This document discusses dietetics education and training programs in the United States. It outlines the standards and accreditation process for academic programs like the Didactic Program in Dietetics as well as supervised practice programs like Dietetic Internships. It also summarizes the requirements to become a registered dietitian such as completing an accredited academic program and passing a national exam. Distance education options are also presented.

1. Chapter 5
Dietetics Education and Training

2. Have I Got a Plan for You!
• Academic education paired with “real-world”
experience
• Standards of Education: updated in 2012
• Standards for each type of program:
– Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD)
– Coordinated Program in Dietetics (CP)
– International Coordinated Program in Dietetics
(ICP)
– Dietetic Internship (DI)
– Dietetic Technician Program (DT)

3. Accreditation Council for Education
in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)
• Accrediting body for all programs, DPDs, CPs,
DTs, and DIs: 20-member board
http://www.eatright.org/ACEND/content.aspx?id=37
• Peer reviewers appointed by ACEND as needed
to visit and evaluate programs and make
recommendations on accreditation.
• Currently 124 trained peer reviewers.
• ACEND functions as the governing unit and grants
final accreditation awards.

4. ACEND’s Standards and the
Accreditation Process
• Five standards must be met by every dietetic
education program:
1. Standards on program eligibility for ACEND
accreditation
2. Standards on program planning and outcomes
assessment
3. Standards on curriculum and student learning
objectives
4. Standards on program staff and resources
5. Standards on students

5. ACEND’s Standards and the
Accreditation Process
• Self-study: In-depth review process
• Site visit by peer reviewers
• Verifies that what was written in the self-study
is actually occurring
• Shows students, parents, administrators, and
others that the dietetics education program
meets the high standards set by ACEND

6. Grievance/Complaint Procedure
• Any individual can submit a complaint or grievance to
ACEND.
• ACEND will not intervene on behalf of individuals or act
as a court of appeal for individuals in matters of
admissions, appointment, promotion, or dismissal of
faculty or students.
• ACEND will act only upon a signed allegation that the
program may not be in compliance with accreditation
standards or policies.
• Procedure for complaints can be found on the Academy
website (http://www.eatright.org/ACEND/content.aspx?id=7975).

7. To Become a DTR, You Must…
Three options for becoming a DTR:
1. Completion of a 2-year associate degree in the U.S.,
completion of Dietetic Technician program requirements in
an ACEND-accredited program, a passing score on a
national computerized exam administered by CDR, and
completion of continuing education requirements
2. Completion of a baccalaureate degree in the U.S.,
completion of an ACEND-accredited DPD, and completion
of an ACEND-accredited technician program supervised
practice
3. Completion of a baccalaureate degree in the U.S.,
completion of an ACEND-accredited DPD or CP, a passing
score on a national computerized exam administered by
CDR, and completion of continuing education requirements

8. To Become an RD, You Must…
• Complete the minimum of a baccalaureate degree in
an accredited DPD or CP that meets ACEND
requirements. Completion of the academic
requirements must be verified with a signed
Verification Statement from the program director.
• Complete a minimum of 1,200 hours of supervised
practice experience within a CP or DI. Completion of
the supervised practice requirements must be verified
with a signed Verification Statement from the program
director.
• Successfully complete the national Registration
Examination for Dietitians.

9. If You Already Have a
Baccalaureate Degree, You Must…
• Have your transcripts evaluated by the program
director at the ACEND-accredited program to which
you are seeking admission. Recognize that some
programs may require you to take a certain number of
credits from them before they will sign off on a
Verification Statement.
• Once academic requirements are met, pursue
application to the appropriate supervised practice
experience program.
• Sit for the credentialing exam.

10. The Academic Experience
• Dietetics practice is grounded in science – courses in
biology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, and
chemistry.
• Professional foods and nutrition courses.
• Other courses in psychology, sociology, business, and
technology.
• Students may elect to take courses in gerontology or
study a foreign language.
• Program concentration area.

11. The Academic Experience
• The Academy website currently lists:
– 225 ACEND-accredited DPDs
– 53 ACEND-accredited CPs
– 248 ACEND-accredited Dietetic Internships
– 43 ACEND-accredited Dietetic Technician
programs

12. Distance Education in Dietetics
• 3 DPDs offer a complete baccalaureate
degree in dietetics online.
• 2 CPs, 17 DIs, and 3 Dietetic Technician
programs are available in a distance
education format.
• The flexibility and asynchronous nature of
distance education meets the needs of
students who are working full time or have
family responsibilities.

13. Distance Education in Dietetics
• Many modes of distance education
delivery are possible, including:
– Print-based correspondence courses
– Online courses
– CD-ROM courses
– Videotaped courses
– Videoconferencing
– Combination of the above methods

14. Distance Education in Dietetics
• Pros of distance education:
– Convenience
– Flexibility
– Availability
– Accessibility
– Self-directed
– Cost

15. Distance Education in Dietetics
• Cons of distance education:
– No campus atmosphere
– Limited social interaction
– No face-to-face time with the instructor
– Making time
– Requires new skills and technology
– Expense
– Test taking

16. Distance Education in Dietetics
• Steps to take when considering distance
education:
– Check out the program thoroughly.
– Ask the director to put you in touch with
people who’ve been through the program.
– Visit with the program director by email,
phone, or in-person if possible.

17. Service Learning in Dietetics
• Service learning: Teaching method that
combines explicit academic learning objectives
with community service
• Advantages of participating in service learning
include:
– Fostering citizenship
– Personal development
– Social responsibility
– Interpersonal skills
– Tolerance
– Career exploration
– Employment opportunities

18. Verification of
Academic Requirements
• Verification Statement
• Must be presented when student changes
from student to active membership in the
Academy
• Must be presented when the graduate
applies for a state license

19. Building a Professional Portfolio
• Portfolio­: Collection of materials designed
to show your work and competencies in a
specific area.
• Some dietetics education programs require a
student portfolio.
• Practicing professionals are required to
create and maintain a professional portfolio
as part of the CDR credentialing process.

20. Graduate Education
• Members of the dietetics profession value advanced
education: 45% of RDs hold a master’s degree.
• Admission to graduate school typically requires:
– At least a 3.0 GPA at the undergraduate level,
particularly in the last 60 credits of coursework
– Good scores on the Graduate Records Examination
(GRE) or Graduate Management Admissions Test
(GMAT) – graduate programs may vary in their
requirements
– Letters of recommendation from professors and/or
employers
– Clear and concise statement of goals for graduate
study

21. Graduate Education
• Master’s degrees may be earned in:
– MPH: Master of Public Health
– MBA: Master of Business Administration
– MS: Master of Science (in a variety of
subjects)
– MEd: Master of Education

22. Graduate Education
• Master’s degrees typically require 30 to 36
semester credit hours.
• Thesis vs. non­thesis options:
– A thesis program includes coursework and a
research project that must be defended before
the student’s graduate committee.
– A non-thesis program requires completion of
additional coursework instead of a research
project; students typically must also pass a
comprehensive written or oral examination.

23. Graduate Education
• Graduate study at the doctoral level may
include:
– PhD: Doctor of Philosophy (in a wide variety
of disciplines)
– EdD: Doctor of Education
– DSc: Doctor of Science
– DBA: Doctor of Business Administration
– JD: Doctor of Jurisprudence or Doctor of Law
– MD: Doctor of Medicine

24. Graduate Education
• Doctoral degree: typically 90 semester credit
hours of study beyond the baccalaureate
degree, with 30 of those credits devoted to the
student’s dissertation research
• Requirements:
– Advanced coursework
– Completion of a major research endeavor
– Writing and defense of a dissertation