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Are you interested in a career that allows you to help people maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle? At Johnson County Community College, our Dietary Manager courses will help students prepare to become a certified dietary manager.

What Will I Learn in JCCC's Dietary Manager Program?

Through JCCC's Dietary Manager courses, you will learn everything you need to know as a dietary manager. As a dietary manager, you will:

  • Work in partnership with registered dietitians to purchase, prepare and deliver balanced nutritional meals within a budget.
  • Analyze the basic nutritional needs of your clientele.
  • Provide meal service while satisfying client preferences.
  • Assess dietary intake for energy balance, sustainability and nutrition for humans in various stages of life.
  • Apply nutrition knowledge to clinical, community, research and food science situations.
  • Effectively and efficiently supervise noncommercial foodservice facilities while applying nutrition principles and ensuring food safety.

At JCCC, our Dietary Manager program consists of 30 credit hours—two semesters—of coursework. After completing the necessary credit hours, you will take an exam to earn your Dietary Manager certificate. In your JCCC courses, you will learn:

  • Nutrition and meal planning
  • Nutrition and medical nutrition therapy
  • Management of food service
  • Human resource management
  • Sanitation and food safety
  • Basic professional cooking
  • Supervisory management
  • Basic business math

In your final semester, you will complete a dietary manager's practicum (internship). The practicum requires 125 hours in food service as well as 25 hours of field experience in nutrition. This course lets you apply what you learned in the classroom to real-world scenarios.

Once you successfully complete these classes, you will be eligible to take the national credentialing exam. The exam is offered through the Certifying Board of Dietary Managers. After passing the exam, you'll earn your Certified Dietary Manager and Certified Food Protection Professional (CDM, CFPP) credentials.

Why JCCC's Dietary Manager Program?

Our program is more robust than other dietary management programs available. Classes are small, usually between 20 and 25 students, which gives you more one-on-one time with your instructors.

The Dietary Manager courses are also fun, dynamic and taught by experienced instructors. You can complete the program in a year or attend part-time to best suit your needs. Plus, we offer some Dietary Manager courses online for your convenience.

You will be fully prepared for the nationally recognized CDM Credentialing Exam offered by the Certifying Board for Dietary Managers. You will also qualify for Level 3 certification with the School Nutrition Association.

See faculty list

JCCC Assistant Professor Michelle Riley was honored as the 2019 CAFÉ/Sysco Corporation Community College Educator of the Year for her innovative teaching practices in the classroom, leadership in the field, and commitment to the educational community and foodservice industry. She developed a new Nutritional Health associate degree program at the College and collaborates with the University of Kansas Health System and University of Kansas Medical Center to create healthy eating presentations for the community.
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Certified dietary managers have plenty of career opportunities. Often, dietary managers will work alongside registered dietitians in healthcare facilities and other institutions. As a certified dietary manager (CDM), you could supervise food services in numerous facilities, such as:

  • Long-term care facilities
  • Hospitals
  • Schools
  • Correctional institutions
  • Other noncommercial settings

The U.S. Department of Labor compiles statistics on careers involving dietary management. You'll find information specifically related to careers in Kansas and Missouri, including salary information and the job prospects.

Food Service Managers

Find employment projections and salary information at the Power BI Post Graduate Report.


Need help with career decisions? Visit the Career Development Center.

The cost of going to college can drastically impact your ability to succeed. At Johnson County Community College, we want our students to be able to afford a program that they love. That’s why we’re constantly working to make tuition more affordable for you.

Here’s what JCCC has to offer:

Textbook and other supply costs vary depending on your courses.

There are several things to consider when budgeting for college. Visit our Cost of Attendance page for detailed information.

Resources and Tools at JCCC

Being a student at JCCC means you have access to a range of services and resources to help you succeed. We offer professional tutoring and small, personalized class sizes. When you attend Johnson County Community College, your education truly matters.

The cost of going to school can be daunting. Fortunately, our Financial Aid office is here to help you through the process. Our counselors can help you find ways to fund your schooling, including scholarships and student loans, both of which can help to reduce the cost of your tuition every semester.

If you need help discovering what your passion will be post-graduation, our Career Development Center and Academic Counseling services are great support tools.

You can also further your education by transferring to a four-year school. JCCC is here to help make the transition to another college program easy and stress-free.