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Bachelor of Science (BS)

7-week 100% online

Didactic Program in Dietetics

For those who already have a degree and are seeking to earn a Verification Statement from an accredited program or hold an NDTR credential and would like to complete a bachelor’s degree to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Bowling Green State University’s online program is for you. This is an asynchronous program that allows flexibility for work schedules and location.

The online Dietetics program is an interdisciplinary science that studies the application of the principles of human nutrition and foods. Dietetics is becoming increasingly important in the maintenance of health and the prevention of diseases for people of all ages -- from infancy to old age.

Have questions?

Our online enrollment specialists are here for you from registration to graduation. Contact us with questions about applying, financial aid, program details, student support and more. online@bgsu.edu | 419-372-3226

Program benefits

  • Completion in as little as 4 semesters
  • Online courses
  • Three start dates per year; see the academic calendar

Program strengths

  • 100% Online - Flexible for working adults
  • Opportunities to work closely with talented faculty members who are outstanding teachers and scholars;
  • Course work that focuses on both personal and professional skills;
  • A focus on lifelong learning.

Financial Aid

Approximately 60 percent of BGSU students receive financial aid. Students who already have a degree can qualify for financial aid, if desired. The Dietetics Program Director will help you determine the correct path when registering to assist in this process.

Online Dietetics program details

Learn more about our Dietetics program, including its goals, mission and accreditation status. Explore the Curriculum to review the required classes needed to earn your Verification Statement and/or Bachelor of Science Degree in Dietetics. Program outcomes data are available upon request.

Nutritionist giving consultation to patient with healthy fruit and vegetable, Right nutrition and diet concept

Sample courses

  • Introduction to Dietetics
  • Introduction to Human Nutrition
  • Fundamentals of Food Science
  • Food: Preparation, Availability, and Resources
  • Nutritional Assessment and Counseling
  • Food and Culture
  • Nutritional Biochemistry
  • Experimental Foods
  • Advanced Nutrition
  • Life Cycle Nutrition: Pregnancy to Adolescence
  • Life Cycle Nutrition: The Middle and Later Years
  • Research Methods in Nutrition, Foods, and Dietetics

To be a student in the Online Dietetics Program, students will need:

  • Access to a computer and reliable internet connection. Chromebooks are not recommended as they cannot run LockDown Browser, which is required for online testing.
  • Access to a kitchen for lab courses. Students will complete lab assignments in their home environment.
  • A mobile device or camera to take pictures of lab assignments which will be uploaded to our Learning Management System, Canvas.
  • Basic computer skills to navigate and search the internet, utilize our Learning Management System, Canvas, library resources, and databases.

The Director of the Dietetics Program will meet with each candidate to evaluate previous coursework (from bachelor’s degree) and work experience (including foodservice certifications from the military and/or ServSafe) that may equate to the Food and Nutrition courses that are required for the Verification Statement.

For those who have an associate degree, the Director of the Dietetics will evaluate coursework for equivalency of Food and Nutrition courses. All other supporting courses to obtain a bachelor’s degree (e.g., BG Perspective and Science courses) will be evaluated through the University’s Office of Transfer Credit Evaluation.

Candidates for degrees in the College of Health and Human Services must complete a minimum of 122 undergraduate semester hours of coursework with a BGSU cumulative GPA of “C”, or 2.00 on a 4.00 scale. The College of Health and Human Services also requires all students to have proficiency in writing (“C” or better in GSW 1120). Students must also meet the BG Perspective requirements. Students are encouraged to meet with an advisor and consult their program check sheets for program-specific suggestions and requirements.

Please review the requirements for graduation and program completion.

For those who already have a bachelor’s degree, the Dietetics Program Director will work with you to determine the best course of study possible. Depending on the number of required courses you have already completed prior to admission will determine the time needed to earn the Verification Statement.

After graduation from BGSU with a B.S. in Dietetics, completion of an internship and successfully passing the national registration examination, you will be a registered dietitian, eligible for licensure in most states. Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).

BGSU does offer a 100% online dietetic internship and Master’s of Food and Nutrition (MFN) degree.

Student associations and involvement

Approximately 30 new students each year enter the undergraduate dietetics program at BGSU. Students can join the Student Nutrition Association- even if you are an online student. Zoom links will be made available for monthly meetings. The purpose of the Student Nutrition Association is to promote an interest in the field of dietetics, nutrition and food; aid students in learning about professional opportunities and inform students of current issues within the field of food and nutrition. Students are encouraged to join the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, which automatically gives them membership in the Ohio Dietetic Association.

Quality Matters LogoBGSU is the only university in Ohio and one of just nine in the nation to earn the Quality Matters Online Learner Support certificate for all of our seven-week online programs. The certificate recognizes that our programs provide the critical services needed for student success and that we use student feedback to continuously improve those services.

BGSU College of Heath and Human Services 

You will be enrolled in and receive your degree from the College of Health and Human Services

Updated: 10/11/2023 08:34AM