Didactic Program
The mission of the Didactic Program is to provide a quality undergraduate experience of education, research and service using a comprehensive evidence-based program in food, nutrition and management that will prepare students for supervised practice leading to eligibility for the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN.
Our Didactic Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) and consists of 4 years of undergraduate academic coursework needed to apply for a Dietetic Internship, which is a supervised practice experience. Graduates earn a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics and meet ACEND core knowledge requirements, receiving a verification statement. After completing the Didactic Program and an ACEND accredited Dietetic Internship, students are eligible to sit for the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) national registry exam to earn the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential.
Fast Facts
4
Years
Complete 4 years of undergraduate coursework to earn a B.S. in Dietetics.
120
Credits
Complete 120 hours of dietetic program credits as you pursue your degree.
125
Students
Our program is robust but still small enough to form a tight-knit community.
Program Information
Earning the RDN Credential
Students who meet the criteria to receive a verification statement from the University of Kentucky Didactic Program Pathway are eligible to take the NDTR examination. There is no opportunity to receive credit for prior learning in the DPD.
Note: Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) requires 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 the CDR website.
Licensing of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists
Most states require individuals working or engaging in any dietetics or nutrition practice to be licensed or certified. Kentucky’s dietitians and nutritionists are under the jurisdiction of the Kentucky Board of Licensure and Certification for Dietitians and Nutritionists. Dietitians are licensed while nutritionists are state-certified. A professional who qualifies for dietitian licensure also qualifies for nutritionist certification. Practitioners must hold state-issued credentials unless they fall under exemption categories described in the state statute. Once a UK ACP student has proof of successful completion of the CDR exam, they are qualified to apply for Licensure for Dietitians and Nutritionists in the state of Kentucky. Students interested in working in dietetics or nutrition in another state should learn more at UK and CDR about whether their program and the RDN credential will lead to licensure, certification, registration, etc.
Goals & Objectives
Goal 1: Prepare graduates for acceptance to, and success in, a supervised practice program leading to eligibility for the CDR credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist by providing opportunities for graduates to develop dietetics core knowledge, enhance their understanding of research and participate in service activities to benefit their community.
- At least 80% of program students complete program requirements within 3 years (150% of the program length).
- At least 60% 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 50% are admitted within 12 months of graduation.
- The program’s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of the first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.
- At least 70% of program graduates will receive “satisfactory” ratings or higher in relation to their overall dietetics knowledge and skills, as reported by dietetic internship directors, graduate professors, or employers within 12 months of graduation.
- At least 75% of program graduates will report “satisfactory” ratings or higher in their ability to understand and utilize research within 12 months of graduation.
- At least 50% of program graduates will report participating in service activities to benefit their community within 12 months of graduation.
Annual program outcome data is available upon request.
Goal 2: The program will recruit, retain and graduate students to meet the nutrition and dietetics workforce of diverse communities.
- 80% of graduates will indicate that the DPD program prepared them to service culturally diverse communities and workplaces at the “average-level of competent” or better.
- 80% of supervised practice or graduate program directors will indicate that DPD students were prepared to service culturally diverse communities and workplaces at an “average level of competence” or better.
Annual program outcome data is available upon request.
Eligibility & Admission
Before taking courses at the 300-level or above, students must be admitted to the University of Kentucky and apply for and be admitted into upper-division of the Didactic Program. Students need a minimum 2.4 overall (cumulative) GPA and must also complete pre-dietetics courses with a minimum GPA of 2.8. If you transfer into the major from another university, you should plan to take a minimum of three semesters to complete all required coursework, assuming you have completed all pre-major requirements.
Preparing to Apply
Connect With Us
Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition
204 Funkhouser Building
Lexington, KY 40506
859-257-3800
dhn@uky.edu
The Nutrition and Dietetics Didactic Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, (800) 877-1600, ext 5400, https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend.
