Declaring the Major | Progressing in the Major
Description of the Major
As a dietetics major you will complete coursework requirements to become a generalist in dietetics and will be exposed to all facets of this dynamic profession. Following the completion of the program in dietetics, you should plan to meet the experience requirements for registered dietitian status by completing a dietetic internship (DI). The Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) at JMU is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
You will study a wide variety of subjects including food and nutrition science, chemistry, physiology, anatomy and microbiology that will prepare you for meeting the requirements to become a registered dietitian. Registered dieticians work in a wide variety of employment settings including health care, business and industry, community/public health, education, research, government agencies and private practice.
Degrees Offered
B.S.
Concentrations
None
Minors
None
Declaring the Major
New Freshmen and Transfer Students
Declare the dietetics major when you register for orientation.
Currently Enrolled Major Changers
Complete a "Change or Declaration of Major" form and obtain the signature of the department head in the Health and Human Services Building, room 3126. A major change after the sophomore year may result in a delay of graduation beyond the traditional four years.
Admission to the Professional Program
Any student admitted to JMU can declare dietetics as his/her major and will be permitted to enroll in NUTR 280. Nutrition for Wellness and NUTR 295. Foundations of Nutrition Practice; however, to make progress in the major beyond the first few courses, students need to apply and be admitted to the professional program.
Students wishing to be admitted to the dietetics program at JMU must apply in the spring semester during which admission requirements will be met, usually in the sophomore year. Students applying for admission must have a cumulative 3.0 GPA or above in the following classes, with no grade lower than a "C" (2.0):
Students with grades of "C-", "D+", "D", "D-" or "F" in the listed prerequisite courses will need to repeat those courses and receive a grade of "C" (2.00) or better before admission to the program. All grades earned in retaking a prerequisite class (including courses taken on a repeat/forgive basis) will be used in the calculation of the GPA for admission purposes.
New transfer students with junior status or higher who have earned JMU transfer credit for the prerequisite courses will be allowed to apply to the major at orientation or during their first semester of enrollment.
Equivalent coursework taken at other schools and AP or IB credit will be accepted.
The application deadline is Feburary 15th of each year. Applications may be obtained from the Department of Health Sciences, Health and Human Services Building (HHS), room 3129.
Application packets must include the following:
All application materials must be together in one envelope and submitted to:
Director, Didactic Program in Dietetics
Department of Health Sciences, MSC 4301
James Madison University
Students who complete the application and meet the grade requirements in the prerequisite courses will be invited to take a placement test and be interviewed by dietetic program representatives. A minimum score of 60% is required on the placement test for students to be considered for admission. Scores on the placement test and skills demonstrated during the interview will be considered in the application process.
Students who are not admitted to the major may reapply in the following year if they meet the admission criteria. Students may not apply more than twice to the program.
Progressing in the Major
Students admitted to the dietetics major can expect four semesters of full time classes and at least one summer class before graduation. To remain in the major, students must meet the following criteria:
Any admitted student who receives a grade of "C-", "D+", "D", "D-" or "F" in a major course while his/her major GPA remains above 3.0 will be allowed to continue in the program and repeat the class the next time it is offered. If the course grade earned in the repeated course is below a "C" grade, the student will be dismissed from the major and referred to Career and Academic Planning for assistance in choosing another major.
Students will be allowed only one repeat of an individual course and no more than two repeated courses in the entire professional program. Repeating major courses will result in a delay in graduation beyond the traditional four years.
A student whose major grade point average falls below 3.0 will be placed on probation in the major and allowed one semester to raise the major GPA to the requisite 3.0 needed to continue in the program.
A student whose major GPA falls below 3.0 during their final semester will be allowed to graduate, but will not be verified as completing the Didactic Program in Dietetics to be eligible for admission to a post-graduate Dietetic Internship Program.
