Degree Requirements
Students pursuing a career as a dietitian acquire ACEND-specified knowledge and skills through a series of prescribed courses that include the study of chemistry and biological sciences, behavioral and social sciences, nutrition, food science, and food service systems management.
Degree Requirements for the B.S. in Dietetics
Four-Year Schedule
It is important to follow the recommended prerequisites when scheduling classes and to meet with your advisor to personalize your plans. Transfer students or students who are changing their major should consult with their dietetics academic adviser or DPD Director to devise a program schedule that is appropriate for their situation.
The Dietetics program follows the Academic Calendar.
The Course Progression Chart and Course Prerequisites Schematic in the DPD Student Handbook show the courses that are required to be taken either before or concurrently with courses in the Dietetics major. You must complete the courses in the correct sequence to ensure you are adequately prepared for the next course in the curriculum.
Advisement
When you declare the dietetics major, you will be assigned an academic advisor who is an RDN member of the nutrition faculty. This advisor will help guide you in your curriculum path as well as discuss your career goals, assist you in selecting elective courses and/or a minor, and counsel you on how to best prepare for the next steps in your education. Your actual plan of study regarding the specific order of courses will probably vary from the 4-year sample plan depending on several factors. You should work closely with your academic advisor to determine the best plan of study.
Early Action Option
SUNY Oneonta seniors have the opportunity for early acceptance into SUNY Oneonta’s online M.S. Nutrition and Dietetic Internship Combined Program through the Early Action Option for 50 percent of the seats.
Progression in the Dietetics Program
In order to guide students early toward degree success, the DPD has program retention standards. These are designed to ensure that students are able to complete the DPD with overall, major and science grade-point averages that will make them competitive when applying to ACEND-accredited supervised practice programs and/or graduate school and to ensure that students who struggle are advised as early as possible into a major program where they can succeed.
The academic performance of each student is reviewed each semester. Students are required to:
- Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher by third semester (sophomore year) or second semester for transfer students and all successive semesters. If the 3.0 is not earned, students are permitted one more semester to earn a 3.0. Failure to earn a 3.0 cum GPA will result in removal from the major.
- Earn a minimum grade of B- in major and major-related work courses. With program director approval, students may have up to 2 grades in the C- to C+ range when the cumulative GPA is 3.0 or above. In addition, a student may repeat no more than three required courses in the major.
DPD retention and remediation procedures when student performance does not meet criteria for progressing in the program are fully described in the DPD Student Handbook. If a student has academic difficulty in a course, it is recommended the student seek help from the instructor, student support services, and advisor early on, so that student success can be achieved. Students are typically given a probationary period before dismissal. Students who have been dismissed from the major may appeal to the program director for re-entry to the major.