Dec 02, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog [Current Academic Year] 
    
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog [Current Academic Year]

Dietetics Combined [BS + MS]

Location(s): Online, In-person/hybrid


Revised Program [Fall 2024]


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.

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

Dietetics infographic [PDF]  

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 foodservice 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 site, by clicking here.

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

  

Supervised Practice Experience information for Campus Students [DOC]

  

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 or J1 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 your eligibility 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 still need to earn 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. If applying to the Dietetics Program with completion of less than 76 undergraduate credit hours, the applicant 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 September 2024

  

  

     

   

School Information


Health Sciences 313 Marshall, 734.487.4096 

Olivia Ford, PhD, Director

Advisor Information


Sandy Pernecky, MS, RDNDietetic Program Intent Advisor261 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, please see the Undergraduate Catalog or print a General Education Worksheet [PDF] .

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. 

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.

  • 2 hrs
  • 3 hrs
  • 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.

  • 2 hrs
  • 3 hrs
  • 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.

  • 3 hrs

Combined Program Total: 147


Critical Graduation Information


The following are 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 the on-line catalog for the requirements of their particular programs.

  • Earn a minimum total of 124 credits at the 100-level and above. Courses with numbers below 100 will not be counted toward this degree requirement. At most 8 credit hours of physical education (PEGN) activity courses will be counted toward this requirement.
  • Meet the requirements of the General Education program (see information below).
  • Complete a Writing Intensive (WI) Course in your major.
  • Earn a minimum of 45 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; students should check 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 in excess of the 60 maximum will not be counted toward the minimum of 124 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; the internal review of such courses is conducted by individual departments/schools within EMU, and additional documentation may be required. Please note: EMU awards only credits for transferred courses; grades are not used in the calculation of an EMU GPA.
  • Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in courses taken at EMU in order to graduate. In addition, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 must be reached in each major and minor. Only courses taken at EMU and those applied to a student’s major or minor, will be used in the calculation of 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 with similar names will fulfill these requirements. A detailed description of General Education requirements is available on the General Education section of the undergraduate 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.