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 230 | Techniques of Speaking | 3.0 |
| COM 310 | Technical Communication | 3.0 |
| or COM 345 | Intercultural Communication | |
| ENGL 101 | Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 111 | English Composition I | |
| ENGL 102 | Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 112 | English Composition II | |
| ENGL 103 | Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 113 | English Composition III | |
| Physical and Biological Sciences | ||
| BIO 122 | Cells and Genetics | 4.5 |
| CHEM 101 | General Chemistry I | 3.5 |
| CHEM 103 | General Chemistry III | 4.5 |
| CHEM 108 | Health Chemistry I | 3.0 |
| HSCI 101 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 5.0 |
| HSCI 102 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 5.0 |
| HSCI 103 | Anatomy and Physiology III | 5.0 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences | ||
| SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3.0 |
| or ANTH 101 | Introduction to Cultural Diversity | |
| PSY 101 | General Psychology I | 3.0 |
| Management and Computing | ||
| HRM 455 | Hospitality Human Resources Management | 3.0 |
| ORGB 300 | Organizational Behavior | 4.0 |
| Foods, Food Safety, and Food Production | ||
| CULA 115 | Culinary Fundamentals | 3.0 |
| FDSC 154 | Science of Food and Cooking | 4.0 |
| FDSC 270 | Microbial Food Safety and Sanitation | 4.0 |
| FDSC 350 | Experimental Foods: Product Development | 3.0 |
| HRM 120 | Principles of Food-Service Management | 3.0 |
| HRM 215 | Commercial Food Production | 4.0 |
| Mathematics and Statistics | ||
| HSCI 345 | Statistics for Health Sciences | 4.5 |
| MATH 101 | Introduction to Analysis I | 4.0 |
| Nutrition and Food Sciences | ||
| NFS 100 | Nutrition, Foods, and Health | 2.0 |
| NFS 101 | Introduction to Nutrition & Food | 1.0 |
| NFS 202 | Nutrition: Wellness and Weight Management | 3.0 |
| NFS 203 | Nutrition II: Nutrition in the Lifecycle | 4.0 |
| NFS 230 | Intermediate Nutrition | 4.0 |
| NFS 265 | Professional Issues in Nutrition and Foods | 3.0 |
| NFS 345 | Foods and Nutrition of World Cultures | 3.0 |
| NFS 415 | Advanced Nutrition I: Macronutrition | 4.0 |
| NFS 416 | Advanced Nutrition II: Micronutrients | 4.0 |
| NFS 494 | Senior Project I | 2.0 |
| NFS 495 | Senior Project II | 2.0 |
| NFS 496 | Senior Project III | 2.0 |
| Additional BS Requirements | ||
| CIVC 101 | Introduction to Civic Engagement | 1.0 |
| UNIV NH101 | The Drexel Experience | 1.0 |
| Free electives | 38.0 | |
| Shared BS/MS Coursework | ||
| FDSC 506 | Food Composition & Behavior | 3.0 |
| NFS 510 | Profession of Dietetics | 3.0 |
| NFS 530 | Macronutrient Metabolism | 3.0 |
| NFS 531 | Micronutrient Metabolism | 3.0 |
| NFS 525 | Nutritional Assessment Through the Life Cycle | 3.0 |
| NFS 526 | Lifecycle Nutrition | 3.0 |
| NFS 601 | Research Methods | 3.0 |
| NFS 609 | Supervised Experiential Learning * | 3.0 |
| NFS 690 | Community Nutrition | 3.0 |
| MS Degree Requirements | ||
| NFS 543 | Medical Nutrition Therapy I | 3.0 |
| NFS 544 | Medical Nutrition Therapy II | 3.0 |
| NFS 545 | Nutrition in Critical Care | 3.0 |
| NFS 546 | World Nutrition | 3.0 |
| NFS 550 | Foodservice Systems Management | 3.0 |
| NFS 609 | Supervised Experiential Learning * | 12.0 |
| NFS 630 | Nutrition Counseling | 3.0 |
| NFS I699 | Independent Study in Nutrition & Food Science | 3.0 |
| Graduate elective | 3.0 | |
| Total Credits | 225.0 | |
- *
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
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CHEM 108 | Health Chemistry I | 0.0,3.0 |
| ENGL 101 or ENGL 111 | 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 |
| Credits | 10-13 | |
| 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 or ENGL 112 | Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing or English Composition II | 3.0 |
| MATH 101 | Introduction to Analysis I | 4.0 |
| Credits | 8-14.5 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIO 122 | Cells and Genetics | 0.0,4.5 |
| CHEM 103 | General Chemistry III | 4.5 |
| ENGL 103 or ENGL 113 | Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres or English Composition III | 3.0 |
| FDSC 154 | Science of Food and Cooking | 0.0,4.0 |
| Credits | 7.5-16 | |
| Summer | ||
| VACATION | ||
| Credits | 0 | |
| 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 |
| Credits | 10-15 | |
| 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 | |
| Credits | 7-16 | |
| 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 | |
| Credits | 10-15 | |
| Summer | ||
| COM 230 | Techniques of Speaking | 3.0 |
| HSCI 345 | Statistics for Health Sciences | 4.5 |
| SOC 101 or ANTH 101 | Introduction to Sociology or Introduction to Cultural Diversity | 3.0 |
| (UG) Free electives | 7.0 | |
| Credits | 17.5 | |
| 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 | |
| Credits | 15-19 | |
| 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 | |
| Credits | 16-19 | |
| 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 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Summer | ||
| Student converts to Graduate status | ||
| Credits | 0 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| FDSC 506 | Food Composition & Behavior | 3.0 |
| NFS 530 | Macronutrient Metabolism | 3.0 |
| NFS 531 | Micronutrient Metabolism | 3.0 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Winter | ||
| NFS 525 | Nutritional Assessment Through the Life Cycle | 3.0 |
| NFS 526 | Lifecycle Nutrition | 3.0 |
| NFS 601 | Research Methods | 3.0 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| NFS 510 | Profession of Dietetics | 3.0 |
| NFS 609 | Supervised Experiential Learning * | 3.0 |
| NFS 690 | Community Nutrition | 3.0 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Summer | ||
| NFS 543 | Medical Nutrition Therapy I | 3.0 |
| NFS 550 | Foodservice Systems Management | 3.0 |
| NFS 609 | Supervised Experiential Learning * | 3.0 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Fifth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| NFS 544 | Medical Nutrition Therapy II | 3.0 |
| NFS 630 | Nutrition Counseling | 3.0 |
| NFS 609 | Supervised Experiential Learning * | 3.0 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Winter | ||
| NFS 545 | Nutrition in Critical Care | 3.0 |
| NFS 609 | Supervised Experiential Learning * | 3.0 |
| (GR) Graduate Elective | 3.0 | |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| NFS 546 | World Nutrition | 3.0 |
| NFS 609 | Supervised Experiential Learning * | 3.0 |
| NFS I699 | Independent Study in Nutrition & Food Science | 3.0 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 181-225 | |
- *
NFS 609 is taken multiple times for a total of 15.0 credits
