Nutrition & Dietetics Program

Nutrition & Dietetics Program

The Department of Family, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences (FNES) of Queens College, City University of New York offers a Didactic Program in Dietetics through the undergraduate program in Nutrition and Dietetics. This program is based on the standards of Education of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) and the goals of the FNES Department.

The curriculum consists of 24 classes (79 credits) including biology, chemistry, psychology, food science, nutrition, medical nutrition therapy, food service management, nutrition counseling, research methods, life cycle and community nutrition. Upon completion of the curriculum and earning a bachelor’s degree (B.S. Nutrition and Dietetics) students will be eligible to start a ACEND approved Dietetic Internship for which they have applied and been accepted into.

For more detailed information about the program please refer to the Nutrition and Dietetics Student Handbook under Program Resources on the right.

The handbook includes information regarding the requirements and process to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), estimated cost of the program to students, requirements for application, admission, graduation and program completion, curriculum, academic calendar, financial aid, and policies and procedures.

 

 

Accreditation Status
The Nutrition and Dietetics has been granted full accreditation as a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), 120 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite #2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995 (800 877-1600, ext. 5400); www.eatrightpro.org/acend
Program Mission
The Queens College Nutrition and Dietetics program prepares students to think critically and solve problems within the context of nutrition and dietetics for entry into supervised practice programs that lead to eligibility for the Commission on Dietetic Registration credentialing exam to become registered dietitian nutritionists, and for entry into graduate studies and careers enhancing the nutrition health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities in an increasingly global society.
Program Goals and Objectives

Goal 1

The program will prepare graduates to competently fulfill the Nutrition and Dietetics program to enter supervised practice programs, or careers and graduate studies to improve the nutrition health and well- being of individuals, families and/or communities.

Objectives

“At least 80% of program students complete program/degree requirements within 4.5 years (150% of the program length)”.

“At least 75 percent of program graduates apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within 12 months of graduation”.

“Of program graduates who apply to a supervised practice program, at least 75 percent are admitted within 12 months of graduation”.

At least 65% of graduate survey respondents not admitted into a supervised practice within 12 months of graduation will be in a career and/or graduate studies that improve the nutrition health and well- being of individuals, families, and/or communities.

Goal 2

The program will prepare graduates to think critically and solve problems within the context of nutrition and dietetics to enhance their ability to satisfactorily fulfill supervised practice programs, and pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration credentialing exam to become registered dietitian nutritionists.

Objectives

“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%”.

On the Directors Survey, 80% of responses will indicate that graduates are satisfactorily prepared for supervised practice in all areas.

On the Graduates Survey, 80% of respondents, having completed a supervised practice program, will report they were satisfactorily prepared for supervised practice in all areas.

Program outcomes data are available upon request

Getting admitted

Step 1

The first step is getting admitted to Queens College. Start here.

If/When you are admitted, you need to accept admission to Queens College.

Step 2

Complete the Nutrition and Dietetics Program Application (linked on the right, takes about 5 minutes. You will need your unofficial transcripts) and follow the directions for emailing it.

To get admitted into the Nutrition and Dietetics major, you need a GPA of 3.2 or higher. Set up a meeting with the program director to discuss if your GPA is a little lower. This requirement is set so that you have a good chance for success in the RD exam at the end of the pathway toward that credential, but also to the CDN credential, the NDTR exam, and employment in other career paths.

Admission from another college

If you are transferring from another college, follow step 1, then step 2 above. We have agreements for credit transfer with several colleges. If we don’t have one with your college of origin, your transfer credits will be evaluated once you have accepted admission to Queens College and have sent your Nutrition and Dietetics Program Application.

Admission from a school outside of the United States

If you are transferring from a school outside of the United States, you will need an evaluation of your coursework. See here for information

Once you have that evaluation from a CDR approved foreign degree evaluation agency, you can apply to Queens College for admission, as described above, following step 1, then after being admitted and accepting admission, step 2.

You will meet with the program director to discuss what coursework you will need as part of the admission into the Nutrition and Dietetics major, where the DPD program is housed.

Expenses and Financial Aid

For information on the cost of the Nutrition and Dietetics program, please refer to the handbook (link on the right).

For information on the cost of studying at Queens College, and available financial aid, please visit the Office of Financial Aid here

 

Program schedule

Program schedule

Upon admission to the Nutrition and Dietetics major, Your program advisor will help you set up a sequence of courses for the major-related courses, and Academic Advising will help you set up a schedule for other academic coursework required for the degree you are seeking.

Here is a sample schedule for the Nutrition and Dietetics major:

SAMPLE NUTRITION and DIETETICS SCHEDULE

(see also Student Handbook)

Graduation and program completion requirements

Program Completion Requirements

  • To be granted the Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics students must
    • complete the Nutrition and Dietetics curriculum with a grade of B or better in all Nutrition and Dietetics-major courses,
    • the Queens College general education required courses, and
    • a minimum of 120 credits.

Transfer credit equivalent courses will be included in the completion requirements.

  • Second bachelor degree students having previously earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education must complete all the Nutrition and Dietetics course requirements with a minimum of 45 credits taken at Queens College to be granted a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics. A grade of B or better in all Nutrition and Dietetics-major courses is required.
    • Second bachelor degree students who do not need to take the minimum 45 credits at Queens College to earn the BS in Nutrition and Dietetics must meet with the program director in their last semester to verify that all course requirements, including requirements for grades, GPA and KRDNs, have been met to receive a Verification Statement only.
  • The college has no time frame nor age to complete the program requirements, though ACEND would like to see students complete the program within 150% of the time planned.

To earn a DPD Verification Statement students must:

  • Earn ≥3.2 GPA in Nutrition and Dietetics (N&D) with a grade of B or better in all N&D courses.
  • Earn a minimum grade of 73 on all assignments assessing ACEND knowledge requirements, shown as KRDN course objectives on syllabi.
  • Have no Academic and/or Disciplinary Sanctions due to academic dishonesty, in accordance with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Code of Ethics.

 

How to become a Registered Dietitian

Requirements to Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN) are food and nutrition experts in preventing and treating disease. The credential is administered by the Commission on Dietetics Registration (CDR) (see here: https://www.cdrnet.org/ ).

 You need to fulfill four (4) education criteria to qualify for the RDN credential:

  1. Complete of an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) (like the Queens College Nutrition and Dietetics major).
  2. Complete of a minimum of a graduate degree by a university accredited by a USDE recognized accrediting agency (or foreign equivalent) (like the Queens College MS Nutrition and Exercise Sciences, Nutrition Specialization).
  3. Complete of an ACEND accredited Dietetic Internship (like the Queens College Dietetic Internship Program).
  4. Pass the RD Examination

See other options to become eligible for the RD Examination here: https://www.cdrnet.org/RDNeligibility

 

Program Director

Victoria Fischer
PhD, MS, RDN, CDN (she, her, hers)
DPD Director
Remsen Bldg., Rm. 306B
Phone: (718) 997-4475
Victoria.Fischer@qc.cuny.edu

 

ACADEMIC CALENDAR

The academic calendar provides the start and end of the Fall, Spring, Summer and Winter semesters along with registrar deadlines and upcoming campus-wide events at https://www.qc.cuny.edu/communications/calendar-page/ . Registrar deadline dates are also shown on that page.