The Didactic Program in Dietetics at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore is housed within the Department of Human Ecology, which is located in the School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences. Students who satisfy and successfully complete the prescribed course requirements for the dietetics program will be awarded the Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Ecology with a concentration in dietetics.
The mission of the dietetics program is to provide educational opportunities for students to develop mastery of food and nutrition principles, acquire skills for effective dietetic practice, enhance leadership qualities, and foster career development. Its philosophical tenets remain central to the mission of the 1890 Land-Grant Institution.
The Didactic program in Dietetics is currently granted accreditation status through spring 2014 by the Accreditation Council for Nutrition and Dietetics Education (ACEND), an agency of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, 312.899.0040 Ext. 5400. The next scheduled site visit by ACEND program reviewers will occur fall 2013, as part of the accreditation reaffirmation process, which occurs every ten years.
Obtaining dietetic credentialing is a three-step process. Successful completion of the Didactic Program is the first step toward dietetic credentialing. The second step consists of completing a supervised practice experience through an ACEND accredited Dietetic Internship. The final step is successfully passing the national Registration Examination for Dietitians administered through the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). Additionally, as of June 1, 2009, graduates of an accredited didactic program are eligible to take the Dietetic Technician Registration exam through the DTR pathway III provision approved by CDR.
Departmental Requirements
Program admission requirements are the same as those for the University. Freshman applicants must have graduated from an accredited secondary school. However, for optimal admission consideration, an academic grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 and a competitive score on the SAT or ACT tests is expected.
Students who have attended any accredited institution of higher education and have earned at least one (1) credit hour or more will be classified as a transfer student. Students must be in good judicial, academic, and financial standing and to be considered for admission as a transfer student. Transfer students who have less than 28 credits must submit a high school transcript and SAT or ACT test scores unless they have been out of school longer than two years. Students may complete the Declaration of Major form with a designated concentration in Dietetics as a freshman or transfer student, and be assigned an advisor. However, the declaration of a concentration in dietetics does not constitute admission into the program.
Students who wish to be admitted into the dietetics concentration may apply for admission after completing 28 semester hours with a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 and a grade of “C” or better in foundation courses BIOL 111 /BIOL 113 , CHEM 111 /CHEM 113 and CHEM 112 /CHEM 114 , NUDT 210 , MATH 109 , ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 , SOCI 101 , PSYC 100 , and EXSC 111 , as well as HUEC 100 : First Year Experience and satisfactory passage of the English Proficiency Exam. Program graduates are eligible to receive a Verification Statement with a GPA of 2.75 or higher. Successful completion of the didactic program in dietetics and receipt of a Verification Statement does not guarantee acceptance into a post-baccalaureate dietetic internship. Most DI programs expect a 3.0 or higher GPA for serious consideration.
Out-of-Class Experience
Students must include a minimum of 12 credit hours of out-of-class experiences. The dietetic course curriculum has six credit hours already embedded in the sequence. Students should consult their departmental academic advisor to select six (6) additional credits to meet the 12 credit hours requirements.
Career Opportunities
Program graduates who receive a Verification Statement are eligible to apply to an ACEND accredited Dietetic Internship program and sit for the Dietetic Technician Registration (DTR) exam. Upon successful completion of a Dietetic Internship, students are qualified to take the national Dietetic Registration Exam to become a Registered Dietitian and apply for state licensure where applicable. Registered Dietitians are employed by industry, public health services, hospitals and medical centers, food and nutrition services, communications, and other local, state, national and international agencies in research and educational programs.
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