Program Overview

Introduction to the Dietetics and Nutrition Management Concentration

The Dietetics and Nutrition Management Concentration is an accredited program designed to help students meet the requirements to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). This concentration provides students with the competencies, knowledge, and skills required to work in the dietetics profession, as well as critical thinking and problem-solving skills in clinical and community nutrition and food service management.

Program Overview

The Accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) provides students with the necessary skills to become a practicing nutritionist and starts them on the path to becoming a registered dietitian. The program's mission is to prepare dietetics students to be successful in obtaining admittance into graduate school and accredited supervised practice programs leading to eligibility for the CDR credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist.

Goals and Objectives of the DPD Program

The DPD program has two goals with expected objectives for each goal. These objectives are measured on a regular basis for the purpose of maintaining quality and making improvements as needed. Program outcome data is available upon request.

Goal 1: The program will prepare graduates who possess critical thinking skills and are able to succeed in accredited supervised practice programs.

• Objective 1: At least 80% of program students will complete the degree within 3 years (150% of program length).
• Objective 2: 80% of program graduates will apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within 12 months of graduation.
• Objective 3: 60% of program graduates will be admitted to a supervised practice program within 12 months of graduation.
• Objective 4: 90% of internship directors will judge DPD program graduates to be well prepared for supervised practice as measured by scores of Strongly Agree or Agree on preparedness and ability to think critically as evaluated on a yearly survey.

Goal 2: The program will prepare graduates for successful entry-level practice where they provide evidence-based nutrition care and contribute to the health of the nation.

• Objective 1: The program’s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the examination within one year of the first attempt) on the CDR credentialing examination for registered dietitian nutritionists will be at least 80%.
• Objective 2: 90% or more of graduates and internship directors will judge the intern to be adequately prepared to provide evidence-based care and apply the nutrition care process based upon a yearly survey of internship directors.
• Objective 3: 90% or more of graduates completing supervised practice programs will be employed in healthcare-related professions as measured by a yearly survey of graduates.

Requirements to Obtain a Verification Statement

Students must complete a BS degree from the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition in the Dietetics and Nutrition Management Concentration. In addition, to receive the DPD verification, students must complete the concentration with a GPA of 3.1 or higher and no grade lower than a C- in the DPD courses (including transfer credits). Students must retake any course in which they received a grade lower than a C-.

Graduate Programs in Nutrition

The department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at CSU offers a few master’s degree program options:

• Master of Science in Food Science and Nutrition: This is an in-person 2-year program. Students have the option to join a course-directed track during which they focus primarily on coursework or an advisor-directed track, in which they can gain experience in a research laboratory while completing their coursework.
• Master of Advanced Practice in Dietetics: This is an entirely online program that students can complete in 1 year. To enter the program, students must have completed an undergraduate degree in dietetics and have received their DPD verification.

Dietetic Internship Programs

Students in the 2-year in-person Master of Science program have the opportunity to apply for the Coordinated Master’s Program in Dietetics, which combines the master’s degree with a dietetic internship.

Practicums in the Dietetics Concentration

• Counseling Practicum: Work alongside registered dietitians and gain real-world experience in the department’s nutrition counseling center – the Kendall Reagan Nutrition Center – open to CSU affiliates and the surrounding Northern Colorado community.
• Sports Nutrition Practicum: Work with CSU’s Director of Sports Nutrition to gain experience in providing nutrition education to CSU athletes.
• Food Service Practicum: Work at an approved site in the food service sector to gain experience such as developing menus, ordering, purchasing, food safety, and management.

Career Outlook

• 7% projected growth by 2032 demand for dietitians and nutritionists is growing faster than average careers.
• 96% of graduates had continuing education or employment offers within six months of graduation.
• ~$80,000 is the median annual salary for registered dietitians.