Curriculum
A curriculum built on science, communication and management — and structured so you graduate ready to compete for a dietetic internship.
Our curriculum builds your foundation across communications, physical and biological sciences, social sciences, research, food, nutrition, management and health care systems. By graduation you can communicate effectively, apply scientific methods and the nutrition care process, and use the tools of professional management.
What Graduation Qualifies You For
Every graduate who completes the program requirements with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 receives an ACEND verification statement and is eligible to apply for a supervised practice program, or dietetic internship. We recommend maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.25 to be competitive for internship placement. Dietetic internship graduates are then eligible to sit for the national registration examination to become a registered dietitian nutritionist.
Your verification statement also makes you eligible to take the Dietetic Technician Registration examination, which leads to the NDTR credential. If you choose not to pursue a dietetic internship, you will still have varied career options in extension services, business, healthcare and education, and you will be prepared to apply to graduate and professional post-baccalaureate programs.
Applying for an Internship
You must register with D&D Digital for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics internship match and complete the online application through DICAS. Check the D&D Digital site for the exact deadline. Your undergraduate didactic director can walk you through both processes.
Curriculum Resources
- Dietetics degree sheet (subject to change)
- Dietetics fact sheet
- Course prerequisites
- DPD program coursework
- Courses offered by semester
Additional Costs
Beyond tuition, book and laboratory fees, if you enroll in NUTR 4605: Internship in Nutrition you are required to:
- Complete a background check through PreCheck, at an approximate cost of $50
- Be up to date on immunizations
- Have a negative result on a TB skin test
- Have completed a basic physical exam
- Carry your own student liability insurance policy — approximately $30 through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics — before entering your assigned facility for clinical observation
Food Science courses carry additional costs, outlined in each course syllabus. For a complete listing of policies and procedures, see the DPD student handbook.
Technology Requirements
UofM courses, online and in person, use a course management system called Canvas. Below are the minimum requirements. Some courses have more advanced requirements, listed in the course syllabus.
- A reliable, high-speed internet connection
- A compatible browser — check yours with the Canvas system check
- Free PDF reader software
- Microsoft Office for document creation, available to students through umapps.memphis.edu
- Media playback software such as QuickTime or Windows Media Player
Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration requires a minimum of a master's degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist. To be approved for exam eligibility with a bachelor's degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into CDR's Registration Eligibility Processing System. See cdrnet.org/graduatedegree for details. CDR also requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in programs accredited by ACEND. Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited DPD program at the University of Memphis are eligible to apply to an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program. For more on educational pathways to becoming an RDN, see the ACEND student information page.
Dietetics admissions Download the degree sheet
For more information
Mary Catherine Schallert, MS, RDN, LDN, FAND
Program Coordinator
mcclark1@memphis.edu