Dietetics

Application to the Didactic Program in Dietetics

We're glad that you're interested in applying for the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD). The DPD at USU is your first step toward becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). Upon graduation from the program, you'll be eligible to complete your supervised practice rotations and graduate degree and then sit for the RDN exam. To qualify for the program, you need to have completed the pre-program required courses with a C- or better and have at least a 3.0 GPA. Please work closely with your academic advisor to ensure that all requirements are met.

Applications will be due on March 15, 2024 for a Fall 2024 start. 

Program Expectations

The DPD is a professional program that will require your dedicated time and effort. It is set up as an in-person program and you will need to attend classes on the Logan campus. Once in the program, students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 and core courses must be completed with a B or better grade. The Dietetics Student Handbook outlines the standards of professionalism that students will be held to.

Application Requirements

To apply to the DPD, you will need to provide the following:

• Basic contact information
• Cumulative GPA and grades in pre-program courses
• Dietetic related experience hours
• A written personal statement
• A summary sheet
• Contact information for a professional reference

You will need to upload your information to a Google Form. To do this, log into a Google account. If you are logged in, you will be able to save your progress on the Form and complete it in more than one sitting. If you are not logged into a Google account, you will need to complete the form in one sitting and may lose your progress if your computer has an issue. If you don't have access to a Google account, you can email the documents directly to maryann.schneider@usu.edu. When the application decision is made, you will be notified via the email you provide in the contact information section.

Dietetics Related Experience Hours

Dietetics related experience hours provide opportunities to see what types of career options are available in the field of dietetics and help you determine whether dietetics matches your future goals. We encourage you to take NDFS 2500 prior to applying to help you explore dietetics opportunities. You are not required to have a certain number of experience hours to be accepted into the DPD. Submission of any experience hours you have accrued will help the DPD faculty determine what additional experiences will be helpful in your undergraduate education to make you a strong candidate for graduate/supervised practice programs. You will upload a completed Dietetics Related Experience Hours Tracking Sheet for the DPD application. You can refer to the Dietetic Experience Hours Info document for FAQs and examples.

Personal Statement

The purpose of a Personal Statement is to provide an introduction of yourself and an overview of your story. Please address the following things in the body of your letter:

1. your reasons for wanting to enter the dietetics profession
2. your short-term and long-term goals as a student and future dietitian
3. relevant experience, strengths, and skills that you've acquired to prepare for a career in dietetics

You may include any additional information that you consider noteworthy and relevant. The quality of your writing (including spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting) will also be evaluated. you may have a friend, family member, or someone from the USU Writing Center proofread your letter.

Please limit your personal statement to no more than one page. Use a block-style letter format (single line spacing, double space between paragraphs, left aligned, no tabs). You may download this Cover Letter Template as a guide. The template uses 11 pt Calibri font with 0.5 in margins. You may use the same formatting (to maximize space) or switch to a similar font, larger font size, and/or wider margin space. You should not use a font size less than 11 pt or a margin space less than 0.5 in. Please choose a professional style font in your letter. Save your personal statement as a Word document or a PDF and upload in the Google Form.

Summary Sheet

Please create a 1-page Summary Sheet about yourself. This Summary Sheet will function as a quick reference page for members of the Selection Committee. Please format it like a resume. It should summarize information from the other parts of your application. You may select all of the formatting elements (font type and size, design, style, spacing, bullet points, etc.) but please include the following section headings and information:

• Your Name (first and last) and Contact Information (email address and cellphone number)
• Biographical Sketch: In this section, please provide an introduction to yourself and include any information that you wish to share about your background, family interests, life experiences, talents, skills, goals, etc. You can include new information that hasn't been reported in other parts of your application and/or highlight things that you've also mentioned in your cover letter or somewhere else.
• Education: In this section, please include your cumulative GPA and a summary of your academic history. If needed, you can include explanations about poor grades, etc. Additionally, if you:
  • are a transfer student, please state that in this section and include the name(s) of the institution(s) you transferred from.
  • have a previous degree or certification, please state that here and include the name(s) of the institution(s) you attended before coming to USU.
  • are a returning or nontraditional student, please state that in this section.
  • are seeking a verification statement, please state that in this section.
  • have a minor or second major, please state that in this section. 
• Experience: Please provide a brief summary of your dietetics experience hours. Both volunteer and paid experiences count. An estimated percentage of total hours for clinical, food service, community outreach, leadership, and research-related hours would be helpful.
• Other Highlights which may include: 
  • a bulleted list of notable awards and honors you've received that demonstrate your strengths, interests, and abilities
  • membership or leadership roles in organizations or student clubs
  • extracurricular activities
  • participation in research or service projects

 

Academic Advisor