Didactic Program in Dietetics

University of the Incarnate Word’s Didactic Program in Dietetics is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Website: https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend

Email: ACEND@eatright.org

Phone: 800/877-1600, ext. 5400

Mail: 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995

DPD Mission
The Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) prepares graduates for successful entry into supervised practice and graduate programs leading to eligibility for the CDR credentialing exam to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.

Program Goal 1: Program graduates will be well prepared for entry into a supervised practice program and/or graduate program.

Program Objectives for Goal 1

• · At least 80% of students complete program requirements within 3 years (150% of planned program length).
• · At least 50% of program graduates apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within 12 months of graduation.
• · Of program graduates who apply to a supervised practice program, at least 80% are admitted within 12 months of graduation.
• · Of program graduates who apply to a graduate program, either alone or combined with supervised practice, at least 80% will be admitted.
• · At least 70% of supervised practice program directors will rate program graduates knowledge and skills at the beginning of supervised practice as ‘satisfactory’ or ‘more than satisfactory.’

Program Goal 2: Program graduates will utilize the knowledge and skills gained in the UIW DPD to succeed in their supervised practice program.

Program Objectives for Goal 2

• · 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%.
• · At least 80% of program graduates will receive a rating of ‘satisfactory’ or ‘more than satisfactory’ from supervised practice program directors on performance within 12 months of graduation.

Program outcomes data are available upon request.

To become a registered dietitian nutritionist, you will need to:

1. Complete a minimum of a master's degree granted by a college or university accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency or foreign equivalent, and coursework through an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics accredited Didactic, Coordinated, Graduate or International program.
2. Complete required supervised practice/experience through an ACEND-accredited Dietetic Internship, Coordinated Program, Graduate Program, or an Individualized Supervised Practice Pathway offered through an ACEND-accredited program
3.  Pass a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration. For more information regarding the examination, refer to CDR's website.
4. Meet requirements to practice in your state. Many states have regulatory laws (i.e. licensure) for food and nutrition practitioners. All states accept the RDN credential for state licensure purposes.
5. Stay up-to-date in dietetics through continuing education. After successfully passing the national exam and earning the credential, RDNs maintain ongoing professional development in order to stay up to date on the latest research, recommendations and best practices.

The DPD at UIW provides qualified students with the DPD Verification Statement. This allows students to apply to supervised practice programs (Step 2). In addition, students that complete the

B.S. in Nutrition, Nutrition and Dietetics track, are able to apply to graduate schools to earn a master’s degree (Step 1), while post-graduate students in the M.S. in Nutrition or other graduate programs at UIW are able to complete a minimum of a master’s degree (Step 1).

UIW students interested in pursuing a career as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) will need to apply to the DPD when they finish their DPD prerequisite courses.

Students are admitted into the DPD on a rolling basis. The program uses a self-managed application process for admission to the DPD. It is the student’s responsibility to prepare the application and submit to the DPD Director. Fulfillment of specific requirements does not ensure admission into the program.

Post-graduate students will need to apply and be accepted into a graduate program at UIW, such as the Master of Science in Nutrition program. Admission requirements can be found at https://www.uiw.edu/admissions/graduate/ and for international students at https://www.uiw.edu/admissions/internationaladmissions/.

Below are the steps to apply to the DPD program:

1. Students should apply to the DPD after completing DPD prerequisite courses.
2. Students complete the DPD Application and submit the complete application and supplemental items as one PDF file to the DPD Director.

DPD Application and Instructions

Students should plan to work on parts of the application prior to completing the DPD prerequisite courses. The DPD application and DPD Student Handbook are available in the Nutrition Program Canvas site in the DPD Module. See below for instructions for each part of the application that should be submitted:

1. DPD Application: should be typed and filled out completely
2. DPD Student Handbook: read and sign the signature page
3. Submit all application materials via e-mail to the DPD Director.

Minimum DPD Application Requirements

Students should meet the following minimal application criteria listed below to apply to the UIW DPD program. If you are concerned about your application, please e-mail the DPD Director prior to submitting your application to discuss your situation and determine what steps you can take to pursue the DPD program while you are at UIW.

• Must be a current student at UIW.
• Must have completed all DPD pre-requisite courses and received a grade of “C” or higher.
• Must have a minimum cumulative DPD pre-requisite GPA of 2.8.
• Completion of the following DPD prerequisite courses at the time of applying:

Biology Courses

• BIOL 1402 General Biology I & Lab
• BIOL 2474 Introduction to Microbiology & Lab
• BIOL 2321 Anatomy & Physiology I
• BIOL 2121 Anatomy & Physiology I Lab
• BIOL 2322 Anatomy & Physiology II
• BIOL 2122 Anatomy & Physiology II Lab

Chemistry Courses

• CHEM 1310 Introductory Chemistry
• CHEM 1320 Biological Chemistry for Health Professions

Nutrition Courses

• NUTR 2231 Principles of Food Preparation
• NUTR 2131 Food Preparation Lab
• NUTR 2341 Introduction to Nutrition

Other Courses

• ACCT 2301 Accounting for Non-Business Majors
• ENGL 1312 Composition II
• MATH 1304 College Algebra
• PSYC 1301 Introduction to Psychology or SOCI 1311 Introduction to Sociology
• a medical terminology course

Admission to the DPD

Admission to the DPD will be in accordance with the University of the Incarnate Word’s “Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination Policy.” This policy is published in the University of the Incarnate Word Student Handbook. Acceptance decisions will be formally communicated to each student via a formal letter sent by the DPD Director.

Acceptance into the DPD Program

Once a student is accepted into the DPD program and becomes a DPD student, they are required to:

• Attend all DPD meetings to prepare for graduate school and/or supervised practice applications.
• Complete remaining DPD required courses.
• Complete all required KRDNs.
• Complete all requirements to earn a verification statement.

If a student is NOT accepted into the DPD program, they are strongly encouraged to meet with their academic advisor as well as career counselors to discuss their career options. Students not

accepted into the DPD program can still take DPD courses during their time at UIW, but will not receive a DPD verification statement.

The UIW DPD follows the UIW Academic Calendar

To complete the DPD and earn a verification statement, a student must meet the following requirements:

• Must be a current student at UIW the semester of DPD completion
• Must complete a minimum of 12 credits of DPD coursework at UIW
• Minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA in DPD courses
• Earn a “C” or higher in each DPD course
• Earn a passing score (70% or better) for each KRDN
• Must complete the DPD exit survey
• Must complete the mock RDN exam · undergraduate DPD students meet the degree requirements for a baccalaureate degree in Nutrition
• Must submit an official UIW transcript after program completion; undergraduates submit official UIW transcript with degree conferral

PLEASE NOTE: The maximum amount of time allowed for completing DPD program requirements is currently three years or 36 months.

The University of the Incarnate Word provides financial assistance information through the Office of Financial Assistance. There are also scholarship resources.

UIW students can apply for available positions. Working as a student employee is an excellent way to make money while attending classes, as well as, gaining valuable work experience. All students, including international students on F-1 or J-1 Visas, may only work up to 20 hours a week while classes are in session and during breaks.

Hardware: A computer that can run Microsoft Office, reliable internet access, and webcam and mic are needed. Laptops are highly recommended for portability to class and rotations and for use with online learning systems as many do not work with tablets or Chrome Books. Laptops can be checked out from the University Library on a first-come, first-serve basis. Check-out details can be found through the library technology site. UIW has WiFi networks available for intern use on main campus.

Software: Microsoft Office 365 is required to submit assignments. The University provides this FREE to students. The package includes Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, and more. Details are found at https://my.uiw.edu/tlt/available-software1/available-software-for-students.html.

Storage: The University provides access to OneDrive (with Microsoft Office). This provides storage and privacy using UIW credentials to access.

Transfer and Academic Credit

The DPD will assess prior learning and grant credit for prior learning in accordance with UIW policies. UIW transfer credits policy is available at https://www.uiw.edu/admissions/transfer-admissions/. Evaluation of courses not recognized by UIW as directly transferring for a DPD-required course will be completed by the DPD Director with input from course instructors. Students requesting such course evaluation are responsible for providing appropriate documentation including official transcripts, course syllabi, course descriptions, or other documents demonstrating attainment of knowledge linked to KRDNs for the course. Evaluation of coursework will be made on a case-by-case basis.

International Students

International students must first refer to the Commission on Dietetics Registration (CDR) for information about eligibility to become a Registered Dietitian in the United States (https://www.cdrnet.org/RDNeligibility). International students with a degree from another country should use one of the identified independent nonprofit agencies that can validate the student’s academic degree as equivalent to the bachelor’s or master’s degree granted by a college or university accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. The list of agencies can be found on the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foreign Degree Evaluation Agencies webpage. The DPD Director will evaluate the student’s previous academic preparation and identify the courses needed to meet the didactic program requirements.

Credit for Prior Learning and Experience

Assessment of prior learning is available only to post-graduate students (i.e. individuals having already earned a bachelor’s degree). Our goal in assessing prior learning is to evaluate significant work experience, and the learning acquired in a variety of settings such as the military, and match it to the knowledge and skills required of DPD students.

A student may receive credit toward a DPD Verification Statement for attainment of knowledge linked to a specific DPD course that is related to their experience. The DPD Director will determine appropriate documentation necessary to assign credit. Appropriate documentation may include a written rationale, professional resumes, curriculum vitae, and/or letters of recommendation from appropriate person(s) such as a supervisor. In certain cases, successful completion of a comprehensive exam can be taken for certain DPD course credit.

If a waiver is granted for any of the DPD courses, the student must still meet the necessary credit hours required for the DPD Verification Statement. The student is responsible for completing any required KRDN activity as deemed necessary by the DPD Director.