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Bachelor Degree in Dietetics & Nutrition Didactic Program in Dietetics

We’re proud to have offered a viable and thriving didactic program since 1972. In order to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), a student needs to complete the DPD requirements in conjunction with their bachelor’s degree (BS) in Dietetics and Nutrition. The DPD is the academic component of the first of three steps to becoming an RDN. The second step is to apply for an accredited dietetic internship, which is the supervised practice component. The third step is to sit for the national RDN Registration Examination. Most states also require licensure or certification to begin practice. As with most professional careers, there’s an ongoing requirement for continuing education as you move into this specialized field.

For more information about becoming an RDN, review the Requirements for Becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.

Accreditation statement

As of August 2017, the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) has been fully reaccredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) for the maximum seven-year term. The next program review commences in 2024.

Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). In addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics(ACEND). In Florida, graduates must also obtain a state license to practice. Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited DPD (Didactic Program in Dietetics) at Florida International University are eligible to apply to an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program before applying to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN.

For more information about educational pathways to become an RDN, please visit Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND): Information for Students.

Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics | Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995 (800) 877-1600.

Program philosophy and information

Mission: To provide students with a comprehensive, rigorous core of knowledge and skills so they are critical thinkers who are ethically and culturally competent and prepared for evidence-based supervised practice (accredited dietetic internship) in the profession of nutrition and dietetics, leading to the eligibility for the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) exam to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).

Goals and Objectives: Program outcome data is available to the public, including current and prospective students, upon request to the Director of the Didactic Program in Dietetics.

  • Goal 1 – Graduates are academically prepared to apply for and complete an accredited dietetic internship (supervised practice) program to become entry-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN).
    • 1.1 Over a three-year period, at least 80 percent of program students complete program/degree requirements within six years (150% of program length for FTIC, First Time In College students), or within three years of successfully completing HUN4240, Nutrition and Biochemistry (150% of program length for transfer students).
    • 1.2 Over a three-year period, 25 percent of program graduates apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within 12 months of graduation.
    • 1.3 Over a three-year period, 50 percent of program graduates are admitted to a supervised practice program within 12 months of graduation.
    • 1.4 The program’s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is a least 80%.
  • Goal 2 – Graduates will demonstrate knowledge and skills required for success in the field of dietetics and nutrition.
    • 2.1 Over a three-year period, 85 percent of accredited dietetic internship (supervised practice) Program Directors will be satisfied with the background knowledge of DPD graduates.
    • 2.2 Over a three-year period, 85 percent of employers will be satisfied with the background knowledge of DPD graduates who enter related fields in dietetics and nutrition.
    • 2.3 – Over a three-year period, 75 percent of students will pass the undergraduate Comprehensive Exam (in DIE 4963) on the first or second sitting.

Current Undergraduate DPD Students

Current students are encouraged to download and review the following academic advising resources:

Resources for applying to a Dietetic Internship:

Prospective Undergraduate DPD Students

Prospective students are encouraged to download and review the following academic advising resources: