Advanced Practice in Dietetics - Post-Baccalaureate Certificate

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College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences

A registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) is an expert in food and nutrition who works in various settings to advance health in clients and their families. RDN registration requires a graduate Debye (master’s or doctorate), completion of supervised practice through an accredited program, and passage of the registration exam for dietitians. This exam is required for licensing in most states, including the state of Utah. Additional information on licensing and certification programs can be found at https://www.cdrnet.org/state-licensure.

The Post-Baccalaureate Certificate of Advanced Practice in Dietetics (CAPD) will integrate with existing graduate degrees in the NDFS department including the Master’s of Publish Health (MPH) Nutrition degree and the Master of Science (MS) in Nutrition and Food Science to provide supervised practice in preparation for the Dietitian registration exam. Upon successful completion of the CAPD and the affiliated graduate degree, students will be prepared to sit the registration exam for dietitians administered by the Commission of Dietetics Registration and to practice as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) at the entry level.

The CAPD will be offered as a traditional face-to-face program on Logan Campus. Admission into the program requires a formal application in February of the year prior to desired entry. Supervised practice occurs in numerous facilities on and off campus. Some travel may be required. Students should anticipate working at dietetics-related facilities 10-32 hours per week during the program.

Please see the website for the updated handbook.

Admission Requirements

There are two pathways for admission into the CAPD. Student may obtain a bachelor’s degree from an accredited undergraduate dietetics program. Students who have not completed a dietetics program may apply after completing the noted prerequisites.

Graduate from an accredited nutrition/dietetics program and have a DPD Verification Statement OR be in the process of completing an accredited nutrition/dietetics program and will reive a DPD Verification Statement or Foreign Dietitian Education program (FDE) upon completion.
- Applicants with a DPD Verification Statement more than 3 years old at the time of application may have to meet additional requirements.
- Applicants who have received a BS degree in a closely related field but who do not have a DPD Verification Statment may inquire about eligibility.
- Minimum pre-requisite GPA of 3.0.
Obtain Food Manager or ServeSafe Certification.
Complete 300 hours of dietetics-related experience.

Applicants should apply to graduate school in addition with the application for the CAPD. The applicant’s major professor or program advisor should be willing to submit a letter of support for the candidate if the student is already enrolled in a graduate program at time of application.

Official transcripts will be required. Unofficial transcripts will not be accepted. Transcripts must be submitted in English. Foreign transcripts will need to be evaluated by an outside agency. The program cannot provide this service. Two recommended foreign credential evaluation agencies, include Academic and Professional International Evaluations, Inc (http://www.apie.org/) and Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, Inc. (http://www.acei1.com/).

Career Opportunities

With a degree in dietetics, students may be qualified for the following careers:

Registered Nutritionist
Clinical nutrition (hospitals, long-term care facilities, health care, etc.)
Community nutrition and education
Public health
Food service management: schools, clinical facilities
Private consulting
Sports nutrition

For more information on dietetics practice, see: https://www.eatrightpro.org/practice.

Licensure Requirements

This program typically leads to licensure and was designed to meet licensing qualifications in the state of Utah. If students wish to work in another state within the United States, they should review the qualifications for that state per the information provided by The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

According to the most recent information from the sponsoring department, this program:

Meets licensure requirements in the following states: OR, WA, CA, ID, NV, AZ, UT, AK, MT, WY, CO, HI, ND, SD, NE, KS, OK, TX, MN, IO, MS, AR, MS, TN, KY, OH, WV, PA, NH, VT,MA, RI, CT, NJ, DE, MD, VA, NC, SC, GA, FL
Does not meet licensure requirements in: ME
Has not determined if the program meets licensure requirements in the remaining states.

A detailed spreadsheet on states and requirements can be found on this spreadsheet.

Required Courses (16 credits)

NDFS 6460 - Medical Dietetics (CI) 4 credit(s)
NDFS 5050 - Clinical Skills I 1 credit(s)
NDFS 5060 - Clinical Skills II 2 credit(s)
NDFS 5080 - Food Service Skills 2 credit(s)
NDFS 5090 - Community Skills I 1 credit(s)
NDFS 5750 - Advanced Dietetics Practicum 2 credit(s)
NDFS 6060 - Community Skills II 2 credit(s)

Licensure Notification

This program typically leads to licensure and was designed to meet licensing qualifications in the state of Utah. If students wish to work in another state within the United States, they should review the qualifications for that state and the Education Licensure Compliance Table provided by School of Teacher Education and Leadership.

For more information, please contact the School of Teacher Education and Leadership at https://cehs.usu.edu/teal/