Information for Admitted M.S. Nutrition and Dietetics Program Students

Congratulations on your selection as a SUNY Oneonta graduate student, and welcome to our program! We look forward to meeting you in May!

What's Next

Students who have been notified of acceptance to the program must submit their admissions deposit to SUNY Oneonta as directed in acceptance information from the Graduate Admissions office. Program appointments are not final until all required Affiliation Agreements sent from SUNY Oneonta have been signed by the appropriate representative of the facility and the university and interns have completed all remaining expectations such as graduating from a regionally accredited college or university, completing health records, and obtaining the required insurance coverage.

You will need an affiliation agreement for any facility in which you will be completing supervised experiential learning hours. After your acceptance we will reach out to your preceptors who have indicated an affiliation agreement is required on your application to work on these agreements. We will contact you if we have any questions or concerns during this process. Reminder: Your appointment to our online M.S. Nutrition and Dietetics Program cannot be finalized without signed affiliation agreements in place.

Orientation: Please note that the M.S. Nutrition and Dietetics Program orientation will be held virtually. The orientation program will be held the day after Memorial Day for the upcoming academic year, and more information will be forthcoming to accepted students via email. Please contact us via email with any questions about orientation.

Email your preceptor in order to get a listing of the approved medical abbreviations used in any of your primary clinical facilities. It is very important that you identify and learn the medical abbreviations accepted for use in your facilities. There are several general resources available to learn/review these subjects. Email the program for a list of options if you need it.

When you are accepted to Oneonta, you will receive information via email from the admissions office on how to activate your Oneonta account. Please reach out to Graduate Admissions with any concerns about this process.

You need the required textbooks and supplementary materials chosen by the instructor in order to take an online course. All information for your first semester materials will be provided to you at or prior to orientation. Also be sure to secure items needed to meet facility(ies) dress code(s).

  1. ServSafe Certificate: All interns are required to be ServSafe Manager Certified throughout the program. Either provide the program director with a copy of your ServSafe Certificate or purchase the ServSafe Course text and study for the exam which you should take during/prior to the week of orientation. Email the program a copy of your ServSafe Certificate or send via fax (607) 436-2051.
  2. Course registration: Register online for your summer courses (if you have paid your admissions deposit this will typically become available to you in April). If you are a full-time graduate student you will be registering for NUTR 5300, NUTR 5200, NUTR 5250 and NUTR 5400 for the summer semester.
  3. Transcript confirmation: If you did not include a final official transcript that indicated that you have earned at least a baccalaureate degree with your application, have two official copies of your final transcript sent to the program director upon your program completion. Email the program a confirmation that transcript has been requested.
  4. Verification statement (for DPD students): When students complete an undergraduate dietetics program, the director of the program provides them a signed "Verification Statement" using a standard form designed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Students submit this form with their M.S. Nutrition and Dietetics Program application to document that they have completed the required undergraduate educational requirements. If you did not include an edition of a signed Verification Statement from your undergraduate program with your application, have an official copy signed by your program director sent to M.S.-Nutrition and Dietetics Program. Email the program to confirm that this has been requested/received.
  5. Proof of insurance - email the program each proof of coverage
    1. Graduate students are required to have health insurance coverage for the duration of the program. Graduate students must provide the program and your primary preceptor proof of health insurance coverage. If you would like to get inexpensive health insurance coverage during the program, contact Oneonta's Student Accounts Office at 1-800-SUNY 123 ext 3389.
    2. Graduate students are required to have professional liability insurance coverage for the duration of the program. Graduate students must provide the program and his/her primary preceptor proof of professional liability insurance coverage. This coverage is in addition to that issued by SUNY Oneonta and covers you for times when you are not in a facility that has a contract with the university.
    3. If you will utilize personal transportation at any time during the program, you are required to have car insurance coverage for the duration of the program. Graduate students must provide the program proof of car insurance coverage.

Please reach out to your facility to complete any required physical exams, vaccinations, background checks, drug screenings, and/or trainings prior to orientation and your first day on-site. Many facilities may require you to provide vaccination records and/or receive vaccinations (including those for COVID-19) in order to complete on-site hours. You may also need to complete a background check and/or drug screening. If your site requires a background check or drug screen please work with them to locate an appropriate provider for these requirements. SUNY Oneonta does not provide these services. Please reach out to your sites after acceptance to discuss any requirements specific to the site, and reach out to the program director via email with any questions or concerns.

Completion of the Program

Students must successfully complete their planned experiences and all other course work required in the syllabus for each of the program courses. Students must earn a grade of "B" or better in each of the required courses in order to receive certification of program completion. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Verification statements, needed to establish eligibility to take the RD exam, are issued to all students who satisfactorily complete the program requirements and who have no outstanding financial or other university obligations.

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