Clinical Nutrition

Clinical Nutrition Major

UC Davis Celebrates High Dietetic Internship Acceptance Rate for Graduates

The results are in! 90% of UC Davis’ Spring 2022 dietetic internship applicants were accepted to internship programs. This translates to 61 UC Davis graduates beginning their supervised practice this fall. This rate far exceeds the national match rate of 73%. Over a third of these graduates (39%, 24 applicants) will attend internships combined with a master’s degree. Additionally, 8 clinical nutrition graduates will pursue master’s degrees this fall and one will enter a PhD program.

Our outstanding acceptance rates to dietetic internships as well as to graduate and professional schools speaks to the exceptional education delivered by the faculty in our department and our bright and dedicated students. We celebrate everyone’s success!

The Clinical Nutrition (formerly Dietetics) major incorporates the same basic core of nutrition classes as the Nutrition Science major, but includes additional courses such as food service management, education, sociology, and communication skills to prepare for work with the public.

Clinical Nutrition students spend the first two years completing preparatory course work in the basic biological sciences, along with several of the social sciences. In the final two years, students take courses in normal and clinical nutrition, food science, biochemistry, and management techniques.

This major can prepare students for graduate study, further career preparation in the health professions (dietetics, medicine, pharmacy, nursing, etc.) as well as food service, food production and distribution, education, research and public health. Graduates of this major, with completion of the DPD program, receive a pre-professional verification statement and are eligible to apply to supervised practice programs (accredited Dietetic Internships) in which students receive practical training in varied aspects of dietetic practice. At least 60% of those students applying from UC Davis typically receive acceptance into accredited supervised practice programs after graduating. Upon satisfactory completion of a minimum of a Baccalaureate degree and DPD academic coursework and a post-Baccalaureate program of supervised practice, the student is eligible to take the nationally administered Registration Examination. Passage of this exam results in earning the professional credential of a Registered Dietitian or "R.D."

*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). If an individual receives the RDN before 2024, there is no requirement to get a master’s degree to maintain registration.

 

Resources for Clinical Nutrition Majors

Contacts

Undergraduate Advising Office

Undergraduate Staff Advisors

Student Services Support

Peer Advisors

Mailing Address

  • Martha Amesquita
    Undergraduate Staff Advisor
    Department of Nutrition
    University of California, Davis
    One Shields Avenue
    Davis, CA 95616-5270

Faculty Advisors

  • Francene Steinberg, Ph.D., R.D.
    Clinical Nutrition Major Faculty Advisor & Didactic Program in Dietetics Director
    3135B Meyer Hall, (530) 752-0160, fmsteinberg@ucdavis.edu
  • Joan Frank, M.S., R.D.
    Assistant Director, Didactic Program in Dietetics
    3241 Meyer Hall,  (530) 754-9749, jsfrank@ucdavis.edu