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Nutrition and Dietetics Technician DIT.S.AAS

Associate of Applied Science - 62 - 65 Credit Hours

Division: Health Sciences
Department: Nutrition and Dietetics
Effective as of Fall 2023

Graduates from the Nutrition & Dietetics program join the professional healthcare team to care for patients and families promoting optimal nutrition. Clinical dietetic technicians provide clinical assessments and care for diverse populations across the lifespan. Students learn to develop critical thinking skills to assess both healthy and ill populations while recommending appropriate nutritional interventions. Management dietetic technicians supervise kitchen and cafeteria staff in the hospital and long-term care facility setting including payroll, scheduling, and new employee hiring while maintaining inventory of kitchen inventory and storage.

Dietetic Technicians are an integral part of the healthcare and food service teams in hospitals, nursing homes, community centers, WIC and school systems with excellent future job prospects.

What is the program about?

Graduates of the Nutrition and Dietetics Technician (DIT) program are trained food and nutrition practitioners that work under the supervision of a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). As an integral member of the health care and food service management teams, they influence food choices and lifestyles to promote optimal health. The program consists of five major domains that include clinical, community, education, management and foodservice systems. It is designed to be completed in five (5) consecutive semesters on a full-time basis. Some students elect to attend on a part-time basis, extending the length of study to three academic years. The curriculum consists of open enrollment courses (general education and division specific) and program specific courses with limited enrollment. The limited enrollment coursework includes 630 hours of unpaid directed practice experiences at area community, food service and health care facilities. The open enrollment courses may be taken prior to entry into the limited enrollment courses. To qualify for entry to limited enrollment courses, please see the Applicant Information packet located on the program webpage. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required, as well as a grade of C or higher in all program courses. Students of Sinclair's Nutrition and Dietetics Program are eligible to become members of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), a nationally recognized organization located at 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago Illinois 60606, 1-800-877-1600, www.eatright.org. This specially designed program enables students to enjoy benefits of student AND membership while attending school. Graduates are eligible for active AND membership. Benefits include networking, professional growth, educational enrichment, and developing leadership skills. The graduate is eligible to take the National Credentialing Exam to become a Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, Registered (NDTR). Note: For students under age 18 there may be restrictions on participating in certain Health Sciences programs. Any student under age 18 must contact the program director/department chair to discuss whether he or she may enroll. This degree program contains one or more embedded certificates which will be automatically awarded when the certificate requirements are completed. If you do not want to receive the embedded certificate(s), please notify Registration and Student Records at studentrecords@sinclair.edu.

Program Outcomes

  • Apply principles of management and systems in the provision of clinical and customer services to individuals and organizations at the dietetic technician level of practice.
  • Describe and apply scientific information and research related to the dietetic technician level of practice.
  • Develop beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviors for the dietetic technician level of practice in accordance with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Code of Ethics.
  • Develop and deliver information, products and services to individuals, groups and populations at the dietetic technician level of practice.

Career Opportunities

Nutrition and Dietetic technicians, registered (NDTRs) work independently or in teams with registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) in a variety of employment settings, including health care (hospitals, nursing homes, retirement centers, home health care programs), foodservice (schools, day-care centers, correctional facilities, restaurants, health care facilities, corporations and hospitals), community/public health (public health agencies, health clubs, weight management clinics and community wellness centers) and business and industry (food companies, food vending and distributing operations).

Transferability

Formal articulation agreements with other colleges and universities indicate how Sinclair programs and courses will transfer to other institutions. U.D., U.C., O.S.U., Miami University

Prerequisites

  • DEV 0035 AND DIT 1105 AND DIT 1525 AND MAT 0100

Credentials

NDTRs are not licensed but work under the licensure of a Registered Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN, LD).

Additional Information

Program outcomes data available upon request.

Curriculum

Course Title Credits
ALH 1101 Introduction to Healthcare Delivery 2
CHE 1111 (Introduction to Chemistry I) OR CHE 1211 (General Chemistry I) 4 - 5
CHE 1121 (Introduction to Chemistry II) OR CHE 1221 (General Chemistry II) 4 - 5
DIT 1105 Introduction to Dietetics 1
DIT 1210 Medical Terminology for Dietetics 1
DIT 1525 Human Nutrition 3
DIT 1630 Nutrition in the Lifecycle 3
DIT 1635 Community Nutrition 3
DIT 2101 Eating Matters for Dining Assistants 1
DIT 2240 Motivational Interviewing, Nutrition Counseling & Communication 3
DIT 2305 Food, Culture & Cuisine 2
DIT 2310 Lab for Food, Culture & Cuisine 1
DIT 2505 Food Science & Production Lab I 3
DIT 2510 Institutional Foodservice Systems 3
DIT 2515 Foodservice Practicum I 1
DIT 2520 Food Science Lab II 1
DIT 2625 Medical Nutrition Therapy I 3
DIT 2630 Medical Nutrition Therapy Clinical I 2
DIT 2735 Foodservice Organization & Management 3
DIT 2740 Foodservice Practicum II 1
DIT 2845 Medical Nutrition Therapy II 3
DIT 2850 Medical Nutrition Therapy Clinical II 2
DIT 2855 Dietetics Seminar 1
ENG 1101 English Composition I 3
HMT 1107 Sanitation & Safety 2
MAT 1130 (Mathematics in Health Sciences) OR MAT 1450 (Introductory Statistics) 3 - 4
PSY 1100 General Psychology 3
- View the Master Syllabus - View the Course Schedule

Program Accreditation Information

The program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) a nationally recognized organization located at 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago Illinois 60606-6995, 1-800-872-5327, www.eatrightpro.org/acend. It is also approved by the Association of Nutrition and Foodservice Professionals (ANFP) a national not-for-profit association located at 406 Surrey Woods Dr., St. Charles, IL 60174, 1-800-323-1908, www.anfponline.org

This information is for planning purposes only. Sinclair College will make every effort to offer curriculum listed above but reserves the right to change, add and cancel curriculum offerings for unforeseen circumstances.