Dietetics

Help people live to their fullest potential through proper nutrition for a healthy lifestyle.

Is coffee good for us or is it something we should avoid? This seems to change with every new study and it shows how we are still learning about the role food has in affecting our physical and mental health. With a career as a dietitian, you will evaluate clients and assess what is causing irregularities, and how it can be corrected through the chemical and nutritional values in foods. You will have the option to work in many different settings as a well-balanced diet is now widely considered to be effective preventative medicine, even within the public health care system.

WNCC’s Dietetics emphasis program is offered at all three of our campuses. You’ll broadly study the physiological responses of the human body in health and in sickness to learn how food effects the body. Our program will provide you with the first two years of study toward your bachelor’s degree in Human Resources and Family Science with a major in Dietetics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Award Types

Associate of Science in Dietetics

About the Program

Program Objectives

Provide the first two years of study toward a bachelor of science degree in dietetics.
Provide students the first two years of study toward becoming practitioners in clinical, community, and food service.

Curriculum

Career Opportunities

The Dietetics program at WNCC is designed for you to go to a four-year institution to pursue a bachelor’s degree and beyond in Dietetics. You will be eligible to become a Registered Dietician with your four-year degree and from there you can choose to work in community dietetics educating the public on food and nutrition issues, clinical dietetics working in a hospital, long-term care facility providing individualized medical nutrition therapy, or management dietetics creating meal plans in food service settings. You can also choose to work with animals to ensure their owners provide them the proper nutrition they need in order to thrive.

A typical day as a nutritionist is having appointments with clients either in an office, patient room, or hospital setting, and discussing with them what they want to improve. You create a meal plan or food list for them of foods they should eat and ones they should avoid. You will suggest vitamin and mineral supplements, if warranted. You will also follow-up with appointments to check on patient progress and adjust their diet plan accordingly, if needed. Much of your research will be done using a computer and you will be on your feet visiting patients and walking to and from appointments. There will be insurance and hospital paperwork to complete and you may work with physicians to confirm the best approach for patients with special circumstances. This is an in-demand, respected position that pays well and allows you to work anywhere a dietician is needed.

For more information on any of these career options, contact Career Pathways & Advising at pathways@wncc.edu .