Human Sciences
615-898-5853
Liz Smith
elizabethann.smith@mtsu.edu
The major in Nutrition and Food Science with a Dietetics concentration is a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Dietetics and Nutrition of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, (312) 877-1600, ext. 5400.
Students are required to go through a sequential three-step process to become a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist (RD/RDN) including
- completion of an ACEND accredited DPD, such as the MTSU program.
- completion of an ACEND accredited dietetic internship program.
- passing the national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
Note: Effective January 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 addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited DPD at MTSU are eligible to apply to an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program. For more information about educational pathways to become an RDN please visit www.eatrightpro.org/acend/students-and-advancing-education/information-for-students.
Students with baccalaureate degrees in other areas may complete the DPD requirements at MTSU. Transfer students must meet with the DPD director to determine which courses will be accepted toward the MTSU DPD program. At a minimum all transfer students must complete NFS 1010 , NFS 4010 , NFS 4020 , NFS 4275 , NFS 4285 , NFS 4300 , NFS 4305 , NFS 4310 , NFS 4320 , and NFS 4322 at MTSU.
Students may take some of these courses online or in the traditional classroom format. For students interested in taking any of the above courses online, please access Distance Learning to obtain information about D2L, the online platform used and other beneficial resources to help you be a successful distance learning student.
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