Health Sciences - Nutrition and Foods, Bachelor of Science

Students selecting the Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Foods will choose a specific option:

• Option 1: Nutrition and Foods (Dietetics option) – completion of the Dietetics option of the Nutrition and Foods major results in a DPD verification statement. This option is for those who plan to pursue a career as a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), and it specifically prepares students for supervised practice leading to eligibility for the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN. Graduates of Nutrition and Foods (Dietetics option) will be eligible to apply to graduate and supervised practice programs in dietetics, including dietetic internships and coordinated programs, to gain eligibility for the credentialing examination for registered dietitian nutritionists. In addition, this option allows graduates to sit for the credentialing examination for nutrition and dietetic technicians, registered (NDTR).  If you are pursuing this option, please contact the program director or your academic advisor to ensure you are following the ideal progession plan.  Note: Beginning January 1, 2024, a master’s degree will be required in order to sit for the RDN exam.
• Option 2: Nutrition and Foods (General option)- this option provides many of the same nutrition and science courses as the Dietetics option while allowing customization of the degree. Students who chose the general option want a solid foundation in nutritional science but also want to pursue coursework in another field, such as fitness, wellness, biology, hotel restaurant management, entrepreneurship, or others. In addition, this option is best for students pursuing health careers outside of dietetics, such as medicine, physician assistant, physical therapy, dentistry, or nursing. See list of approved undergraduate elective options under the Course Plans link. This option does not meet the requirements to be eligible to complete a dietetic internship or credentialing exams upon graduation.

Careers in dietetics 

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Registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) are considered the food and nutrition experts and can work in a wide range of fields administering medical nutrition therapy: 

1. hospitals and other healthcare facilities 
2. community and public health 
3. research and academia 
4. sports nutrition 
5. corporate wellness 
6. journalism and communications 
7. private practice 

In addition to the RDN credential, practitioners can gain specialty credentials in obesity and weight management, gerontological nutrition, sports dietetics, pediatric nutrition, pediatric critical care nutrition, renal nutrition, and oncology nutrition. Board-certified specialists are credentialed by the Commission on Dietetic Registration, the credentialing agency for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 

A verification statement is required before you are eligible to register to sit for the national NDTR credentialing exam. There are two pathways to earn a DPD verification statement: 

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Bachelor’s Degree Pathway 

• • To be eligible to sit for the national NDTR credentialing exam following the bachelor’s pathway, one must complete coursework in an ACEND-accredited didactic program in dietetics (DPD) which awards at least a bachelor’s degree at a U.S. regionally accredited college or university. 

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• • NAU offers a Dietetics option progression plan that is accredited with ACEND and results in a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and Foods as well as a DPD verification statement. Successful graduates of our DPD (Dietetics option) earn a DPD verification statement and become eligible to register to sit for the national NDTR credentialing exam. 

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Associate’s Degree Pathway 

• • To be eligible to sit for the national NDTR credentialing exam following the associate’s pathway, one must complete an ACEND-accredited NDTR associate’s program, which includes approved didactic coursework as well as 450 hours of supervised practice experience in various community programs and healthcare and foodservice facilities. 

• • These programs terminate with a two-year associate’s degree and are administered at a U.S. regionally accredited college or university. Once successfully completed, graduates are awarded a verification statement and are eligible to register to sit for the national NDTR credentialing exam. 

Regardless of which pathway one follows to earn the NDTR credential, once earned, the credential must be maintained through completion of 50 hours of continuing education every 5 years. 

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Step to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) 

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• Earn a minimum of a graduate degree from an accredited dietetics program. Coursework varies from program to program, but in general, coursework includes a range of subjects such as food and nutrition science, foodservice, business, culinary arts, and communication, as well as science courses such as biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, and chemistry. 

• • Note: a graduate degree is required to be eligible to sit for the national RDN credentialing exam. Some accredited programs include a master’s degree, while other students complete their undergraduate degree in an accredited DPD and earn their master’s degree in another field (e.g., public health, etc.) 

• Complete a supervised practice requirement. In addition to earning a graduate degree, one must complete at least 1,000 hours of supervised practice to gain real-world experience and apply knowledge learned in class.  
• Pass a national exam for RDNs. Once a graduate degree and supervised practice hours have been completed, one may register to sit for the national RDN credentialing exam. This is called “RDN eligibility,” meaning an individual has completed the requirements to become eligible to take the national exam. 
• Meet requirements to practice in your state. Many states have regulatory laws for food and nutrition practitioners, such as licensure requirements. All states accept the RDN credential for state licensure purposes. 
• Complete continuing education to maintain the RDN credential. After successfully passing the national RDN credentialing exam and earning the RDN credential, RDNs must maintain ongoing professional development to stay up to date on the latest research and best practices. RDNs must complete 75 continuing education hours every 5 years to maintain their credential.  

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There are several kinds of accredited program options that can lead to RDN eligibility, including Graduate Programs (GPs), Coordinated Programs (CPs), and DPD + Dietetic Internship (DI) options. 

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NAU offers an MPH Nutrition degree that leads to RDN eligibility.  Read more about the different program types and requirements, and search ACEND’s Accredited Program Directory to search for programs.  

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Obtaining a spot in a dietetic internship or graduate program is extremely competitive, so it is very important to maintain exceptional grades while completing an accredited undergraduate nutrition program. In addition, it helps to have nutrition-related work or service experience and/or have gained other applicable skills relevant to the dietetic programs to which you apply.  There are a number of options to help you fulfill the graduate degree requirement needed to sit for the RDN exam: 

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• Apply for a Graduate Program in Dietetics, a Coordinated Graduate Program, or an MS/DI program. 

• These programs include supervised experiential learning (dietetic internship) and graduate curriculum all in one program. These programs are typically a high credit load but are time efficient because all elements are typically completed in two years, and therefore often less expensive than doing the dietetic internship and graduate programs separately (which typically takes three years). 

• Apply for a graduate program and then apply for a dietetic internship. 

• This is an ideal option if your grades in your undergraduate program are somewhat low, or if you were unable to secure paid or internship positions relevant to the field of nutrition and dietetics. 

• Please keep in mind that this is a multi-step process in that you first apply to graduate school, then you apply and match to a dietetic internship. This process takes longer than going through a combination graduate/supervised experience program, such as those listed above. 

Application processes vary by program. Students should verify the application requirements and procedures with programs they are interested in.  Most dietetic internships follow common applications, processes, and schedules for application and program acceptance decisions. There are two timeframes for applying to these dietetic internships: spring (February – April) and fall (September – November). All ACEND-accredited dietetic internships use a centralized application process. 

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Dietetics Supervised Practice Application Process 

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• Search for dietetics programs (GP, CP, DI) of interest using the DICAS Platform. Applicants can search for programs in DICAS using 6 search fields (Program Type, Degree Available, DPD Verification Statement, Number of Preceptors Scheduled by Program, Start Term, and State).  
• Even though all program types are required to include their application in DICAS, please note each program’s application deadline and be sure to submit the application by the program’s noted application due date. 
  • Programs will have different application deadlines. 
  • For some programs you may be asked to complete a separate application for the graduate portion of the program and pay a separate fee. Some of these fees may be waived. This information should be on the program’s DICAS information page and/or the program’s website. 
  • Not all programs will have their applications viewable when DICAS initially opens in August of each application cycle, so applicants should continue to check to see additional applications. 
• Notification and Decision Dates
  • Applicants’ notification dates can be any date during the cycle but the last date for notifications are November 1 (fall cycle) and March 1 (spring cycle). All programs are expected to notify applicants of their admission decision by this date. Review the applicant code of conduct posted here. 
  • Programs should not require a response from the applicant before November 15 (fall cycle) or March 15 (spring cycle).  
  • Applicants may be waitlisted and will/may be notified after these deadlines based on available positions. 
• Applicant Code of Conduct and Traffic Rules 
  • As future dietitian nutritionist professionals, it is expected that applicants follow the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Code of Ethics for RDNs and NDTRs. ACEND also developed the Applicant Code of Conduct and Traffic Rules that are specific to the application process and are posted here. All applicants must follow these traffic rules: 
    • You may not be enrolled in more than one program at any time. 
    • In fairness to other applicants and nutrition and dietetics programs, if you have decided before November 15 (fall cycle) or March 15 (spring cycle) not to attend a program that has offered you admission, promptly withdraw your application from the program(s) by contacting the program director. 

• • • Once you have accepted an offer, if you were offered admission to other programs, you MUST contact the program director(s) to decline offer(s). This allows waitlisted applicants to be given an offer. 

• • • If you receive and accept an alternative offer after you have already accepted an offer, you MUST rescind/withdraw your acceptance at the program where you had previously accepted an offer within 24 hours of accepting the offer at the new program. 

• • • Reports of possible applicant and program misconduct may be submitted to ACEND, which serves as a clearinghouse for these types of issues. Questions about the Applicant Code of Conduct should be directed to ACEND@eatright.org. 

• • • Applicants who submitted a Declaration of Intent to Complete form with their dietetic internship applications must obtain a signed DPD Verification Statement from their DPD Program Director and official transcripts documenting completion of a bachelor’s degree before they may begin the dietetic internship

• Up-to-date tuition, fees, and estimated living expenses for all NAU undergraduate programs can be found here:
  • Undergraduate tuition and expenses
  • Summer tuition and fees
• Undergraduate program fee at $150/semester during junior and senior years. The program fee covers program management and course-related costs, such as lab materials and program accreditation fees.
• Financial aid may be available to those who qualify. Please visit the NAU Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid for more information.

The mission of the Didactic Program in Dietetics at NAU is to effectively prepare students for supervised practice leading to eligibility for the CDR credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist through provision of experiential learning opportunities, with an emphasis on culinary skills acquisition.

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Goals and objectives

Goal 1: Program graduates will be well prepared with the core knowledge and skills necessary for entry into dietetic internships, graduate school, or the nutrition-related workforce. Goal 1 objectives:

1. At least 80% of program students complete program/degree requirements within 3 years (150% of the program length).
2. At least 50% of program graduates apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within 12 months of graduation.
3. Of program graduates who apply to a supervised program, at least 40% are admitted within 12 months of graduation.
4. 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%.
5. At least 80% of post-baccalaureate program directors will rate program graduates as satisfactory or higher within 12 months of graduation.

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Goal 2: Program graduates will possess basic culinary knowledge and skills that benefit the nutritional health of diverse populations. Goal 2 objectives:

1. On a 5-point Likert scale, at least 80% of program graduates will indicate a 4 or higher in their reported confidence of culinary skills, such as knife skills, baking, roasting, sautéing, preparing fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, and using herbs and spices.
2. On a 5-point Likert scale, at least 80% of program graduates will indicate a 4 or higher in their reported confidence of planning and preparing healthy meals and snacks for diverse populations, such as older adults, those with chronic disease, and people from varied cultures.

Program outcomes data available upon request.

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Policies for DPD Transfer Students and Assessing Prior Learning (Dietetics/DPD Option) 

• Students who transfer with undergraduate course credit must follow NAU’s policies for credit transfer posted here. 
• Students who previously completed a non-DPD bachelor’s degree but wish to be awarded a DPD verification statement from NAU will be required to send transcripts to the DPD director for evaluation. Syllabi may be requested to determine course equivalency. To receive DPD verification, students will be required to take equivalent courses to all upper level DPD courses on the NAU Dietetics course list. Any course deficiencies identified will need to be fulfilled through appropriate NAU courses. Additionally, regardless of equivalent course completion, students will be required to take 12 credit hours of upper-level (300- and 400-level) Nutrition and Foods courses from NAU. 
• Students who transfer from an outside accredited DPD and who have already completed some coursework in which KRNDs were assessed, to earn a DPD verification statement upon completion of the NTS bachelor’s degree (including a minimum of 12 upper division NTS credits completed at NAU), students will need to provide evidence of completed and graded assignments or exams from transferred courses that closely align with the KRDNs assessed within the NTS Dietetics curriculum. If the student’s work in transferred courses is inadequate in addressing and passing a KRDN, then the student will be given one additional opportunity to pass the KRDN through an alternative assignment.