Pre-Diet and Exercise Transfer Plan
No more than 65 semester credit hours earned at a two-year college can be applied to a baccalaureate degree from Iowa State University. Iowa State will accept up to 16 semester hours of credit earned in career-technical courses if the sending community college accepts such courses toward its Associate in Art or Associate in Science Degrees. These plans are suggestions only and may need to be adapted to meet individual needs and commitments.
Transfer plans are available for Iowa community colleges on the Iowa State Transfer Plan Portal.
For course requirements, sample four-year plan, and course sequence flow chart, refer to the diet and exercise major page.
Use the Financial Aid Timeline to plan ahead for financial aid and scholarship opportunities.
Timing/Sequence
All courses on this plan do not need to be completed prior to transfer. An emphasis on completing science sequence courses will best help students move through the program at the quickest pace after transfer.
If you are a part-time student or cannot complete all of the suggested coursework on this plan, consider choosing the science coursework first since this begins the longest sequence of courses. (Begin the science sequence with General/College Chemistry equivalent(s) and Principles of Biology equivalents.)
First Semester
Iowa State course number, nameISU creditNotes
| Iowa State course number, name | ISU credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 177/177L or CHEM 163/163L, General Chemistry I or College Chemistry | 4 (lecture), 1 (lab) | Pre-Diet and Exercise students at Iowa State must take an equivalent to either CHEM 163/163L or equivalents to both CHEM 177/177L and CHEM 178 at Iowa State to fulfill the College/General Chemistry requirement. |
| Select an interchangeable course from the list | 3 | |
| Select an interchangeable course from the list | 3 | |
| Select an interchangeable course from the list | 3 | |
| Library 160, Introduction to College Level Research | 1 | Some schools have an equivalent to this course, and some do not. If an equivalent doesn’t exist, this course can easily be fit into a schedule at Iowa State after transfer |
Total credits: about 15 (varies based on credits of courses at transfer institution)
Second Semester
| Iowa State course number, name | ISU credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
FS HN 167, Introductory Human Nutrition and Health or Interchangeable course if CHEM 163/L equivalent was selected during semester 1 instead of CHEM 177/L (see note at the end of this row.) | 3 | |
| BIOL 212, Principles of Biology II | 3 (lecture) | |
| Select an interchangeable course from the list | 3 | |
| Select an interchangeable course from the list | 3 | |
| Select an interchangeable course from the list | 3 |
Total credits: about 15 (varies based on credits of courses at transfer institution)
Third Semester
| Iowa State course number, name | ISU credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
CHEM 231/231L, Elementary Organic Chemistry or CHEM 331/331L, Organic Chemistry II | 3 (lecture), 1 (lab) | |
| MICRO 201, Introduction to Microbiology | 2 | Microbiology courses that transfer as MICRO 2T** on the Course Equivalency Guides, and are at least 2 credits, will fulfill the MICRO 201 requirement for Pre-Diet and Exercise majors |
| PHYS 115, Physics for the Life Sciences, or PHYS 131, General Physics I | 4 | |
| Select an interchangeable course from the list | 3 | |
| Select an interchangeable course from the list | 3 | Select this additional course based on your needs/ability to balance your course load this semester. |
Total credits: about 16 (varies based on credits of courses at transfer institution)
Fourth Semester
Typically, at this point in the sequence of courses, it is important that students have transferred to Iowa State. You should visit with the FSHN transfer advisor to determine the best time for you to transfer based on your specific situation. If possible, early planning is recommended to determine the transfer semester that will result in the timeliest completion of your degree requirements.
Interchangeable Courses
Where the transfer plans says, “select an interchangeable course”, select one of the courses below. All courses must be taken to fulfill requirements for your degree program, but the order of these courses prior to transfer is typically less significant.
Iowa State course number, nameISU creditNotes
| Iowa State course number, name | ISU credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Math 140, 142, 160, 165 or 181– College Algebra (140) or higher | 3-4 | Take an equivalent to one course from this category |
| STAT 101, Principles of Statistics or STAT 104, Introduction to Statistics | 4,3 | Take an equivalent to one of these two courses |
| ENGL 150, Critical Thinking & Communication | 3 | |
| ENGL 250, Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Communication | 3 | Usually an equivalent to ENGL 150 is the pre-requisite to an ENGL 250 equivalent |
| SP CM 212, Speech Communication | 3 | |
| PSYCH 101, Intro. to Psychology | 3 | |
| PSYCH 230, Developmental Psychology | 3 |
Total credits: about 24-26 (varies based on credits of courses at transfer institution)
FAQs
How do I know which Chemistry sequence to take: CHEM 163/L or CHEM 177/L and CHEM 178?
Consultation with an advisor at your current institution and at Iowa State is important to determine which chemistry sequence is appropriate for your skills, abilities, and goals. However, some general advice follows. At Iowa State, CHEM 163/L is a one semester look at college chemistry principles that prepares students for Elementary Organic Chemistry (CHEM 231/L at Iowa State). CHEM 177/L and 178 is a more in-depth look at general chemistry concepts for students with stronger math and chemistry backgrounds. The in-depth two part sequence typically better prepares students for Elementary Organic Chemistry.
Some schools only offer the equivalent to the CHEM 177/L and 178 sequence (see the course equivalency guides to check a community college). If you have the choice between CHEM 163/L and CHEM 177/L and 178, then you should visit with an advisor at your current institution to find out which you are most prepared for.
Also, many schools do not offer an Elementary Organic Chemistry course such as Iowa State’s CHEM 231/L, only a higher-level Organic Chemistry course (equivalent to Iowa State’s CHEM 331/L). If this is the case and you plan to stay at your community college through organic chemistry, then you typically need to take the CHEM 177/L to 178 sequences to be most prepared for the higher level Organic Chemistry course (equivalent to CHEM 331/L).
What if I have finished the Chemistry sequence on this plan (gotten to or finished CHEM 231/231L or 331/331L)?
It’s time to visit with the FSHN transfer academic advisor. It is likely time for you to transfer to Iowa State so that you can stay on track with your coursework. In a few circumstances it might be appropriate to take an equivalent to BBMB 301 (Survey of Biochemistry) if offered at your current institution, but it is very important to discuss if this is the best option with the FSHN advisor at this point or if you should transfer.
I see on the sample 4-year plan that it is recommended to take BIOL 255/255L, Human Anatomy during the Fall semester of the second year. Should I plan to take this course at my transfer institution instead of Physics (as listed on this transfer plan)?
Maybe. Some schools offer equivalents to BIOL 255/255L or courses that we can approve as substitutes, while other schools offer courses that are not close enough to be equivalents or substitutes, which is why it is recommended that you take the Physics courses during the third semester as your transfer institution and then take the BIOL 255/L course the following fall (after transfer). You should visit with FSHN transfer academic advisor about this situation for your specific school.
What counts as an elective? Do I need any electives for this major?
Any course that is accepted by Iowa State as a transfer course that isn’t already fulfilling a degree requirement can be considered an elective. The Diet and Exercise program is a very structured program because students are completing requirements for both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree at an accelerated pace. For this reason, there are no electives required.
What if I have finished all (or most of the interchangeable courses on this list) and am now just working on the science coursework so I don’t have a full time course load? Is there anything else that might transfer?
Maybe. If you haven’t already, it’s appropriate to be visiting with the FSHN advisor at this point. Some institutions offer equivalents to the following Iowa State courses that are required for the Pre-Diet and Exercise major: H S 110, Personal and Consumer Health, KIN 220, Basic Athletic Training, KIN 258, Physical Fitness and Conditioning, or 6 credits of humanities courses*. You can use the course equivalency guides and TRANSIT to figure out if your school offers an equivalent and/or if you have taken an equivalent to these courses. *Please note that students in the Pre-Diet and Exercise program should choose humanities courses that will also fulfill the “ethics” requirement and the “International Perspectives” requirement. It is advised that students consult with an advisor in selecting humanities courses.