Undergraduate Catalog

Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics, Traditional or Spanish Options, 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 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).

Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). In order to be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor’s degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into CDR's Registration Eligibility Processing System (REPS) before 12:00 midnight Central Time, December 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement visit CDR's website: https://www.cdrnet.org/graduatedegree.

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 101Intro to ND Profession

1

 

ND 103Basic and Culinary Foods

2

And

ND 103LBasic and Culinary Foods Lab

1

 

ND 112Nutrition I

3

ND 138Food and Safety

1

 

ND 203Food Science and Technology

2

And

ND 203LFood Science and Technology Lab

1

 

ND 211Nutrition Education

3

ND 213Nutrition II

3

 

ND 223Social and Cultural Aspects of Food

2

And

ND 223LSocial and Cultural Aspects of Food Lab

1

 

BIOL 121Anatomy and Physiology I

3

BIOL 122Anatomy and Physiology II

3

BIOL 234Introduction to Molecular & Cellular?Biology and Nutrigenomics

3

CHEM 110Introductory Chemistry

3

CHEM 210Introductory Organic Chemistry

3

CHEM 310Introductory Biochemistry

3

ENGL 160Composition 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 300Theory of Medical Nutrition Therapy I

3

ND 301AFood Systems Management I: Management

3

ND 301BFood Systems Management I: Production

1

ND 301CFood Systems Management I: Marketing

0.5

ND 312Community Nutrition

3

ND 331Sports Nutrition in Health Promotion

3

ND 379AFood Systems Management II: Human?Relations

1

ND 379BFood Systems Management II: Purchasing

2

ND 379CFood Systems Management II: Food Cost?Control & Financial Management

2

ND 379DFood Systems Management II: Layout &?Equipment

1

ND 391Supervised Practice Food Systems?Management I

1

ND 392Supervised Practice in Community?Nutrition

1.5

ND 400APrep for Professional Practice

1.5

ND 400BPrep for Professional Practice

1.5

ND 420Theory of Medical Nutrition Therapy II

6

ND 465Research in Nutrition and Dietetics

3

MATH 155Statistics for Behavioral/Social Science

3

PSYC 211General Psychology

3

 

SOC 211Introductory Sociology

3

Or

SOC 218Anthropology

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.

 

Accreditation

The Marywood University Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) is currently granted accreditation status by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606, 800-877-1600 ext. 5400.