Two undergraduate degree programs are approved by the American Dietetic Association as courses of study. The Didactic Program in Dietetics, or DPD, provides students with the required coursework to meet the academic requirements of becoming a dietitian. Once a student has successfully finished the Didactic Program in Dietetics, an internship must also be completed. The Coordinated Program of Dietetics, or CPD, is an undergraduate degree that combines the academic and supervised practice experience requirements of becoming a registered dietitian. Undergraduate degrees in both, or one of, the DPD and CPD are offered by many universities, such as Kansas State University, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Washington-Spokane.
Many universities, such as the University of Pittsburgh and California State University, also offer students the chance to pursue Master's degrees in dietetics. The University of Pittsburgh offers a Coordinated Master's degree in Dietetics. Completion of this Master's degree provides students with a Master of Science, the supervised practice necessary to become a Registered Dietitian and the approved Commission on Accreditation of Dietetics Education, or CADE, coursework. California State University offers a Master's degree in Dietetics and Food Administration, which includes nutritional science.
A variety of undergraduate degrees in nutrition are offered at universities across the United States. A Bachelor of Science in Nutrition is one of the most commonly offered degree programs, and students often have the option of choosing from concentrations such as dietetics, nutrition, food science and culinary dietetics. Universities that offer this degree include Michigan State and the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Another undergraduate degree is the Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and Food Science, which offers students the chance to pursue becoming a dietitian or the more scientific aspects of nutrition and food. You can pursue this undergraduate degree at a university such as Maryland's.
Graduate degrees in nutrition are also available. These are generally offered in the form of a Master of Science in Nutrition degree or a Master of Public Health in Nutrition degree. These programs also provide students with the opportunity to choose a specialized degree track. Many paths are available, including ones for those who wish to become Registered Dietitians, ones for students who are already registered and a track for medical students or doctors. Universities can also offer a Master of Science in Nutritional Biochemistry, which focuses on nutrition and laboratory research. Graduate degrees in nutrition are offered by institutions such as the University of Carolina, New York University's Hunter College, Pennsylvania State University and the University of Texas at Austin.