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Department of Biological and Health Sciences

Human Nutrition Program

About the Didactic Program in Dietetics Degree

BS in Human Nutrition

Welcome to the dietetics program at Texas A&M University – Kingsville.

A career in dietetics can be a very fulfilling path if you are interested in nutrition, food, science, and a life of service to people.

The field of nutrition and dietetics is a growing profession because of the need for healthy lifestyles and disease prevention. Not only does an education in dietetics provide you with opportunities to work in diverse settings to help people improve their health and wellness, but it will also provide a strong foundation for a path further in graduate school or into other health related fields.

Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) is accredited by The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), which prepares graduates for a dietetic internship, which is required to become a Registered Dietitian (RD). The RD exam requirements are set by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).

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
 
To become an RD, you need to –
  • Completion of a bachelor’s degree granted by the US regionally accredited college/university
  • Completion of an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) approved/accredited dietetic program
  • Complete an accredited supervised practice (internship)
  • Pass a national registration examination for dietitians

Located in South Texas, the university is a teaching, research, and service institution that provides access to higher education in an ethnically and culturally diverse region of the nation.  Texas A&M-Kingsville’s DPD program is the only accredited program south of San Antonio.

Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) information:  You can access the ACEND website at:   https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend