Integrated Coordinated Program in Dietetics

The ICPD Degree

The Integrated Coordinated Program in Dietetics (ICPD) degree option combines the academic and supervised practice experience to qualify graduates to become registered dietitian nutritionists (RDN).

The Coordinated Program in Dietetics has been in place at UT Austin since 1978 and has produced hundreds of graduates who are RDNs working in various fields such as private practice, large foodservice management operations, community and public health organizations and hospital settings.

The program offers students a well-rounded experience in clinical nutrition, foodservice management, community and specialty areas of nutrition and dietetics.

Our Mission

The Mission of the Integrated Coordinated Program in Dietetics at The University of Texas at Austin is to qualify graduates from all backgrounds and perspectives for entry-level positions and advancement to positions of leadership in clinical, administrative or community dietetics. Balanced preparation in the primary areas of dietetics that are built on a strong foundation of academic preparation and recognize the need for practitioners with clinical, food service management and community skills in the vast non-urban expanse of Texas. We aim to meet Texas’s health needs by training enough registered dietitian nutritionists to support an increasingly diverse population. We are committed to recruiting, retaining and nurturing a diverse community of graduates, faculty, and staff. We are science-based and nutrition-focused. 

Program Goals

  • Graduates will be prepared for successful entry into the dietetics profession

    • At least 80% of students complete program requirements within 3 years (150% of planned program length).
    • Of graduates who seek employment, at least 70% are employed in nutrition and dietetics of related fields within 12 months of graduation.
    • At least 80% of program graduates take the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.
    • The program’s one-year pass rate1 on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.
    • At least 80% of first-time employers of students who have graduates from ICPD will rate their preparation in major dietetics skills as a 4 (more than satisfactory) or 5 (excellent) on a 5-point scale.
  • Graduates will become credentialed dietitians for the state of Texas

    At least 65% of graduates who take the CDR credentialing exam will be dietitians in the state of Texas within 12 months of graduating.

  • Graduates will be capable of advancement in their chosen area of dietetics practice

    At least 10% of graduates who take the CDR credentialing exam and employed in dietetics for five or more years will self-identify as a leader in their field.