The Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) at the University of New Mexico (UNM) is an academic program designed to present the fundamental knowledge to prepare students for a career as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN) or graduate school. Completion of the DPD program enables students to apply to a supervised practice program - Dietetic Internship (DI) or a graduate program. Students completing the DPD program at UNM will earn a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics degree and receive a verification statement upon graduation, required to apply to an accredited DI. Upon successful completion of the DI, graduates are eligible to take the Registration Examination for Dietitians, administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) to become Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN).
Mission Statement
The mission of the University of New Mexico Didactic Program in Dietetics is to prepare graduates to successfully enter an ACEND accredited Dietetic Internship to become eligible for the CDR credential exam to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, or to be eligible for an entry-level occupation in dietetics, or to be accepted to a graduate program.
The curriculum leading to a bachelor of science in nutrition and dietetics is designed to provide students with the academic course work necessary to meet undergraduate requirements established by the ACEND/AND.
Online Availability: Partial
Career Opportunities
A general program that focuses on the role of foods and nutrition in human health and wellness. Includes instruction in nutritional care and education, the planning and provision of food services, the development of consumable food products, life-span nutrition and wellness, the principles of nutritional assessment, and food safety and food composition.
September 2025
College of Education and Human Sciences
ALBUQUERQUE,
New Mexico,
87131, United States
Secondary Education: Completion of the equivalent of an American upper-secondary school education (approximately 12 years of formal education beginning at age six) as well as the appropriate diplomas or satisfactory results on leaving examinations.
Academic Preparation: Strong academic preparation and a U.S.-equivalent cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (for freshman applicants)
English Proficiency:
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) - minimum score 6.0; the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - minimum score 520 paper-based, or 68 Internet-based; the Duolingo English Test - minimum score 95; the University of Cambridge Examinations Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) or Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) - minimum score C; or the Pearson Test of English- Academic (PTE) - minimum score 47
Priority Dates: Fall Term - May 1; Spring Term - December 13; Summer Term - June 1
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
