At Purdue, you will complete all required coursework for nutrition and dietetics in the Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPD), and then apply to either an outside dietetics internship or the Master of Science in Dietetics at Purdue to complete the required supervised practice.
Within the nutrition and dietetics major, the DPD prepares you to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), translating 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 for dietitians. The program also includes a rigorous science core to ensure you are well-prepared for success in graduate school and a career. The program has a maximum enrollment of 80 students per graduating class.
Upon graduating from the program, you will receive a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics and a DPD verification statement. You may then enter an ACEND-accredited dietetic internship to complete the required supervised practice needed to be eligible to take the national registration exam for dietitians. As part of the DPD, you’ll also have the option to apply to Purdue’s Master of Science in Dietetics to complete your supervised practice experience. Graduates who do not receive a dietetic internship match are also eligible to apply to the Individualized Supervised Practice Pathway (ISPP) to complete their required supervised practice experience.
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.
Pathways to Practice
Through 2023, following a supervised practice experience, you are eligible to take the national credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist with a bachelor’s degree. Starting Jan. 1, 2024, a graduate degree (master’s or doctoral) will also be required prior to taking the credentialing exam to become an RDN. In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice.
Learn more about the pathways to become an RDN
2024 CDR Mandate
Effective Jan. 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 order to be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor’s degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into the CDR’s Registration Eligibility Processing System before midnight CST on Dec. 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement, visit the CDR’s website. In addition, CDR requires individuals to complete coursework and supervised practice in programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).
Career Opportunities
- Clinical dietitian in a healthcare facility
- Food service management (e.g. hospital or school food service systems)
- Clinical nutrition management
- Community and public health
- Sports nutrition
- Corporate wellness
- Industry (food, pharmaceuticals, etc.)
- Business
- Journalism/nutrition communication
- Private practice/consultant
- Research
Career Fields with Additional Education
- 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 Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics is to prepare students for supervised practice, which makes them eligible for the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist 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. To request 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 3 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 CPD).
- At least 50% of program graduates are admitted to a supervised practice program within 12 months of graduation (including graduates accepted to Purdue CPD, DIs, ISPPs or another supervised practice).
- 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 2-5 years after graduation (Target Measure: > 30%).
- The number of graduates who report involvement in community or professional engagement or research activities within 2-5 years of graduation (Target Measure: > 50%).
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
Program Handbook
Accreditation council policies and procedures related to the DPD program are available in the DPD Handbook.
Accreditation
The Purdue University Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics 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
www.eatrightpro.org/acend