Dietetics
The Registered Dietitian is a food and nutrition expert who has met the minimum academic and professional requirements to qualify for the Registration Examination for Dietitians. Registered dietitians work in a variety of settings that include, but are not limited to, hospitals, HMOs, private practice, health-care facilities, community and public health, food and nutrition industry, business, sports nutrition, corporate wellness programs, academia, and research.
To become a Registered Dietitian, the following steps must be taken:
- You must complete a bachelor’s degree at a U.S. regionally accredited college or university in which the Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPND) academic requirements are approved by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics;
- You must complete a ACEND approved supervised practice experience – the Internship Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (IPND);
- After completion of your academic requirements and practice experience, you must pass the Registration Examination for Dietitians administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), the credentialing agency for the Academy. More information on the exam can be found at www.cdrnet.org. NOTE: Many states have regulatory laws for dietitians. Often these individual state requirements can be met through the same combination of education and training required to become a Registered Dietitian.
You are ready to apply. What next?
Admission Requirements and Application Protocol
The Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPND) at the University of Wyoming is housed in the
Department of Family and Consumer Sciences. Entrance into the DPND made only through an application process. Applicants must follow the
admission protocol outlined in Appendix A of the handbook. Each prospective DPND student will initially enter the Human Nutrition and Food option. Students will be eligible to apply to the DPND only after completing a required list of courses (59 to 60 credit hours) and meeting the established minimum overall grade point average (GPA) and GPAs in each category. The application process must include a statement of career goals. The DPND is structured to have four remaining semesters after acceptance with the upper division courses designed as professional dietetics courses. Formal acceptance is required to continue with the professional course sequence. If you have an existing degree, the DPND Director will evaluate your previous academic preparation and identify the courses that you would need to enroll in for completion of the DPND. The DPND Director can advise you of your options. The
application for admission can be found in Appendix B of the handbook.
Program of Study
The Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPND) requires 128-130 overall credit hours that include University Studies courses (general education requirements), Family and Consumer Sciences core courses, and specific dietetics courses as described in the University of Wyoming Catalog.
The Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPND) requires 128-130 overall credit hours that include University Studies courses (general education requirements), Family and Consumer Sciences core courses, and specific dietetics courses as described in the
University of Wyoming Catalog. Of the total, 48 credit hours must be upper division. The program is structured for eight consecutive semesters – four before application to the DPND and four after admission to the program. Dietetic majors complete coursework in subjects ranging from human nutrition and food science to economics, sociology, psychology, mathematics, biochemistry, physiology, anatomy, and microbiology. Proper course sequencing is critical to the successful completion of your degree within the desired time frame. Planning your class schedule using the program check sheet is done with your academic adviser each semester during Advising Week.
Cost of Program
DPND students should be prepared for the following program expenses:
DPND students should be prepared for the following program expenses:
- Tuition and fees; books and course packets; room and board for attending the University
- Local transportation to off-campus facilities
- Lab coat $20.00 to $40.00
- Health insurance as per the University requirements
- Immunizations (MMR—university requirements) and current TB screening
- Drug screening $35.00/semester when enrolled in courses with required clinical rotations
- Malpractice Liability insurance $30.00
- D & D Digital computer matching fee (final year) $50.00
- Affiliate membership in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) $50.00
- Dietetic Internship Computer Application Service (DICAS) $40.00 minimum
DPND Accreditation
Accreditation is necessary because dietetics is a unique profession that requires a defined educational process based on established national standards.
Accreditation is necessary because dietetics is a unique profession that requires a defined educational process based on established national standards. The accreditation process requires a detailed description of how a specific DPND meets the national educational standards and an on-site evaluation by accreditation reviewers. The process is completed every 10 years with a five-year interim report, and is undertaken 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, IL 60606-6995
Phone: (800) 877-1600 ext. 5400 or (312) 899-0040 ext. 5400
ACEND is responsible for setting the national standards and for evaluating, recognizing, and publishing the list of programs that meet these standards. The Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Wyoming is fully accredited.
Verification Statements
The Verification Statement is an official document that indicates the completion of course requirements for the Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPND) at the University of Wyoming.
The Verification Statement is an official document that indicates the completion of course requirements for the Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPND) at the University of Wyoming. Preparation of this document is done after the Office of the Registrar posts your degree with passing grades in all courses. An original signature from the DPND Director must appear on the Verification Statement in colored ink. Copies of this form are not acceptable for official verification.
A permanent record of your academic program is kept in the department files. If in the future you need additional Verification Statements for application to an internship, employment, or licensure, please make a request to the DPND Director at the University of Wyoming. Make your request in a timely manner. The
Verification Statement Request Form is found in Appendix C of this handbook. You must print and sign this form and return it to the DPND Director.
All information listed above is available for printing in the Handbook.
