Tips for Administrators

Best Practice Tips for Administrators

Thank you for supporting your employee’s educational journey towards the Certified Dietary Manager, Certified Food Protection Professional (CDM, CFPP) credential. Your encouragement and investment play a vital role in their success. This website is designed to guide you through best practices for supporting participants in the University of North Dakota’s (UND) Food and Nutrition Professional Training Program, including time management strategies, professional development resources, and financial support options.

If you choose to cover your employee’s program costs upfront or reimburse upon completion, we recommend establishing a clear agreement to protect your facility’s investment and ensure mutual understanding. You’ll find sample contracts, practical tips, and additional resources throughout this site to help you and your employee achieve a successful outcome.

Brief Overview of Our Pathways

The University of North Dakota offers two pathways towards the CDM, CFPP credential.

• Pathway 1: Registration is 12 months. This is designed for individuals with under 2 years of management work experience in a non-commercial kitchen. This pathway is 120 hours of coursework and 150 hours of field work. A registered dietitian preceptor is required to facilitate the field work. If a facility does not have a registered dietitian that is able to serve as a preceptor, UND offers access to our trained and approved online preceptors for an additional fee. More information on Pathway I can be found here.
• Pathway III(b): Registration is 12 months. This is designed for individuals with at least 2 years of management work experience in a non-commercial kitchen. This pathway is 120 hours of coursework and does not require field hours or a registered dietitian preceptor. More information on Pathway III(b) can be found here.
• Pathway III(b) Accelerated: Registration is 2 months. This pathway is 120 hours of coursework, and the employee should expect to spend about 20 hours per week on the course. Field hours and a registered dietitian preceptor are not needed. This is designed for individuals with at least 2 years of management work experience in a non-commercial kitchen. More information on Pathway III(b) can be found here.

Additionally, UND offers individual courses to meet the Association of Food and Nutrition Professionals (ANFP) requirements for Pathways II and V.

• Pathway II: Registration is 6 months. This pathway requires a two- or four-year college degree in foodservice management, nutrition, culinary arts, or hotel-restaurant management; but are missing the one or more of the required courses foodservice management I, foodservice management II, or nutrition fundamentals. If an employee needs more than one class, we recommend that they complete one before beginning another. If they need all three courses, it would be more economical to complete Pathway III(b) if they have the qualifying work experience. More information on Pathway II requirements can be found here.
• Pathway V: Registration is 6 months. This pathway is for students with an alternative two- or four-year or higher college degree, plus a minimum of 5 years of full-time non-commercial foodservice management experience; but are missing the one or more of the required courses foodservice management I, foodservice management II, or nutrition fundamentals. If an employee needs more than one class, we recommend that they complete one before beginning another. If they need all three courses, it would be more economical to complete Pathway III(b) if they have the qualifying work experience. More information on Pathway II requirements can be found here.

Most students take the full registration period to complete the program. Information on qualifying for and purchasing course extensions can be found in each of the pathway links above.

If an employee is interested in a pathway other than Pathway I, we recommend contacting the Association of Nutrition and Foodservice Professionals (ANFP) prior to registration to determine which pathway best fits their needs. ANFP can be reached at 1.800.323.1908.

Supporting Your Employee's Success

To successfully complete the program, your employee will need both time and support. Many graduates say that having their administrator’s backing, especially dedicated work time, was the key factor in whether they finished the program.

Support can include, but is not limited to:

• Scheduled study time: For example, setting aside weekly hours where the employee can focus on course requirements without interruptions.
• Access to professional guidance: Encouraging discussions with the facility’s registered dietitian to clarify differences between curriculum and facility practices.
• Financial Assistance: Helping with the course fee, textbooks, and exam fees.

We also recommend that all students join the Association of Nutrition and Foodservice Professionals (ANFP) as pre-professional members. Membership offers networking opportunities, mentorship through the listserv with credentialed CDM, CFPPs, and textbook discounts. Learn more about ANFP pre-professional membership here.

Financial Support Agreements

The University of North Dakota’s Nutrition and Foodservice Professional Training Program recommends that facilities use a written agreement when financially supporting an employee’s enrollment. This helps protect the facility’s investment and sets clear expectations.

Two Common approaches:

1. Upfront payment: Some employers cover the cost at the start of the program. We recommend including a repayment clause requiring the employee to reimburse these costs if they do not complete the program. All program registrations are final, and no refunds are issued if an employee is no longer employed by the facility.
   [View Sample Contract – Upfront Payment]

2. Reimbursement upon completion: Other employers choose to reimburse costs after the employee successfully completes the program. While this approach gives the student more incentive to finish within the enrollment period, it may create a financial barrier if the employee cannot afford the upfront expense. The Nutrition and Foodservice Professional Training Program is not eligible for financial aid, as it is a non-credit credentialing program.
   [View Sample Contract – Reimbursement]

Neither option is preferred over the other as each has advantages and disadvantages. We encourage facilities to choose the best method that works for their situation.

FERPA Release Forms

As outlined in the sample contracts above, if your facility covers an employee’s program fees and textbooks, we recommend having a Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) release form on file with UND and a mandatory requirement for facility assistance. This form authorizes the facility’s administrator or the employee’s supervisor, depending on who is named on the form, to check on the employee’s progress throughout their enrollment.

You can access our FERPA release form here.

Credentialing Exam

If your employee completed Pathway I, Pathway III(b) or Pathway III(b) Accelerated, they will receive a Certificate of Completion by mail, sent via the United States Postal Service to the address provided at registration.

If they completed the individual course(s) to meet ANFP’s Pathway II or V requirements, they will receive a transcript via email.

UND will report their completion date and pathway with the Certifying Board of Dietary Managers (CBDM). CBDM will then provide them with instructions for paying for, scheduling, and taking the CDM Credentialing Exam. More information on the CDM Credentialing Exam can be found here.