Dietetics (BS+MS), 5-Year

• Our graduates have a nearly 100% job placement rate and the vast majority of our students consistently meet or exceed the national pass rate average for the credentialing exam, year after year.
• As a student in our combined degree program, you'll pay undergraduate tuition for graduate studies.
• Our program has been nationally recognized as the model for how to deliver dietetics education.
• We provide both didactic (lecture) and supervised practice in one program so you won’t need to apply for a separate dietetic internship to complete your career preparation.
• Studies show that teamwork across clinical specialties improves patient outcomes. D'Youville's unique interprofessional education lab offers the opportunity for you to practice treating patients (played by actors) alongside a team of students from 7 other healthcare majors at D'Youvlle — all under the supervision of a skilled instructor.
• You’ll gain practical experience and develop your professional skills at local facilities.
• Students complete a concentration in advanced nutrition practice, which provides higher-level coursework and experiences in pediatric nutrition, critical care nutrition, private practice, community nutrition, and research.
• You’ll benefit from an approach which combines a solid liberal arts foundation with professional instruction in your field in a supportive, nurturing environment.
• Graduating with a master's degree will provide you with the credential you need to take the registration exam when requirements change in 2024. 

When you apply for admission at D’Youville, we’ll automatically consider you for our merit scholarships. Undergraduate scholarships can cover as much as 50% of your tuition, and there is no need to fill out a separate application!

Transfer students can qualify for scholarships, as well. Unlike other schools, maintaining your scholarship is easier at D'Youville, because we use realistic GPA requirements to determine your eligibility each year. 

Check out the chart below to see if you qualify:

Scholarship	SAT (M & EBRW)* or ACT⁺ / GPA	Tuition Scholarship	Room & Board Waiver	GPA Required to Retain
President's	88/1170 or 24	$13,000	$3,000	2.75
Founder's	83/1080 or 21	$10,000	$2,000	2.5
Dean's	80/980 or 19 Anyone with a 90 GPA can receive this award without test score consideration.	$8,000		2.25
Transfer	3.5+	$5,000		2.5
Transfer	3.25 - 3.49	$4,500		2.5
Transfer	3.0 - 3.24	$4,000		2.5
Transfer	2.75 - 2.99	$3,500		2.5
Dillon	93/1360 or 29	100% off	$3,000	2.75
Buffalo Say Yes	90/1080 or 21	100% off		2.75
Alumni Kinship		$300-$2,000		Must reapply each year. Only open to relatives of D'Youville alumni.

*Scores are based on the new SAT score format which went into effect in March 2016.
⁺D'Youville only requires that you submit the results from one test.

More information can be found on our scholarships page.

 

Course Number	Course Name	Credits
DTC 101	Orientation to Dietetics	1
DTC 210	Food Science	3
DTC 306	Principles of Nutrition	3
DTC 319	Nutritional Biochemistry	3
DTC 327	Nutrition Throughout the Lifecycle	3
DTC 328	Nutrition for Fitness and Athletic Performance	2
DTC 409	Food Service Management I	2
DTC 409L	Quantity Food Preparation	2
DTC 410	Food Service Management II	3
DTC 410SP	Food Service Management Supervised Practice	1
DTC 418	Introduction to Professional Practice	1
DTC 420	Introduction to Nutrition Care	3
DTC 420SP	Introduction to Nutrition Care Supervised Practice	1
DTC 426	Nutrition Education and Counseling	3
DTC 511	Medical Nutrition Therapy I	3
DTC 511SP	Medical Nutrition Therapy I Supervised Practice	2
DTC 512	Medical Nutrition Therapy II	2
DTC 512SP	Medical Nutrition Therapy II Supervised Practice	3
DTC 521	Community Nutrition	3
DTC 521SP	Community Nutrition Supervised Practice I	2
DTC 522SP	Community Nutrition Supervised Practice II	1
DTC 524	The Nutrition Entrepreneur	3
DTC 600	Nutrition Theory and Practice	3
DTC 601	Research Methods in Dietetics	3
DTC 610	Dietetics Thesis Seminar	3
DTC 622	Professional Seminar	2
DTC 631	Advanced Nutrition Practice I	8
DTC 632	Advanced Nutrition Practice II	8

Course Number	Course Name	Credits
BI0 107/107L	Human Anatomy & Physiology	4
BI0 108/108L	Human Anatomy & Physiology	4
BIO 208	Microbiology	4
BIO 303/303L	Biochemistry/Lab	4
CHE 101/101L	General Chemistry/Lab	4
CHE 102/102L	General Chemistry/Lab	4
CHE 219/219L	Organic Chemistry/Lab	4
MAT 123	Applied Statistics	4
MGT 305	Principles of Management	3
HSA 613	Management in Health Care Organizations	3
GRA 629	Thesis Advisement	3

	Credits
Undergraduate major requirements	68
Core requirements	52
Graduate major requirements	48
Total	168

Students may enter the program as high school graduates or as graduates or transfers from two and four year colleges. The curriculum plan will depend on your previous course work. Below are examples of course sequences. Note: Your individualized course sequence may vary from the sequence.

Review the PDF files below for the curriculum best suited to you.

High school students (PDF)

Students who have completed a 4-year dietetics program (PDF)

Students who have completed a 2-year dietetic technician program (PDF)

Students who have completed a 4-year science-based undergraduate degree (PDF)

Students who have completed a 4-year non-science undergraduate degree (PDF)

Admission requirements reflect the structure of the program as a five-year master of science and bachelor of science degree. In order to be considered for admission, students must meet the following criteria:

• Combined SAT scores of at least 1080 or Composite ACT score of 21
• High school average of 85% or 2.85 on a four point-scale
• Standing in the upper half of their graduating high school class

Students must demonstrate successful completion of the following high school courses:

• two years of math
• one year of biology
• one year of chemistry

How to Apply: Fill out the D'Youville Undergraduate Admissions Application

Questions: Contact D'Youville's Undergraduate Admissions Office

We accept transfer students, including graduates from didactic (DPD) programs. Transfer students are accepted on a space-available basis and must meet the following standards to be considered for acceptance:

• Minimum college GPA of 2.75 for students entering at years 1 or 2
• Minimum college GPA of 3.0 for students entering at years 3 or 4 (supervised practice portion)

Transfer credit for courses in areas other than dietetics will be evaluated by the Office of the Registrar. Students may also transfer credits for certain dietetic/nutrition courses upon approval by the chair of the Dietetics Department.

Note: Find out how many credits will transfer to D'Youville by using our Course Equivalency Database. 

How to Apply: Fill out the D'Youville Undergraduate Admissions Application

Questions: Contact D'Youville's Undergraduate Admissions Office

Introduction

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) (Public Law 101-336) was established to empower qualified persons with disabilities to seek employment opportunities, transportation, and access to programs and services without fear of discrimination. These laws provide a framework for qualified individuals with documented disabilities to request reasonable accommodation needed to participate in an educational program.

The Dietetics Department at D'Youville is prepared to make reasonable accommodations in order to allow students with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate and succeed in the academic program. An accommodation must be reasonable and may not be provided if it fundamentally alters the nature of the curriculum including the didactic component, laboratory sessions, or supervised practice experiences, requires substantial program modification or lowering of academic standards, causes undue hardship for the College or affiliating agencies, or jeopardizes the health or safety of the student or others.

If the student feels he or she meets the requirements of the ADA and will require ADA accommodation, the disability must be supported by medical documentation prior to receiving accommodation. To grant accommodation, it is the student's responsibility to make the department aware by notifying the Dietetics Department chair and the student must contact the Accessibility Resources office at D'Youville and complete the process required. The Accessibility Resources office will then contact the Dietetics Department and reasonable accommodations will be made based on the recommendations of the disability office.

No otherwise qualified person shall be excluded from participation, admission, matriculation, or denied benefits solely by reason of his or her disability. The Dietetics Department will not discriminate against qualified individuals but will expect applicants and students to meet certain minimum academic and technical standards.

Technical Standards

The dietetics program at D'Youville is a rigorous program that places specific requirements and demands on enrolled students. An objective of this program is to prepare graduates to enter a variety of employment settings and to render care to a wide spectrum of individuals. The technical standards set forth by the Dietetics Department identify the attributes needed to establish the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to meet the standards of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) in order to achieve the Core Knowledge (KRD) and Competencies (CRD) for the Registered Dietitian and fulfill the Dietetics Department mission. The mission of the Dietetics Department Coordinated Program at D'Youville is as follows:

Recognizing the role of the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) as the nutrition expert and the key role that nutrition plays in health and well-being, the Coordinated Program strives to serve the community by providing students with the knowledge, skills, and experience to meet the challenges of the diverse and changing field of dietetics. Our intent is to prepare Registered Dietitian Nutritionists who will be leaders in their field, who will fulfill prominent and varied professional roles.

The Coordinated Program supports the principles of academic excellence, service to others, and lifelong learning by fostering the student’s professional and personal growth within a broad range of educational and practical experiences.

Full participation in the academic and supervised practice environments requires that students, with or without reasonable accommodation, possess abilities, attributes, and skills in five major areas: (1) Sensory/Observation; (2) Communication; (3) Motor/Strength/Coordination; (4) Conceptual/Integrative/Quantitative; and (5) Behavioral/Social. Details regarding these essential abilities are found in the following paragraphs; they are not intended to be all inclusive.

Sensory/Observation

Candidates and students must:

1. have sufficient vision and somatic sensation to be able to observe demonstrations, experiments, and laboratory exercises in the basic sciences,
2. be able to participate in sensory evaluation of the taste, texture, and aroma of various food and beverage products,
3. have sufficient vision to observe physical changes such as in skin and eye color or changes in other areas of the body,
4. have functional visual ability with correction, if needed, sufficient to read printed material in both hard copy and electronic formats,
5. have functional auditory acuity with correction, if needed, sufficient to comprehend one or more persons engaged in conversational speech, and to hear timers and alarms,
6. be able to utilize all assessment parameters in order to assess the nutritional status of the clients and implement a nutritional care plan to achieve optimal nutritional status (i.e., obtaining the client's history, performing physical assessments, anthropometric measurements and analysis of laboratory data).

Communication

Candidates and students must:

1. be able to communicate effectively and sensitively, orally and in writing, with peers, faculty, staff, community partners, the general public, and patients/clients, including individuals of different ages and from different cultural and social backgrounds,
2. be able to understand, read, speak, and write the English language at a level consistent with competent professional practice, using appropriate grammar, spelling, and vocabulary.

Motor/Strength/Coordination

Candidates and students must:

1. have sufficient dexterity and motor function to: (a) elicit information from clients by palpation, auscultation, percussion; (b) perform diagnostic procedures including, but not limited to obtaining the client's history, performing physical assessments, anthropometric measurements and analysis of laboratory data; and (c) perform food service duties related to food preparation, using kitchen tools to manipulate ingredients, and taking food temperatures,
2. have sufficient physical strength and endurance to carry equipment and supplies, lift and transfer institutional pots and pans containing food and other items up to 25 pounds, walk, bend, and stoop while carrying items, and sit and stand for long periods of time.
3. have the ability to safely access and use institutional equipment, including ranges, ovens, steamers, mixers, slicers, dish machine, and sinks,
4. have the capability to physically maneuver in required settings in a safe manner,
5. have the ability to access transportation to attend classes and supervised practice experiences in a timely manner.

Conceptual/Integrative/Quantitative

Candidates and students must:

1. have sufficient conceptual, integrative and quantitative abilities; these abilities include but are not limited to measurement, calculations, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis; additionally, a student must be able to understand the spatial relationships of nutritional status, nutrient intake, and any special conditions,
2. have the ability to critically think, solve problems, and deal effectively with a variety of concrete and abstract variables in situations where limited standardization exists within reasonable time frames,
3. have the ability to analyze, conceptualize, and summarize complex relationships as ascertained from patient records, research studies, and other written reports and be able to communicate that information effectively,
4. have the ability to learn and work effectively in both independent and collaborative situations,
5. have the ability to multitask or execute multiple tasks simultaneously. 

Behavioral/Social

Candidates and students must:

1. possess the emotional health required for utilization of his/her intellectual abilities,
2. be able to exercise good judgment in the prompt completion of all academic and supervised practice responsibilities,
3. have affective skills and appropriate demeanor and rapport that relate to professional education and quality patient/client care and customer relations,
4. be able to develop mature, sensitive, ethical, and effective relationships,
5. have the capacity (maturity, emotional stability) to adapt to change, maintain composure, and display flexibility in the face of uncertainties and stressful situations,
6. portray attributes of professionalism that include but are not limited to honesty, caring, respect, trustworthiness, competence, and responsibility to and for their instructors, colleagues, and patients/clients/customers.

Conclusion

The D'Youville Dietetics Department and its sponsoring institutions will provide reasonable accommodations as needed to open the program to competitive, qualified individuals with disabilities. In doing so, however, the program and sponsoring institutions must maintain the integrity of the curriculum and preserve those elements deemed essential to the education of a dietitian/dietitian nutritionist (which include the technical standards set forth above). The program and sponsoring institutions cannot compromise the health and safety of patients/clients/customers or students. It is inevitable that adherence to minimum requirements will disqualify some applicants and students, including some who have a disability. However, adherence to those requirements is necessary, as an applicant or student who is unable to meet the minimum academic and technical standards is not qualified for participation in the program or the practice of the profession.

The rising interest in the role of food and nutrition in promoting health and wellness, coupled with the importance of diet in preventing and treating illness, has resulted in an increased demand for dietitians and nutritionists.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that jobs for dietitians and nutritionists will increase 16% through 2024, a rate which the Bureau of Labor Statistics calls “much faster than average.”

The Bureau of Labor Statistics report notes that these statistics are based on a dietitian or nutritionist with a Bachelor’s degree, and that job prospects are even better for dietitians and nutritionists with an advanced degree. The MS conferred to graduates of the dietetics program is considered an advanced degree.

 For more information about the job outlook for dietitians and nutritionists, visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.

Several of our alumni have presented their thesis research at state and national dietetics meetings and/or published their research in professional journals.

Examples of some recent presentations/publications are:

Dietary Supplement use Among Participants of a Databank and Biorepository at a Comprehensive Cancer Center, published in Public Health Nutrition

The Nutrition Adequacy of NCAA Division III Female Soccer Athletes Assessed Through Two Multi-Pass 24-Hour Recalls, presented at the 31st Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition Annual Meeting

Evaluation of the Content and Quality of Information Advertised on Internet Websites Marketing Herbal Weight Loss Supplements in the United States, presented at New York State Dietetic Association Annual Meeting

Adequacy of Vegetarian Diets in Adult College Students, presented at New York State Dietetic Association Annual Meeting

A Study of Average Quantity of Fruit and Vegetable Sales Pre and Post-implementation of Red, Yellow, Green Plate Program in a Healthcare Facility, presented at New York State Dietetic Association Annual Meeting

Measurement of the Impact of Home Delivered Meals on the Food Insecurity in the Elderly Population, presented at New York State Dietetic Association Annual Meeting

A Retrospective Chart Review on Enteral Nutrition Prescription Errors in an Acute Care Hospital, presented at New York State Dietetic Association Annual Meeting

Dietary Intake of NCAA Division I Female Basketball Players, presented at New York State Dietetic Association Annual Meeting

A Questionnaire Based Analysis of Celiac Disease Diagnosis: Identifying the Common Diagnostic Indicators of Celiac Disease and the Healthcare Professions that may Benefit from Additional Training, presented at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics  Annual meeting: Food & Nutrition Conference & Exposition