Programs
Dietetics is the health-care profession that applies food and nutrition to health management. The professional in the dietetics field is a Registered Dietitian (R.D.). Registered Dietitians work in a wide variety of employment settings, including health care, business industry, public health, education, research, and private practice.
By studying dietetics, students gain an understanding of the function and metabolism of nutrients and their food sources; dietary standards; creating a healthy diet; nutritional assessment, intervention, counseling, and education for health management; medical nutrition therapy; treatment and prevention of chronic disease; management of food service operations in health care, including procurement, menu development, delivery, and quality standards; food safety and sanitary standards; special nutrition needs for a variety of individuals and situations (infants, children, adolescents, adult, older adult, pregnant and lactating women, disease states etc.); food composition and preparation and food science.
Becoming a Registered Dietitian | Dietetics Programs | Verification Statement | Admission | Length of the Program | About the Department
Becoming a Registered Dietitian
To become an R.D. an individual must complete the requirements established by the American Dietetic Association (ADA) that include a minimum of a bachelor’s degree at an U.S. regionally accredited university or college, academic course work approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of ADA, CADE accredited Supervised Practice Program and the Registration Examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) of ADA.
Dietetics Programs
The Dietetics and Nutrition Department offers bachelor’s degrees in two dietetic programs that partially satisfy the requirements for becoming an R.D.--the didactic program in dietetics (DPD) and the coordinated program in dietetics (CPD). The DPD provides the academic course work and graduates of the program apply to a dietetics internship (DI) or pre-professional practice programs (AP4) to fulfill the supervised practice requirement. Upon completion of both, an individual is eligible to take the Registration Examination. The CPD integrates the educational requirements with the supervised professional practice so that upon graduation an individual is eligible to take the Registration Examination.
The Didactic Program in Dietetics is currently granted initial accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, 312/899-5400.
The Coordinated Program in Dietetics is currently granted accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, 312/899-5400.
Verification Statement
Graduates of both programs receive an appropriate verification statement signed by the respective program directors.
The signed verification statement documents that an individual has completed the requirements of a dietetics education program accredited or approved by CADE. It is essential to the CADE dietetics education, CDR registration eligibility, and ADA Active membership process.
The completion of CADE Didactic Program requirements and at least a bachelor’s degree are necessary for eligibility to a CADE-accredited/approved supervised practice program.
A verification statement is required by CDR upon completion of CPD to indicate completion of academic or supervised practice requirements for eligibility to write the registration examination. www.eatright.org/cade/verifaqs.html
Admission
All freshmen and qualifying transfer students are routinely admitted to the DPD. (Se admission requirements). Students may then apply to the CPD upon meeting the requirements that include a minimum GPA of 2.75 and completion of specified courses. A department committee selects no more than 16 students to the CPD each year. Selection criteria used by the committee include applicant submission of a written autobiography, submission of two comment forms from faculty or employers and completion of at least two interviews with the selection committee members.
Length of the Program
DPD students starting as freshman may complete the curriculum in four years. Transfer students generally take a longer time to complete based on the number of credits transferred and the courses accepted by the College and Program.
CPD students who join the department as freshman may complete the curriculum in four years plus a summer course between junior and senior years. Transfer students generally take a longer time to complete based on the number of credits transferred and the courses accepted by the College and Program.
About the Department
The Dietetics and Nutrition Department typically has an enrollment of 60 - 100 students. Currently there are four full-time faculty and additional part-time faculty with areas of specialization including nutritional biochemistry, clinical nutrition, nutrition education and food systems management. The atmosphere in the Department, though highly academic and professional, is also very open and friendly. Classes in the major generally have 15-20 students, allowing for easy interaction between professor and student with individuals receiving personal attention as needed. Faculty academic advisors also have the opportunity to provide close guidance to advisees
