Dietetics involves the nutrition aspect of healthcare. Since nutrition is an essential part of preventative healthcare, dietitians can develop nutrition programs to prevent disease and promote health, targeting different groups of people. Dietitians treat chronic diseases using Medical Nutrition Therapy. Dietitians work in various settings like hospitals and nursing care facilities, where they assess patients’ nutritional needs, develop and implement nutrition interventions, and monitor and evaluate outcomes.
Registered Dietitians (RDs) and Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) are credentialed professionals who complete accredited education and training programs. Nutritionists, by contrast, are not credentialed and cannot provide Medical Nutrition Therapy.
For more information on becoming a Dietitian, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics provides an overview: "Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist".
Nutrition and dietetics technicians, registered (NDTRs) are also different from RDNs. NDTRs often work in partnership with RDNs by screening, evaluating, and educating patients, and monitoring patients’ progress. Students can learn more by visiting the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Become an NDTR.
Nutrition and Dietetics Preparation
- Timeline
Pre-dietitian students will have different pathways depending on their major.
Students with a major in Clinical Nutrition Science will be able to follow this timeline:
1. Obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Nutrition Science (4+ years), satisfy the Knowledge Requirements (KRDNs), complete the GRE (if applicable) and gain relevant experiences.
2. Choose any of the 3 following graduate options:- a. Complete an ACEND-accredited Graduate Program in Nutrition and Dietetics. This type of program provides didactic coursework and experiential learning through supervised practice.
- b. Complete an ACEND-accredited Coordinated Program in Dietetics. A coordinated program offers both the didactic coursework and supervised practice.
- c. Complete a Master’s degree in a related field plus a Dietetic Internship. Students with a Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Nutrition Science major will already have fulfilled didactic coursework necessary for their dietetics requirements and just need to complete the dietetic internship and a related Master’s degree.
3. Pass the RD Examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration
4. Become licensed in the state you wish to practice
5. Maintain credentials and complete continuing dietetics education
OPTIONAL: After earning a bachelor's degree with a minimum of four years of full-time post-credentialing work experience or a master's degree with a minimum of two years of full-time post-credentialing work experience, dietitians can further their education by pursuing an Advanced Practice Doctorate degree in nutrition and dietetics.
Dietetics involves the nutrition aspect of healthcare. Since nutrition is an essential part of preventative healthcare, dietitians can develop nutrition programs to prevent disease and promote health, targeting different groups of people.
Students in a major other than Clinical Nutrition Science will be able to follow this timeline:
1. Obtain a Bachelor’s degree in any major (4+ years) and complete the GRE (if applicable) and gain relevant experiences.
2. Since students do not have didactic coursework needed for dietetics, they must complete their didactic coursework through a master’s program. Choose any of the 3 following graduate options:- a. Complete an ACEND-accredited Graduate Program in Nutrition and Dietetics. This type of program provides didactic coursework and experiential learning through supervised practice.
- b. Complete an ACEND-accredited Coordinated Program in Dietetics. A coordinated program offers both the didactic coursework and supervised practice.
- c. Complete a Master’s degree that is an ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) plus an ACEND-accredited Dietetic Internship. A Didactic Program in Dietetics provides ONLY the didactic component and must be completed before undertaking the Dietetic Internship.
3. Pass the RD Examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration
4. Become licensed in the state you wish to practice
5. Maintain credentials and complete continuing dietetics education
OPTIONAL: After earning a bachelor's degree with a minimum of four years of full-time post-credentialing work experience or a master's degree with a minimum of two years of full-time post-credentialing work experience, dietitians can further their education by pursuing an Advanced Practice Doctorate degree in nutrition and dietetics.Regardless of which path a pre-dietitian student takes, they are required at a minimum to obtain a graduate degree and complete an accredited supervised practice program prior to undergoing their RC Examination, registration, and licensure.
For more information about the different types of pathways and programs, please refer to the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND): About Accredited Programs.
The Clinical Nutrition Sciences Major is the only didactic program in dietetics major at UC Davis. Students who are not a Clinical Nutrition Sciences major should check the prerequisites for the respective program to ensure they fulfill the prerequisites before applying.
Upon matriculation into a program, there are additional steps students must complete in order to obtain professional licensure. These steps vary by program, and may include board examinations, supervised clinical hours, background checks, or other program-specific milestones. Once you are in your graduate program, your graduate program advisor will provide guidance on the post-graduation next steps.
- Pre-Requisites
Prerequisite coursework depends on a student’s major and the specific pathway they choose to complete a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD), which must be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).
UCD students with a Major in Clinical Nutrition will fulfill these prerequisites as their major is a Didactic Program in Dietetics accredited by ACEND. UCD students majoring in Clinical Nutrition are recommended to meet with the UC Davis Department of Nutrition to develop their academic plan.Students with a different major will undergo their Didactic Program in Dietetics through different means such as attending a Graduate Program in Dietetics, Coordinated Program in Dietetics, or master’s degree that is a Didactic Program in Dietetics with a Dietetics Internship. It is important to note that each of these programs will have varying prerequisites. Students are encouraged to check the programs they are interested in applying to for their specific requirements and build course schedules accordingly. Always review and cross-check the requirements of your major with the prerequisite coursework for your chosen programs to ensure you are completing both UCD requirements as well as the requirements of your intended program(s).
For UCD students with a major different from Clinical Nutrition, HPA has developed a suggested prerequisite chart from a sample of programs. It is still important to check individual programs' websites to familiarize yourself with their exact prerequisites because coursework and entrance requirements will vary by program.
Program Prerequisites
Courses to Take at UC Davis
Most programs may require:
General Chemistry with Lab
CHE 2ABC OR CHE 4ABC
Organic Chemistry with Lab
CHE 118ABC
Biochemistry
BIS 102 AND 103
Nutrition
NUT 10 AND NUT 11
Microbiology with Lab
MIC 102 AND MIC 103L
Human Anatomy with Lab
(EXB 106 & EXB 106L) OR (CHA 101 & CHA 101L)
Human Physiology with Lab
(NPB 101 & NPB 101L) OR (NPB 110C & NPB 101L)
Statistics
STA 13 OR STA 100
Some schools may require:
Math
College-level math course (college algebra, pre-calculus, or calculus)
Life Cycle Nutrition
NUT 105
Metabolism
NUT 111AY
Food Science
NUT 106
Medical Terminology
Course not offered at UC Davis
Social Sciences
Course in psychology, anthropology, or sociology
- Exam
The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) may be required by some dietetics programs and it is strongly recommended to be taken prior to applying. You can speak with a HPA Staff Advisor about your specific timeline. Check each individual program’s admissions webpage that you are applying to to see if they require it.
Note: The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is not a course-dependent test, meaning there are no specific UCD courses you need to take to prepare. The best way is to give yourself time to study the test by buying test prep books or taking a test prep course.
To learn more about the standardized exam and preparing for it, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Standardized Exams and HPA’s Test Prep Events & Resources.
Applying toDietetics Programs
- Choosing Programs
There are over 600 dietetics programs in the U.S. Check out the ACEND: Program Directory for a list of accredited U.S. dietetics programs. For more information about the different types of programs, please refer to the ACEND: About Accredited Programs.
There are a variety of factors that go into choosing which dietetics programs to apply to, including degree awarded, location, environment (i.e. urban), tuition, class size, focus or mission statement, etc. Spend some time researching programs online and create a spreadsheet that tracks the factors most important to you. On average, pre-health profession students apply to 5-7 dietetics programs. HPA also recommends meeting with an advisor to discuss your program list.
To learn more, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Creating a School List.
- Application System
There are two application times each year: Fall and Spring for programs beginning July to August. The Dietetics Inclusive Centralized Application Service (DICAS) is a centralized application system that is used by most dietetic programs. To learn more about DICAS, visit the webpage DICAS Quick Start Guide and FAQs. Students are encouraged to refer to the DICAS Applicant Help Center for additional guidance on how to complete their applications. Some programs will have applicants participate in DICAS and will also have applicants complete an application through their own internal graduate program applications, while other programs do not use DICAS at all. HPA recommends applicants to carefully review the application process of each individual program that they are applying to.
DICAS opens in August and Fall deadlines are typically in October for programs with early deadlines or January program start dates. These applicants will be notified by November 1 and if accepted, a commitment is due November 15. The majority of programs have application deadlines in November to February with a Fall start. These applicants will be notified by March 1 and if accepted, a commitment is due March 15. These dates may vary for programs that are not utilizing DICAS. These deadlines may also vary by program and some may admit students on a rolling basis; please check your individual programs for specific dates. If that is the case for your program of choice, be sure to submit your application early, but only when you are ready. Come see an advisor at Health Professions Advising to review your application.
Schools and application systems may have specific guidelines about what is considered a completed application, and these components may vary based on the application system and/or individual program. Some examples include but are not limited to submitting the application fee and receiving letters of recommendations and official transcripts. Students are responsible for ensuring their applications are complete, submitted, and verified by the application deadline.
To learn more about applications and application timeline, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Applications and Application Timelines.
- Personal Statement
- DICAS has personal statement guidelines; however, program requirements vary so be sure to review each program’s guidelines. The prompt and/or character or word count may also vary per year. HPA recommends applicants begin drafting their personal statement in advance of the application opening. It is very common for applicants to write multiple drafts before they finalize their personal statement. To learn more about approaching personal statements, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Personal Statements.
- Experiences and Activities
Experiences and activities help students learn more about their motivations, interests, and goals, and to explore the field of dietetics. What you do with your time helps define who you are in your application. Whatever you choose to do, be sure you are dedicated, passionate about it, and understand your motivation for pursuing it. It is important that you balance your co-curricular activities with your academics to ensure you are maintaining strong academic performance while still engaging meaningfully outside the classroom.
A few dietetics programs may require or recommend shadowing or observation hours under a RD/RDN. Additionally, some dietetics programs may require additional screening and compliance, such as immunization or toxicology screening, Certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) by the American Heart Association, and ServSafe Manager Certification, for admissions or matriculation. These program requirements or recommendations will vary by program.
To learn more about experiences and various on- and off-campus opportunities, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Experiences. UC Davis students are also encouraged to subscribe to HPA Today (HPA’s newsletter).
- Letters of Recommendation
Letter of recommendation requirements vary by health professional programs, however dietetics programs typically require three letters of recommendation. For many health fields, HPA recommends two lecture-based science instructor recommendations (this excludes research PI), one lecture-based non-science instructor, and additional letters from your co-curricular experiences. This can include a research PI, mentor, volunteer coordinator, professional you shadowed, etc. Your specific program list will determine what letters you may actually need.
To learn more about the etiquettes for letters of recommendation, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Letters of Recommendations.
- Supplemental Applications
- Supplemental applications (or secondaries) may be required for some dietetics programs and some may not require it. Students should carefully review the application process of the programs they are applying to. Supplemental/secondary applications may include additional fees and/or essays. To learn more about supplemental applications, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Applications.
- Interviews
- Interviews are required for most dietetics programs. Students should carefully review the application process of the programs they are applying to. To learn more about preparing for interviews, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Interviews and HPA’s Interview Week.
More questions? Check out the frequently asked questions or schedule an appointment with an advisor.