The SDSU Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) is designed to allow students pursuing the BS in Foods & Nutrition or the MS in Nutritional Sciences to complete the additional requirements needed to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
The program strives to produce graduates who are going to be competitive in the dietetic internship (supervised practice accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics [ACEND]) application process, be successful in completion of a dietetic internship program, will pass the RDN registration exam, and be a dietitian who makes valuable contributions to the profession.
Becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
In order to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) a San Diego State University (SDSU) student must complete the following steps:
- Complete a minimum of a bachelor’s degree at SDSU or another US regionally accredited university or college.
- Complete the SDSU Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) course work, which is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND®). Graduates who successfully complete the SDSU DPD are eligible to apply to an ACEND®-accredited supervised practice program.
- Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), the organization that administers the RDN credentialing exam, will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the exam. More information is available on the CDR website.
- Complete an ACEND®-accredited supervised practice program. Typically, a practice program will run six to 12 months in length. Applicants to dietetic internships must also participate in the computer match process through D&D Digital as part of their application process.
- Pass a national examination administered by CDR. For more information regarding the examination, refer to CDR’s website.
- Complete continuing professional educational requirements to maintain registration.
Although licensure is not required in California, upon graduating and successfully becoming an RDN, if a graduate moves to another state, licensure may be required to practice. For more information about state licensure, refer to CDR’s website.
For more information about educational pathways to become an RDN please refer to the ACEND® website.
DPD Information Session
Video
See our very own Student Nutrition Organization members introduce the Foods & Nutrition and DPD Programs!
DPD Student Handbook
Current DPD students, please download:
- DPD Student Handbook (pdf)
Accreditation
The San Diego State University Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) is accredited by the:
Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago, IL 60606-6995, (312) 899-0040 ext 5400
http://www.eatrightPRO.org/ACEND
