Nutrition and Dietetics FAQ

A Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) Verification Statement is an official document issued by an ACEND-accredited program director confirming a student has completed all required coursework for the nutrition and dietetics curriculum. This document acts as proof of academic eligibility to apply for a Dietetic Internship (DI) and, ultimately, the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) exam.

More information on Verification Statements can be found here.

The time required to earn a DPD Verification Statement at Immaculata depends on your academic history and prior coursework. After you apply, the DPD Program Director will review your application materials and official transcripts to determine how long it will take you to complete the DPD requirements, how many courses will be required, and whether any courses must be repeated in order to earn the DPD Verification Statement.General timelines based on prior education are outlined below:

• If you already hold a bachelor’s degree in nutrition or a related field, you may complete the DPD Verification Statement in as little as two semesters by completing a minimum of 12 credits of DPD coursework.
• If you already hold a bachelor’s degree in a non-nutrition-related field, you may complete the DPD Verification Statement in as little as two full-time years. A 3-credit introductory nutrition course (or equivalent) is required prior to entry into the program, and students must earn a minimum grade of B- in this course.
• If you do not yet hold a bachelor’s degree or plan to earn your degree at Immaculata, you may complete the DPD Verification Statement over four full-time years while earning your BS in Nutrition and Dietetics.

The DPD program at Immaculata is offered as a fully in-person pathway, with all required courses held on our main campus in Immaculata, PA. At this time, the program does not offer an online or hybrid option.

While nutrition-related work experience is extremely valuable, academic course credit cannot be awarded for experiential learning or work experience. Credit toward the DPD Verification Statement is granted only for completed academic coursework. Decisions regarding whether previous academic courses may be applied toward DPD requirements are made at the discretion of the DPD Program Director.

If you already have a bachelor’s degree and are interested in only completing the requirements for a DPD Verification Statement, please apply here.

Immaculata’s DPD program includes a comprehensive set of courses designed to build a strong foundation in nutrition and dietetics while preparing students for a Dietetic Internship. Coursework covers the following areas:

• Culinary fundamentals and food science
• Nutrition and culture
• Lifecycle nutrition
• Macronutrients and micronutrients
• Community nutrition
• Foodservice operations and management
• Medical nutrition therapy
• Chemistry, biochemistry, anatomy and physiology, and microbiology

Based on a review of academic performance and writing samples, additional prerequisite coursework may be required to ensure student readiness and success in the program.

To be eligible for the MSDI, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and have earned a DPD Verification Statement from an ACEND-accredited DPD program. Your bachelor’s degree does not need to be in nutrition, as long as you have earned a DPD Verification Statement. If you do not have a bachelor’s degree or a DPD Verification Statement, you may earn them at Immaculata prior to applying to the MSDI. Find additional admissions and eligibility criteria on the Immaculata MSDI website.

Yes, if you have a master’s degree, or are enrolled in a master’s program at another university, you may be able to complete only the Dietetic Internship at Immaculata. Your master’s degree must be in nutrition or a nutrition-related field. You also must have earned a DPD Verification Statement with appropriate pre-requisites prior to beginning the Dietetic Internship.

Interested students apply to the MSDI via the Dietetics Inclusive Centralized Application System (DICAS). The application deadline is February 1. Students do not need to submit a separate application to the Immaculata Graduate School.

The MSDI is a 2-year program. Students complete a majority of their graduate coursework in the first year of the program. All courses are online and most are asynchronous. Those with synchronous requirements meet in the evening. Students do not need to be local to Immaculata during the first year of the program. Students complete the Dietetic Internship in the second year of the program and must be local to Immaculata for rotations and didactic class days.

Many of your questions can be answered on our websites! Visit degrees and programs and select Nutrition to explore our programs. Program Handbooks are available upon request.

For specific questions about the MSDI, please contact Jessica Burfield, Program Director at jburfield@immaculata.edu.

For specific questions about the DPD pathway, please contact Dr. Heather Krick, DPD Program Director at hkrick@immaculata.edu.