Application Related

The MPPD does not currently participate in DICAS match. A link to our application can be found here.

You are eligible to apply to our program if you meet the following requirements:

  • Minimum Bachelor’s Degree (BS or BA)
  • Valid DPD Verification Statement.
    • If your DPD verification statement is more than five years old, you may need to meet additional requirements. See Recency of Education information.
  • Overall GPA ≥ 3.0 (4.0 scale)
  • DPD GPA ≥ 3.0 (4.0 scale)

GRE is not required for admission into the MPPD.

Interviews are not required as part of the MPPD application process. However, if you apply to an international location, an interview will be conducted to assess your suitability for the international rotation.

Applicants to the MPPD must have completed an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution, completed a didactic program in dietetics (DPD), and have a DPD verification statement. To be eligible to apply to the MPPD, you will need to enroll in a DPD program to get a DPD verification statement. However, other Graduate programs that do not require a DPD verification statement may better fit you. A listing of those programs can be found on the ACEND website.

No. Completing both the didactic and experiential learning are part of this integrated program’s requirements. In addition, applicants must also have a DPD verification statement to apply to the MPPD. However, there are other Graduate programs that do not require a DPD verification statement that may better fit you. A listing of those programs can be found on the ACEND website.

The RD2B track is an integrated program that combines didactic and experiential learning to prepare entry-level dietitians. If you are already a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, then the RDN track of the MPPD would be the best option for you.

To apply to the MPPD you need to have completed a DPD program and have been issued a DPD verification statement. If you have successfully passed the CDR exam but do not have a DPD verification statement, you will not be eligible to apply to the MPPD.

No. The  MPPD-RD2B track is accredited as a full-time program only. The option to complete this program on a part-time basis is not available.

International students who will require a form I-20 for F-1 status are not eligible to apply to the MPPD. International applicants residing in the US in other statuses (such as J-2, H-1B, H-4, or green card holders) that allow them to pursue higher education are eligible to apply. For additional information, please get in touch with the International Students and Scholars office.

The MPPD is an online Master’s degree program. Didactic coursework can be completed from anywhere. However, you have two options on where you complete your supervised experiential learning. 

Iowa-based location:

  • ISU faculty identify the preceptors and arrange placement of students at supervised experiential learning facilities.
  • Iowa-based applicants  must submit the IA location preference form with their application, prioritizing their regional preference across Iowa (based on available housing)
  • Students in the Iowa-based location option must live in the assigned supervised experiential learning location area regardless of where the student resides at the time of the application. (For example, an applicant who resided in Kansas and applied for the Iowa-based location would be required to move to Pella, Iowa, if placed there for supervised experiential learning.)

Nationwide location:

  • You complete your supervised experiential learning at facilities anywhere in the United States (minimum requirements apply).
  • You identify and contact preceptors and facilities in the area where you live or wish to work.
  • Your application must include a schedule and preceptor commitment letter from each preceptor for at least your first rotation. Including commitment letters from preceptors for all three supervised experiential learning rotations (Medical Nutrition Therapy, Community Nutrition, and Food Systems Management) will strengthen your application.

  • Applicants who graduated from a DPD program
    • 5-10 years ago, must retake a minimum 3-credit Medical Nutrition Therapy or Advanced Nutrition course that specifically includes the topics of nutrition care process and nutrition-focused physical exam. Coursework must be completed for credit with a minimum grade of C earned in the updated coursework
    • More than 10 years ago: contact the program director. In addition to the Medical Nutrition Therapy or Advanced Nutrition course, applicants may be required to retake nutrient metabolism or nutritional biochemistry. Additional coursework requirements may vary based on whether the applicant has work experience in the field of nutrition and dietetics, since graduating from the DPD program.
  • Updated coursework may be completed either in an on-campus or online class in an accredited dietetics program. A list of dietetics programs accredited by the ACEND can be found on their website. Completing the recommended coursework does not guarantee acceptance into the MPPD program.

Applicants are assessed for their ability to be successful in this distance, graduate program, and in the dietetics profession. In addition, grades, work and volunteer experiences, leadership qualities, representation of personal qualities and skills and letters of recommendation are also considered.  For applicants to the nationwide cohort, completeness of the schedule, and letters of commitment from preceptors are also taken into consideration.  A rubric is utilized to rank the applicants in order of preferred skills and attributes for success in a distance graduate program.

You should request letters of recommendation from people who can attest to your ability to succeed in the MPPD and in the dietetics profession. You may want to request letters of recommendation from your DPD director, faculty/instructor, or work supervisor. You should not request or submit letters of recommendation from friends or family members. People who will be providing letters of recommendation for you will automatically receive an email from us to provide their recommendations, ONLY AFTER you have submitted your application.

You will need to provide the names and contact information of three people who are willing to provide a letter of recommendation for you. We will send them an electronic letter of recommendation form to complete and return to us, after you have submitted your application.

The letter of recommendation asks for an assessment of the applicant’s professional attributes (such as communication skills, time management skills, analytical/problem solving, ability to work independently, etc.), strengths, and areas of improvement.

Once you submit your application, an email is automatically sent out to https://dietetics.iastate.edu/application-informationthe people who will provide a recommendation letter for you. You need to let them know that you are applying to the Iowa State University MPPD and that they will be receiving a link from us to provide their letter of recommendation for you.

Credit may be granted for prior paid work or volunteer experience. Once admitted into the program, students submit a preapplication for evaluation if they are eligible to submit a Prior learning assessment & recognition (PLAR) portfolio for consideration of prior learning.  Students who meet the criteria are notified to submit the PLAR portfolio for review. Students may be exempted from some of the required competencies if they can demonstrate how their prior work/volunteer experience contributed to mastery of the specific program competencies. PLAR information can be found on the Application Information page.

Iowa-based students do not need to get commitment letters from preceptors. However, if you are applying to the Nationwide cohort, you must get commitment letters for at least your first semester of supervised experiential learning sites in Community Nutrition. If you can obtain commitment letters for all three rotations, it will strengthen your application.

Finding preceptors at Medical Nutrition Therapy sites can be challenging. We encourage you to use the Facility Search database to find facilities with existing affiliation agreements with ISU organized by state. You are encouraged to also search the preceptor database, if you are a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. If you cannot find preceptors close to home, you may want to consider expanding the search area, which may mean you have a longer commute or you may have to temporarily relocate to complete your supervised experiential learning. Yes, we would still encourage you to apply to our program.

Program Related

You will earn the Master of Professional Practice in Dietetics or MPPD degree, and your major will be Professional Practice in Dietetics.

Concentration areas are no longer required by ACEND. Consequently, the MPPD does not offer a concentration area.

Yes, all courses in the MPPD are mandatory and required to be taken in the specified semester since they are only offered once a year. You can review the description of the courses offered.

There are no elective courses offered or required in the MPPD.

Students are welcome to take elective courses, however, the elective courses may not replace any core MPPD course.

During the application process, Nationwide applicants must find their own preceptors and submit a schedule. Iowa-based applicants are asked to rank possible locations in Iowa and are placed for their supervised experiential learning by program faculty. We try to match students with the Iowa facilities best suited for student learning and success. This may mean that students may not get their top-ranked location choice or may have to relocate within Iowa for supervised experiential learning.

We encourage you to use the Facility Search Database to find facilities with existing affiliation agreements with ISU organized by state. You are encouraged also to search the preceptor database, if you are a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Your MPPD faculty will work with you to identify new sites/preceptors to meet your learning needs. 

Finance Related

Qualified students may apply for financial aid. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid to discuss eligibility criteria and for other questions related to financial aid.

Financial aid eligibility is determined by the Iowa State University financial aid office. Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be eligible for Federal Direct Stafford Loans. For more information, see the ISU Office of Student Financial Aid website.

FASFA Application deadlines change based on aid type. Deadlines are as follows:

  • June 30th – Federal Aid Deadline
  • July 1st – State (Iowa) Aid Deadline
  • December 1st – ISU Priority Deadline 

Other

Competency-based education is a framework that allows educators to assess what the students know, what the students still need to learn, what the students have learned in the program, and where the program can improve. The advantage of competency-based education is that it allows students to advance forward at their own pace, to spend more time mastering challenging tasks, and to spend less time on tasks they find easier. Thus, by meeting the required competencies, the students demonstrate that they have the knowledge, skills, and judgment to advance in the program.

In ACEND-accredited graduate programs such as the MPPD, supervised practice is called supervised experiential learning. Supervised experiential learning hours are completed each semester along with completing required didactic courses.

The MPPD is a full-time distance program with didactic coursework and supervised experiential learning planned each semester. You may be spending up to 25 hours each week at the supervised experiential learning facilities in addition to completing the learning activities/assignments for your didactic coursework. Working for pay during the MPPD may cause you fall behind and not complete the program.

Yes, after successfully completing the requirements of the MPPD, you will be eligible to take the national credentialing exam to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.