living Facilities Nutritionist/Dietitian
• Gerontological Dietitian
• Athletic Trainer/Dietitian
• Sports Dietitian

Community & Public Health

• Community Health Programs
• Public Health Nutritionist
• Public Health Consultant
• Women, Infants & Child Program Consultant/Nutritionist
• Consumer & Public Relations Specialist
• Government Health Programs

Business

• Foodservice Manufacturing Administrator/Director
• Food Advertising Consultant
• Marketing Specialist for Food & Nutrition Companies
• Restaurant Foodservice Manager
• Self-Owned Business (Catering, Personal Consultant, etc.)

Education

• Community college educator
• Food science educator
• Nutrition Educator

Research

• Food Research Specialist
• Food Scientist
• Food Analyst/Technologist
• Food Quality Assurance Specialist
• Product Development Researcher

(This list is not all-inclusive of every opportunity)

Advisory Committee Members