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.

Video Recording of Dietetics Info Session - July 2023

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 

Colleen Croxall, PhD, Director

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:

For specific requirements, see General Education  or view the General Education Worksheet [PDF] .  

Major Requirements: 49 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 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

Combined Program Total: 144

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.
• Meet the requirements of the General Education program (see information below), including completing a Writing Intensive (GEWI) course in the student’s major.
• Earn a minimum of 60 credits from a four-year college or university; courses taken at community colleges cannot be used to meet this requirement (Some formal program-to-program articulation agreements modify this requirement. See specific agreements for details).
• Earn a minimum of 30 credits from courses taken at EMU.
• Complete 10 of the last 30 hours for the degree from courses taken at EMU.
• Have a minimum of 30 unique credit hours in their major and 20 unique credit hours in their minor for a total of at least 50 unique credit hours between them. Some majors that require 50 or more hours themselves do not require a minor. A double major automatically satisfies the need for a minor unless one of the two majors requires a specific minor. Students should check the requirements of the selected major in the undergraduate catalog to see if a minor is required. 
• Earn no more than 60 credit hours in one subject area (prefix). Credits over the 60 maximum will not be counted toward the minimum of 120 credits required for a bachelor’s degree.
• Earn the minimum number of credits in 300-level and above courses in each major and minor as specified below - these credits must be earned in distinct courses; that is, no course can be used to fulfill this requirement in more than one major or minor.
  • 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
• Transfer credit will be awarded for courses taken at colleges and universities that are accredited by one of the recognized regional accrediting bodies only if the courses are college-level (equated to 100-level or above at EMU) and the student earned a “C” (or 2.0 on a 4 point scale) or better. Transfer credit may be awarded on a case-by-case basis for college-level courses in which a “C” (2.0) or better was earned at institutions outside the U.S. or at non-accredited U.S. institutions; individual departments/schools conduct the internal review of such courses within EMU, and additional documentation may be required. Please note: EMU awards only credit for transferred courses; grades are not used to calculate an EMU GPA.
• Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in courses taken at EMU to graduate. In addition, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 must be reached in each major and minor. Only courses a student takes at EMU and those applied to their major or minor are used to calculate their major and minor cumulative GPAs. (Note: some programs may require a higher GPA - check with your program advisor.)

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.