Mission Statement of the Didactic Program in Dietetics

The mission of the Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics at Life University is to provide diverse didactic courses in biological, nutrition and dietetics science, as well as to facilitate practical experience for students so that the program graduates attain required knowledge and competencies for a variety of careers within the field of nutrition and dietetics.

Accreditation Status

The Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) and Dietetic Internship (DI) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND).

Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND): www.eatrightpro.org/acend

Program Goals

Goal #1

Program graduates will be prepared with a broad educational knowledge and skills for successful entry and completion of the supervised dietetic internship program. 

Objectives for Goal 1:

• Objective 1: At least 80% of students complete program requirements within 6 years (150% of planned program length)..
• Objective 2: At least 80 percent of program graduates apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within 12 months of graduation.
• Objective 3: Of program graduates who apply to a supervised practice program, at least 60 percent are admitted within 12 months of graduation.
• Objective 4: 80% of those graduates who are not accepted or not applied to a dietetic internship within the academic year they complete the DPD will seek further training or obtain employment.
• Objective 5: 80% of the IP directors will feel the graduates of the Life University DP are prepared for the IP.

Goal #2

Program graduates will effectively perform job responsibilities of any entry level position in the field of nutrition and dietetics and or pursuing an advanced degree. 

Objectives for Goal 2:

• Objective 1: The program’s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of first attempt) on CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.
• Objective 2: 80% of the DPD graduates who desire employment will obtain a position in their field of study within 12 months of graduation.
• Objective 3: 90% of the employers of the DPD graduates who take position in the field of nutrition and dietetics feel Life University graduates are well prepared for their position.
• Objective 4: Over a seven-year period, 10% of the DP graduates will apply to an advanced degree program within 3 years of graduation.

Program outcomes data are available on request.  Please send a written request to Dr. Kwase Dowe, DPD Director, at kwase.dowe@life.edu or Nutrition Department, College of Graduate & Undergraduate Studies, 1269 Barclay Circle, Marietta, GA  30060

Career Opportunities

Job opportunities for graduates with Registered Dietitian credential are endless and include settings such as hospitals, public health nutrition programs and long-term care facilities. Dietitians also work in child nutrition and school lunch programs, community wellness centers, health clubs, nutrition programs for the elderly, food companies and in food service management settings. Their responsibilities are as varied as the settings in which they work. Dietitians also work with physicians providing individual and group therapy. Another possibility for Dietitians is to work for pharmaceutical companies with lines of Nutritional Products.

Credentialing Process for Dietetics Practitioners:

Students are required to go through a sequential three-step process to become a Registered Dietitian. Those steps are:

1. Completion of didactic component of a ACEND Accredited program in dietetics.
2. Completion of a ACEND Accredited dietetic internship program.
3. Pass the National examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

The completion of this program fulfills the first step in the process. It also gives the student the competence and eligibility to complete a Dietetic Internship Program.

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: https://www.cdrnet.org/graduatedegree. 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 Dietetic Program in Dietetics (DPD) program at Life University are eligible to apply to an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program.

In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. For more information about state licensure requirements click here.

For more information about educational pathways to become a RDN, click here.

Bachelor of Science in Dietetics Completion Requirements:

1. Satisfactory completion of all required courses (nutrition and non-nutrition), with a minimum overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above is required for a B.S. in Dietetics. Additionally, students are required to have an all-nutrition GPA 3.25 and all science minimum course grade of C or better (BIO 111 , BIO 201 , BIO 203 , BIO 431 , BIO 433 , CHM 111 , CHM 112 , CHM 211 , CHM 212 , CHM 315 , and CHM 316 ) 

   1. If, upon completion, the student’s OVERALL GPA falls below a 3.0, the student becomes ineligible to graduate from the DPD Program and ineligible to receive a Verification Statement.

   2. If the student has a GPA below 3.0, he or she can be awarded a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition instead.

   3. To earn a BSD, the student must have an overall GPA of 3.0, an all-nutrition GPA of 3.25 and a minimum science course grade of C or better.

2. The DC student who chooses to enter the DPD program must strictly adhere to the DPD program requirements including a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.

3. All courses from areas IV-VI must be completed with a grade of “B” or better.
   A minimum GPA of 3.0 or above is required for the Verification Statement that accompanies the application to Dietetic Internship Programs, however, nearly 80 percent of those accepted into internships have an average GPA above 3.0.

4. Students must provide the Director of Didactic Program in Dietetics with their social security number and permanent address during their last quarter at Life University so that a Verification Statement can be mailed upon completing degree requirements.

5. To receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics from Life University, a student must earn at least 25% of coursework at Life University.

6. Completion of SLP requirements and documentation on co-curricular transcript.

7. File a petition to graduate.

8. Administrative and student reviews of records

   1. Registrar Office – Complete a formal academic records review
   2. Complete Exit Counseling, if applicable, online at www.StudentAid.gov
   3. Student Accounting – rectify any account balance

Degree Requirements

Students receiving a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics degree must complete a minimum total of 191 Quarter Credit hours of instruction.

Bachelor of Science Offerings

Bachelor of Science in Dietetics Curriculum