The Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) leads to a Bachelor of Science degree and prepares students for work in clinical nutrition, community health, and foodservice management positions. The DPD is currently granted accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-3922, 312-899-4876). The DPD meets the academic standards to qualify students for a dietetics internship (DI). Eligibility to sit for the registration examination, which is necessary to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), requires students to complete both the undergraduate DPD as well as a post-baccalaureate supervised practice experience in a DI.

Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist. In order to be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor’s degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into CDR’s Registration Eligibility Processing System (REPS) before 12:00 midnight Central Time, December 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement, visit CDR’s website: https://www.cdrnet.org/graduatedegree. In addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and a supervised practice program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics at Marshall University are eligible to apply to an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program and apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN. 

The mission of the DPD at Marshall University is to provide the depth and breadth of food and nutrition knowledge and skills that prepare a student to enter a supervised practice program in dietetics. More specifically, its focus is to provide graduates with the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary to successfully compete for and complete a DI, as well as pass the registration examination. Each year, coursework builds upon the students’ knowledge base and is often enhanced by hands-on laboratory and field experiences.

Competitive admission to a supervised practice experience/ dietetic internship (DI) requires the following:

1. A Grade Point Average of 3.0 or above;
2. Work experience related to the profession of dietetics;
3. Positive letters of recommendation from faculty and from supervisors of dietetics-related work experience.

Completing the Bachelor of Science with a major in Dietetics and receiving an ACEND “Verification of Completion Statement” does not guarantee entrance to a DI, which is awarded on a competitive basis.

All students are required to purchase a laboratory coat for professional laboratory courses. In addition, some field experience sites for senior-level courses may require a current test for tuberculosis to be on file. DPD students are required to pay a Health Professions fee listed under the “Financial Information” section of the catalog.

Academic Policies

1. All dietetics and required non-dietetics courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher. Students who earn a grade of less than a C in a dietetics or required non-dietetics course must repeat that course.
2. All students who receive a grade of less than a C in a dietetics or required non-dietetics course may not register for dietetics courses for which that course is a prerequisite.
3. No required course may be taken on a credit/non-credit basis.
4. The last 60 hours of required dietetics courses (including all 300- and 400-level DTS courses) and non-dietetics courses must be completed within three years prior to graduation.
5. All 400-level DTS courses must be completed at Marshall University.
6. All students in the Dietetics program must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0. In the event that a student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.0, that student will be placed on academic probation and will be notified in writing of this action. Students have one year to raise their cumulative GPA to 2.0. If the GPA is less than 2.0 at the end of one year of probation, the student will be dismissed from the Dietetics program.
7. Students will not be permitted to enroll in 400-level DTS courses if their GPA is below 2.5.
8. Students enrolled in DTS 476 Senior Seminar in DTS  are required to take a series of practice tests in order to better prepare for the national registration examination. Students must score a minimum of 80% on the final practice examination in order to complete the course. Those who do not will be given remedial work until an 80% score is achieved.

  - General Education Course

  - Milestone course: a key success marker for your major. See your advisor to discuss the importance of this course in your plan of study.

Major

The Core Curriculum is designed to foster critical thinking skills and introduce students to basic domains of thinking that transcend disciplines. The Core applies to all majors. Information on specific classes in the Core can be found at https://www.marshall.edu/gened/.

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Curriculum
Core 1: Critical Thinking
FYS 100	First Yr Sem Critical Thinking	3
PSY 201	Introductory Psychology (CT)	3
SOC 200	Introductory Sociology (CT) ((W))	3
Core 2
ENG 101	Beginning Composition	3
ENG 201	Advanced Composition	3
CMM 103	Fund Speech-Communication	3
MTH 130	College Algebra	3-5
or MTH 127	College Algebra-Expanded
BSC 228  & BSC 228L	Human Physiology and Human Physiology Lab	4
Core II Humanities (WI)		3
PSY 201	Introductory Psychology (CT)	3
Core II Fine Arts		3
Additional University Requirements
Writing Intensive (Core II Humanities)		3
SOC 200	Introductory Sociology (CT) (Writing Intensive Section)	3
SOC 200	Introductory Sociology (CT) (Multicultural/International)	3
DTS 476	Senior Seminar in DTS (Capstone)	3
Major-Specific
ACC 215	Accounting Principles (CT)	3
BSC 227 & BSC 227L	Human Anatomy and Human Anatomy Lab	4
BSC 250	Microbiol & Human Disease	3
CHM 211	Principles of Chemistry I	3
CHM 217	Principles of Chem Lab I	2
CHM 212	Principles Chemistry II	3
CHM 218	Principles of Chem Lab II	2
CHM 327	Intro Organic Chemistry	3
CLS 105	Medical-Lab Terminology (CT)	3
CLS 200	Clinical Biochemistry	4
DTS 210	Nutrition	3
DTS 202	Introductory Foods	4
DTS 215	Assess and Ed Strat in DTS	3
DTS 301	FS Safety & Systems Mgt I	4
DTS 302	FS Safety & Sys Mgt II	4
DTS 310	Life Span Nutrition	3
DTS 320	Intermediate Nutrition	3
DTS 403	Advanced Nutrition	3
DTS 409	Nutrition in Community	3
DTS 410	Cross Cultural Foods	3
DTS 460	Research in Dietetics	3
DTS 468	Chemistry of Food	3
DTS 469	Medical Nutr Therapy I	3
DTS 470	Medical Nutrition Therapy	3
DTS 476	Senior Seminar in DTS (Capstone)	3
ESS 345	Exercise Physiology	3
STA 225	Introductory Statistics (CT)	3

Major Information

• Students are required to know and track their degree requirements for graduation or for entrance to a dietetic internship.
• Course offerings and course attributes are subject to change each semester. Please consult each semester’s schedule of courses for availability and attributes.
• Students may need to take extra courses to satisfy prerequisites.
• Some DTS courses are only offered on an every-other-year basis. Please meet with your advisor every semester to ensure proper course enrollment.
• Students will not be permitted to enroll in 400-level DTS courses if their GPA is below 2.5.
• All 400-level DTS courses must be completed at Marshall University.

  - General Education Course

  - Milestone course: a key success marker for your major. See your advisor to discuss the importance of this course in your plan of study.

Four Year Plan

The Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) leads to a Bachelor of Science degree and prepares students for work in clinical nutrition, community health, and food-service management positions. The DPD is currently granted accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). The DPD meets the academic standards to qualify students for a dietetics internship (DI). Eligibility to sit for the registration examination, which is necessary to become a Registered Dietitian, requires students to complete both the undergraduate DPD as well as a post-baccalaureate supervised practice experience in a DI.

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
First Semester		Credit Hours
UNI 100	Freshman First Class	1
CHM 211	Principles of Chemistry I	3
CHM 217	Principles of Chem Lab I	2
ENG 101	Beginning Composition	3
FYS 100	First Yr Sem Critical Thinking	3
MTH 130  or MTH 127	College Algebra or College Algebra-Expanded	3-5
	Credit Hours	15-17
Second Semester
BSC 227	Human Anatomy	3
BSC 227L	Human Anatomy Lab	1
CHM 212	Principles Chemistry II	3
CHM 218	Principles of Chem Lab II	2
CMM 103	Fund Speech-Communication	3
SOC 200	Introductory Sociology (CT) (MC, WI)	3
	Credit Hours	15
Second Year
First Semester
BSC 250	Microbiol & Human Disease	3
CLS 105	Medical-Lab Terminology (CT)	3
DTS 210	Nutrition	3
ENG 201	Advanced Composition	3
PSY 201	Introductory Psychology (CT)	3
	Credit Hours	15
Second Semester
BSC 228	Human Physiology	3
BSC 228L	Human Physiology Lab	1
CLS 200	Clinical Biochemistry	4
DTS 202	Introductory Foods	4
DTS 215	Assess and Ed Strat in DTS	3
	Credit Hours	15
Third Year
First Semester
CHM 327	Intro Organic Chemistry	3
DTS 301	FS Safety & Systems Mgt I	4
DTS 320	Intermediate Nutrition	3
STA 225	Introductory Statistics (CT)	3
	Credit Hours	13
Second Semester
DTS 302	FS Safety & Sys Mgt II	4
DTS 310	Life Span Nutrition	3
DTS 410	Cross Cultural Foods	3
DTS 403	Advanced Nutrition	3
Writing Intensive		3
	Credit Hours	16
Fourth Year
First Semester
DTS 409	Nutrition in Community	3
DTS 468	Chemistry of Food	3
DTS 469	Medical Nutr Therapy I	3
DTS 476	Senior Seminar in DTS (Capstone)	3
Core II Fine Arts		3
	Credit Hours	15
Second Semester
DTS 460	Research in Dietetics	3
DTS 470	Medical Nutrition Therapy	3
ESS 345	Exercise Physiology	3
ACC 215	Accounting Principles (CT)	3
Core II Humanities		3
	Credit Hours	15
	Total Credit Hours	119-121