About the Program
The Nutrition Science Department at Purdue has a unique and historically popular double major offering in Nutrition, Fitness and Health (NFHL) and Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPND). This combination allows students to fulfill the didactic requirements for becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), as well as gain a comprehensive approach to human health and fitness. This double major is 127-135 credits and can be completed in four years. For more information, please click here.
Nutrition plays a vital role in health and disease. There is growing evidence of the role of diet in the prevention, development, and treatment of major diseases. To maximize one’s health requires that professionals have a strong understanding of nutrition. The Registered Dietitian (RD)/Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential is the nationally recognized credential for nutritionists and is required for most employment in the healthcare industry and preferred for many other employment opportunities in foods and nutrition. To become an RD you must complete required course work, a supervised practice experience, and then pass a national registration examination for dietitians (RD exam). Scores on the national RD exam by Purdue graduates are consistently above the national average.
The Nutrition, Fitness, and Health (NFHL) major is designed for students interested in careers in nutrition, fitness or wellness programs in hospitals, colleges or industry.
With a focus on preventive health and nutrition, these majors are excellent preparation for pursuing advanced degrees for professional health careers such as for medical, dental, physician’s assistant or physical therapy schools.
