Dietitian/Dietetics: Course Duration, Admission 2025, Colleges, Salary & Scope

Dietetics course comes under the field of science that is concerned with diet and its effects on an individual’s health. The people who are experts in this course are called Dietitians and play a very important role in the Health Management sector. An academic course in dietetics prepares students to use advanced knowledge about food and nutrition to help prevent as well as treat diseases and maintain human health.

Eligibility for Dietetics courses is that you need to complete Class 12 in the Science stream with at least 50 percent aggregate. For PG courses, one should have a bachelor's degree in a relevant field like BSc, or degrees in the Hospitality field would also be acceptable. 

While looking for a career in dietetics, students often confuse the term with Food & Nutrition. However, dietetics and nutrition are similar but two different professions. Dietetics focuses on food management through the proper plan, monitoring, and supervision of a patient’s diet. On the other hand, nutrition is related to the overall promotion of health by advising people on health and food choices.  

There are diverse career opportunities available for candidates possessing a degree or diploma in dietetics. The opportunities in the Dietitian profession are available in both public and private sectors at places such as hospitals, community health centers, nursing homes, NGOs, health clubs, fitness centers, sports centers, hotels, pharmaceutical firms, and so on. 

Dietetics Course Details: Highlights

Candidates can look at some of the key points of the Dietetics course in the table below.

Particulars	Dietician Course Details
Dietetics Course Level	UG, PG, Diploma & Certificate
Dietetics Course Duration	2-3 years
Dietetics Course Fee	INR 25 K - INR 4 Lakh
Dietetics Exams Required	KCET, LPU NEST, MDUCEE
Dietetics Job Profiles	Clinical Dietician, Pediatric Dietician, Sports Dietician, Dietician in the R&D Department, Teacher, Community Dietician, Consultant Dietician, etc.
Top Dietetics Recruiters	Nestle, Cadbury, Unilever, GSK, Eli Lilly, Novartis, etc.
Dietetics Salary	INR 2,5 lakh - INR 4 lakh

Candidates can choose to pursue a dietetics course at the undergraduate, postgraduate, or diploma level. Some higher education institutions also offer certificate dietetics courses to candidates. However, such courses are neither very detailed nor highly valuable.

Given below are the basic eligibility criteria for undergraduate and postgraduate dietitian courses:

UG courses:  Candidates should complete Class 12 in the Science stream with at least 50 percent aggregate.

PG courses: Candidates should complete graduation in the Science stream with at least 50 percent aggregate.

It may be noted that the eligibility criteria mentioned above may vary depending on the college/ university to which a candidate is seeking admission.

There are various courses that candidates can choose to pursue at the undergraduate or postgraduate level. However, some of the popular dietetics courses include a BSc in Dietetics & Nutrition, an MSc in Dietetics & Nutrition, and a PG Diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics.

Dietetics Course Related Information:

Hospitality Diploma Courses After 12th: Courses, Duration, Career Opportunities

Dietetics Admission Process

The process of getting admission to a Dietetics course begins with the preparation of entrance exams conducted by the respective colleges, and ensuring the dietician course eligibility. Here’s the step-by-step guide for aspirants’ reference on the admission procedure of the Dietetics course.

STEP 1: Visit Official Site

The first step in the admission process for an institution, providing merit-based admissions, is to visit their official website and download the application form.

STEP 2: Form Filling

The next step is to fill out the form carefully and watch out for all the necessary details and documents the college requires.

STEP 3: Entrance Exams

Give the entrance exams and wait for the results, once you clear the cutoff you are ready to go to the next step. 

STEP 4: Uploading Documents

Once the details are filled, it is time to upload all the necessary documents in the application form. It is advised to upload clear and relevant documents to avoid any future complications.

STEP 5: Fee Payment

After submitting the documents and application form, the next step is to pay the fee to the institution to reserve the seat.

STEP 6: Counseling Session

Counselling sessions can vary from college to college. While some colleges take telephonic interviews to provide direct admissions, some colleges invite candidates to physically attend the counselling session.

Below are some of the common Hospitality and Hotel Management courses related exams, which you can consider taking before considering Dietetics courses as well:

Exam Name	Exam Dates	Exam Schedule
CMAT 2025	25 Jan '25	CMAT Exam Date 2025
CAT 2025	Nov '24 (Tentative)	CAT Exam Date 2025
MAT 2025	MAT 2024 PBT- 09 Mar '25 MAT 2024 CBT 2- 23 Mar '25	MAT Exam Date 2025
XAT 2025	05 Jan '24	XAT Exam Date 2025
NCHMCT JEE 2025	27 Apr '25	NCHMCT JEE Exam Date 2025
CUET 2025	May'25 (Tentative)	CUET Exam Date 2025
UGAT 2025	14 Jun '25	UGAT Exam Date 2025
MAH HM CET 2025	28 Mar '25	MAH HM CET Exam Date 2025
Christ University Entrance Test 2025	Jan '25 (Tentative)	Christ University Entrance Test Exam Date 2025

The Dietetics syllabus and subjects are separated into two to three-year-long courses, divided into four to six semesters. The course curriculum delves into nutrition and diets for the human body. It introduces students to all aspects of the food industry, nutrition, and research; topics covered include Community Nutrition, Advanced Dietetics, Dietetics and Nutrition, Practical workshops, and more. Given below is an overview of subjects taught in BSc in Dietetics and MSc in Dietetics & Nutrition courses for the reference of candidates.

Dietetics UG Syllabus

BSc in Dietetics & Nutrition is a three-year duration course that includes various theory subjects along with some research projects and industrial training/ clinical internship of a few (usually two) months. Subjects that are usually taught in the course are:

BSc in Dietetics & Nutrition Course Curriculum
Applied Science	Basics in Human Anatomy
Environmental Studies	Family Meal Management
Pathology	Fundamentals of Foods & Nutrition
Fundamentals of Biochemistry	Physiology
Nutritional Biochemistry	Nutrition through Lifecycle
Clinical Psychology	Therapeutic Nutrition & Dietetics
Problems in Human Nutrition	Nutrition for Health, Fitness and Sports
Community Nutrition	Food Microbiology
Institutional Food Administration	Food Science
Food Processing and Technology	Foods in Indian Tradition
First Aid & Nursing	Herbs and Home Remedies
Maternal and Child Nutrition	Nutrition Labeling
Community Development Project	Entrepreneurial Education & Journalism
Diet and Nutrition Counseling	Fermentation Technology Holistic Wellness and Life Skills
Healthcare and Hospital management	Social and preventive medicine
Food Hygiene & Sanitation	Human Development
Dynamics of Extension Education	Enzymes in Food processing
Food Preservation and Bakery	Food Handling & Packaging
Fundamentals of Statistics	Introduction to Information technology
Health Communication	Culinary Science
Health Psychology	Weight Management

Dietetics PG Syllabus 

MSc in Dietetics & Nutrition is a two-year duration course typically divided into four semesters. The course offers various theory subjects as well as practical knowledge in the form of seminars, research projects, dissertations, etc.  

Subjects that are usually taught in the course are:

MSc in Dietetics & Nutrition Syllabus
Fundamentals of Food Science	Nutritional Biochemistry
Human Physiology	Biochemical Techniques
Statistical Methods for Biology	Advanced Nutrition
Community Nutrition	Human Nutrition
Diet Therapy	Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods
Food Preservation and Food Microbiology	Food Analysis
Life Cycle Nutrition	Medical Nutrition and Management
Food Safety and Food Service Management	Sensory Evaluation and Culinary Science
Clinical Nutrition	Epidemiology & Changing Healthcare Sector
Dietary Management	Health Information Management & Decision Making

Dietetics subjects are designed to expose students to all aspects of dieting and nutrition. The fees are changeable because numerous factors can influence this fee. Some of these factors include the location of the college, the faculty of the college, and more. Candidates can look at the top government and private colleges for Dietetics courses given in the tables below.

Top Dietetics Government Colleges

Students who complete the course can pursue further education to enter the field of research. Some of the popular government colleges for Dietetics are given below.

College Name	Fees (in INR)
IHM Delhi - Institute of Hotel Management, Catering & Nutrition	NA
IHM Chennai - Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition	31 K
Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition, Bhatinda	NA
SNDT College	2 L
Andhra University, Visakhapatnam	NA
Faculty of Life Sciences, Kurukshetra University	NA
University of Calicut	NA
Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women's University, Pune	35 K
Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women	39 K - 39 K
Govt Home Science Girls P G College, Hoshangabad	NA

Note: This information is sourced from the official website and may vary.

Top Dietetics Private Colleges

Some of the top private colleges in India for dietetics and nutrition include Amity University, LPU, and Maharishi Markandeshwar University. Some of the popular private colleges for Dietetics are given below.

College Name	Fees (in INR)
SVSU - Swami Vivekanand Subharti University	25 K - 37 K
Symbiosis Institute of Health Sciences, Symbiosis International, Pune	4 L
MGM Institute of Biosciences and Technology, MGM University	3 L
Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies	3 L - 4 L
National College, Thane	NA
Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phoole University	72 K
St Joseph’s College of Arts and Science for Women	NA
All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health	NA
Glocal University	NA
Martin Luther Christian University	2 L

Note: This information is sourced from the official website and may vary.

Top Colleges for Dietetics Colleges by Location

Candidates can view the top colleges for Dietetics location-wise.

Dietetics Location-Wise Colleges
Delhi/NCR	Kolkata	Meghalaya
Pune	Rajasthan	Tamil Nadu
Maharashtra	Uttarakhand	Coimbatore
Punjab	Haryana	All Locations>>

With the increasing importance of maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, candidates possessing a degree or diploma in dietetics have bright career prospects. The professionals can be employed at places such as colleges, schools, research institutes, private and government hospitals, yoga centres, government health departments, health clubs, fitness centres, pharmaceutical firms, private clinics, food products manufacturing firms, and the list continues.  

Core Industries in Dietetics

Dietetics jobs are available in both the public and private sectors. Dietetics scope for fresh grads exists in plenty. The course they study is diverse and adaptable, allowing them to master all of the necessary skills to work in the food and beverage business. They can work in many industries after completing their course; some of the popular industries are:

• Colleges & University
• Food Production Company
• Food and Diet Consultancies
• Medical Content Writing
• Pharmaceutical Company

Dietetics Job Profiles in India

Some of the job profiles that candidates clearing a dietetics course can take up include -

Dietetics Jobs	Job Description	Dietetics Salary (in INR)
Clinical Dietician	The basic job responsibility of a clinical dietician is to provide medical nutrition therapy to patients in healthcare settings. The dietician creates proper nutritional programmes based on the health needs of patients and counsels them on how to obtain a healthier lifestyle.	2.5 LPA
Pediatric Dieticians	A pediatric dietician works with children of all age groups, such as those suffering from diabetes or obesity and helps them incorporate a balanced and nutritious diet. A pediatric dietician also counsels children or their parents on adopting healthy eating habits.	3 LPA
Sports Dietician	A sports dietician works with different sports clubs and athletic teams. The dietician makes diet plans per the specific needs of sports personnel and helps them maintain their body weight and muscle while keeping their nutrition levels in check. The ultimate goal of a sports dietician is to maximise the performance of the sportspersons.	4 LPA
Dieticians in R&D Department	A dietician can also work in the field of research and development to ensure the quality and nutritional standards of food products. Such a dietician can work in laboratories after attaining a doctorate degree and study the effects of various diet forms on the body.	3 LPA
Teacher	Candidates interested in the field of academics can choose to become teachers at the school level or lecturers at the college level after attaining the required qualification. For instance, to become a school teacher candidates usually have to obtain a BEd degree and to become professors candidates need to take UGC NET.	4 LPA
Community Dietician	A community dietician typically works with large groups of people to educate them on food nutrition and adopting a healthy lifestyle. A community dietician usually works for fitness clubs and public health agencies.	3 LPA
Consultant Dietician	A consultant dietician usually works under a dietician and helps patients with food selection, menu planning, portion control, etc.	3 LPA
Management Dietician	A management dietician is responsible for performing business-related tasks such as hiring and training workers as well as developing budgets. A management dietician may also oversee kitchen staff and other dieticians. Such a dietician usually works at cafeterias, hospitals, and schools.	3 LPA

Note: This information is sourced from multiple sources on the web. Hence, is subject to vary. 

Top Recruiters in Dietetics

 The top Recruiter in Nutrition and Dietetic branch is as follows.

Top Recruiters
Nestle	Cadbury
Unilever	GSK
Novartis	Eli Lilly
FNB, Ministry of Women and Child Development	Food & Nutrition Board (FNB)

Read More: 

Dietetics & Nutrition colleges in Delhi/NCR 

Everything you need to know about Food & Nutrition

Below are some commonly asked questions for this course:

Following are the most popular Dietetics courses, based on alumni reviews. Explore these reviews to choose the best course in Dietetics.

Following are the most popular Dietetics UG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these UG Courses by clicking the links below.

Following are the most popular Dietetics PG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these PG Courses by clicking the links below.