Health Sciences

Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Nutrition—Dietetics Specialization

About our Dietetics Specialization

Our Food Science and Nutrition degree offers a specialization in nutrition and dietetics, preparing you for a career as a registered nutritionist. This program teaches you to effectively communicate, analyze, problem-solve, and perform high quality work. You will leave CWU as an expert in the field of nutrition, contributing to the profession of nutrition and dietetics. 

The dietetics specialization fulfills the requirements of the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics for a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD). The DPD program is currently granted continuing accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).

Why Study Dietetics at CWU?

This program creates life-long learners and highly trained nutrition scholars. With this education and experience under your belt, we know you will do something great.

The aim of this specialization is to prepare you for supervised practice in order to be eligible to take the CDR credentialing exam to become registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs). 

“The food science and nutrition program at CWU provided me a foundation of knowledge and skills that I have then been able to apply and put into practice while in the dietetic internship. The dietetic internship has been great in that you experience a wide variety of roles that a dietitian can assume in different industries and learn about how they promote health and wellness through diet and nutrition in their division.” Jessica Benton, 2023 graduate.

Where is this program offered?

• Ellensburg

How much does this program cost?

Explore information on Cost, Aid, and Value to make an informed decision about investing in your education at CWU.

Internships/Supervised Practice

CWU offers an accredited Dietetic Internship (DI) Program through the Department of Health Sciences. The Dietetic Internship is currently granted full accreditation by ACEND. For more information, see our Dietetic Internship Overview.

Where can I find more information?

Please visit the CWU Academic Catalog or our comprehensive Dietetics Handbook for current information about admission requirements, course descriptions, learner outcomes, and credit information.

Careers and Opportunities

There has been a notable surge in the recognition of food's pivotal role in fostering health and wellness, particularly in the realm of preventative healthcare within medical settings. The impact of diet on preventing and managing various illnesses, such as diabetes and heart disease, has become widely acknowledged. Consequently, the demand for skilled dietitians and nutritionists to deliver comprehensive care to individuals grappling with these conditions is steadily escalating.

In this context, it is important to note that the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Area has secured an impressive rank of #6 among metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Dietitians and Nutritionists. The average annual wage for Dietitians and Nutritionists in this area stands at $69,030, affirming the attractiveness of pursuing a career in this domain.

Highlights

Dietetics alumni survey in 2017-18 revealed of graduates who seek employment, 100% were employed in nutrition or dietetics or a related field within 12 months of program completion.