Integrated Program in Nutrition and Dietetics

The mission of the Integrated Program in Nutrition and Dietetics is to prepare graduates ready to practice as Registered Dietitian Nutritionists with increased competence and advanced skills in clinical and community nutrition, and to advance the science and practice of nutrition and dietetics.

We value:

• Diversity
• Life-long Learning
• An interdisciplinary approach to healthcare
• Socially and ecologically sustainable food systems

• Superior model of learning that integrates didactic and supervised practice, allowing for immediate reinforcement of classroom learning with practical field experiences, simulations, and standardized patients
• Guarantees supervised practice placement, eliminating the stress of the internship matching process
• Prepares graduates to be workplace-ready a year early (2 years for IPND vs 3 years for DPD+DI model) with potential professional earnings of ~$72,000 during that time

Goal 1: Program graduates will demonstrate evidence-based practice to advance the science in the field of nutrition and dietetics.

Objectives:

1. Program Completion:
   1. Full-Time: At least 80% of students complete program requirements within 3 years (150% of the program length).
   2. Part-Time: At least 80% of students complete program requirements within 4.5 years (150% of the program length).
2. At least 80% of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.
3. 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%.
4. At least 80% of the graduates who respond to exit surveys will rate the quality of their preparation in the Integrated Program to be satisfactory or better.

Goal 2: Program graduates will be prepared for careers in nutrition and dietetics as skilled practitioners with an advanced degree who are equipped to actively address the changing health needs of urban metropolitan areas such as NYC.

Objectives:

1. Of graduates who seek employment, at least 80% are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.
2. At least 80% of employers who respond to the employer survey will rate the preparation of Integrated Program graduates as Good to Excellent.
3. At least 80% of the graduates who respond to alumni surveys will rate the quality of the Integrated Program in preparing them for their first job in nutrition and dietetics as fairly well or better.

Outcomes data is available upon request.

Hunter’s IPND, within the Department of Nutrition and Public Health, is an ACEND-accredited Graduate Program in Nutrition and Dietetics under the Future Education Model Accreditation Standards. For further information and ACEND accreditation, contact:

Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
120 South Riverside Plaza
Suite 2190
Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995
Phone: (800)-877-1600 ext: 5400
E-mail: acend@eatright.org
https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend

Note:

Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) requires 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 have met 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. In addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited Integrated Program in Nutrition and Dietetics program at Hunter College are eligible to apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN.

In some states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. All U.S. states and territories with licensure and certification laws accept the RDN credential for state licensure and certification purposes.· Even though the Certified Dietitian Nutritionist (CDN) license in the state of New York is optional and not required in addition to the RDN certificate to practice, our students often tell us that their start date is pushed back if they don’t receive this certification. See information about state licensure requirements.

While state interpretations of statutes may vary, it is ACEND’s considered opinion that the program meets the educational requirements for dietetics licensure and certification in all states. However, completing an ACEND-accredited academic program alone does not qualify an individual for licensure or certification as a dietitian in any state. Individuals should review their state’s licensing statutes and regulations to understand the specific requirements, including supervised practice and examinations, needed to obtain a dietetics license. More information about state licensure and certification can be found at this link: State Licensure.

See more information about educational pathways to become a RDN.

IPND: 53 credits (15 didactic courses + 4 supervised practice courses) over 2 year: Total In-State Tuition: ~$30,000 (*includes the Academic Excellence Fee of $150/Cr which is in addition to the base graduate tuition rate).

* The $150/cr translates to an additional total of $7,950 for the 53-credit program; which will be ~$4,690 over the 2 years.

Uses of the Academic Excellence Fee:

• Expanded placement assistance, support services, and clinical faculty to ensure guaranteed placements and increase faculty student ratios
• Expanded use of simulation technologies and standardized patients to enhance clinical courses
• Expanded use of review courses and software to better prepare students for RDN exam
• Enhanced specialized support for student research and learning experience
• Enhanced support for bringing in guest lecturers and visiting scientists

See Hunter Registrar website for tuition and fee costs and Hunter’s helpful online tuition calculator.

Additional Program and NYC associated costs:

Please note that there are costs associated with onboarding for rotations. We estimate a total of $300. The costs depend on the individual rotation sites. We have no control over their demands, but aim to choose sites preferentially that cover the charges for onboarding costs. Please keep us informed.

• Background checks (may include fingerprinting, criminal background checks, and various health checks) ~$300
• Books ~$400/annually
• Personal Computer (necessary for assignments as well as online courses) prices vary widely ($300-$3000); loaner laptops and tablets are available on a first-come first-serve basis through Hunter’s Library.
• Transportation ~ NYC Metrocard minimum of $32 per week
• Liability insurance ~$36/annually
• Conferences and meetings (costs for events vary) ~$100
• Housing ~$1,000-4,000/month – highly variable in NYC
• Health insurance (highly variable)
• Food Depends on what you usually eat; Hunter College estimates ~$3402/yr.