All courses required for the degree programs can be completed online. UA does not offer the two required chemistry courses, but they can be completed by distance at other institutions.
The curriculum of the food and nutrition major is designed to prepare students for careers in health care facilities, community-health-nutrition programs, food-service management and business.
- Undergraduate students must complete UA’s general education requirements and the major courses required for the Food and Nutrition degree.
- Postgraduate students are not required to complete the general education requirements.
- 120 credit hours are required to earn the bachelor’s degree with a minimum of a 2.0 GPA.
In order to earn a verification statement to apply for a Dietetic Internship, students must complete the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD). See below.
Course Checklist for B.S. in Food and Nutrition
What Can I Do With This Degree?
The Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) prepares students to become a Registered Dietitian after earning their bachelor’s degree.
The University of Alabama’s DPD program is accredited by ACEND, and this program prepares graduates to enter dietetic internships where they can apply the theories they learn as undergraduates in various areas of practice including clinical, community, and food service under the supervision of a Registered Dietitian. Subsequently, upon successful competition of the DPD and Internship they are eligible to take the national examination in hopes of becoming Registered Dietitians.
Students must complete the degree requirements for the B.S. in Food and Nutrition and meet the additional requirements for earning a verification statement listed in
Module 2.
DPD Courses and Requirements
Course Checklist for B.S. in Food and Nutrition
The AMP program is for first-time undergraduate students on a fast track for the M.S. in Human Nutrition who are also interested in becoming a Registered Dietitian. Students in this program may count up to 15 credit hours toward both their undergraduate and graduate degrees.
- Current undergraduate students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Food and Nutrition must have a 3.7+ overall institutional (UA) GPA and 90+ credit hours. Students must also have taken the prerequisite courses before applying.
- 120 credit hours are required for the undergraduate degree. Select graduate courses may be taken to count toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
More about the Accelerated Master’s Program
The M.S. in Human Environmental Sciences with an emphasis in Human Nutrition is designed to prepare nutrition professionals to practice dietetics at an advanced level and/or to pursue doctoral study.
- This program is for students who are not seeking the RDN credential or who have already obtained a verification statement through another school.
- 30 hours of graduate credit
- Students who do not have the RDN credential must meet the prerequisite requirements.
More about the M.S. in Human Nutrition
The MS + DPD program is for graduate students seeking the M.S. and a DPD verification statement. This also includes students who may have an undergraduate degree in another field.
- Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0 to apply. Students may also be considered if they have earned a 3.0 GPA in the last 60 hours of coursework.
- Students must complete the prerequisite courses before applying.
- 30 credit hours for the M.S. + any undergraduate courses needed to complete DPD requirements
More about the M.S. in Human Nutrition + DPD (MS + DPD)
