Future ICPD Students

https://nutrition.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/2024-11/CPD_Program_Policies_COE_Agreement.pdf

ICPD timeline

Students who hold a degree from universities outside the United States and want to complete requirements to earn a verification statement from The University of Texas at Austin must have their transcript evaluated by an approved foreign degree evaluation agency.  A detailed course-by-course evaluation along with a statement of how the degree compares to university degrees in the United States is required.  For more information including a listing of the degree evaluation companies approved by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, click here. 

If you are unsure about the requirements and process to become a registered dietitian nutritionist, click here to find out more information.

The ICPD provides a fast-tracked path to becoming a Registered Dietician Nutritionist (RDN). We combine the academic coursework and supervised practice experiences required to become an RDN into a single 5-year program while ensuring graduates are well-prepared for the credentialing exam.

Students enter into the program at the beginning of their junior year of college and complete two years of undergraduate courses, including supervised practice, and one year of graduate courses. Upon program completion, students are awarded a Bachelor’s of Science in Nutrition and a Master's of Science in Nutrition. 

Applications open in the summer and close in September. Most students apply their Junior year (usually while taking NTR 371) to be on track for completing the prerequisites. Students can apply their Senior year, however, they must work with advising to ensure ICPD eligibility.

Each applicant is evaluated on the basis of:

• Academic performance: A minimum GPA of 2.7 is required though the average GPA of accepted students is 3.4. Strong improvement in grades during recent semesters is given consideration. Completion of pre-requisite courses is required.
• Work/volunteer experience: While there is no requirement for hours, experience gained through employment and volunteer activities with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist are strongly encouraged.
• Leadership experience: The ability to work effectively in a group and provide leadership to others can be demonstrated through participation in organizations both on- and off-campus or work responsibilities.
• Knowledge of the profession: It's important to devote time to learning what dietitians do before you make the decision to spend two years pursuing this career. This can be accomplished through working with, volunteering for, or interviewing practicing dietitians in a variety of setting including hospitals, community centers, and/or foodservice, among others.
• Readiness for graduate work: Graduate coursework assumes a greater level of intellectual maturity and dedication to the subject matter compared to undergraduate coursework.

If you meet the evaluation criteria listed above, you have a good chance of being accepted! We accept 35-50% of the students who apply to the program, similar to the national placement rate for Dietetic Interships. We can take a maximum of 20 students but will only accept qualified students.

Yes! The UT Admissions office website has resources you can use to determine how your classes from other Texas universities and colleges will transfer. You can visit their page here for more information.

The program is designed to last 2 years (5 semesters) inclusive of coursework and supervised practice. It starts in the fall of your senior year.

During the initial fall semester you will complete the required undergraduate academic coursework. The following spring and summer semester you will move into supervised practice with experiences in settings like area hospitals, community centers, food service, administration, etc. We do our best to match you with settings you find interesting!

The following fall and spring semesters will consist of the required graduate coursework. There are required courses and options for electives within your field of interest. Students have the option of taking 6 credit hours outside of Department of Nutritional Sciences to satisfy the graduate degree requirement.

Yes, the program requires a supervised practice component, which fulfills the dietetic internship requirement for becoming an RDN. Students gain practical experience in clinical, community, and foodservice settings.

We work closely with our students to find placements based on their interests and future career goals.

Due to the intensive and accelerated nature of the program, we don’t currently have an option for part-time or online learning. We find that dietetics requires hands-on clinical experience, lab-based learning, and interpersonal skills that are more suited for in-person learning.

Some students are able to work while they are enrolled in the program, but not all do as it can be difficult to manage. Most students who do work find that they have to be extremely well organized and have a job that offers a lot of flexbility with scheduling. During the supervised practice portion of the program (spring and summer semesters of the first year), students are off campus in practice for forty hours a week with additional time needed to study and complete assignments.

Yes! We currently offer a sports nutrition fellowship in partnership with the University of Texas Athletics Program. Students interested in research can complete the thesis option. ICPD students planning for the thesis option are strongly encouraged to engage with a lab as early as possible. We are in the process of developing fellowships in the fields of community nutrition and public health.

Graduates of ICPD become RDNs and can pursue careers in many different areas of dietetics! We have program graduates working in a wide range of settings including healthcare settings, government agencies, education, and private practice.

In general, RDNs can work in: 

• healthcare settings (hospitals, HMOs, nursing homes, etc.)
• sports nutrition and corporate wellness programs
• food and nutrition-related businesses and industries
• private practice
• community and public health
• universities and medical centers
• research areas

Plan to attend one of the informational meetings scheduled each semester for more information! We will post an announcement with the date and time under the Prospective Students tab. You can also follow our Instagram page @texasicpd to learn more about our program and see what our current students are up to.

If you have specific questions or would like to schedule an appointment with one of our faculty members please email the program director, Monica Milonovich. 

No.  ICPD can only consider students seeking a BS in nutrition.

As of 2018, the ICPD program is only open to students seeking a BS in nutrition. If you have completed a different degree you can apply for the program. More information about how to become a registered dietitian can be found here.