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Department of Food Science and Nutrition

Curriculum

Announcing the new Bachelor of Science  Bachelors of Science in Human Nutritional Sciences. Evolution of the new Bachelor Degree: As of 2018, all departments at Fresno State University received notification from the California State University Chancellor's Office that if the programs under each department did not overlap at least 51%, then that program(s) had to apply to a degree elevation; therefore, resulting in a new bachelors or master’s degree at Fresno State. After careful review of the nutrition, culinology and food science programs, the FSN faculty determined that the curriculum did not have enough in common (>51%) to retain one degree. As a result, as of May 2021, our Food Science and Nutrition Department has 2 separate bachelor’s degrees: 1) Human Nutritional Sciences and 2) Food Science and Technology.

 

Changes with this new Bachelors of Science in Human Nutritional Sciences: 

  • There are 2 career pathways under the new BS degree
    • Registered Dietitian Nutritionist career pathway
    • Nutritional Sciences career pathway
  • There are 2 career pathways under the old BS degree
    • Food Science
    • Culinology


With the degree elevation as of May 2021, to the new BS degree in Human Nutritional Sciences, the old career pathway of Community Health and Wellness will no longer be available as of Fall 2021. For those students who declared this as their career pathway prior to Fall 2021, there will be a teach-out plan put into place, which essentially guarantees that you will be able to complete this career pathway and no changes will need to be made. However, no new students as of fall 2021 will be able to select this old career pathway. Advising and class offerings will be made available to accommodate students until completion of major. 

The Didactic Program in Dietetics is the list of courses at Fresno State that satisfies the requirements set forth by ACEND.  As of fall 2012, the curriculum was changed so that only students admitted into the Certificate in Dietetics Option will receive the verification statement upon completion. The Bachelor of Science degree in Food and Nutritional Sciences – Option in Dietetics and Food Administration requires completion of 69-semester units in the major and 51-semester units of General Education (120-semester unit’s total). The Certificate in Dietetics Option requirements are the same 69 units in the major required for the degree.

 

Verification Statement Policy

A verification statement is an official document that signifies that the student has met all academic and professional requirements as dictated by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for the Fresno State Bachelor’s Degree in Food and Nutritional Sciences – Certificate in Dietetics Option.  Students are required to meet all the requirements listed below in order to receive a verification statement.  

This policy is in effect for students applying to the Dietetics and Food Administration - Certificate in Dietetics Option starting fall 2012 and later. Students enrolled in the Dietetics and Food Administration option prior to fall 2012 will be issued a verification statement if they meet the graduate requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Food and Nutritional Sciences – Dietetics and Food Administration option. 

Procedure
Students must complete the following to receive a verification statement: 

  1. Complete all the DPD requirements and degree requirements for the BS in Human Nutritional Sciences – DPD program
  2. Maintain a “C” or better in all of major courses (NUTR designation). All prerequisite courses must be passed with a “C” or better. 
  3. Students who are unable to take the requirements for the Certificate in Dietetics offered by the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at Fresno State, and want to take the course at another college/university, must get approval from the Didactic Program director (DPD) to ensure that this course will meet the requirements for the verification statement.
  4. The verification statement is generated as soon as the Registrar’s office has corroborated the degree requirements and an official transcript with the official degree has been conferred is listed on the final transcript. 

Students must complete a form that is generated through the Food Science and Nutrition Department – RDN career specialty website. See link: http://www.fresnostate.edu/jcast/fsn/degrees-programs/dietetics/verification-form.html

Upon receipt of the completed form and all above steps have been met, the DPD director will generate the verification statement electronically.  There is generally a 2-3 week waiting period for the University to officially confer the degrees. Upon completion, the verification statement will be emailed to the student disseminate as needed. One signed official original copy of your verification statement will be kept on record indefinitely; however, it is important that you keep your original verification statement in your files. Verification statements may be needed by: 

  • Dietetic internship programs
  • Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (for membership)
  • States (for licensure)
  • Potential employers

Additional information about verification statements is available on the ACEND website at https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/program-directors/program-directors-faqs/faqs-about-verification-statements