Nutrition and Dietetics in Trinity or UCD?

MarieAsh

I am a fifth year student and recently I've become interested in studying nutrition and dietetics after school. I've been doing some research and have discovered the only place you can do this course is in Trinity. The only problem is chemistry is a requirement and i don't do it in school. There is a similar course in UCD Human Nutrition which qualifies you as a clinical nutritionist. Is that the same as a registered dietitian or would I need to do a post grad afterwards? Would it be easier just to take up chemistry?

Thanks guys.

Also just wondering do you think dietetics is a good career choice in terms of work available and salary etc.

Anita Blow

It would be easier to just pick up chemistry if you really are interested in that area.
The UCD course is not a dietetics course

Lawliet

As far as I'm aware anyone can claim to be a nutritionist with no experience or qualification, where as Dietitian is the legally protected title.

If you're in fifth year out of six it would be so much easier to just take up chemistry now and do the course you want, even taking it up in your leaving cert year is doable

MarieAsh

MarieAsh wrote: »

Would it be easier just to take up chemistry?

The thing is, even if you could get into the course without chemistry, I would imagine that having chemistry is highly relevant to dietetics. So even if you could become registered without it, it'd be a huge disadvantage if you had a weak basis in chem. I'd recommend you to go for it with chemistry, at this stage in the year you wont have missed much.

GirlatdRockShow

Hey!
I'm doing the course in Trinity at the moment. With the course in Trinity you will be qualified to work in a hospital and advise people as a dietitian. You won't be qualified to do this with the UCD course. I would adise you to take up chemistry now and apply for the Trinity course. While the UCD course is a good course, the Trinity one gives you a better qualification in the long run.

MarieAsh

GirlatdRockShow wrote: »

Hey!
I'm doing the course in Trinity at the moment. With the course in Trinity you will be qualified to work in a hospital and advise people as a dietitian. You won't be qualified to do this with the UCD course. I would adise you to take up chemistry now and apply for the Trinity course. While the UCD course is a good course, the Trinity one gives you a better qualification in the long run.

Thanks for your advice. I was just wondering what do you think of the course?

GirlatdRockShow

I can't lie, it's a tough course, you have to be prepared to put the work in. The hours are long and the workload is heavy enough. It's all about what you make of it though really, I'm lucky in that we have a lovely year and I have made a lot of good friends, and I know I will like the job, the stuff we learn about is really interesting for the most part.
If you want a more detailed summary of the course feek free to pm me.:)