Nutrition & Dietetics

Nutrition is an integrative discipline that involves chemistry, biology, physiology, pharmacology, medicine, behavior science and other disciplines. In addition to preparing graduates to become registered, licensed dietitians, nutrition science is a great pre-professional major for careers in medicine, dentistry, veterinary science and the allied health professions. ECU offers two tracks within the Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Science.

Didactic Program in Dietetics Concentration

Didactic Program in Dietetics prepares students to become Registered Dietitians. These professionals translate the science of nutrition into education and life style practices that can enhance growth, improve health and reduce chronic disease risks. The DP track is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Admission and retention for the DP track requires a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA from courses taken at East Carolina University. Program admission is very competitive and requires completion of all prerequisite courses and an application submitted in February of the previous year. The number of students admitted to the DP track will be limited to 26 each academic year. Note: After successful completion of the DP, students are required to complete a supervised practice or dietetic internship. Completion of a DP program does not guarantee admission into a supervised practice or dietetic internship. Admission is extremely competitive due to the limited number of available positions.

Pre-Health Professions Concentration

The Pre-Health Professions Concentration prepares students to apply for a variety of professional schools including occupational therapy, physician assistant studies, physical therapy, dentistry, medicine, optometry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine. This program requires 120 semester hours and already includes most prerequisites for all professional programs. However, 19 semester hours of restricted and general electives provide flexibility that allows students to incorporate any remaining prerequisites for professional school.

Pre-requisites