Students admitted to the dietetics major can expect four semesters of full-time coursework. To remain in the major, students must meet the following criteria:

1. The student will maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher in the major.
2. The student will earn a minimum grade of C- or higher in all major-specific nutrition and health courses. Students who do not earn a grade above “C-” in all major-specific nutrition and health courses will not be verified as eligible for admission to a post-graduate dietetic internship program (the student will not receive a Verification Statement through the Accreditation Council on Education in Nutrition and Dietetics), but will still be permitted to graduate with a B.S. in Dietetics.
3. The student will earn a passing grade in all remaining major-specific science courses.

Students are expected to progress with their cohort and complete major requirements within two years of admittance to the program. They will have a maximum of four years to complete major and graduation requirements once they are admitted. Students who are not making adequate progress in the major will be advised to consult with the program director to develop a plan for completing the dietetics major. If an adequate plan is not developed, the student will be referred to the University Career Center for counseling.

Progression of Courses

Classes in the Dietetics major must be completed in a prescribed order with all prerequisite courses completed as listed in the JMU Undergraduate Catalog and the Dietetics, Professional Nutrition and Dietetics Concentration Student Handbook. A student will be permitted to take courses only after all the requirements (all prerequisites with acceptable grades as listed above) have been met. Faculty members in the Dietetics Program will not issue overrides to allow a student to enroll in a course without completing the prerequisites. If a student has not successfully completed the prerequisite courses, they will not be permitted to enroll in nutrition classes until those prerequisites are completed, which may result in a delay in graduation beyond the traditional four years. Access to academic and program status is available through the MyMadison portal. Students also may request access to their program-specific file from the program director at any time in-person or by email.

Probationary Status

The following are situations where an admitted Dietetics student would be placed on program probation or removed from the Dietetics program.

Major class grades:

1. A student who receives a grade of D+, D, D-, or F in a major-specific course (all NUTR and HTH classes) while their major GPA remains above 2.8 will be allowed to continue in the program and advised to repeat the course the next time it is offered. Students will be allowed to repeat the course only once. If the course grade earned in the repeated class is below a C- in NUTR or HTH classes, the student may opt to continue in the major without earning a verification statement.
2. A student fails a major-specific science course (CHEM 241, CHEM 241L, CHEM 260, CHEM 260L, BIO 245, BIO 245L, BIO 290, or BIO 290L) while their major GPA remains above 2.8 will be placed course the next time it is offered. Students will be allowed to repeat the course only once. If the course grade earned in the repeated class is not passing in major science courses, the student will be dismissed from the Dietetics major and referred to the University Career Center for counseling. Students will be allowed only one repeat of an individual course and no more than two repeated courses in the entire program.
3. If a student decides to repeat a course at another institution for transfer credit, the student must have pre-written permission from the JMU Registrar, Dietetics Program Director, and the JMU Instructor of Record for the transfer class. Students will be reminded that grades from another institution do not transfer for any courses that student has already earned a grade for at JMU. After completion of the repeated course, students must send their official transfer transcripts to the JMU Registrar. Failure to comply with these stipulations will result in denial of other institution class credit.
4. A student who receives an unacceptable, but passing, grade (lower than a C- but still passing) during their last semester and chooses not to repeat the course at its next offering will be allowed to graduate but will not be verified as eligible for admission to a post-graduate dietetic internship program (the student will not receive a Verification Statement).

A student on probation will be notified in writing by the program director and will be strongly encouraged to meet with the director to determine the feasibility of, and an appropriate plan for, repeating the class. The student must sign the probationary letter and return an original copy to the program director within 14 days of receipt of the letter.

Grade Point Average:

1. A student whose major grade point average falls below 2.8 will be placed on probation in the Dietetics major and allowed up to two semesters to raise the GPA to the requisite 2.8 needed to continue. If this occurs at the end of fall semester, the student will be allowed to enroll for the spring semester; if it occurs at the end of spring semester, the student will be given the summer and/or fall to achieve a satisfactory GPA.
2. A student who fails to achieve the requisite 2.8 by the end of the probationary term will be dismissed from the major, referred to the University Career Center for assistance in selecting a major other than dietetics, and will be dropped from all dietetics courses for which the student had registered.
3. A student whose cumulative GPA for the major falls below 2.8 during their final semester will be allowed to graduate, but will not be verified as eligible for admission to a post-graduate dietetic internship program (the student will not receive a Verification Statement).

A student on probation will be notified in writing by the program director and will be strongly encouraged to meet with the director to determine the feasibility of, and an appropriate plan for, raising their major GPA. The student must sign the probationary letter and return an original copy to the program director within 14 days of receipt of the letter.

A student on probation is encouraged to seek assistance with material in courses that are being repeated. Help is available from faculty members during office hours, Peer-Assisted Study Sessions, and the Science and Math Learning Center. Lists of upper-division students who have offered to serve as paid tutors is available in the departmental offices of Chemistry and Biology.

Appeal Process

Any academic admission or disciplinary decision (i.e., not admitted, placed on probation, dismissal) may be appealed. This appeal will be viewed and voted on by the Dietetics Appeal Committee.

The appeal process for Dietetics is as follows:

• The student must make their appeal in the form of a formal letter to the Dietetics Appeals Committee through the Dietetics program director within two weeks of receipt of a decision letter (i.e. probation, dismissal, or denial). The student must include all materials that may substantiate the appeal.
• Once an appeal is received, a committee will be assembled. The committee will be formed on an as-needed basis and will be comprised of five members. Members will be Dietetics and/or Health Professions faculty.
• The committee will hear the case within two weeks from the date of receiving the appeal and will notify the student of their decision in writing within one week of the meeting date.
• If the student disagrees with the committee’s decision and wishes to take further action, the student must appeal, in writing, to the Department of Health Profession’s Academic Unit Head.
• If the student disagrees with the Department of Health Profession’s Academic Unit Head’s decision and wishes to take further action, they will then pursue action through the University’s Grievance Procedure for Students in the undergraduate catalog.

Ethical and Honor Standards

Students are expected to abide by all university policies and procedures including the JMU Honor Code. These are outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog and additional information is available in the JMU Student Handbook. Infractions may result in removal of the student from the DPD program or the university.  

Equitable Treatment

Program faculty participate in diversity training every year to meet the varied needs of students to create an inclusive learning environment of respect and value for all identities (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, abilities, etc.). Student who have an adverse experience due to inequitable treatment through a program[1]related activity are encouraged to contact the Dietetics Program Director and/or the Department of Health Professions Academic Unit Head. The JMU Office of Equal Opportunity and JMU Title XI office both offer reporting processes and support for students who have experienced harassment, retaliation, discrimination and/or sexual misconduct and other discrimination on the basis of sex or gender.