The nutrition and dietetics major, which is a recognized Didactic Program in Dietetics, provides an optimal track to prepare you with the foundation you need to pursue an advanced degree and become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). In the major, you’ll learn to translate the science of nutrition into personalized recommendations to help people prevent and manage medical conditions. The program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) and equips you with didactic courses to meet the knowledge requirements established by ACEND to take the next step toward earning an advanced degree and completing the supervised practice requirements necessary for completing the national RDN credentialing exam. Purdue students have exceptionally strong outcomes on the credentialing exam compared to national pass rates. Of those who took the exam for the first time in 2022, 93.75% of Purdue students passed, compared with 66.76% nationally. Additionally, of those who were within one year of their first attempt at the exam, 100% of Purdue students passed compared with 87.84% nationally.
The major’s rigorous science core ensures you are well-prepared for success in a meaningful career or graduate school upon graduation. Upon graduating from the program, you will receive a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics and a DPD verification statement. As of Jan. 1, 2024, a master’s degree is the minimum requirement to be eligible to sit for the national credentialing exam to become an RDN. As part of the DPD, you’ll also have the option to apply to Purdue’s Master of Science in dietetics to complete additional education requirements and your supervised practice experience. The program has a maximum enrollment of 80 students per graduating class.
The Individualized Supervised Practice Program (ISPP) at Purdue University has submitted a closing plan to ACEND and is awaiting ACEND board approval. At this time, Purdue University’s (ISPP) will no longer accept individuals into this pathway to complete supervised practice.
This change does not impact the Purdue University Didactic Program (DPD) in Dietetics or the Master of Science in Dietetics (MSD) programs. If you have questions, contact Alvin Furiya MS, RDN, LDN afuriya@purdue.edu. More information about the MSD, which includes the supervised practice requirement, is available on the MSD page.
Any of the majors in the Department of Nutrition Science (NUTR) can also be paired together for a double major. Learn more about NUTR double majors.
Career Opportunities
- Business
- Clinical nutrition manager
- Community and public health
- Corporate wellness consultant
- Food service management (e.g., hospital or school food service systems
- Industry (food, pharmaceuticals, etc.)
- Journalism/nutrition communication
- Private practice/consultant
- Research
- Sports nutrition
Career Fields with Additional Education
- Clinical dietitian in a healthcare facility
- Medicine
- Veterinary medicine
- Academia
Learning Experiences
- Study abroad in nutrition-specific programs in Ireland, Australia and France.
- Get involved in undergraduate research across the Department of Nutrition Science’s research, which focuses on four main areas: metabolism and obesity; minerals, vitamin D and bone health; food, ingestive behavior and population nutrition; and carcinogenesis and cancer prevention.
- Complete internships that match your interests and career goals.
- Join the departmental honors program to conduct a research project with a faculty mentor and have an opportunity to contribute new knowledge about nutrition and gain meaningful work experience.
DPD Mission, Goals and Objectives
The mission of the DPD is to prepare students for advanced study and supervised practice, which makes them eligible for the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) credentialing exam to become an RDN and promote professional development through discovery, learning and engagement. The DPD will provide a curriculum and learning environment that offers a strong foundation in nutrition education and promotes an appreciation for lifelong learning.
Outcome data are available on request. As a highlight of just one measure, Purdue Nutrition Science students who are within one year of their first attempt at taking the RDN exam have a pass rate of 100% compared to the national pass rate of 87.84%. To request additional data, please send a written request to Alvin Furiya at afuriya@purdue.edu.
Goals and Objectives of the DPD Program
The program has two broad goals and there are objectives tied to each goal.
Goal 1
Prepare graduates to be qualified and competent for the pursuit of a career related to dietetics and nutrition.
Objective measures for Goal 1:
- At least 80% of program students complete program/degree requirements within three years of entering junior status in the DPD.
- At least 70% of program graduates apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within 12 months of graduation (including graduates who apply to Purdue’s Master of Science in dietetics).
- At least 50% of program graduates are admitted to a supervised practice program within 12 months of graduation (including graduates accepted to Purdue’s Master of Science in dietetics or another supervised practice program).
- The dietetic internship spring match rate will exceed the national match rate.
- 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 at least 80%.
- Supervised practice program directors’ rating of foundation knowledge requirements of DPD graduates (Target Measure: 95% will receive at least a satisfactory rating of 3 or above).
Goal 2
Prepare graduates for continued professional development and lifelong
learning through discovery, learning and engagement.
Objective measures for Goal 2:
- The number of graduates who have completed or are pursuing an advanced degree or specialty certification within two to five years after graduation (Target Measure: > 30%).
The number of graduates who report involvement in community or professional engagement or research activities within two to five years of graduation (Target Measure: > 50%).
Program Handbook
Accreditation council policies and procedures related to the DPD program are available in the DPD Handbook.
Resources
NUTR 35000 (Dietetics Practicum in Quantity Food Production)
- Requirements for practicum to substitute for HTM 29101
- Checklist for NUTR 35000 as replacement for HTM 29101
- NUTR 35000 Evaluation Form
Dietetic Internship Applicants
- Permission to Release Education Record Information for Recommendation (FERPA form)
- Recommendation Request Form
Accreditation
The Purdue University DPD is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995
Phone: 800-877-1600, Ext. 5400