Applying to Dietetics

How do I apply if I am currently enrolled at Oregon State as a non-degree seeking student?
Contact the Office of the Registrar to complete a change in degree status. You must declare the Pre-Dietetics option and you must meet the requirements and deadlines for application to the Dietetics program. Review the Pre-Dietetics and Dietetics web components for more information.

Getting into Dietetics

Do I have to be accepted into the Dietetics program or can I simply declare it as my major?
You need to be officially accepted into the Dietetics major (DPD). Acceptance requires that an application be submitted in the spring term by the deadline (generally the Monday of week 5) following the completion of your Pre-Dietetics requirements. Take some time to review the application requirements, instructions and application form on the Dietetics webpage.

Transferring Courses

Do my previous college courses count towards my Dietetics requirements?
Contact College of Health Academic Advisors to have any prior transcripts reviewed. They can help determine what courses you've taken could be counted toward an OSU Nutrition-Dietetics Option degree and what your path to completion of this degree might look like.  Science courses that are seven or more years old will not articulate and will need to be retaken. If, after working with Academic Advising to review your transcripts and our Dietetics program requirements you want more information, please contact the DPD program director Neilann Horner PhD, MPH, RD

Program length

How long will it take to complete the Dietetics requirements as a post-bacc student?
Post-bacc and graduate students will take approximately 3 academic years to complete their Dietetics requirements depending upon the overall and science-specific undergraduate coursework completed and the time between coursework completion and entry into the Dietetics program.

Masters or PhD and Dietetics Options?

Can I do this as a MS or PhD graduate student instead of a post-bacc?
Yes you can, though admission is dependent on acceptance into the Nutrition Graduate Program. The DPD courses are not the same as the coursework required for the MS or PhD. However, some of the DPD courses can be taken for graduate elective credits. An appointment should be made with advising to explore options as well as to arrange visits with potential graduate student faculty. The typical application deadline for graduate school is January 15th.  A Master's program including DPD courses usually takes a minimum of 3 years to complete and may or may not require a thesis.

Taking courses at Oregon State vs other schools

Do I need to take all of my coursework at Oregon State?
Most of the upper level nutrition courses (course numbers 300 & 400) need to be taken at Oregon State. However, 12 credits at Oregon State are required to apply to the Dietetics major (DPD). All other courses are prerequisites to entering the program and can be taken through any equivalent school. All prerequisite NUTR courses are available through Oregon State Ecampus. Students should check the articulation tables to assure the correct courses of adequate rigor are planned so credit transfers to Oregon State.

Verification Statements

Can I obtain a verification statement from you if I earned my Dietetics degree at another university?
No, a verification statement can only be issued by the institution at which you completed your DPD requirements or, in the case that you completed a minimum of 75% of the upper division OSU DPD hours (34 credits) of food and nutrition coursework at Oregon State. Even if you have coursework or experience in the field, we will require coursework at Oregon State.

Is it true that a verification statement is only valid for 5 years following completion of a DPD program?
No, this is NOT true. In the past the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) would not accept a verification statement that was more than 5 years old as part of an individual's eligibility to take the RD exam. This is no longer the case. However, it is to be noted that Dietetic Internships may exercise a recency of education requirement for all dietetic internship applicants. This means that even though your university may choose to issue you a verification statement, the Dietetic Internship you are applying to may choose to NOT accept an applicant based on recency of education. You will need to review program specific materials and or contact individual programs to determine if they have policies that include recency of education time limits.

International Students

How can I apply to become a dietitian with an international transcript?
International student's must first refer to the Commission on Dietetics Registration (CDR) for information about eligibility to become a Registered Dietitian in the USA. An international transcript evaluation is needed for OSU Dietetics admission and the links to those organizations that perform the audits can be found on the CDR website as well. It is the prospective student's responsibility to obtain transcript evaluations through CDR. DPD coursework will be required given the importance of U.S. specific health statistics, meal patterns and foods, and U.S.-specific agencies critical to competent practice in the United States.

Other options for nutrition related studies

What are my options if my grades were not good enough for acceptance into the Dietetics program?
Other options that students pursue are degrees from Public Health, Kinesiology, Anthropology, Communications and others. Contact Academic Advising for more comprehensive options. If you complete an undergraduate degree in dietetics but do not pursue a dietetic internship, you are eligible to test to become a Dietetic Technician, Registered (DTR) following graduation.

Reapplying to OSU Dietetics

Can I reapply for acceptance into the Dietetics program at a later time?
The College of Public Health and Human Sciences limits course attempts to two. All transcripts must be submitted to the competitive Dietetic Internship application process. We realize that students can experience challenging terms for other than academic reasons. However, applications for dietetic internship slots are very competitive and multiple repeated courses can downgrade an applicant's chance for placement. Regardless, a student who wishes to reapply to Dietetics must still achieve the program requirements relating to overall GPA, prerequisite GPA, and course-specific grade standards.

National/International Student Exchange Programs

Is it possible to participate in the National or International Student Exchange programs while in dietetics?
Yes, it is possible though it may delay completion of your dietetics degree if your exchange happens during the academic year. Since courses are organized in a cohort system, many courses are offered only once per year. Taking time away from the program may cause students to miss key classes that are not only offered only once per year, but that are prerequisites for following courses. Talk with your academic and professional advisors for more information. International exchange programs that include summer opportunities are viable and worthwhile options.