COURSE CURRICULUM

The Dietetics option in the UNH Nutrition Program is a structured, science-based pathway designed to prepare students for careers in clinical nutrition and to meet the academic requirements for becoming a registered dietitian. Students must maintain a grade of C-minus or better in all required nutrition courses while completing a combination of foundation science courses, core nutrition classes, and advanced dietetics-focused training. The program begins with foundational coursework in human anatomy and physiology, sociology or psychology, and a statistics course to build understanding of human systems, behavior, and data analysis. Students also complete a strong science core that includes general chemistry, organic chemistry with laboratory work, microbiology, and biochemistry, providing essential knowledge of biological and chemical processes related to nutrition and metabolism. The nutrition core introduces key concepts such as nutrition in health and well-being, professional perspectives in nutrition, nutritional assessment, and life cycle nutrition, which together build a comprehensive understanding of how diet impacts health across different stages of life. The dietetics-specific courses provide applied training in areas such as culinary skills, food science, nutrition education and counseling, dietetics career development, managerial skills, community nutrition, nutritional biochemistry, clinical nutrition, and medical nutrition therapy. These courses are designed to prepare students for real-world practice in healthcare, food service, and community health settings, where they assess dietary needs and develop treatment plans for patients. A healthcare systems course also helps students understand how nutrition fits into broader medical and public health structures. The program includes a required capstone experience in which students integrate their learning through advanced coursework or applied projects such as Community Nutrition or Critical Issues in Nutrition during their senior year. Overall, this track combines rigorous science education with practical clinical training, preparing graduates for professional certification and careers focused on improving health through diet and nutrition care.