College of Education and Health Services

Department of Nutrition

Benedictine University has a 35 year history of excellence in nutrition. We offer an undergraduate B.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics major program, which is a Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPD). Our DPD is one of five programs in Northern Illinois that are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Students completing the DPD degree program are eligible to apply for acceptance into accredited Dietetic Internship programs.
 

The Master of Science (M.S.) program prepares students to become vital ingredients in community-based nutrition and wellness programs. The online M.S. program provides the opportunity for students to select a certificate in Nutrition Entrepreneurship.

Successful completion of the combined Master / Dietetic Internship program qualifies one to sit for the registration examination to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). We offer a Master of Science (M.S.) in Nutrition and Dietetics. Students must have completed a DPD to apply to these combined Master / Dietetic Internship programs.

NEW!

Benedictine University offers a B.A. in Health Education and Promotion. This major was designed to provide students with the evidence-based knowledge and practice of skills to assess, create, plan, implement, monitor and evaluate programs designed to promote, maintain and improve the health of individuals, groups and communities, as well as impact environments and policies. Students learn through classes and a field experience.

Projected employment for health educators is expected to increase at a rate much faster than the national average. Graduates of this program will meet the current academic eligibility requirements to take the written exam for Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), offered through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC).

NEW!

Benedictine University offers a new B.A. in Food and Nutrition Management. The program is unique in its emphasis on the science of food as basis for manipulation and healthier eating, the inclusion of sustainability, and affiliation with a strong business management program. Students are encouraged to use their electives to earn a minor in an area of business. This new degree is the perfect complement to a culinary associates degree.

Nutrition: The scientific study of food and nourishment, including food composition, dietary guidelines, and the roles that various nutrients have in maintaining health. It is the process by which living organisms obtain food and use it for growth, metabolism, and repair. The stages of nutrition include ingestion, digestion, absorption, transport, assimilation, and excretion. Source: nutrition. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Science Dictionary. Retrieved August 08, 2012, from Dictionary.com website

Dietetics: The integration, application and communication of principles derived from food, nutrition, social, business and basic sciences, to achieve and maintain optimal nutrition status of individuals through the development, provision and management of effective food and nutrition services in a variety of settings. - Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics