Translating the science of nutrition into healthy food choices for individuals and groups or appropriate nutrition therapy for those with illness requires the integration of many different disciplines. The DPD curriculum at Cornell provides a broad and integrated academic program that is strongly grounded in the physical, biological, and social sciences. The program emphasizes critical thinking, communication skills, quantitative literacy, and the application of theory to practice. Students begin with basic courses in biology, chemistry, social sciences and introduction to food, nutrition, and health issues and nutrition and the life cycle. In the second year students' progress to organic chemistry, physiology and courses that examine the social science aspects of food and nutrition, and the nutritional and physicochemical properties of foods. Advanced courses taken in the junior and senior years apply biochemistry, physiology, and social sciences to problems in clinical nutrition, counseling, communications, public health, and food and nutrition management. Throughout the program students develop skills that will foster personal and professional growth as life-long learners and as leaders and team members in the dietetics profession.

Minimum Academic Requirements
CLASS CREDITS CONCENTRATION

Inorganic Chemistry

Chem 2070-2080 (8)

 8 Physical and Biological Science

Organic Chemistry

Chem 1570 (3) or Chem 3530 (3) or Chem 3570-3580 (6) and Chem 2510 (2) or Chem 3010 (4)

 5-10  

Microbiology

BioMi 2900 General Microbiology (3)

 3  

Biology (8-9) and Physiology (6)

Biology: BioG 1500 plus two from following 3 courses: BioMG 1350, BioG 1440/1445, or BioEE 1610/1780 Physiology: NS 3410 (4, Spring, lecture) AND NS 3420 (2, Spring, Lab, concurrent registration with NS 3410)

 14-15  

Psychology

HD 1100 Introduction to Lifespan Development HD (3, Fall) OR 1150 Human Development: Infancy and Childhood (3, Fall or Summer) ORHD 1170 Human Development: Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood (3, Spring) OR Psych 1101 Introduction to Psychology (3, Fall)

 3 Behavioral Science

Communication

First year Seminars (6)

 6 Communications

Statistics

PAM 2100 Introduction to Statistics [4] (F/S) or AEM 2100 Introductory Statistics [4] (Fall) or STSCI 2150 Introductory Statistics for Biology [4] (Fall) or STSCI/ILRST 2100 [4] (F/S) or BTRY 3010 Statistical Methods I [4] (Fall) or PSYCH 3500 Statistics and Research Design [4] (Fall) or MATH 1710 Statistical Theory and Application in the Real World [4] (F/S) or SOC 3010 Evaluating Statistical Evidence [3] (Spring)

 3-4 Computational Sciences

Nutrition Core

NS 1150     Nutrition, Health and Society (3, Fall)

NS 2450    Social Science Perspectives on Food and Nutrition (3, Fall)

NS 3450    Nutritional and Physicochemical Aspects of Food (3, Fall)

NS 3310    Nutrient Metabolism (4, Spring)

NS 3320    Methods in Nutritional Sciences (3, Fall)

 16 Professional Sciences

Dietetics Courses

NS 1220     Nutrition and the Life Cycle (3, Spring)

NS 2470     Food for Contemporary Living (2, Fall & Spring)
HADM 1360 Food Service Management (3, Fall & Spring) 

NS 4250     Nutrition Communications and Counseling (3, Spring)

NS 4410     Nutrition and Disease (4, Fall)

NS 4420     Implementation of Nutrition Care (3, Fall)

NS 1600     Introduction to Public Health (3, fall) OR NS 4500 Public Health Nutrition (3, Spring)

NS 4880     Applied Dietetics in Food Service Management (4, Spring)

 25  

For information regarding undergraduate Dietetics advising, please contact us at dpd@cornell.edu.

Staying on Track to Complete DPD Requirements

The following chart depicts typical progress for students studying to become Registered Dietitians. Use this as a guide to check your progress at the end of each semester and plan necessary steps for upcoming semesters. This is only a guide.

End of First year
  • Attend DPD informational meeting.
  • Register as a pre-Dietetics student.
  • Join CUDA. Membership in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommended.
  • Meet with DPD director.
  • Update faculty advisor on plans to pursue dietetics.
  • successfully complete first year academic requirements.
  • Seek exploratory dietetics related experiences (shadowing, externships) and/or volunteer or work experiences for winter break.
End of Second Year
  • All steps noted above.
  • Successfully complete second year academic requirements.
  • Seek substantive dietetics related experiences during semesters or winter/summer break.
  • Plan to apply to DPD in August of Junior year. Work on application over the summer.
End of Third Year
  • Gain acceptance into DPD.
  • Successfully complete third year academic requirements.
  • Seek substantive dietetics related employment, internships or supervised practices to complement prior experience.
  • Remain in contact with faculty advisor and/or others from whom you will request a letter of recommendation.
  • Review supervised practice programs and plan to visit over summer break and senior year winter break.
  • Take GREs.
End of Fourth Year
  • Attend all scheduled DPD meetings.
  • Meet individually with DPD Director in the fall semester.
  • Request DPD transcript evaluation and pay DPD fee.
  • Complete DICAS standardization application.
  • Register with the D&D Digital for computer match.
  • Complete DPD and degree course requirements.
  • Request that your final Cornell transcript with degree posted be sent to the Dietetics office after graduation.
  • Provide Dietetics office with forwarding address for Verification Statements, including supervised practice director's name and address.
  • After graduation: begin supervised practice program.

 

The academic calendar varies from one year to the next. In Fall semester, classes begin the last week in August and end the first week in December. For Spring semester, classes begin the third week in January and end in the first week in May. For the specific dates, please visit the Cornell academic calendar.

Contact us at dpd@cornell.edu