Dietetics

What is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)?

Optimal food and nutrient intake play a critical role in disease prevention and health maintenance. RDNs are nationally certified experts who know how to translate complex science into practical nutrition advice to counsel clients on health, wellness, and management of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

What do RDNs do?

In healthcare, clinical dietitians are essential members of the medical team and work in hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and private practice. Other career opportunities for dietitians include sports nutrition, social media, foodservice management, business and industry, research and education.

Contact

Student Success and Advising Center

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Student Group: Student Dietetic Association

Student Group: Student Dietetic Association

We serve the college, community, and each other by involving as many dietetics students as possible to promote a message of health, good nutrition, and exercise.

The Student Dietetic Association at the University of Georgia is an organization run by students in the Department of Nutritional Sciences. We participate in various service projects, such as preparing and distributing sandwiches for Athens PBJ and making breakfast for the homeless with Sparrow’s Nest. We recently became involved with preparing meals for Food2Kids at the Northeast Georgia Food Bank and formed a volunteer partnership with Campus Kitchen to fight hunger among Athens' older adults. Our club hosts various speakers from around the state who inform us about dietetic internship programs, job options in the field of dietetics, and even eating healthfully. Though our organization stays busy and works very hard to accomplish our goals, we also have lots of fun spending time together and making memories to last a lifetime.

Why join?

Learn about the dietetics profession, dietetic internships, graduatate programs, and unique jobs

Build relationships with other nutrition majors and nutrition professionals who are invited to speak at meetings

Build your resume by being involved and active on campus and beyond

How do I join?

Email our SDA president to join (email listed below).

SDA Executive Board 2024-2025

President: AnnaLisa Hutchinson (annalisa.hutchinson@uga.edu)

Vice President: Carly Lansberg

Secretary: Avery Karp

Treasurer: Lucy Aultman

Public Relations Coordinator: Lily Grant

Public Relations Co-Coordinator: Kailey Breed

Communications Coordinator: Gaby Contreras

Service Chair: Savannah Regnier

Social Chair: Molly Piller

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Emma Laing (emonk@uga.edu)

Helpful links

Our Dietetics Major

Involvement Network

How to get involved

The best way to get involved with Student Dietetic Association is to come to our meetings every other Wednesday night! Once you are a member, you will be added to our eLC page and Listserv to receive current news. Meeting recordings and announcements will be shared on this page as well as via email.

VERY IMPORTANT!! Meeting time -> Our meetings will now begin at 5:30pm. This is to allow everyone time to make it from class but not have to wait on campus too long after classes end!

Meeting dates -> Mark your calendars for all our meetings! In 101 Dawson Hall!

Spring 2024:

January 24 (DICAS Workshop Part 2!)

February 7, 21

March 13, 27

April 10, 24

Fall 2024:

TBA!

Join the listserv for email updates and announcements!

tinyurl.com/SDAListserv

Social

Contact

AnnaLisa Hutchinson

Faculty and Advising

Faculty and Advising

Faculty

Our faculty provide students with career guidance and help facilitate the application process for post-graduate supervised practice programs (such as dietetic internships), graduate school, and/or employment. The dietetics program director is available to meet with students who are interested in the dietetics profession and need additional information while enrolled and/or before transferring into the major.

DPD Program Guidance

During the DPD students’ academic career, there are several courses and career-planning workshops dispersed throughout the curriculum. These sessions are focused on developing a professional student, preparation for the supervised practice program application process, and academic and professional development. All students (Junior year, transfer, and post-baccalaureate students) are able to interact with the DPD director at Student Dietetic Association meetings, in class, individually, or in small groups. In the course NUTR 5900: Professional Development, the following information is presented: overview of the department, study abroad or summer practicum experiences, unique opportunities for UGA students, review of DPD/curriculum updates, and an introduction to the supervised practice program application process.

Dietetics Program Director/Student Dietetic Association Faculty Advisor

Dr. Emma Laing View all NUTR Faculty

Advising

Academic advising is every student’s best source of information about academic programs, procedures, and sequence of taking courses at the University of Georgia. Advising services provided by our Student Success and Advising Center are vital to our college's active commitment to each student's academic success. Thus, the university expects all students to participate in the academic advising process throughout their careers at the University of Georgia. All dietetics students are assigned to an academic advisor. The student shall meet with their advisor every semester prior to course registration to plan course schedules. Each student is responsible for his/her/their academic progress, and students have access to a record of completed coursework and progress toward degree completion via DegreeWorks. Advisors use the DegreeWorks information to advise students on appropriate course schedules; however, students are responsible for registration and final course selection. Students are not permitted to register for courses until they have met with an advisor and have been cleared for registration by their advisor. To schedule an appointment, visit the SSAC Advising website. To view helpful hints for selecting courses, see the Dietetics Program Worksheet and the Dietetics Handbook.

Academic Advisor for Dietetics

Ms. Beverly Hull

Sample Course Plan

View Plan

Post-Baccalaureate Program

Students who already have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university may complete dietetics course requirements as a post-baccalaureate student or as a second degree student.
Apply to Supervised Practice

Upon completing the Didactic Program in Dietetics, students must complete a supervised practice program (such as a dietetic internship or DI) to become a registered dietitian nutritionist.
Practicum Courses

A practicum will give you real-world experience under the direction of one or more qualified dietetics professionals.
Student Handbook

The handbook provides students with planning course schedules and helps with the application process for supervised experiences.
Financial Aid

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Dietetics Blog

Our dietetics students have the chance to publish their blog posts. From challenging the latest fad diets to busting nutrition myths, you'll read posts from students who are broadening their writing and media skills.

Faculty

Emma Laing

Clinical Professor and Director of Dietetics

emonk@uga.edu

706-542-7983
Alex Kojo Anderson

Professor

fianko@uga.edu

706-542-4869

Call in Microsoft Teams

Join on Zoom

Featured Alumni

Lori Maggioni

MAJ Maggioni, an RDN in the US Army, received dual Nutrition Science and Dietetics degrees. She gained experience in data collection, analysis, and scientific writing while pursuing her degree.

Maria Breen Williams

Williams earned her BS and MS/DI from our department and is a sports dietitian for the UGA Athletic Association. There was no sports nutrition program at UGA when Maria Breen Williams began her undergraduate career several years ago.

Meet a Student: Devin

What exactly do dietitians do?

How to become an RDN

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BSFCS or Double Dawgs Degree

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Apply To Supervised Practice

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Apply to Graduate Degree

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Pass National CDR Exam for RDNs

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Celebrate!

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Dietitian Types

Clinical

Work with health professionals to coordinate patient dietary needs.
Food Service

Oversee large-scale meal prep, planning, special diets and food safety.
Consultant

Give talks and works to help other dietitians grow and improve.
Sports

Work with athletes to help optimize performance.
Community

Responsible for the promotion of healthy nutrition choices and public health.
Blogging and Media

Provide nutritional information to the public using social media.
Research

Seek grants in order to conduct research projects. Manage, conduct and evaluate research.
Academic

Teach lectures and labs to students and evaluate their understanding of knowledge.