Dietetics Combined [BS + MS]

The Coordinated Program in Dietetics (also referred to as CP or Program) is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND or the Academy).

Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
800/877-1600 ext. 5400
www.eatright.org

Career Opportunities

A degree in dietetics culminating with the registered dietitian credential provides many options for employment. Job opportunities are available in the clinical area in hospitals, long-term care facilities, specialized healthcare settings, and insurance companies.

In addition, there are many opportunities in the community including positions in federal and state programs like the Women, Infant, and Children’s Nutrition Program, Head Start, and Area on Aging. The food service industry is also a place for employment including hospitals, long-term care facilities, corporate operations, and school systems. Other areas where dietitians provide their expertise are in sports nutrition, universities, private practice, research, writing, and other government agencies such as the FDA and the USDA.

For current information related to a career in dietetics, please visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Other Important Information (click on the links below for details)

Online Education Eligibility

• The U.S. Federal Government limits the number of online courses international students may enroll in while living in the United States. For this reason, we cannot admit students on F1 visas to fully online programs. Please check with International Admissions to confirm eligibility before applying.
• All applicants, please review Online Education for Out-of-State Students to confirm you are eligible to enroll in an online program based in Michigan.

Program Admission

Eastern Michigan University (EMU) offers the Combined Coordinated Program in Dietetics (CCP) online and on campus. The online format is only available for those applicants living in the United States or its territories. International students must check with International Admissions whether their visa status allows distance learning or if on-campus learning is required.

The CCP track is designed for students who have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree. Students who complete the requirements for this major earn a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree.

To be eligible to apply for the Combined Program:

• Students must complete all general education courses but may complete the courses during the winter semester as applications are under review. The minimum undergraduate GPA requirement for admission to a combined bachelor’s/master’s program is 3.0. For more information about this policy, see Graduate School Policies [PDF]. For the CCP, the 3.0 cumulative GPA is calculated based on all university courses completed, whether taken at EMU or another university. Calculating the cumulative and pre-application prerequisite GPA is the responsibility assumed by the Dietetics Intent student until an application to the Dietetics Program is received at the time of the application cycle. The EMU GPA Calculator is a resource for pre-application prerequisite GPA calculations.
• Before starting the Combined Program in summer I (May), the student must complete at least 76 undergraduate credit hours. Suppose the student applies to the Dietetics Program with less than 76 undergraduate credit hours completed. In that case, they must additionally include a plan both with their Program advisor before the start of the winter semester (January) and with their CCP application for completing at least 76 credit hours before the beginning of the summer I (May) semester.

Transfer Students Applicants not already admitted to EMU must begin the process by completing an undergraduate application. The applicant must also meet with a general academic advisor to identify how previous coursework will transfer to EMU and determine the remaining general education and/or Program prerequisite coursework that may be needed. Biannual communication and advising through CHHS Advising is additionally required. Applications from individuals who do not follow these steps will not be reviewed.

Program Application

The application process includes five components. Click on the links below for details.

Multiple-Step Application Process

1. Applicants initiate the process by completing the Reference Form and providing a non-refundable $35 processing fee between November 1, 2023, and January 3, 2024. It is recommended that this step be completed as soon as possible to allow applicant reference providers adequate time to complete the Reference Form (required before January 16, 2024).
2. Applicants complete the Prerequisite Form once, with all courses and final grades reported, no later than January 3, 2024.
3. Applicants provide all official transcripts to the Office of Records and Registration emich.edu/Registrar no later than January 8, 2024.
4. Once basic eligibility is determined, the applicant can expect to receive a link to the Kira Talent check-in page, via email, between January 3 and January 8, 2024.
5. Applicants have approximately one week to complete an electronic upload of The Program Application, which includes three parts (as detailed above), including Document A (as a PDF), Document B (as a PDF), and the recorded and timed video and written interview questions. The Kira Talent platform-required application is due by January 16, 2024, at 11:59 pm EST. Applications submitted after this date/time may be considered if spots in the CP still need to be filled.

The screening procedure that is used for applicant review and cohort selection includes the following:

• GPA - cumulative and pre-application prerequisite courses
• Two references
• Personal statement
• Answers to application questions
• Completion of volunteer work (24 hours)
• Overall application

Due to accreditation requirements and the availability of supervised practice experience sites, the program limits the number of students admitted to each cohort.

School Information

Health Sciences 313 Marshall, 734.487.4096

Advisor Information

Sandy Pernecky, M.S., R.D.N., Dietetics Program Intent Advisor, 261 Rackham

Undergraduate Degree -

The requirements listed below will appear on a student’s undergraduate transcript.

According to university policy, students must earn a minimum of 120 credit hours at the 100-level or above for a bachelor’s degree. Completing this combined program’s minimum credit hour total (Undergrad + Grad) will likely require students to complete more than 120 credit hours as an undergraduate.

General Education Requirements:

Major Requirements: 52 hours

• DTC 233 Fundamentals in Nutrition Therapy 3 hrs
• DTC 302 Nutrient Metabolism: Macronutrients 3 hrs
• DTC 315 Nutrition Assessment and Counseling 3 hrs
• DTC 330 Nutrition Therapy I 3 hrs
• DTC 332 Nutrition Therapy I Application 2 hrs
• DTC 350 Foodservice Systems Management I 3 hrs
• DTC 351 Foodservice Systems Management I Experience 4 hrs
• DTC 370 Nutrition Therapy II 3 hrs
• DTC 375 Integrative Medicine 3 hrs
• DTC 415 Nutrition Communications 3 hrs
• DTC 422 Nutrient Metabolism: Micronutrients 3 hrs
• DTC 430W Community Nutrition [GEWI] 3 hrs
• DTC 450 Foodservice Systems Management II 2 hrs
• DTC 460 Nutrition Therapy III 3 hrs
• DTC 500 Research Design and Methods 3 hrs
• DTC 535 Community Nutrition Experience 4 hrs
• DTC 575 Nutrition Therapy II Experience 4 hrs

Minor Requirement:

This major does not require a minor.

Graduate Degree -

The requirements listed below will appear on a student’s graduate transcript.

Students must ensure they have completed the necessary graduate credit hours that, when combined with those taken as an undergraduate, equal or exceed the minimum number of credit hours required for this combined program. Sometimes, a student may need additional coursework beyond the minimum requirements listed below to meet the total hour requirement.

Degree Requirements: 19-22 hours

Core Requirements: 16 hours

Students must complete the following courses and chose one option from the Culminating Experience section.

• DTC 608 Advanced Topics in Foods 3 hrs
• DTC 618 Advanced Topics in Nutrition 3 hrs
• DTC 655 Foodservice Systems Management II Experience 3 hrs
• DTC 659 Development of the Entrepreneurial Dietitian 3 hrs
• DTC 671 Nutrition Therapy III Experience 4 hrs

Culminating Experience: 3-6 hours

Select from option I, option II, or option III:

Option I - Thesis: 6 hours

The thesis option involves a research study that is planned, executed, and written in thesis format. This option includes three classes (six credit hours). Each student must have a committee of at least two people; the thesis chair must have a Ph.D. and be an EMU faculty. More specifically, the thesis consists of a research study that requires 5 chapters detailing the study. Statistical analysis is the responsibility of the student. Chapters 1-3 are a proposal of the study, written in Thesis I. Chapter 1 is the introduction, chapter 2 is the review of literature, and chapter 3 is the methodology (how you will do the study). Thesis II involves data collection and statistical analysis of the data. Chapters 4 (Results) and 5 (Conclusions) are written. Thesis III involves the dissemination of the research through a poster presentation or an article in a peer-reviewed journal.

• DTC 691 Thesis I 2 hrs
• DTC 692 Thesis II 3 hrs
• DTC 693 Thesis III 1 hr

Option II - Non-Thesis Research: 6 hours

The research option is a three-class series (six credit hours) working with one professor on a project that the student and professor agree on. More specifically, you may follow the same format as the thesis without complicated statistics. You may also choose something completely different. For example, one student has designed a module to train future students on autism. In addition, students are guided toward submitting manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals.

• DTC 694 Research I 2 hrs
• DTC 695 Research II 3 hrs
• DTC 696 Research III 1 hr

Option III - Research Writing: 3 hours

The research writing option is one class (three credit hours) focused on biomedical research writing. Students complete a series of assignments in research writing; complete a newsletter article, and a short manuscript that is distributed electronically to faculty and staff in the School of Health Sciences at the end of the semester.

• DTC 601 Research Writing 3 hrs

Combined Program Total: 147

Critical Graduation Information

Each undergraduate student will be responsible for fulfilling the requirements (or their equivalents) of the Eastern Michigan University catalog in force at the time of their initial registration at a college or university or a subsequent catalog, including the one in effect at the time of their graduation.

In the event an undergraduate student does not complete the degree requirements within seven years of the date of their original registration at a college or university, the student may be required to have their credits re-evaluated by the academic department(s) of their major/minor in keeping with catalog requirements in force during the year of their graduation.

Minimum requirements for all bachelor’s degrees awarded by Eastern Michigan University

Some majors and minors require more than the minimum in one or more of the areas below; students are urged to consult this catalog for the requirements of their particular programs.

• Earn a minimum total of 120 credit hours at the 100-level and above.
  • Courses numbered below 100 are not counted toward this degree requirement.
  • At most, eight credit hours of physical education (PEGN) activity courses are counted toward this requirement.
  • Earn a minimum of 6 credits in 300-level or higher courses at EMU in each minor
  • Earn a minimum of 9 credits in 300-level or higher courses at EMU in each major that requires a minor.
  • Earn a minimum of 15 credits in 300-level or higher courses at EMU in each major that does not require a minor

  General Education Requirements - EMU’s General Education Program requires students to choose from a menu of approved courses in several different areas; do not assume that other courses in the same department or similar names will fulfill these requirements. A detailed description of General Education requirements is available in the General Education section of the catalog.

  Students who transferred to EMU may have modified general education requirements based on Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) or articulation agreements; consult your academic advisor for additional information.