Students who hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university may complete the Didactic Program in Dietetics coursework combined with a non-thesis Master's degree.
Students interested in earning a Master's non-thesis degree and completing Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) coursework for the purpose of obtaining a Verification Statement must also hold a bachelor's degree from a U.S. regionally accredited institution or foreign equivalent. All other entry requirements for admission to our non-thesis Master's program must be met. Completing an MS-thesis+DPD or a PhD+DPD program of study is also feasible with your research advisor's approval.
The DPD Verification Statement is required to enter many supervised practice programs, including dietetic internships. Obtaining supervised practice is a required step in order to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). This degree does not independently qualify a student to become a registered dietitian nutritionist. Students should be aware of the laws governing the practice of dietetics in their respective states. For more information about pathways to becoming an RDN, visit: https://www.fcs.uga.edu/fdn/careers-in-dietetics.
FAQ
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Can I complete DPD coursework online?
The majority of the DPD courses at the University of Georgia are seated, in-person courses. The expectation is that you are able to attend these courses during day-time hours on campus.
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What courses are required for the DPD Verification Statement?
You will need to complete the following courses with a minimum of a “C” grade in addition to meeting a set of specific knowledge requirements in order to receive a DPD Verification Statement from the University of Georgia. Many of these courses can be taken at the graduate level:
BIOL 1107-1107L, Biology I
CHEM 1211-1211L, Freshman Chemistry I
CHEM 1212-1212L, Freshman Chemistry II
Course in statistics
Course in psychology
COMM 1110 or 1500
CHEM 2211-2211L, Modern Organic Chemistry I (requires General Chemistry as prerequisite)
CBIO 2200-2200L, Anatomy and Physiology I
CBIO 2210-2210L, Anatomy and Physiology II
MIBO 2500, Microbiology and Health Care or 3500, Introductory Applied Microbiology
BCMB 3100, Introductory Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
NUTR 2100, Fundamentals of Human Nutrition
NUTR 3100, Macronutrients and Energy Balance
NUTR 3600-3600L, Food Principles
NUTR 3610-3610L, Quantity Food Production
NUTR 4070, Research Methodology in Human Foods and Nutrition
NUTR 4100, Micronutrient Nutrition
NUTR 4500, Medical Nutrition Therapy I
NUTR 4510, Nutrition Related to the Human Life Cycle
NUTR 4520, Clinical Nutrition Interventions
NUTR 4530, Medical Nutrition Therapy II
NUTR 4540, Public Health Nutrition
NUTR 4600, Food and Nutrition Policy
NUTR 4610, Foodservice Procurement and Financial Management
NUTR 4620, Management of Foodservice Organizations
NUTR 4660, Nutrition Education Methods
NUTR 4645, Functional and Nutritional Properties of Foods
NUTR 5900, Professional Development in Nutritional SciencesIf a student wishes to use a nutrition course from a different university to meet DPD course requirements, the student must provide a course description and syllabus to the DPD director. The program director or a designated faculty member will review the course syllabus to verify that the course is equivalent to the UGA course. If the course content and student learning objectives match a DPD course and the student received a “C” grade or better in the course, then the student will be granted the substitution and will not be required to repeat the course. If the course is largely equivalent in content, but does not cover all student learning objectives/ knowledge requirements for registered dietitians (KRDNs), an activity or one-credit independent study course may be developed to assure that the student meets all KRDNs. The DPD does not give course credit or grant course substitutions for prior work or volunteer experience.
Some courses may be taken at another university if they are approved in advance by the DPD director as equivalent; however, a minimum of 15 credits of NUTR courses must be taken in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Georgia to receive a Verification Statement from our program.
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My bachelor's degree is from outside of the United States. Can I complete my DPD program at UGA?
Yes. Before applying, you will need to have your academic degree(s) validated as equivalent to the bachelor’s degree conferred by a U.S. regionally accredited college or university. Please see the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website for a list of agencies that will perform this service: https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/students-and-advancing-education/international-students/foreign-degree-evaluation-agencies. The report can be sent to you directly, and you can then forward this to the DPD director. For more information about education and credentialing requirements for those with foreign degrees, visit: https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/students-and-advancing-education/international-students.
Additionally, the UGA Graduate School has a helpful site for international applicants: https://grad.uga.edu/admissions/requirements/international-applications/