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The Diet and Exercise program enables students to pursue combined bachelor's and master's degrees with a focus on nutrition and physical activity. Applicants enter the university as pre-diet and exercise candidates, then apply for graduate admission during their junior year to gain full acceptance into the accelerated program. This structured pathway allows completion of both degrees within five to six years.
With increasing public awareness about wellness and illness prevention, diet and exercise graduates discover diverse career paths in fields like cardiac rehab, school food programs, workplace wellness initiatives, community health services, medical clinics, preventive healthcare, athletic performance, and sports nutrition. This accelerated curriculum enables students to obtain both undergraduate and graduate degrees in just five years:
The curriculum fulfills Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) standards, preparing graduates for accredited dietetic internships and subsequent registration as dietitian nutritionists (RDNs). It also satisfies American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) criteria for exercise physiologist certification.
Iowa State University houses Iowa's sole accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics, widely regarded by industry professionals as both prestigious and academically demanding.
Participants in the Diet and Exercise program can join faculty-led international trips to locations like Peru and India, gaining direct experience with global food systems and nutritional practices.