School of Health Professions

Nutrition & Dietetics

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Study at the only ELCA college in the U.S. with an accredited didactic program in dietetics.

Do you want to learn more about how the foods you eat influence your body? Do you love to try new recipes? Do you want to be able to help others adopt healthy habits? The demand for nutrition professionals is increasing in response to the aging population, the rising number of people with chronic health issues, and environmental concerns. 

Programs of Study

Major or Minor in Food/Nutrition/Dietetics

This major will prepare you for a dietetic internship, of which Concordia graduates have a very high placement rate, and lay the groundwork for a variety of careers in nutrition and dietetics.

To view course requirements or get more information on our program, please refer to our student handbook.

Undergraduate Certificate in Nutrition for Health Professionals

This certificate program is designed to complement and enhance the plan of study for students pursuing health-related professions.

Degree Requirements and Courses

Food, Nutrition, and Dietetic Careers

  • Hospitals, long-term care facilities, HMOs, or other healthcare facilities: educating patients about nutrition and administering medical nutrition therapy as a part of the healthcare team
  • Food service operations in healthcare facilities, schools, childcare centers, and correctional facilities: overseeing everything from food purchasing and preparation to managing staff
  • Sports teams and workplaces with corporate wellness programs: educating clients/athletes about the connection between food, fitness, and health
  • Food- and nutrition-related businesses and industries: working in the areas of communication, consumer affairs, public relations, marketing, or product development
  • Private practice or contracting with healthcare or food companies: providing services to your own clients, food service or restaurant managers, food vendors and distributors, athletes, etc.
  • Community and public health settings: helping individuals and groups improve health behaviors through direct teaching and advising, and through larger health promotion programs 
  • University and medical centers: teaching physicians, nurses, dietetics students, and others the science of food and nutrition
  • Research for pharmaceutical companies, universities, government, and hospitals: directing or conducting experiments to answer critical nutrition questions and improve nutrition recommendations for the public

Alumni Success Stories

5 Min Read

Cobbers Connect Across the Ocean

Dr. David Borge ’76, registered dietitian Kayla Lindquist ’17, and Dr. Mark Hiesterman ’00 all share a passion for helping others. That, coupled with a sense of adventure, brought each of them independently to the same Saipan hospital in the U.S. commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Continue Reading
4 Min Read

Breaking Language Barriers

By combining her interests in nutrition and American Sign Language, Sydney Bexell ’20 is gaining experience in breaking language barriers.

Continue Reading

Undergraduate Program Opportunities

Concordia’s food/nutrition/dietetics program offers:

  • Multiple opportunities to build communication skills by developing and presenting projects/research to community groups
  • Small class sizes and a comfortable place to share ideas and learn from others
  • Dedicated faculty members who will work closely with you and provide guidance throughout your time at Concordia and beyond
  • Funding to attend the Academy’s Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo during your junior or senior year
  • A science-based education steeped in the liberal arts that will prepare you to think critically about real-world issues
  • Multiple collaborative events where you will interact with, and learn from students in other disciplines
  • Practical and relevant field experiences built into the curriculum so you will be prepared to “hit the ground running” after graduation
  • Opportunities to network with nutrition professionals at monthly Student Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (SAND) events

Sierra Kollie ’19 on Food/Nutrition/Dietetics

I have been well-prepared for my internship because of Concordia’s nutrition and dietetics program. The experiences I had outside the classroom and Concordia’s interactive teaching style has helped me in countless ways and I am thriving in this environment. I am currently in my long-term care rotation and I absolutely love it. I also had a great experience in my previous rotation for school food service and I look forward to my next rotation in a hospital setting.
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Nutrition Students in Action

Students at the 2019 Food & Nutrition Conference and Expo in Philadelphia

Students at the 2019 Food & Nutrition Conference and Expo in Philadelphia

Interdisciplinary Case Study

Interdisciplinary Case Study

Undergraduate and graduate dietetics students from the department of nutrition, dietetics, and exercise science recently attended the annual Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Conference and Expo in Washington, D.C. Due to the large percentage of our students attending, the department was awarded the School Spirit Award from the academy. This was quite an honor for the students, as only four Spirit Awards were given nationwide. Students were invited to attend a social where they were able to network with the academy president and members of the board of directors.

Graduate Program

The combined Dietetic Internship (DI) and Master of Science (MS) in Nutrition program at Concordia College is for graduates who have completed an approved didactic program in dietetics (DPD). The DI/MS program was established as a cooperative arrangement with the college, public schools, and area healthcare facilities.

Steps to Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist    

There are many career paths you can take after graduation depending on your future goals. You can earn credentials as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) or Nutrition and Dietetic Technician, Registered (NDTR), attend graduate school, or enter the workforce.

If your goal is to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN):

After graduating from Concordia’s DPD program with a 2.75 minimum GPA, you will be eligible to apply to supervised practice programs, otherwise known as dietetic internships, where you will complete a minimum of 1,000 hours of practical training. Programs are located across the country. The RDN exam eligibility requirements are outlined by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). For more information on the internship application process, please see the student handbook or the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics.

After successful completion of your dietetic internship, you will be eligible to take the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) registration exam, which is a computerized test that graduates must pass in order to receive the RD/RDN credential. Additional information about the Registration Exam can be found on the CDR website. For more information on the exam and licensure in Minnesota, see the student handbook.

Note: Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). In order to be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor’s degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into CDR’s Registration Eligibility Processing System (REPS) before 12:00 midnight Central Time, December 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement visit CDR’s website: https://www.cdrnet.org/graduatedegree. In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. For more information about state licensure requirements, click here.

If your goal is to become a Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, Registered (NDTR):

After graduating with a degree in food, nutrition, and dietetics from Concordia, you will be eligible to take the Registration Exam for Dietetic Technicians, which is a computerized test that graduates must pass in order to receive the NDTR credential. For more information about the exam, visit the Commission on Dietetic Registration website.

If your goal is to continue your education or to enter the workforce:

After graduating with a degree in food, nutrition, and dietetics from Concordia, you will be eligible to apply for:

  • Graduate programs (minimum GPAs and course requirements vary with programs)
  • Nutrition/health-related jobs that do not require the RDN credential, including many that are listed above

Portfolios

Dietetic Student Portfolios | May 2022

Our students' unique experiences are documented in the portfolios they create at the end of their program.

Dietetic Student Portfolios | May 2021

Accreditation

The Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) at Concordia College is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Address: 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995
Phone: 800.877.1600, ext. 5400
Email: ACEND@eatright.org
Website: https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend 

The information below can be found in the student handbook:

  • Cost and availability of financial aid
  • Requirements for application, admission, graduation, and program completion
  • Academic/program calendar
  • Annual outcome data is available upon request from the program director at aroseno@cord.edu

The mission of the Didactic Program in Dietetics is to provide an educational environment consistent with the mission of Concordia College that will prepare students:

  1. for supervised practice, graduate degree, Commission on Dietetic Registration credentialing exams to become a registered dietitian nutritionist or nutrition and dietetics technician.
  2. to become responsibly engaged in the world.

Objectives for Goal 1

  • At least 80% of program students complete program/degree requirements within three years (150% of the program length).
  • At least 85% of program graduates apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within 12 months of graduation.
  • Of program graduates who apply to a supervised practice program, at least 85% are admitted within 12 months of graduation.
  • Seventy-five percent (75%) of SPP directors reported that graduates were well prepared for supervised practice (indicated by a score of 2 or better on all survey questions).
  • Seventy-five percent (75%) of graduates completing an SPP reported they were well prepared for supervised practice (indicated by a score of 2 or better on all survey questions).
  • The program’s first-time pass rate on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.
  • The program’s one-year pass rate (for graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of the first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.

Objectives for Goal 2 

  • Eighty percent (80%) of graduates who respond to the survey will report that they were well-prepared to seek out and hold leadership positions.
  • Eighty percent (80%) of graduates who respond to the survey will report that they were well-prepared to seek out and engage in community service.
  • Fifty percent (50%) of graduates who respond to the survey will report that they hold a leadership role in a professional community or organization.
  • Fifty percent (50%) of graduates who respond to the survey will report that they participate in community service on a regular basis.
Contact

Dr. Meredith G. Wagner
Chair/Associate Professor, Nutrition, Dietetics, and Exercise Science; Program Director, Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetic Internship; Director, Graduate and Postbaccalaureate Education Nutrition, Dietetics, and Exercise Science, Environmental and Sustainability Studies, Exercise Science, Graduate and Continuing Studies
P 218.299.3755
E wagner@cord.edu