Overview

Dietitian Nutritionist Program

We've updated the name of our Coordinated Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (CP)! It is now the Dietitian Nutritionist Program. This change reflects new ACEND accreditation standards.

The Dietitian Nutritionist program is a competency-based educational program that integrates experiential learning with didactic coursework to enable students to demonstrate a high level of competence that will be needed for future practice as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. 

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 addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited Future Education Model (FEM), Dietitian Nutritionist Program, at the University of Pittsburgh are eligible to apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN.

This accelerated program offers points of entry for:

• qualified undergraduates
• post-baccalaureate candidates
• graduates of Didactic Programs in Dietetics (DPD).

Undergraduate students will earn both Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees. Students who enter the program with a bachelor's degree will earn a Master of Science. 

The program also offers opportunities for students to complete a 12-week rotation in a specialty area of nutrition.