Program Overview

Introduction to the Nutritional Sciences Program

The Nutritional Sciences program at Penn State offers a comprehensive education in the field of nutrition, with a focus on preparing students for careers in clinical dietetics, nutrition education and counseling, sports nutrition, health promotion and wellness, culinary nutrition, food industry and business, food sustainability, management, private practice, and research.

Program Overview

The program provides a strong foundation in science, foods, and nutrition, with a diverse curriculum that meets the accreditation standards set by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Students who enter this program have the long-term goal of becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).

What is Nutrition and Dietetics?

This option offers multi-disciplinary training in the biological sciences, social and behavioral sciences, and business principles to prepare students to work in a variety of settings. It links nutrition and human behavior by applying nutrition principles, counseling skills, and educational skills to improving the nutritional status and health of individuals and communities.

Career Opportunities

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists work in a variety of career settings, including clinical dietetics, community and nutrition education, sports nutrition, food industry and retail settings, food sustainability, public and health policy, and nutrition research.

Admission Criteria

To be eligible for entrance into the Nutritional Sciences major, students must meet the following criteria:

• Be accepted and enrolled at the Penn State University Park campus and College of Health and Human Development.
• Have completed at least 29 credit hours.
• Have a minimum of a 2.0 cumulative grade-point average (GPA).

Program Completion Requirements

Students in the Nutrition and Dietetics option must complete the university general education course requirements and the Nutrition and Dietetics option major courses to earn a B.S. degree in the Nutritional Sciences, Nutrition and Dietetics option. Students must earn a "C" or higher in all of the Nutrition and Dietetics option prescribed and additional courses to earn the degree.

Program Costs

The total program costs for the 4-year BS degree in Nutritional Sciences, Nutrition and Dietetics option include:

• Penn State University tuition and fees for in-resident and non-resident students Fall and Spring semesters.
• Mandatory fees associated with the following Nutrition and Hospitality Management courses.
• Additional costs, such as books, materials, and supplies, estimated to be approximately $600 to $1,000 per semester.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

The Penn State Office of Student aid offers resources to students to learn about financial aid and student loans available to them. Students have many opportunities for scholarships through the university, the College of Health and Human Development, the Department of Nutritional Sciences, and professional organizations.

Program Policies and DPD Student Handbook

The Nutrition and Dietetics option (DPD program) has policies in place to ensure Nutrition and Dietetics option students have the information needed to be successful in the program. The DPD Student Handbook provides additional policies and procedures that students may need to reference.

Penn State Resources

Penn State University offers various resources to support students, including Career Services, Counseling and Psychiatric Services, College of HHD Student Services Center, Student Affairs, Campus Community and Diversity, Education Abroad Program, Financial Aid, Health Services, Legal Services, Penn State Learning, Pollock Testing Center, Tutoring and Study groups, Schreyer Honors Program, and Student Disability Resources.

Student Organizations and Professional Organizations

The Department of Nutritional Sciences offers a wide range of real-world learning opportunities for undergraduate students, including student-led clubs, peer-to-peer health promotion and education, leadership training, international travel, serving as a teaching assistant, and participating in applied and basic research.

Getting Nutrition Related Experience

The Department of Nutritional Sciences, along with other campus facilities and community organizations, offers a wide range of real-world learning opportunities for undergraduate students. These experiences are either volunteer or paid, and students may obtain additional credits toward their degree, depending on the experience.

Nutrition and Dietetic Technician Credential (NDTR)

Students who meet the criteria to receive a Penn State DPD Verification Statement are eligible to take the NDTR examination. The NDTR exam is a computer-based exam that covers the content in the three major areas of dietetics: clinical, community, and food service.

Accreditation Status

The Pennsylvania State University Didactic Program in Dietetics is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The Penn State DPD program's submission for re-accreditation was approved by the ACEND board on August 7, 2020, and has full accreditation through December 31, 2028.

Program Outcomes

The program outcomes data show that 96% of alumni who have taken the national Registration Examination for Dietitians in the past three years have passed within one year of the first attempt. Additionally, 92% of seniors who applied to Dietetic Supervised Practice Programs (DSPP) in the past four years were accepted into DSPP programs.

Licensure Information

Graduates of the DPD program who earn their NDTR credential or go on to earn their RDN credential and want to practice as Dietitians/Nutritionists may need to apply for licensure before they are eligible to practice dietetics
utrition. Licensing statutes include an explicitly defined scope of practice, and the performance of the profession is illegal without first obtaining a license. A list of the states that require licensure is available on the Commission on Dietetic Registration website.