Dietetics program

The Dietetics Area of Concentration in the School of Nutrition and Food Sciences is currently accredited as a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a specialized accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

ACEND^® can be contacted by:
• Email: ACEND@eatright.org
• Phone: 800/877-1600, ext. 5400
• Mail: 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995

The Mission of the DPD at LSU is to provide a program of excellence that gives students a broad knowledge base combined with specialized skills in human nutrition, food and food systems management to improve the quality of life for families and individuals in a complex and changing world. The program prepares students for supervised practice leading to eligibility for the CDR credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist. The learning environment is structured to promote self-reliance, critical thinking, problem solving, intellectual curiosity, community involvement, scholarly pursuits, life-long learning, and professional integrity.

Students successfully completing this program requirements will receive a verification statement that allows them to apply for an ACEND accredited dietetic internship. This internship is required before students are eligible to sit for the registry examination to become a registered dietitian (RD).

Registered dietitians provide expertise in nutrition and food service management in a variety of settings, including public and private schools, universities, hospitals, clinics, care centers, the armed services, research laboratories, commercial and industrial establishments, and local, state and federal health programs.

Students who successfully complete the knowledge requirements of the dietetics concentration, as outlined by ACEND, but do not enter and complete a dietetic internship are qualified to sit the examination to become a dietetic technician, registered (DTR).

Information about both the RD and DTR programs are available through the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

• Goal #1– The learning environment of the DPD is structured to promote self-reliance, critical thinking, problem solving, intellectual curiosity, community involvement, scholarly pursuits, and life-long learning in its program graduates.
• Objective 1.1: At least 80% percent of program students complete program/degree requirements within 6 years (150% of the program length).
• Objective 1.2: 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%.
• Objective 1.3: 50% of program graduates are admitted to a supervised practice program within 12 months of graduation.
• Objective 1.4: 60% of program graduates apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within 12 months of graduation.


• Goal #2 – The DPD program will prepare graduates to demonstrate professionalism and professional integrity in the field of dietetics.
• Objective 2.1: 100% of Dietetic Internship Directors surveyed will rate their satisfaction with the required knowledge preparation program graduates receive before entering an internship on average 3.5 or higher (on a 5.0 scale).
• Objective 2.2: 100% of Dietetic Internship Directors surveyed will rate their satisfaction with the professionalism of program graduates completing an internship on average 3.5 or higher (on a 5.0 scale).
• Objective 2.3: 100% of Dietetic Internship Directors surveyed will rate their satisfaction with the professional integrity of program graduates completing an internship on average 3.5 or higher (on a 5.0 scale).

The program outcomes data for the DPD are available upon request.

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 program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). In Louisiana, graduates also must obtain licensure to practice. Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited DPD program at LSU are eligible to apply to an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program with another institution. LSU does not currently offer a supervised practice program. For more information about educational pathways to become an RDN please visit https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/students-and-advancing-education/information-for-students

The three other concentrations in the School of Nutrition and Food Sciences: Nutritional Sciences/Pre-Medical; Nutrition, Health, and Society; and Food Science and Technology, do not prepare students to obtain professional credentials in dietetics.

Nutrition and Food Sciences Licensure

Students who successfully complete the Nutrition and Food Science B.S. program, Concentration in Dietetics requirements will receive a verification statement that allows them to apply for an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) accredited dietetic internship. This internship is required before students are eligible to sit for the registry examination to become a registered dietitian (RD). The Dietetics Area of Concentration in the School of Nutrition and Food Sciences is accredited as a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) by ACEND of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a specialized accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Students who successfully complete the knowledge requirements of the dietetics concentration, as outlined by ACEND, but do not enter and complete a dietetic internship are qualified to sit the examination to become a dietetic technician, registered (DTR). Graduates of the program who wish to practice dietetics or as a dietetic technician in Louisiana or another U.S. state or country may require additional eligibility criteria to qualify for licensure and/or certification. The Louisiana Board of Examiners in Dietetics and Nutrition grant and enforce licensure for Registered Dietitians and Dietetic Technicians in this state. Information on licensure is available on their website. We are unable to confirm the licensure and/or certification requirements of other states or countries. Therefore, if you intend to pursue such credentialing in another state or elsewhere, it is advised that you to contact the applicable state or country credentialing authority to familiarize yourself with its specific requirements and determine if this program meets the applicable eligibility criteria. If you have additional questions in this regard, please contact emckinley1@lsu.edu to assist you in your career planning.

Students in the DPD who have complaints regarding specific issues relating to the DPD (not including grade disputes/appeals within a DPD class, as those are procedures are outlined under the University polices) may first send the complaint to the DPD Director in writing (emckinley1@lsu.edu). If the student and DPD Director are unable to resolve the complaint, the complaint will then be forwarded to the Interim Director of the Nutrition and Food Sciences Program (Dr. Philip H. Elzer - PElzer@agcenter.lsu.edu) for resolution.

Any non-academic (non-DPD related) grievances can be submitted through an online form sent directly to the LSU Office of Student Advocacy & Accountability.

FOR DOWNLOAD:
1. Student Handbook: Didactic Program in Dietetics (PDF) ver: 16 August 2022
2. Dietetics Concentration Vital Information Sheet

SCHOLASTIC REQUIREMENTS

Students must complete the required 120 hours of course credit to receive the Bachelor’s degree. All DPD course requirements listed must also be completed to receive a verification statement.

Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA (Cumulative and LSU) and earn a grade of “C” or better in all required NFS courses, as well as BIOL 2160 and 2083.

A student who fails to earn a 2.0 Semester GPA in each of two consecutive semesters (or one semester and a summer term) and whose Cumulative and LSU GPA is below 2.0 will be declared ineligible to continue in the College of Agriculture.

** This curriculum assumes students enter the university ready to take MATH 1023/1550 (as demonstrated through ACT scores or placement tests). Students needing to complete preparatory courses should plan to attend summer school at a junior college to catch up with the curriculum **

CRITICAL REQUIREMENTS

CRITICAL REQUIREMENTS must be met by the indicated semester to be considered making minimal progress in their degree program.

• Sem 1: "C" or better in ENGL 1001
• Sem 2: CHEM 1201
• Sem 3: NFS 1014, NFS 1110
• Sem 4: CHEM 2060
• Sem 5: BIOL 2083

NOTE: This page is offered as an aid for planning a course of study. The LSU General Catalog contains the official requirements for graduation. See the requirements for your program and catalog year for the specifics of the progress through your program. This page is updated for the 2022-2023 academic year

Download the Dietetics Curriculum: PDF