The objective of this course is to introduce undergraduate students in nutrition and dietetics to the historical development of the dietetics profession, its international and national dimensions, professional standards, and areas of practice; and to instill in them an understanding of the fundamental principles of professional ethics, ethical decision-making processes, and a sense of professional responsibility.

The first six weeks cover the fundamentals of the dietetics profession. In this section, students will learn about the international (ICDA) and national (TDD), the historical development of the profession worldwide and in Turkey, professional standards and competency frameworks, the formation of professional identity and professional socialization processes, and the various practice areas of dietetics (clinical nutrition, community nutrition, food service management, research, and education). The second section addresses the theoretical and practical dimensions of professional ethics. In this section, students will learn about fundamental ethical concepts and theories (deontology, utilitarianism, virtue ethics), bioethical principles (autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice), the ICDA International Code of Ethics and TDD ethical principles, ethical decision-making models—particularly Jonsen’s Four-Box Model—as well as ethical issues in clinical practice (artificial nutrition, end-of-life care, informed consent), ethical issues in community nutrition and food services (conflict of interest, food marketing, food justice), professional responsibility and legal regulations in Turkey, and the future of the dietetic profession through continuous professional development (CPD).