Dietetic Targeted Electives provide a specific focus for your dietetic curriculum. Below are different areas of interest that apply to dietetics with corresponding electives that will help you to gain more information in a particular area of interest. These courses are suggestions to help you gain the most out of your electives and general education requirements. The Targeted Electives areas do NOT serve as a minor or an additional certification. Your Target Electives area may NOT be added to a resume, but Targeted Electives may be talked about in an internship application letter or interview to show your interest in a specific area. Scheduling these classes is your responsibility. Required classes take priority over targeted electives; however, some of the suggested targeted electives do meet general education and major degree requirements which are specified below. Remember, just like the FSHN departmental courses, 300- & 400-level courses have prerequisites so make sure to plan your schedule accordingly if there is a class of particular interest where a prerequisite course is required. It is NOT required to choose a Targeted Electives area and, in fact, it may be of benefit to choose electives under different Targeted Elective areas to see where your interests lie within dietetics.
There are many benefits to building in targeted electives in your class schedule. They help to focus your education in a more specific area of interest and may give you direction for your career and/or post-undergraduate degree plans. There are many careers in dietetics, the targeted electives may help guide students into a career interest and may even make students more competitive towards a certain area. Electives are meant to make students more broad in their education and expose them to different areas of study and there are MANY interesting courses offered at UIUC outside of the Targeted Electives listed below or there may be other electives that would fit into a Targeted Elective area not listed below. The targeted elective areas were created based on careers available in dietetics and general student interest. It should also be noted that the UIUC Nutritional Sciences graduate program offers FSHN 510 (Nutrition Research Topics) and 520 (Advanced Clinical Nutrition) which have specific emphasis's that change every semester. Since they are graduate level courses, permission will probably have to be granted by the instructor.
Aging
Business
Clinical
Communications
Counseling
Entrepreneurship
Exercise Science
Food Industry
Genomics
Nutrition Research
Pediatrics
Public Health
Sensory Evaluation
Wellness
Aging
- CHLH 314: Introduction to Aging
- CHLH 404: Gerontology
- Interdisciplinary approach to the study of aging and the aged from developmental, behavioral, and social perspectives. Same as HDFS 404.
- Prerequisite: Senior standing.
- KIN 386: Exercise Instruction & Elderly
- This course is designed to offer practical experience opportunities to undergraduate Kinesiology students aspiring to work in applied exercise fields with a diverse aged population. It will entail extensive "on the job" training through the Lifetime Fitness Program, an older adult service program of the Department of Kinesiology. Additionally, students will gain training in current program management practices. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours.
- Prerequisite: KIN 352 or consent of instructor is required. A current CPR is required at the beginning of the term and certification must remain current.
PSYC 451: Neurobiology of Aging - Study of the neurobiological consequences of aging with an emphasis on brain changes at the cellular and systems level, using animal models of healthy and pathological aging. Same as KIN 458 and NEUR 451. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
- Prerequisite: PSYC 210 or related courses or consent of instructor.
- If interested in taking this course (PSYC 451), its prerequisite, PSYC 210, fulfills the General Education requirement for a Life Sciences course.
Business
- CHLH 201: Health Informatics
- Summarizes utilization of computer technology in key health care functions and introduces students to principles and evaluation of electronically supported health information. Students are required to complete a series of web site assessments with health information and compose and post their own health information web page.
- CHLH 458: Health Administration
- Examines management principles relative to health care institutions emphasizing goal setting, decision making, system analysis, organizational structure, conflict resolution, and leadership theories.
- Prerequisite: Senior or graduate standing, or consent of instructor.
- BTW 261: Principles of Technical Writing
- Teaches students to apply the principles of successful professional writing to a range of realistic cases in technical communication. Emphasizes flexible problem-solving skills and a clear style for communicating technical information to a range of readers. Assignments will include correspondence, instructions, proposals, and a technical report or similar project. Credit is not given for both BTW 261 and BTW 250, BTW 253 or, BTW 263.
- Prerequisite: Junior standing and completion of campus Composition I requirement.
- *Fulfills the General Education Requirement of an Advanced Composition course.
- BADM 300: The Legal Environment of Business
- Introduction to law and the legal system, tort law, products liability, agency law, introduction to business organizations, introduction to government regulation, securities regulation, antitrust law.
- Prerequisite: Junior standing.
- ACE251: The World Food Economy
- Examination of global food production, consumption, and trade; problems of hunger and population; the role of agricultural development, trade, and aid in relieving hunger.
- Prerequisite: ACE 100 or ECON 102.
- *Fulfills the General Education Criteria for a Non-Western Cultures, and UIUC Social Sciences course.
- ACE306: Food Law
- Explores the legal and political dimensions of food law, policy and trade in the United States and major trading partners. Examines the development of major national and state laws that apply to production, distribution and retail sale of food. Evaluates current issues in food regulation, including: biotechnology, organics, health labeling claims, food safety and products liability litigation. Discusses food regulation in other countries within the context of international treaties such as the World Trade Organization and United Nations.
- ACE430: Food Marketing
- Performance of the food system; marketing margins; transportation, advertising, and retailing of food products; structure, conduct, and performance of food marketing firms and industries; government and public interest in the food system. Same as FSHN 425.
- Prerequisite: ACE 100 or ECON 102, ACE 222 recommended.
Clinical
- CHLH 250: Health Care Systems
- Overview of the major issues confronting health care systems from a macro perspective. Identification and analysis of the functions, major participants and trends in health care systems in the United States and abroad. Attention on current and emerging issues having implications for health care systems in industrialized nations.
- *Fulfills Professional Elective Requirement
- CHLH 260: Introduction to Medical Ethics
- Course stresses normative bioethics: decisions about what is ethical behavior in a variety of real and practical issues. Analysis of medical ethical cases at the individual, community and wider national and international levels will be addressed. Approved for both letter and S/U grading.
- *Fulfills the General Education Requirement for a History & Philosophy Perspective course.
- CHLH 421: Health Data Analysis
- Introduces health data analysis, sources and uses of health data, collection techniques and classification procedures, commonly used health indices, techniques of rate adjustment, graphic presentation of data as they relate to the planning, conducting, and evaluating of community health programs.
- Prerequisite: Quantitative Reasoning I course or equivalent.
- *Fulfills General Education Requirement for a Quant II Reasoning Course.
- CHLH 274: Introduction to Epidemiology
- Basic concepts and methods of epidemiology; patterns of disease occurrence; applications of epidemiology to health education, health services administration and planning, health policy, and environmental health.
- *Fulfills the General Education Requirement for a Quant I Reasoning course.
- HDFS 408: Hospitalized Children
- Examines the development needs and stress reactions of children in hospitals and their families; introduces the role of Child Life programs and the Child Life Specialist; examines responses of family and staff facing terminal illness and the death of a child; familiarizes students with general hospital procedures, medical terms, and illnesses. Optional one-hour clinical placement includes direct experience with hospitalized children and their families.
- Prerequisite: HDFS 206 and HDFS 208.
Communications
- BTW250: Principles Business Communications
- Teaches students to apply the principles of successful professional communication to workplace writing tasks. Students will also practice editing and supervising the writing of others. Assignments replicate typical business cases and situations, including a report that requires students to compile and interpret research. Credit is not given for both BTW 250 and either BTW 253, BTW 261, or BTW 263.
- Prerequisite: Junior standing and completion of campus Composition I requirement.
- *Fulfills the General Education Requirement of an Advanced Composition course.
- BTW261: Principles Technical Communications
- Teaches students to apply the principles of successful professional writing to a range of realistic cases in technical communication. Emphasizes flexible problem-solving skills and a clear style for communicating technical information to a range of readers. Assignments will include correspondence, instructions, proposals, and a technical report or similar project. Credit is not given for both BTW 261 and BTW 250, BTW 253 or, BTW 263.
- Prerequisite: Junior standing and completion of campus Composition I requirement.
- *Fulfills the General Education Requirement of an Advanced Composition course.
- CHLH201: Health Informatics
- Summarizes utilization of computer technology in key health care functions and introduces students to principles and evaluation of electronically supported health information. Students are required to complete a series of web site assessments with health information and compose and post their own health information web page.
- CMN260: Intro to Health Communication
- Introduces theory and research on communication in health and illness contexts. Explores how messages from media, interpersonal, and organizational sources affect health beliefs and behaviors.
- *Fulfills the General Education Requirement for Behavioral Sciences and Western Culture courses.
- CMN428: Media and the Human Body
- Explores the way the human body is portrayed within, and affected by, the mass media. The term "body" is broadly construed to apply to a wide range of corporeal matters that have been linked to identity, including ability and disability, race, age, sexuality, social class, athletic prowess, and health. We will take a social psychological approach to the study of media and the body. Knowledge of statistics based research methods is not required, but is helpful.
- CMN462: Interpersonal Health Communications
- Examines the role of communication in the management of mental and physical health. Focuses on topics such as communication and illness identity, health and interpersonal relationships, health care provider-patient interactions, impacts of technology on health communication, and health education and prevention efforts.
- CMN463: Organizational Health Communications
- Focuses on organizational issues shaping communication between providers, patients, and consumers of health care and information, including background on financing personal medical services; organizations, professions, and their interrelationships involved in providing medical services; theorizing communication and organization in personal medical services; and communication between organizations and the public on health issues. Topics include managed care, professional communication, the hospital as a unique communication site, ethics in health communication, direct-to-consumer drug advertising, and health crisis communication.
Counseling
- CHLH 200: Mental Health
- Introduction to the science of mental health and illness including personality development, the genesis and manifestations of mental illness, and the maintenance of mental health; taught with an emphasis on the preventive and medical aspects of mental health.
- CHLH 304: Foundations of Health Behavior
- Examination of the application of the social and behavioral sciences to health and health behavior. Psychological, social psychological, and sociological approaches to health behavior are analyzed. Topics covered include development of health attitudes and behaviors, perceptions of health and illness, methods of changing health behavior and patient-provider interaction.
- Prerequisite: CHLH 100, or consent of instructor; completion of the campus Composition I requirement.
- *Fulfills the General Education Requirement for a Behavioral Sciences and Advanced Composition course.
- *Fulfills Professional Elective Requirement.
- CHLH 457: Health Planning
- Survey of the history and objectives of health planning as related to medical care delivery in the United States; methods of health, institutional and community planning; planning and marketing concepts and methods; analysis of consumer behavior, public policies, and private competitive forces. Same as SOCW 457.
- Prerequisite: CHLH 250 and junior standing.
- KIN 448: Exercise and Health Psychology
- Examines the psychological determinants and consequences of exercise and physical activity as a health promoting behavioral process. Same as CHLH 448. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
- Prerequisite: Junior standing or above, or graduate standing, or consent of instructor.
- CMN 260: Introduction to Health Communication
- Introduces theory and research on communication in health and illness contexts. Explores how messages from media, interpersonal, and organizational sources affect health beliefs and behaviors.
- *Fulfills the General Education Requirement for Behavioral Sciences and Western Culture courses.
Entrepreneurship
- CHLH 201: Health Informatics
- Summarizes utilization of computer technology in key health care functions and introduces students to principles and evaluation of electronically supported health information. Students are required to complete a series of web site assessments with health information and compose and post their own health information web page.
- BADM 300: The Legal Environment of Business
- Introduction to law and the legal system, tort law, products liability, agency law, introduction to business organizations, introduction to government regulation, securities regulation, antitrust law.
- Prerequisite: Junior standing.
- BADM 329: New Product Development
- Exposes student to business and marketing decisions in the context of new product development and marketing. Helps students learn how to use state-of-the-art management techniques to identify markets, develop new product ideas, measure customer benefits, and design profitable new products.
- Prerequisite: BADM 320.
- BTW 261: Principles of Technical Writing
- Teaches students to apply the principles of successful professional writing to a range of realistic cases in technical communication. Emphasizes flexible problem-solving skills and a clear style for communicating technical information to a range of readers. Assignments will include correspondence, instructions, proposals, and a technical report or similar project. Credit is not given for both BTW 261 and BTW 250, BTW 253 or, BTW 263.
- Prerequisite: Junior standing and completion of campus Composition I requirement.
- *Fulfills the General Education Requirement of an Advanced Composition course.
Exercise Science
- KIN 352: Bioenergetics of Movement
- Study of the nature of energy transfer during physical activity; mechanisms of metabolic control, force production, cardiorespiratory support and adaptation relative to physical activity.
- Prerequisite: MCB 103.
- *Fulfills Professional Elective course requirement.
- FSHN 499: Sports Nutrition
- *Fulfills Professional Elective course Requirement.
- KIN 386: Exercise Instruction and Elderly
- This course is designed to offer practical experience opportunities to undergraduate Kinesiology students aspiring to work in applied exercise fields with a diverse aged population. It will entail extensive "on the job" training through the Lifetime Fitness Program, an older adult service program of the Department of Kinesiology. Additionally, students will gain training in current program management practices. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours.
- Prerequisite: KIN 352 or consent of instructor is required. A current CPR is required at the beginning of the term and certification must remain current.
- KIN 448: Exercise and Health Psychology
- Examines the psychological determinants and consequences of exercise and physical activity as a health promoting behavioral process. Same as CHLH 448.
- Prerequisite: Junior standing or above, or graduate standing, or consent of instructor.
- KIN 450: Biochemistry of Exercise
- Introduces the metabolic and biochemical adaptation of the body in response to acute and chronic physical activity. Primary focus is given to the subcellular and enzymatic regulation and integration during exercise. Substrate metabolism, bioenergetics, hormonal action and nutritional influences as related to exercise are emphasized. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
- Prerequisite: KIN 352 or MCB 350 or consent of instructor.
Food Industry
- ACE 231: Food and Agribusiness Management
- Overview of management in the food and agribusiness sector. Major topics covered include: introduction to the food and agribusiness sector; the environment of the firm; fundamentals, structural design, and change in organizations; leadership, motivation, communication; and planning and control. Coverage is at the introductory level with a focus on textbook material and current issues.
- Prerequisite: Sophomore standing, ACE 100 or ECON 102, and ACE 161.
- ACE 251: The World Food Economy
- Examination of global food production, consumption, and trade; problems of hunger and population; the role of agricultural development, trade, and aid in relieving hunger.
- Prerequisite: ACE 100 or ECON 102.
- *Fulfills the General Education requirement for Non-Western Cultures and Social Sciences course.
- ACE 430: Food Marketing
- Performance of the food system; marketing margins; transportation, advertising, and retailing of food products; structure, conduct, and performance of food marketing firms and industries; government and public interest in the food system. Same as FSHN 425.
- Prerequisite: ACE 100 or ECON 102, ACE 222 recommended.
- FSHN 471: Food and Industrial Microbiology
- Relationship of microorganisms to food manufacture and preservation, to industrial fermentation and processing, and to sanitation. Same as MCB 434.
- Prerequisite: MCB 101 or MCB 301 or equivalent; credit or concurrent registration in organic chemistry laboratory.
- *Fulfills Professional Elective Requirement.
Genomics
- MCB 150: Molecular and Cellular Basis of Life
- Introductory course focusing on the basic structure, metabolic, and molecular processes (including membranes, energy metabolism, genes) common to all cells. Emphasis on unique properties that differentiate the major sub-groups of organisms (Archaea, Bacteria, plants, and animals), and will discuss how cells are integrated into tissues and organs in multicellular organisms.
- *Fulfills the General Education Requirement for Life Sciences course.
- MCB 250: Molecular Genetics
- Genetic variation, gene organization, gene expression, and gene regulation in Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya.
- Prerequisite: MCB 150 or equivalent, or consent of instructor.
- IB 204: Genetics
- The fundamentals of inheritance, with an emphasis on eukaryotes. Major topics include transmission genetics, quantitative genetics, cytogenetics, genomics, genetics of development and behavior, and population genetics. Laboratory emphasizes an experimental, inquiry-based approach to modern and classical genetics. Lecture only, 3 hours; with laboratory, 4 hours. Students must complete the laboratory portion of the course to receive 4 hours of credit. Students may not receive credit for both IB 204 and IB 201.
- Prerequisite: IB 150 and MCB 150.
Nutrition Research
- CHLH 244: Health Statistics
- Introduction to biostatistics. Students learn concepts necessary to understand statistical inference as applied to health issues.
- *Fulfills the General Education Requirement for a Quant I Reasoning course.
- CHLH 260: Introduction to Medical Ethics
- Course stresses normative bioethics: decisions about what is ethical behavior in a variety of real and practical issues. Analysis of medical ethical cases at the individual, community and wider national and international levels will be addressed. Approved for both letter and S/U grading.
- *Fulfills the General Education Requirement for a History & Philosophy Perspective course.
- CHLH 274: Introduction to Epidemiology
- Basic concepts and methods of epidemiology; patterns of disease occurrence; applications of epidemiology to health education, health services administration and planning, health policy, and environmental health.
- *Fulfills the General Education Requirement for a Quant I Reasoning course.
- CHLH 421: Health Data Analysis
- Introduces health data analysis, sources and uses of health data, collection techniques and classification procedures, commonly used health indices, techniques of rate adjustment, graphic presentation of data as they relate to the planning, conducting, and evaluating of community health programs.
- Prerequisite: Quantitative Reasoning I course or equivalent.
- *Fulfills General Education Requirement for a Quant II Reasoning Course.
- CHLH 429: Research Techniques
- Study of the ethics of research, research literature, research designs, and health measurement techniques utilized in the public health sciences. Emphasizes developing skills in analyzing research and assessment of health behaviors, and problem identification and research design for individual student research projects.
- Prerequisite: CHLH 590, or SOC 485, or EPSY 480; or equivalent.
- If interested in taking this course (CHLH 429), EPSY 480: Education Statistics is the only prerequisite option with no other prerequisites.
- FSHN 480: Basic Toxicology
- Emphasizes the physiology, biochemistry and pharmacokinetics of absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of topic compounds, drugs, non-nutrient dietary supplements and other compounds foreign to the body. An introduction to the process of cancer, how foreign compounds can initiate, enhance or prevent the process is also included. Same as CPSC 433, ENVS 480, and VB 549.
- Prerequisite: MCB 350 or MCB 406, or consent of instructor.
- *Fulfills the Professional Elective Requirement.
Pediatrics
- FSHN322: Nutrition and the Life Cycle
- Examines physiological changes that occur during gestation, postnatal growth, and aging and the influence of these changes on nutritional requirements.
- Prerequisite: FSHN 220 or consent of instructor.
- *Either this course, FSHN 322, or FSHN 428 must be taken to fulfill dietetic degree requirements.
- FSHN421: Pediatric Clinical Nutrition
- Examines physiological, biochemical and nutritional aspects of disease processes relevant to infants, children and adolescents. Topics covered include prematurity, developmental disabilities, inborn errors of metabolism, food allergy, obesity and eating disorders. The role of nutrition in prevention, management and treatment of disease is also covered.
- Prerequisite: FSHN 420; FSHN 322 is highly recommended.
- HDFS206: Early Childhood Curriculum Dev
- Introduces development of curriculum for children from birth to age five; integrates child development theory and principles with programming for young children in preschool and childcare setting.
- Prerequisite: HDFS 105.
- HDFS301: Infancy & Early Childhood
- HDFS408: Hospitalized Children
- Examines the development needs and stress reactions of children in hospitals and their families; introduces the role of Child Life programs and the Child Life Specialist; examines responses of family and staff facing terminal illness and the death of a child; familiarizes students with general hospital procedures, medical terms, and illnesses. Optional one-hour clinical placement includes direct experience with hospitalized children and their families.
- Prerequisite: HDFS 206 and HDFS 208.
- PSYC216: Child Psych
Public Health
- CHLH 101: Introduction to Public Health
- Introduction to the nation's public health system; includes an overview of the basic concepts and core functions of public health practice, the scope of applications, and the variety of service organizations (both public and private) that shape public health.
- *Fulfills the General Education Requirement for a Social Sciences course.
- CHLH201: Health Informatics
- Summarizes utilization of computer technology in key health care functions and introduces students to principles and evaluation of electronically supported health information. Students are required to complete a series of web site assessments with health information and compose and post their own health information web page.
- CHLH 210: Community Health Organizations
- Overview of institutions and agencies which provide health information, education, services, and care. Includes historical foundations, constituencies, organizational goals and structure, funding and expenditures, modes of service delivery, political and ethical issues.
- *Fulfills Professional Elective requirement.
- CHLH 250: Health Care Systems
- Overview of the major issues confronting health care systems from a macro perspective. Identification and analysis of the functions, major participants and trends in health care systems in the United States and abroad. Attention on current and emerging issues having implications for health care systems in industrialized nations.
- *Fulfils Professional Elective Requirement.
- CHLH 274: Introduction to Epidemiology
- Basic concepts and methods of epidemiology; patterns of disease occurrence; applications of epidemiology to health education, health services administration and planning, health policy, and environmental health.
- *Fulfills the General Education Requirement for a Quant I Reasoning course.
- CHLH 429: Research Techniques
- Study of the ethics of research, research literature, research designs, and health measurement techniques utilized in the public health sciences. Emphasizes developing skills in analyzing research and assessment of health behaviors, and problem identification and research design for individual student research projects.
- Prerequisite: CHLH 590, or SOC 485, or EPSY 480; or equivalent.
- If interested in taking this course (CHLH 429), EPSY 480: Education Statistics is the only prerequisite option with no other prerequisites.
- CMN 260: Introduction to Health Communication
- Introduces theory and research on communication in health and illness contexts. Explores how messages from media, interpersonal, and organizational sources affect health beliefs and behaviors.
- *Fulfills the General Education Requirement for Behavioral Sciences and Western Culture courses.
- FSHN 428: Community Nutrition
- Application and integration of the principles of nutrition and their delivery in the context of social, political, and economic environments in local, national, and international settings. Offered in alternate fall semesters (even years). Same as NUTR 428.
- Prerequisite: FSHN 220 or equivalent, one introductory statistics course, and one course in the social or behavioral sciences.
- *Either this course, FSHN 428, or FSHN 322 must be taken to fulfill dietetic degree requirements.
Sensory Evaluation
- FSHN 302: Sensory Evaluation of Foods
- The physiology, psychology, and chemistry of flavor and flavor perception; tactual, visual, and auditory components affecting food acceptability; principles and application of preference and discrimination testing; and interpretation of panel evaluation data.
- *Fulfills Professional Elective Requirement.
- FSHN 304: Introduction to Wine Science
- Topics include wine sensory analysis, grape cultivars and their wines, wine processing, viticulture basics, world wine regions, and wine and food pairing.
Wellness
- KIN 352: Bioenergetics of Movement
- Study of the nature of energy transfer during physical activity; mechanisms of metabolic control, force production, cardiorespiratory support and adaptation relative to physical activity.
- Prerequisite: MCB 103.
- *Fulfills the Professional Elective course requirement.
- KIN 386: Exercise Instruction and Elderly
- This course is designed to offer practical experience opportunities to undergraduate Kinesiology students aspiring to work in applied exercise fields with a diverse aged population. It will entail extensive "on the job" training through the Lifetime Fitness Program, an older adult service program of the Department of Kinesiology. Additionally, students will gain training in current program management practices. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours.
- Prerequisite: KIN 352 or consent of instructor is required. A current CPR is required at the beginning of the term and certification must remain current.
- KIN 448: Exercise and Health Psychology
- Examines the psychological determinants and consequences of exercise and physical activity as a health promoting behavioral process. Same as CHLH 448. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
- Prerequisite: Junior standing or above, or graduate standing, or consent of instructor.
- CMN 260: Introduction to Health Communication
- Introduces theory and research on communication in health and illness contexts. Explores how messages from media, interpersonal, and organizational sources affect health beliefs and behaviors.
- *Fulfills the General Education Requirement for Behavioral Sciences and Western Culture courses.
- CHLH 210: Community Health Organizations
- Overview of institutions and agencies which provide health information, education, services, and care. Includes historical foundations, constituencies, organizational goals and structure, funding and expenditures, modes of service delivery, political and ethical issues.
- *Fulfills Professional Elective requirement.