Doctorate in Nutrition and Dietetics

Impacting health for a lifetime

Indiana University’s Doctorate in Nutrition and Dietetics (DND) leverages the power of an IU degree, the state's foremost leader in health-care education and medical practice.

An ACEND® accredited entry-level Coordinated Program in Dietetics, the DND prepares you to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and to practice as an autonomous professional and valued member of a collaborative healthcare team. You’ll graduate equipped to make a difference in people’s lives and be a leader in the profession.

Accreditation Information

Studying full time in Indianapolis for three years puts you in the heart of the state’s leading health- and medical-care facilities.

You’ll benefit from:

  • 90 credit hours of graduate academic coursework
  • 1,296 hours of supervised practice experience in inpatient, outpatient, and community settings
  • Self-selected five-week capstone experience
  • Advanced medical nutrition therapy across the lifecycle
  • Enhanced education and preparation in food systems, foodservice, and management
  • Self-selected translational research project
  • Strong scientific foundation to meet the challenges of a rapidly developing and changing profession
*Source: Compensation & Benefits Survey of the Dietetics Profession 2021 (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)

DND Mission and Goals

The over-arching mission of Indiana University's Coordinated Program in Dietetics is to provide advanced education and supervised practice opportunities for future leaders in the application and advancement of nutrition and dietetics for the state of Indiana and beyond.

Located on IU's Indianapolis campus, the Doctorate in Nutrition and Dietetics' mission is the preparation of entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists to meet the health-care needs of the citizens of Indiana and to provide future leaders in nutrition and health care.

Prepare registered dietitian nutritionists who deliver quality nutrition care and nutrition related services that reflect changing research, demands for accountability and sustainability.

Objective 1: 100 percent of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.

Objective 2: The program’s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80 percent.   

Objective 3: At least 80 percent or more of the program graduates, who respond to the one-year post-graduation survey, will report satisfaction with preparation provided by the program for their first professional position.

Objective 4: At least 80 percent of program students complete program/degree requirements within 4.5 years (150 percent of the program length).

Objective 5: Of program graduates who seek employment, 100 percent are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.

Objective 6: At least ninety percent or more of the employers of program graduates, who respond to the one-year post-graduation survey, will report themselves satisfied with the preparation of the entry-level dietitian. 

Prepare registered dietitian nutritionists to meet the needs of the citizens of Indiana.

Objective 1: At least 50 percent of the program graduates will find employment in the state of Indiana within the first year following graduation.

Program outcome data available upon request.