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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How can I get more information?
A: Plan to attend one of the informational meetings scheduled every semester.
Watch the website for date and time. If you want an appointment with one of the
faculty, call the program office at 471-4934 or email utcpddpd@mail.utexas.edu.
Q: If I apply this fall, when will I know if I am accepted?
A: Applications are due in early September. Interviews take place during September
and October and students are notified of the selection committee's decision
in November.
Q: Since the Coordinated Program courses include supervised practice, how much time do they require?
A: During the fall of the senior year, students take NTR 245C, which meets for six hours per week (2 afternoons of supervised practice in local hospitals). In the spring, students have three CP courses, NTR 772C, 572F and 373S, which together require 40 hours per week (four hours of lecture/discussion and 36 hours supervised practice). Students spend 8 weeks in hospital practice, 6 weeks in foodservice management and 2 weeks in administrative dietetics. During the following summer, students enroll in NTR 274C and 174P which involves six weeks of supervised practice (4 weeks in community dietetics and 2 weeks in a rotation of the students choosing).
Q: Can I work if I'm in the program?
A: Some students work while they are enrolled in the Coordinated Program. Most students who do work find that they have to be well-organized and have a job that offers some flexibility. During the senior spring when students are off campus in practice forty hours per week, it is very difficult to work.
Q: What does the selection committee look for when selecting students?
A:
- Academic performance - a GPA of 2.7 is generally required although strong improvement in grades during recent semesters is given consideration.
- Completion of required prerequisite courses - you have to be able to
complete the following courses by the fall semester you start the program:
CH 301, 302, 204L, 310M, 369; BIO 311C, 416K, 416L; NTR 307, 107L, 311,
111L, 315, 318, 326, 126L and two of the following: NTR 334, 234L, 332 or
330.
- Work or volunteer experience - there is no absolute requirement but experience through employment, volunteer activities, and family responsibilities are all considered.
- Leadership - through activities, employment, etc.
- Knowledge of the profession of dietetics - it's important to devote
some time learning what dietitians do before you make the decision to spend
two years pursuing this career. This can be accomplished through working
with, volunteering for or interviewing practicing dietitians in hospital,
community and/or foodservice settings.
Q: What are my chances for being accepted for the Coordinated Program?
A: If you meet the qualifications listed above, you have a very good chance of being accepted. Dietetic Internships usually have more people applying for each position than does the CPD, so it may be more difficult to get the internship of your choice than to be admitted to the program.
Q: What are the advantages of completing my supervised practice in UT's Coordinated Program?
A:
- UT has an excellent program that provides students a wide variety of experiences such as counseling pregnant and parenting teens in AISD high schools, caring for patients undergoing chemotherapy at local cancer treatment centers, serving as manager for a local foodservice operation, functioning as a hospital dietitian, working with dietitians at state agencies, and providing nutrition education for a home for troubled girls.
- Many students find that applying classroom knowledge in a practice setting helps them learn better. Classroom concepts make more sense when they see how it all fits together in real life situations.
- It may be cheaper to stay in Austin, especially if you are paying in-state tuition. A few, highly competitive dietetic internship pay interns stipend, but nowadays most charge tuition. If you choose an internship in a private hospital or university, or in an out-of-state public university, the tuition can be a lot more than you're currently paying at UT.
- Staying in Austin is almost always an advantage.
Q: How much does the CPD cost?
A: There are some expenses in addition to the customary expenses such as tuition, fees, books, room and board. These expenses include:
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| Professional Liability Insurance | | $35.00 |
| Health Insurance, available through student health service | | $1039.00 |
| Hepatitis B immunization / TB testing | | $107.00 |
| Criminal background check | | $60.00 |
| Student membership in the American Dietetic Association | | $56.00 |
| Required attendance at a professional meeting | | varies |
| Transportation to supervised practice sites | | varies |
| Nametags, uniforms, and lab coats for supervised practice | | varies |
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