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The dietetics & nutrition major in the Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition offers so much to set you up for success.
Within 12 months of graduation, 100% of our graduates who apply to a Supervised Practice Program are admitted, compared to the national average of 73%.
Are you interested in how food affects a person’s health? Do you care about helping people make great choices about food as fuel? Dietetics & Nutrition might be the right path for you – especially if you want to go into one of the fastest-growing careers in the United States.
Dietetics & Nutrition brings together physical and social sciences to address today’s nutrition and health issues. As a student, you will study the high-tech science of applying knowledge of food and nutrition to improve and maintain good health.
This vital and growing field is open to creativity, with endless opportunities for you to pursue an important career.
Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD)
If your goal is to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), our program will set you on the right path with internship placement rates between 87% and 100%, well over the national average. The DPD and Dietetic Internship are available to graduate students seeking a M.S. or Ph.D. degree in Human Nutrition. Graduate students can complete DPD requirements concurrently while working on a graduate degree. We also offer a 5-year B.S/M.S. program exclusively to dietetics students.
After passing the RDN exam*, you can pursue diverse career specializations in dietetics, including clinical, community, and public health; consulting; food/nutrition in the business industry; food service management, research, and education; sports and wellness nutrition; as well as many careers that don’t require RDN certification.
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 most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited DPD at the University of Illinois are eligible to apply to an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program.
For more information about educational pathways to become a RDN please click here.
Program Highlights
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Internships & Work Experiences
50 hours of work experience required
- Illini Fuel
- Campus Recreation Cooking Instructor Program
- Nutrition Peer Educators with McKinley Health Center dietitians
- Carle Health System
- Clark-Lindsey Retirement Village
- Champaign-Urbana Public Health District
- Hands-on cooking labs and kitchens
- Our student-run restaurant
- Nutrition education presentations
- Undergraduate research opportunities
- Short- and long-term study abroad
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Classes
- Hands-on cooking labs and kitchens
- Our student-run restaurant
- Nutrition education presentations
- Undergraduate research opportunities
- Short- and long-term study abroad
Clubs
- Student Dietetic Association
- NutrImpact
- Eat4Health
Director of Didactic Program in Dietetics
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Accreditation Status
The Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) at the University of Illinois is currently granted accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995 (Phone: 800-877-1600 ext. 5400 or 312-899-0040). ACEND is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation and the United States Department of Education. The DPD was fully reaccredited in 2020 and will be under review for accreditation again in 2028.
One must complete an accredited DPD program, which is a four-year classroom curriculum of learning, culminating in a B.S. Degree. It must be followed by a dietetic internship or supervised practice experience in order to qualify one to take the RDN Exam.
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 order to be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor’s degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into CDR’s Registration Eligibility Processing System (REPS) before 12:00 midnight Central Time, December 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement visit CDR’s website. 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). Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited DPD program at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign are eligible to apply to an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program and apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) has determined that our curriculum meets the educational requirements for licensure or certification in the state of Illinois. We are unable to determine if the curriculum meets the educational requirements for any of the remaining U.S. states and jurisdictions. Based on the University of Illinois policy and your permanent address, your location has been determined to be the [STATE or TERRITORY]. Please find your state’s requirements, resources, and contact information.
You are encouraged to contact the appropriate licensing agency for your location or wherever you desire to be licensed or certified to seek information and additional guidance. Please be aware that there may be licensure or certification requirements in addition to an academic program’s curriculum.
Note: This disclosure is being made in compliance with federal regulation 34 CFR §668.43 and the State Authorization and Reciprocity Agreements Manual.