Cal State University/Long Beach
BS in Dietetics & Food Administration | Dietetics & Nutrition Information
The requirements for this major at CSULB includes at least 120 units for Dietetics & Nutrition. Besides the 48 units in General Ed, at least forty Family & Consumer Science units are needed.
A minimum of 24 of these units are required to be upper division classes. For those students who are transferring from a different university or college, their transfer credits will be recognized for the required courses IF the classes taken are equivalent to classes at CSULB and the credits are accepted by CSULB. The purpose of Cal State Long Beach’s Dietetics program is to graduate highly skilled, culturally competent students who are able to work within the community as effective Registered Dietitians.
The Process of Becoming an RD(Registered Dietitian)/Nutritionist
RDs/RDNs are accepted as experts on nutrition and food. These healthcare professionals have met the required criteria for the Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist:
- Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree awarded from an accredited US college or university and completion of classes that have been accredited by the ACEND(Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics), which is the agency responsible for credentials at the AND.
- Complete a practice program which is accredited by Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
- Pass the CDR (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) national exam.
Dietetics & Nutrition
The Dietetics & Nutrition degree option at Cal State University Long Beach has 2 concentrations: Nutritional Science & Dietetics.
CSULB students will be focusing their studies in Food Production, Community Nutrition, Medical Nutrition Therapeutics, Nutritional Science, & Food Service Operations Management(this last class is only needed for the Dietetics concentration). Additionally, physiology, chemistry, and additional supporting classes in related disciplines are also required. The Dietetics Concentration is the educational path which will fulfill the AND (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) requirements to be able to put in the necessary application for the required experience to become an RD (Registered Dietitian)/Nutritionist.
Registered dietitians must also fulfill continual educational units to keep registration current. Many Registered Dietitians also have additional specialized certifications in areas such as diabetes education, nutritional support, renal nutrition, and more. Although these additional certifications are recognized within the RD profession, they aren’t required.
Salary And Advancement
Registered Dietitians with a bachelor’s degrees from Cal State Long Beach and proper credentials from The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) can fill entry level job positions in many different institutions. Over time and with experience, they can rise to mid-range positions. In most cases, salaries in mid and entry-level positions hover among lower 50% of dietitian incomes. Just like any other job, the pay and options available to you are limited until you’ve got some experience. However, there are some states and employers who pay much better than others. According to BLS statistics, government institutions offer better pay and benefits than private hospitals. Moreover, states like California, Nevada and Maryland have better average salaries. These days, everyone seems to be going back to school to get an advanced degree. For RD’s in California, it’s no different.
When you’re ready to improve your pay, the most effective educational route is clinical certification in a specialty, like oncological, pediatric dietetics, renal, and gerontological. Such specialties need lots of hours of work in a specific field followed by a general certification examination. In case you choose a specialization quite high in demand in your specific area, it can easily raise your earnings above the median. People with graduate degrees can look for the highest positions in clinical practices and hospitals, where salaries often average over $80,000. The highest salaries in this field are earned by people with doctorates. Their consulting fees and salaries can easily go over $100,000 per year. According to the data received from the BLS, the lowest earning 10% dietitians average around $38,330 per year. On the other hand, the top 10% of dietitians comes close to 6 figures every year! Reports suggest that the median income is around $57,250 per year. Roughly half of the dietitians earn less than this amount, and about half earn more. Data also suggests that the BLS does not allow salaries to be broken by different levels of education. Just like other medical professionals, the highest paying positions are the ones with specialized training or advanced degrees. With proper training and experience, this can be a very rewarding career. But in order to make sure you earn a great salary, make sure you stay closely aligned with the nationally recognized dietetic institutions, and stay closely networked with your dietetic colleagues!
California State University, Long Beach Department of Family & Consumer Sciences 562-985-4111 1250 Bellflower Blvd Long Beach, California 90840 Department of Family & Consumer Sciences Home Page