Nutrition and Foods BS and Nutrition and Dietetics MS Bridge Program

Major: Nutrition and Foods & Nutrition and Dietetics
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS) and Master of Science (MS)
Calendar Type: Quarter

Minimum Required Credits: 225.0

Co-op Options: None
 

NOTE: This program is no longer accepting applications effective the 2023-2024 academic year.

About the Program

The BS/MS Bridge Program in Nutrition Sciences is an academic track that enables high-achieving students to complete both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in five years in preparation for becoming a registered dietitian/registered dietitian nutritionist (RD/RDN). Students pursue the BS in Nutrition and Foods during their first four years of study and the MS in Nutrition and Dietetics during the final year of study. Students are eligible for the program at the end of their second year of study if they have achieved a grade of B or better in all required courses and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Transfer students or those who must retake courses to earn the minimum grade needed may require an additional year before entering the program.

The Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Foods is awarded following the completion of year four (first year of graduate study), and the Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics is awarded following year five. Experiential learning is provided during the master’s degree to fulfill the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics' Future Graduate model program. Upon completion, graduates are eligible to sit for the registered dietitian nutritionist entry-level exam without completing an additional dietetic internship.

Additional Information

For more information about Nutrition Sciences, visit the College of Nursing and Health Professions Nutrition Sciences.

Admission Requirements

The BS/MS Bridge Program in Nutrition Sciences is available to high-achieving students in the BS Nutrition and Foods program who plan to become Registered Dietitians/Registered Dietitian Nutritionists. Current students may apply for admission to the program after they have completed the first two years of the undergraduate degree program. Transfer students may apply if they have fulfilled comparable coursework at another accredited college or university and meet all other admission criteria. Applicants must have earned a grade of B or better in all required courses in the first two years of the program. Transfer students or those who must re-take courses to earn the minimum grade needed may require an additional year to complete the program. 

Degree Requirements

Communication and English
COM 230Techniques of Speaking3.0
COM 310Technical Communication3.0
or COM 345 Intercultural Communication
ENGL 101Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research3.0
or ENGL 111 English Composition I
ENGL 102Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing3.0
or ENGL 112 English Composition II
ENGL 103Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres3.0
or ENGL 113 English Composition III
Physical and Biological Sciences
BIO 122Cells and Genetics4.5
CHEM 101General Chemistry I3.5
CHEM 103General Chemistry III4.5
CHEM 108Health Chemistry I3.0
HSCI 101Anatomy and Physiology I5.0
HSCI 102Anatomy and Physiology II5.0
HSCI 103Anatomy and Physiology III5.0
Humanities and Social Sciences
SOC 101Introduction to Sociology3.0
or ANTH 101 Introduction to Cultural Diversity
PSY 101General Psychology I3.0
Management and Computing
HRM 455Hospitality Human Resources Management3.0
ORGB 300Organizational Behavior4.0
Foods, Food Safety, and Food Production
CULA 115Culinary Fundamentals3.0
FDSC 154Science of Food and Cooking4.0
FDSC 270Microbial Food Safety and Sanitation4.0
FDSC 350Experimental Foods: Product Development3.0
HRM 120Principles of Food-Service Management3.0
HRM 215Commercial Food Production4.0
Mathematics and Statistics
HSCI 345Statistics for Health Sciences4.5
MATH 101Introduction to Analysis I4.0
Nutrition and Food Sciences
NFS 100Nutrition, Foods, and Health2.0
NFS 101Introduction to Nutrition & Food1.0
NFS 202Nutrition: Wellness and Weight Management3.0
NFS 203Nutrition II: Nutrition in the Lifecycle4.0
NFS 230Intermediate Nutrition4.0
NFS 265Professional Issues in Nutrition and Foods3.0
NFS 345Foods and Nutrition of World Cultures3.0
NFS 415Advanced Nutrition I: Macronutrition4.0
NFS 416Advanced Nutrition II: Micronutrients4.0
NFS 494Senior Project I2.0
NFS 495Senior Project II2.0
NFS 496Senior Project III2.0
Additional BS Requirements
CIVC 101Introduction to Civic Engagement1.0
UNIV NH101The Drexel Experience1.0
Free electives38.0
Shared BS/MS Coursework
FDSC 506Food Composition & Behavior3.0
NFS 510Profession of Dietetics3.0
NFS 530Macronutrient Metabolism3.0
NFS 531Micronutrient Metabolism3.0
NFS 525Nutritional Assessment Through the Life Cycle3.0
NFS 526Lifecycle Nutrition3.0
NFS 601Research Methods3.0
NFS 609Supervised Experiential Learning *3.0
NFS 690Community Nutrition3.0
MS Degree Requirements
NFS 543Medical Nutrition Therapy I3.0
NFS 544Medical Nutrition Therapy II3.0
NFS 545Nutrition in Critical Care3.0
NFS 546World Nutrition3.0
NFS 550Foodservice Systems Management3.0
NFS 609Supervised Experiential Learning *12.0
NFS 630Nutrition Counseling3.0
NFS I699Independent Study in Nutrition & Food Science3.0
Graduate elective3.0
Total Credits225.0
*

NFS 609 is taken multiple times for a total of 15.0 credits

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study

No Co-Op Option

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredits
CHEM 108 Health Chemistry I 0.0,3.0
ENGL 101
Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research
or English Composition I
3.0
NFS 100 Nutrition, Foods, and Health 2.0
NFS 101 Introduction to Nutrition & Food 1.0
PSY 101 General Psychology I 3.0
UNIV NH101 The Drexel Experience 1.0
 Credits10-13
Winter
CHEM 101 General Chemistry I 0.0,3.5
CIVC 101 Introduction to Civic Engagement 1.0
CULA 115 Culinary Fundamentals 0.0,3.0
ENGL 102
Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing
or English Composition II
3.0
MATH 101 Introduction to Analysis I 4.0
 Credits8-14.5
Spring
BIO 122 Cells and Genetics 0.0,4.5
CHEM 103 General Chemistry III 4.5
ENGL 103
Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres
or English Composition III
3.0
FDSC 154 Science of Food and Cooking 0.0,4.0
 Credits7.5-16
Summer
VACATION  
 Credits0
Second Year
Fall
HRM 120 Principles of Food-Service Management 3.0
HSCI 101 Anatomy and Physiology I 0.0,5.0
NFS 230 Intermediate Nutrition 4.0
NFS 265 Professional Issues in Nutrition and Foods 3.0
 Credits10-15
Winter
FDSC 270 Microbial Food Safety and Sanitation 0.0,4.0
HSCI 102 Anatomy and Physiology II 0.0,5.0
NFS 202 Nutrition: Wellness and Weight Management 3.0
(UG) Free elective 4.0
 Credits7-16
Spring
COM 345 Intercultural Communication 3.0
HSCI 103 Anatomy and Physiology III 0.0,5.0
NFS 203 Nutrition II: Nutrition in the Lifecycle 4.0
(UG) Free electives 3.0
 Credits10-15
Summer
COM 230 Techniques of Speaking 3.0
HSCI 345 Statistics for Health Sciences 4.5
SOC 101
Introduction to Sociology
or Introduction to Cultural Diversity
3.0
(UG) Free electives 7.0
 Credits17.5
Third Year
Fall
HRM 215 Commercial Food Production 0.0,4.0
NFS 415 Advanced Nutrition I: Macronutrition 4.0
NFS 494 Senior Project I 2.0
(UG) Free electives 9.0
 Credits15-19
Winter
FDSC 350 Experimental Foods: Product Development 0.0,3.0
NFS 416 Advanced Nutrition II: Micronutrients 4.0
NFS 495 Senior Project II 2.0
ORGB 300 Organizational Behavior 4.0
(UG) Free elective 6.0
 Credits16-19
Spring
HRM 455 Hospitality Human Resources Management 3.0
NFS 345 Foods and Nutrition of World Cultures 3.0
NFS 496 Senior Project III 2.0
(UG) Free electives 9.0
 Credits17
Summer
Student converts to Graduate status  
 Credits0
Fourth Year
Fall
FDSC 506 Food Composition & Behavior 3.0
NFS 530 Macronutrient Metabolism 3.0
NFS 531 Micronutrient Metabolism 3.0
 Credits9
Winter
NFS 525 Nutritional Assessment Through the Life Cycle 3.0
NFS 526 Lifecycle Nutrition 3.0
NFS 601 Research Methods 3.0
 Credits9
Spring
NFS 510 Profession of Dietetics 3.0
NFS 609 Supervised Experiential Learning * 3.0
NFS 690 Community Nutrition 3.0
 Credits9
Summer
NFS 543 Medical Nutrition Therapy I 3.0
NFS 550 Foodservice Systems Management 3.0
NFS 609 Supervised Experiential Learning * 3.0
 Credits9
Fifth Year
Fall
NFS 544 Medical Nutrition Therapy II 3.0
NFS 630 Nutrition Counseling 3.0
NFS 609 Supervised Experiential Learning * 3.0
 Credits9
Winter
NFS 545 Nutrition in Critical Care 3.0
NFS 609 Supervised Experiential Learning * 3.0
(GR) Graduate Elective 3.0
 Credits9
Spring
NFS 546 World Nutrition 3.0
NFS 609 Supervised Experiential Learning * 3.0
NFS I699 Independent Study in Nutrition & Food Science 3.0
 Credits9
 Total Credits181-225
*

NFS 609 is taken multiple times for a total of 15.0 credits

Nutrition and Foods BS and Nutrition and Dietetics MS Bridge Faculty

Nyree Dardarian, EdD, MS, RD, LDN, CSSD, FAND (East Tennessee State University) Director, Center for Nutrition & Performance. Clinical Assistant Professor. Energy expenditure; sports nutrition.
Mary Pat DeHaven, MS, RD, LDN (Drexel University) Director, Nutrition & Dietetics. Assistant Clinical Professor. Clinical nutrition.
Brandy-Joe Milliron, PhD (Arizona State University). Associate Professor. The development and evaluation of modifications in the natural environment to promote healthier living; farm to table school initiatives
Jennifer Nasser, PhD, RD, FTOS (Rutgers University). Associate Professor. Dopamine-mediated mechanisms of food intake regulation in humans and its impact on metabolic homeostasis, especially as it applies to obesity, eating disorders and aging. Implementation of methods to maximize nutrient density of food provided in community food services.
Deeptha Sukumar, PhD (Rutgers University). Associate Professor. Vitamin D and magnesium and bone mineral density; obesity and bone mineral density.

Emeritus Faculty

Donna H. Mueller, PhD (Temple University). Associate Professor Emeritus. Clinical nutrition; pediatric nutrition; nutrition in pulmonary diseases, especially cystic fibrosis; nutrition in developmental delay; dental nutrition; dietetic education and professional development.
Jennifer Quinlan, PhD (North Carolina State University). Professor Emeritus. Food microbiology; microbiological quality and safety of produce, dairy and meat products in markets in high vs. low socioeconomics areas, Bacillus and Clostridium spores in food processing.