Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics, Traditional or Spanish Emphasis, Bachelor of Science
Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) Traditional (65 DPD Professional [53 ND-coded course credits and 12 required liberal arts credits] and 18 DPD Science course credits) and Spanish Emphasis Curriculum Four-Year, Bachelor of Science Degree Options
The department offers two curricula options within the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) that lead to a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Nutrition and Dietetics. Both the traditional DPD curriculum and the Spanish Emphasis curriculum options are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) and adhere to the ACEND Accreditation Standards for Didactic Programs in Dietetics. This educational framework provides the knowledge, skills, and values needed, not only for successful entry into dietetic internship programs and graduate school, but also for the flexibility which permits changing roles and the development of skills needed for future specializations that the students wish to pursue.
Students completing the DPD requirements and a bachelor’s degree will earn a DPD Verification Statement (VS), which indicates they are eligible to sit for the Nutrition and Dietetic Technician, Registered (NDTR) examination and/or apply to an accredited dietetic internship/supervised practice program. The DPD must be followed by an ACEND accredited dietetic internship/supervised practice program or other currently approved route to registration in order to be eligible to sit for the national registration examination for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs).
Although there is a shortage of internship sites, and completion of the DPD does not guarantee acceptance into an internship/supervised practice program, the faculty will offer guidance with the internship application process.
Also Note: The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) changed the entry-level registration eligibility education requirements for dietitians, beginning in 2024, from a baccalaureate degree to a minimum of a graduate degree.
The mission of Marywood University’s Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) is to provide a comprehensive learning experience that empowers students to develop leadership skills needed to live responsibly in an interdependent, global society and prepares them for supervised practice leading to eligibility for the credentialing exam to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN and) who are committed to serving the community and the profession.
In accordance with the program mission, the DPD at Marywood University has established the following program goals:
Goal 1: Graduates will secure acceptance into an accredited dietetic internship/supervised practice program and successfully complete the registration examination for a career as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) who is committed to serving the community and the profession.
Goal 2: Graduates will use the skills they developed in the DPD to emerge as leaders during their supervised practice experience.
All students who declare a major in Nutrition and Dietetics are admitted to the Department and are placed in a program sequence that enables them to be accepted into the DPD before the start of their junior-level courses. To be eligible for admission to the DPD, a student must have an overall GPA of ≥ 3.00 and have earned a grade of C+ or better in all ND-coded professional didactic courses/labs. Students who do not receive a grade of C+ or better will be required to repeat the course/lab at the next available opportunity in order to remain in the program.
Additionally, students must have completed or be enrolled in the following courses at the time of acceptance in the DPD:
| ND 101 | Introduction to ND Profession | 1 |
| | | |
| ND 103 | Basic and Culinary Foods | 2 |
| | And | |
| ND 103L | Basic Foods Lab | 1 |
| | | |
| ND 112 | Nutrition I | 3 |
| ND 138 | Food and Safety | 1 |
| | | |
| ND 203 | Food Science and Technology | 2 |
| | And | |
| ND 203L | Food Science Lab | 1 |
| | | |
| ND 211 | Nutrition Education | 3 |
| ND 213 | Nutrition II | 3 |
| | | |
| ND 223 | Social and Cultural Aspects of Food | 2 |
| | And | |
| ND 223L | Social and Cultural Aspects of Food Lab | 1 |
| | | |
| BIOL 121 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 3 |
| BIOL 122 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 3 |
| BIOL 234 | Introduction to Molecular & Cellular?Biology and Nutrigenomics | 3 |
| CHEM 110 | Introductory Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 210 | Introductory Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 310 | Introductory Biochemistry | 3 |
| ENGL 160 | Composition and Rhetoric | 3 |
Required
The DPD program consists of at least a total of 65 DPD Professional (53 ND-coded course credits and 12 required liberal arts credits) and 18 DPD Science course credits. In addition to completion of the courses listed above, students in the DPD must also complete the following courses to earn a DPD Verification Statement:
| ND 300 | Theory of Medical Nutrition Therapy I | 4 |
| ND 301A | Food Systems Management I: Theory of Management | 3 |
| ND 301B | Food Systems Management I: Production | 1 |
| ND 301C | Food Systems Management I: Marketing | 0.5 |
| ND 312 | Community Nutrition | 3 |
| ND 331 | Sports Nutrition | 3 |
| ND 379A | Food Systems Management II: Human?Relations | 1 |
| ND 379B | Food Systems Management II: Purchasing | 2 |
| ND 379C | Food Systems Management II: Food Cost?Control & Financial Management | 2 |
| ND 379D | Food Systems Management II: Layout & Equipment | 1 |
| ND 391 | Supervised Practice Food Systems?Management I | 1 |
| ND 392 | Supervised Practice in Community?Nutrition | 1.5 |
| ND 400A | Prep for Professional Practice | 1.5 |
| ND 400B | Prep for Professional Practice | 1.5 |
| ND 420 | Theory of Medical Nutrition Therapy II | 6 |
| ND 465 | Research in Nutrition and Dietetics | 3 |
| MATH 155 | Statistics for Behavioral/Social Science | 3 |
| PSYC 211 | General Psychology | 3 |
| | | |
| SOC 211 | Introductory Sociology | 3 |
| | Or | |
| SSCI 201 | Introduction to Social Sciences | 3 |
All students majoring in Nutrition and Dietetics are eligible for a minor in Science if an additional 3 credits are taken in a science course designated for Science majors. Additionally, students are encouraged to consider pursuing a minor in areas other than Science if desired. A candidate for a baccalaureate degree at Marywood University must present a minimum of 120 undergraduate credits of college work that fulfill all general, departmental, and program requirements. The degree requirements are typically met within four years (8 semesters) for a traditional student. This time frame varies for nontraditional students.
In addition to the traditional DPD curriculum requirements, students following the Spanish Emphasis DPD curriculum option must also complete a minimum of 18 credits, approved by the Modern Languages Department, in Spanish before graduation. At least half of these credits must be earned through Marywood University. Additionally, students following this curriculum study abroad in a Latin American country for a portion of the spring semester of their senior year. During the semester abroad, the students complete Spanish credits in addition to any other outstanding required credits to earn their BS in Nutrition and Dietetics/Spanish degree while being immersed in this culture. This curriculum option enhances the graduates’ linguistic and cultural competence and better prepares them to serve the Hispanic population.
Another requirement of the DPD is to obtain required clearances and maintain memberships with the following professional organization:
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
- The student’s state affiliate (which is included in the Academy membership)
- North East Pennsylvania Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (NE PAND)
- Marywood University’s Student Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (SAND).
SAND provides students with opportunities to develop as professional leaders by involvement in community and on-campus nutrition activities. It is because of this, in addition to membership with SAND, all DPD students are required to attend two SAND meetings and actively participate in two SAND-sponsored events per semester.