The Nutrition and Dietetics program at ESPOL was conceived in response to the need to protect the health of the population. This is because population-based studies such as the National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT 2012) have revealed the urgency of establishing therapeutic strategies through nutrition education, healthcare, dietetic planning, research, and the innovation of nutraceuticals to prevent health issues and to maintain or improve the quality of life of the population.

Mission

To train healthcare professionals with both critical thinking abilities and integrity, equipping them to collaborate in multidisciplinary teams dedicated to enhancing people's quality of life through the promotion, counseling, and education of nutrition.  

Vision

To be a reference in the training of professionals in Nutrition and Dietetics, complying with national and international standards. 

In the Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics program, we seek observant, critical, reflective, analytical, tenacious, cooperative, honest students who are committed to public health, possess a basic understanding of life sciences and mathematics, have manual dexterity, are willing to work both independently and in collaborative groups, and are dedicated to serving and assisting the population.

http://www.admision.espol.edu.ec/proceso-de-admision/postulacion

https://www.bienestar.espol.edu.ec/becas-y-ayudas-economicas

Goals:

1. To promote professional excellence and critical thinking in students to generate socially relevant solutions that address problems in the nutrition field.  

2. To train professionals with the theoretical-practical knowledge and ethical principles necessary for the assessment of an individual's nutritional status in various physiological stages and/or in the presence of illness, with the aim of detecting, controlling, and resolving malnutrition issues that impact health.

3. To develop professional competencies with interdisciplinary knowledge in students that enable them to adapt and collaborate in multidisciplinary research teams in health and nutrition.  

4. To train socially responsible professionals with skills for comprehensive and effective communication of nutrition and health knowledge.

Learning outcomes:

3a Effective communication in Spanish in broad audiences and diverse professional contexts.

3b Effective communication in English in a wide range of audiences.

4 Ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of solutions in a global, economic, environmental and social context.

5 Ability to work effectively in a team, whose members collectively provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, set goals, plan tasks, and achieve objectives.

7 Ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as necessary, using appropriate learning strategies.

8 Design real solutions with a unique value proposition to meet specific needs considered from the point of view of stakeholders.

Nut and Diet 1 Ability to develop information, products and services that respond to the food and nutritional situation of an individual in their different life cycle stages for the maintenance of health, treatment and prevention of malnutrition issues. 

Nut and Diet 2 Ability to strategically distribute available resources in solving problems related to nutrition, health, and food, applying principles of human, technical, and environmental resource management that promote the safety of employees, clients/patients, and food. 

http://www.mallacurricular.espol.edu.ec/Malla/Imagen?codCarrera=LI008&lang=en&lang=en 

Upon completion of the 5-year program, you will be able to:

• Improve the quality of life through nutritional education, health care, food planning, research and innovation of nutraceuticals that mitigate, correct or prevent issues linked to the nutritional status of our country.
• Provide comprehensive care to the healthy population and especially to vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, children under 5 years of age and the elderly through the promotion of healthy eating habits and lifestyles.
• Determine the dietetic-nutritional treatment for patients who suffer from chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, renal failure, among others. 

Occupational Profile

The nutritionist and dietitian has the skills and abilities to perform in various areas of work, such as:

- Public and private health service centers (hospitals, clinics, medical centers).
- Planning and development of public policies in nutrition (governmental entities).
- Food industries and creation of micro and medium-sized companies of healthy food (food services).
- Sports and high performance centers, gyms.
- Institutions dedicated to research, coordination and support nutrition interventions in public health.
- Integral Gerontological Care Services.
- Independent professional practice. 

To attain the Bachelor’s in Nutrition and Dietetics degree, you must complete the following requirements:

- Approve a minimum of 68 credits of Professional Formation.
- Approve a minimum of 38 credits of Basic Education.
- Approve a minimum of 3 credits of Capstone Project
- Approve the graduation process, equivalent to 240 hours.
- Obtain a minimum experience of 2080 hours in the dietetic internship, divided into 520 hours in each rotation: Hospital Nutrition, Hospital Food Service Management, Community Nutrition and Food and Nutrition Promotion. 

The Capstone Project is a culminating requirement for graduation. These projects provide students with the experience of applying acquired knowledge and skills to the needs of society, with a focus on sustainability.
The IDEAR Fair showcases all Capstone projects, offering students a valuable opportunity to showcase their work and hone soft skills such as communication and teamwork. It is also a space for students to network with potential clients and future employers.
Explore all of the Capstone projects completed by the Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics program. 

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