Academic Catalog 2024–2025

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Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics Coordinated Program

Overview

The Nutrition and Dietetics Coordinated Program (CP) is part of a combined program that includes lecture-based coursework at the undergraduate and graduate levels and a minimum of 1325 hours of supervised practicum experience. The revised structure allows undergraduates interested in becoming Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) to pursue both the Bachelor of Science (BS) and Master of Science (MS) degrees in 5 years including Summers. Upon program completion, you are awarded a BS degree in Nutrition and Dietetics Coordinated Program (CP) and an MS degree in Nutrition. Afterward, you will receive the verification statement which will allow you to become eligible to sit for the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) credentialing exam for the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) certification. Additionally, you will also be able to sit for the colloquium exam at the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) and become licensed dietitians (LDs) in Lebanon.  

Program Structure

The BS in Nutrition and Dietetics CP consists of 27 credit hours (24 credits of practicum and 3 credits of didactic courses) above the 96 credit hours of the BS in Nutrition and Dietetics. The practicum component is comprised of three major rotations: Medical Nutrition Therapy (801 hours), Foodservice Management (268 hours), and Community Nutrition (256 hours) divided across four semesters. The practicum experience consists of 1,325 hours of supervised practice experience.  The start date of the dietetic practicum experience is the first day of classes of the Fall semester as per the LAU Academic Calendar and the last day is the end of June of each academic year.

Program graduates will be eligible to sit for the US registration exam to practice in the United States upon successful completion of the combined program requirements.

Mission

The mission of the Nutrition and Dietetics Coordinated Program (CP) is to prepare qualified entry-level licensed and registered dietitians by providing them with the ability to integrate didactic, practical, and interprofessional education  to improve the health and well-being of individuals and groups while upholding the tradition of the liberal arts  education.

Program Objectives

The Nutrition and Dietetics Coordinated Program seeks to:

  1. Prepare qualified graduates for entry-level practice as Licensed and Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (LDNs and RDNs).
  • Objective 1a: At least 80% of students complete program requirements within 7.5 years (150% of planned program length).
  • Objective 1b: At least 80 percent of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.
  • Objective 1c: The program’s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of the first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.
  • Objective 1d: At least 80% of program graduates will pass the country’s colloquium examination on the first attempt.
  • Objective 1e: At least 80% of employers indicate that they are satisfied with the performance and competencies of the program graduates*.
  1. Produce competent graduates with interprofessional competencies engaged in the health profession and the improvement of human well-being.
  • Objective 2a: At least 75 percent of graduates seeking employment are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.
  • Objective 2b: At least 80% of employers indicate that program graduates demonstrate adequate Interprofessional skills*.

*By selecting agree/strongly agree on the pertinent questions of the employer’s survey.

Note: Lebanon’s dietitian credentialing exam is the colloquium exam offered by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE).

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of Nutrition and Dietetics Coordinated Program, graduates will demonstrate knowledge and competencies in the following domains:

  • Domain 1.Scientific and Evidence Base of Practice: Integration of scientific information and translation of research into practice.
  • Domain 2.Professional Practice Expectations: Beliefs, values, attitudes, and behaviors for the nutrition and dietetics practitioner level of  practice.
  • Domain 3.Clinical and Client Services: Development and delivery of information, products and services to individuals, groups, and populations.
  • Domain 4.Practice Management and Use of Resources: Strategic application of principles of management and systems in the provision of services to individuals and organizations.
  • Domain5. Leadership and Career Management: Skills, strengths, knowledge and experience relevant to the nutrition and dietetics practitioner’s leadership potential and professional growth

Admission & Progression Requirements

  • Candidates for admission may apply to any of the two campuses (Beirut or Byblos) by sending an application to the campus they choose to join.
  • An SAT score of 1050 is required for newly admitted students. Applicants may apply as regular (sophomore), or transfer for the fall semester, spring semester, or summer term.  For more information, please contact the Admissions Office.
  • Enrolled students need to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA (CGPA) & major GPA (MGPA) of 3.0 as a progression criterion. Students, whose CGPA and MGPA fall below 3.0 for two consecutive semesters, should change their major.
  • At the beginning of the Spring semester of the third year (6th semester), students who fulfill the progression requirements of the combined (CGPA and MGPA of 3.0 and above), will be eligible to remain in the program, provided they apply for the Master’s in Nutrition program at LAU and get accepted to start by the Fall semester of the fourth year (7th semester).
  • Every semester, CP students should meet with the program coordinator, Ms. Joelle Abi Kharma for advising.Current LAU students in their junior or senior year with a CGPA & MGPA of 3.0 wishing to join the CP are requested to petition for a change of major to the Registrar’s Office.
  • The maximum enrollment for the program is 15 students per academic year.

Curriculum

Students must complete a total number of 123 credits, distributed as follows:

  • Major Courses (71 cr.)
  • School Requirements (24 cr.) - including 19 credits that are also counted as Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) Elective Courses from the Natural Sciences and Mathematics category
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) Required Core Courses (6 cr.)
  • LAS Electives (21 credits)
    • Curriculum A, for students who joined prior to Fall 2022-2023: Arts & Humanities: 12 credits; Social Sciences: 3 credits PSY 201 (Introduction to Psychology) OR PSY 202 (Child Psychology) + any LAS courses: 6 credits
    • Curriculum Z, for students who joined as of Fall 2022-2023: Arts & Humanities: 3 credits; Digital Cultures: 3 credits; Change Makers: 6 credits, except LAS202 (Sustainable Food Systems); Social Sciences: 3 credits PSY201 (Introduction to Psychology) OR PSY202 (Child Psychology); Any LAS courses: 6 credits
  • Computer Skills (1 cr.)

Note that the requirements of the first three years are the same as those of the BS in Nutrition.

Year Four (13 credits)

Fall (4 credits)

  • NUT597A Dietetic Practicum I (4 cr.)

Spring (5 credits)

  • NUT580 Dietetic Practice Seminar I (1 cr.)
  • NUT597B Dietetic Practicum I (4 cr.)

Summer (4 credits)

  • NUT597C Dietetic Practicum I (4 cr.)

Year Five (14 credits)

Fall (3 credits)

  • NUT570 Ethics for Dietetic Practice (1 cr.)
  • NUT598A Dietetic Practicum II (2 cr.)

Spring (5 credits)

  • NUT585 Dietetic Practice Seminar II (1 cr.)
  • NUT598B Dietetic Practicum II (4 cr.)

Summer (6 credits)

  • NUT598C Dietetic Practicum II (6 cr.)