Nutritional Science and Diet Technology (NSD)
Type: Career, Degree (AS)
Open Admissions
Division: Health
Nutritional Science and Diet Technology is designed primarily to prepare students to transfer to a four-year school to complete their bachelor's degree in nutrition and dietetics or a related field of study. NSCC has two articulation agreements between Simmons University and University of Massachusetts Lowell. For those students who are not interested in education beyond the associate degree, graduates from the program can seek employment in a variety of settings:
- Foodservice: restaurants, corporations, correctional facilities, schools, and non-commercial kitchens in a supervisory or management role
- Wellness: health clubs, weight management clinics, community wellness centers agencies
- Public Health: Council on Aging, community health programs, public health agencies, Meals on Wheels, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
- Business: sales, food producers, distributors, and vendors
If you have questions related to program admissions or applications, please contact info@northshore.edu or call 978-762-4188.
North Shore Community College has applied to the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND®) to open an ACEND accredited Dietetics Technician program to prepare Nutrition and Dietetics Technicians, Registered in Fall 2026.
Our eligibility application was accepted by ACEND, and we are in the pre-candidacy process for our proposed program.
The program is not accepting applications at this time but will do so upon successful completion of the candidacy for accreditation process to achieve ACEND accreditation.
For more information about the ACEND accreditation standards visit 2022 ACEND Accreditation Standards: https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/accreditation-standards-fees-and-policies/2022-standards-and-templates
Contact Nutrition Department Chair Ginny King via email (gking@northshore.edu) or by phone (978-762-4033) for more information.
First Year
Fall
| DTC100 | Introduction to the Dietetics Profession | 1 |
| DTC114 | Food Safety, Sanitation, and Cost | 4 |
| CMP101 | Composition 1 | 3 |
| DTC102 | The Science of Nutrition | 3 |
| BUS100 | Introduction to Business | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 14 |
Spring
| MGT201 | Human Resource Management | 3 |
| MAT143 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| BIO101 | Biology 1: The Basics of Life | 4 |
| DTC202 | Food Preparation | 4 |
| DTC204 | Introduction to Dietary Management | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 |
Second Year
Fall
| PSY102 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
CMP102-150
| Composition 2 Elective | 3 |
| CHE101 | Introductory Chemistry 1 | 4 |
| BIO211 | Anatomy and Physiology 1 | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 14 |
Spring
| DTC206 | Intro to Clinical Dietetics | 4 |
| DTC208 | Nutrition for the Life Cycle | 4 |
| CHE102 | Introductory Chemistry 2 | 4 |
| BIO212 | Anatomy and Physiology 2 | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
Program Note
Communication and Mathematics proficiency required to graduate.
See guided pathway sheets for advising information specific to your area of focus.
Total Credit Hours: 62
Program Student Learner Outcomes
- Communicate nutritional information orally and in writing
- Analyze nutrient intake data, planning menus, calculating special diets and nutritional supplements; by extending recipes and through basic accounting, cost and budget control
- Analyze the reliability and validity of nutritional information.
- Describe the multiple social, cultural, political and economic factors involved in nutrition policies and practice.
- Describe professionalism and the code of ethics as they pertain to the field of nutrition.
- Demonstrate the ability to locate, evaluate and effectively use nutrition information in writing research papers, bulletin board presentations, classroom presentations and community teaching experiences.
- Utilize computer hard and software to complete nutritional analysis, recipe adaptations, menu planning, budget planning and report writing.
- Demonstrate basic understanding of chemistry, food chemistry, food technology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, food safety and sanitation and business management
- Assess patient/client intake, medical history, laboratory, physical exam and social history, client knowledge, skills and behaviors to develop nutrition care plans for healthy individuals throughout various stages of the lifecycle and for unhealthy individuals requiring nutrition intervention
- Write menus for clients throughout the life cycle and in various disease states.
- Identify menu development, standardized recipes, production sheets, procurement, budget development, storage and food distribution.
- Apply communication and supervisory skills and principles of personnel management
- Utilize skills in food preparation and food service management
- Apply teaching principles to food education
Occupational Skills Required
- Critical thinking
- Interpersonal communication
- Problem sensitivity
- Analyzing data
- Social perceptiveness
- Management of personnel resources
Experiential Learning Optional in Program
- DTC 204 - Introduction to Dietary Management
Most Common Linked Occupation Title – All Education Levels
Most Common Linked Occupation Title – Associate’s or Less
- Nutritionist
- Dietetic Technician
Top Transfer Institutions
- Simmons College
- University of Massachusetts Lowell