Human Nutrition and Dietetics Requirements

Main Content

Nutrition is an exciting and expanding field that is expected to grow at a faster rate compared to other careers (US Bureau of Labor Statistics). The study of human nutrition exemplifies the intricate relationships between diet, health, and disease. The Human Nutrition & Dietetics (HND), under the School of Human Sciences, is an ACEND® accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) designed to provide graduates with the necessary core knowledge requirements to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).

To become an RDN or LND, the following steps must be taken:

  1. Complete a bachelor’s degree at a university accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND®). Once the registrar’s office confirms the student graduated, a Verification of Completion Form* will be issued confirming the knowledge requirements for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists have been met. This document allows the graduate to apply for supervised practice (step 2) through the match process.
  2. After graduation, 1000 hours of supervised practice (also called dietetic internship – DI) through an ACEND® accredited Dietetic Internship, Coordinated Program in Dietetics or an Individualized Supervised Practice Pathway (ISPP) offered through an ACEND® accredited program.
  3. Effective January 1, 2024: The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) now requires a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).
  4. Successful completion of a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
  5. To maintain the credential, an RDN must complete continuing professional educational requirements.

(Note: Illinois requires licensure of dietitians. This site provides a listing of all states in the US that require licensure.)

*In order to receive a Verification Statement (step 1 above), HND DPD students are required to graduate with at least a 2.85 (on a 4.0 scale) cumulative GPA and a 3.0 in HND courses. Students’ academic performance will be monitored each semester to ensure requirements are being met. A corrective plan will be put in place for at risk students, which may include career counseling into another health related major within the school. Note: A student can meet the requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics but not meet the requirements to obtain a verification statement. Also, a graduate who receives a Verification Statement but does not obtain supervised practice is eligible to take the registration exam to become a Nutrition and Dietetics Technicians, Registered (NDTRs).

The SIU DPD program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995, Phone (312) 899-5400.

Additional information regarding this major can be found at https://schoolofhumansciences.siu.edu/. Students planning to apply to medical based schools (i.e. medical school, dental school, physician assistant, occupational therapy, physical therapy, nursing or nurse practitioner) after completing a major in dietetics should develop their programs of study in close consultation with the pre-medical advisors on campus.

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Human Nutrition and Dietetics Degree Requirements

Degree RequirementsCredit Hours
University Core Curriculum Requirements 39
Requirements for Major in Human Nutrition and Dietetics 72-73
PSYC 102, MATH 108, UNIV 101 (7)
PLB 115 or ZOOL 115 (3)
CHEM 140A and CHEM 140B (3) + 5
PHIL 104 (3)
MICR 201 4
QUAN 402, MATH 282, ABE 318, or PSYC 211 3-4
PHSL 201, PHSL 208, PHSL 301 8
HND 100, HND 101, HND 320, HND 321, HND 356, HND 400, HND 410, HND 425, HND 470, HND 472, HND 475, HND 480, HND 486 (2) + 32
AH 105 2
HTEM 206, HTEM 256, HTEM 360 (3) + 6
MKTG 304 3
PSYC 323 3
REC 465 3
Electives 11-12
Total 120

Nutrition Minor

The Nutrition minor in Human Nutrition and Dietetics is an interdisciplinary course of study, and would be beneficial to students who are pursuing an undergraduate degree in health-related fields and pre-professional programs such as premed and nursing. The minor consists of 17 credit hours, including 11 hours of core courses and 6 hours of elective courses in the areas of community nutrition, medical/clinical nutrition, and sports nutrition. The minor provides students with a strong fundamental knowledge of the science of nutrition and the complex interaction between foods and our bodies. The minor does not allow students to become Registered Dietitians.

Courses taken at other institutions may apply toward the minor only if those courses are acceptable for transfer credit by the School of Human Sciences. No more than 2 transfer courses can count toward the minor.

A minor in Nutrition requires a minimum of 17 credit hours, including 11 credit hours of core courses and 6 credit hours of electives. Other relevant courses may be substituted with School Director or designated faculty approval.

Nutrition Minor Requirements

Degree RequirementsCredit Hours

Core Courses:  HND 101, HND 320, HND 410, HND 475

 11
Select two electives from the following: HND 321, HND 356, HND 445, HND 480, HND 486 6
Total 17