Dietetics programs teach people how to use food to both accommodate and prevent health problems. Students learn food science and dietary management. They learn to apply nutrition to the needs of patients and clients.

You've probably consumed a fair share of cookies and milk in your lifetime, right? In fact, most children (and adults too!) believe in the healing powers of this food combination, for all sorts of different ailments - from gloominess on a rainy day to a disappointment about a lost sports game or a canceled date.

Granted, although those are valid ailments, there is probably no health problem for which a dietitian will ever prescribe cookies and milk. However, dietitians do prescribe certain foods - either to eat or to avoid - to help improve your health. Such improvements might come from controlling a problem such as diabetes or high blood pressure, or from preventing an illness such as anemia or heart disease.

Dietitians consider human nutritional care as both an art and a science, as well as an essential part of taking care of your health. They promote healthy eating habits in a wide range of different settings. Many dietitians work in institutions such as hospitals and nursing homes, under the supervision of a physician. But they can also work in community organizations such as public health clinics or school cafeterias.

They plan and supervise the preparation of meals that match the health needs of their patients or the community. They make sure that sanitary practices are followed and nutritional content regulated.

As a student in a dietetics program, you learn about foods and nutrition. You take background science courses in biology, chemistry, and biochemistry. You study microbiology, which teaches you about microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi that could grow on foods and cause contamination and illness. You also learn about nutritional development, so that you can apply dietetics to patients in any age group.

Many schools offer accredited programs in dietetics. You can choose either a coordinated or didactic program. A coordinated program includes practical clinical experience, which is necessary to become a registered dietitian. A didactic program does not include this experience. However, completing the course work in a didactic program qualifies you to apply for accredited dietetic clinical internships.

You can earn a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in dietetics. A bachelor's degree typically takes four years of full-time study after high school. A master's degree usually takes an additional two to three years, and a doctoral degree generally takes four to five years after earning a master's degree.