Program Overview
The Bachelor of Science (BS) and Master of Science (MS) program in
Diet and Exercise was established to offer students advanced study in
the theory and application of nutrition and exercise science. This degree
program includes concurrent enrollment in the BS and MS with a thesis
and awards the BS and MS degrees jointly at the completion of the program.
The BS and MS program at ISU is unique in that it will award an advanced
degree, and includes the academic requirements to become a Registered
Dietitian (RD) .
The program is jointly administered by the Department
of Food Science and Human Nutrition and the Department
of Kinesiology within the College
of Human Sciences.
The Program
The BS and MS program consists of 121.5-123.5 undergraduate credits
and 39 graduate credits (4 of the credits are counted towards both degrees).
University, college and departmental requirements are addressed in the
undergraduate and graduate coursework requirements. The program meets
the American Dietetic Association (ADA) Didactic Program in Dietetics
(DPD) requirements for students to pursue an ADA accredited Dietetic
Internship (DI) and become a RD. The program also meets ACSM requirements
for students to pursue certification at the level of Health Fitness
Instructor. The program is designed to be completed in 5-6 years, depending
on the student's selection of a major adviser and research area of interest
pursued to complete the graduate degree.
Undergraduate degree preparation
Students interested in the BS and MS in Diet and Exercise are enrolled
as freshmen areas as a pre-diet and exercise major in the Departments of Food Science/Human Nutrition and Health/Human
Performance. Students are required to select one of the departments
as their primary or 'home' department when accepted into the graduate program..
Application and Admission
to the Program
During the fall of the junior year, interested students may apply for
admission to the BS and MS program. Applications
for admissions are due October 1 of each year and students are notified
of their acceptance into the program by November 15 of each year.
Admission to the program is based upon:
Students not accepted into the program have the option to continue
coursework to complete an undergraduate degree in dietetics OR health
and human performance.
Graduate program
Upon admission to the graduate program, the student is required to
select a 'home' department based on the student's primary area of interest
- nutrition or exercise science. The home department's expectations
and resources available to graduate students will apply to the student
(i.e. teaching assistant requirements, scholarships, travel expenses
to professional meetings). Within the home department, the student is
assigned a major professor according to the student's area of research
interest.
As a fully admitted graduate student, the student is eligible for
a graduate student assistantship. While graduate assistantships are
not expected nor guaranteed for these students, they are eligible to
accept graduate assistantships. Financial support of the graduate student
is at the discretion of the major professor and student. While the intent
of the program is timely completion of an MS degree (5 years), acceptance
of a graduate assistantship will likely extend the length of the program.
Students interested in pursuing a PhD are encouraged to work closely
with their major professors and departmental Director of Graduate Education.
These students are strongly encouraged to include graduate level biochemistry
and physiology in their POS.
Students choosing to 'opt out' of the program after acceptance into
the program, have the option to complete a single undergraduate degree
in dietetics OR health and human performance. If graduate coursework
has been completed, the student is allowed to apply this coursework
to either of the undergraduate programs as appropriate.
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Student Outcomes
Graduates of the BS and MS in Diet and Exercise will:
- Demonstrate understanding and technical competency in the
fundamental principles and concepts of nutrition and exercise science.
- Demonstrate proficiency in interpersonal communication and the ability
to work successfully in teams to solve multidisciplinary problems.
- Effectively prepare and deliver technical information to food science/human
nutrition and exercise science professionals as well as to the general
public.
- Find, evaluate, and accurately interpret research literature.
- Critically evaluate information, including the ability to distinguish
verifiable facts from value claims, detect bias, and identify sources
of conflicts.
- Understand the dimensions of issues facing professionals in the
field of nutrition and exercise science including ethical, cultural,
and environmental components.
- Identify important health related interactions between dietary nutrients
and exercise used to assess and design dietary and exercise programs
for maintenance of optimal health.
- Evaluate and synthesize metabolic, dietary, and exercise research
to devise advanced strategies in exercise and dietary intervention.
- Design, conduct, and interpret research.
- Apply theoretical information to solve practical problems.
- Submit a paper for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
