Curriculum and Degree Requirements

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Curriculum

Degree Requirements

In the curricula section above, all courses are required.

The successful completion of the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD), all MS in Nutrition coursework, which includes core content and at least 32 graduate-level units, and the Dietetic Internship (DI), are required for degree conferral and for eligibility to sit for the CDR national credentialing examination to become an RDN.

Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD)

The ACEND-accredited DPD is completed in the first two years of the program. DPD course requirements are categorized as science or professional. See the bulletin for course categorization.

  • DPD science courses, including prerequisites, must be completed with a minimum grade of C.
  • DPD professional courses must be completed with a minimum grade of B–
  • DPD professional courses (maximum of two 4-unit courses) petitioned for transfer from another university must be completed with the minimum grade of B–

A student may repeat a DPD science or DPD professional course only once to meet the above requirements. If a DPD science or DPD professional course is repeated to meet a minimum grade requirement, the grade in the repeated course must meet the minimum grade requirement. To calculate the overall GPA, both course grades and units are used.

After successful completion of the DPD requirements, students will receive a DPD Verification Statement.

MS in Nutrition/Dietetic Internship (MS/DI)

    Once a student completes their DPD coursework, they begin an ACEND-accredited MS/DI, which fulfills the master’s degree and supervised practice requirements to become an RDN.

    MS in Nutrition

    • Successful completion of a minimum of 32 graduate-level units.
    • At least 25 graduate-level units must be taken at BU as a degree candidate. An overall minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher must be attained in graduate-level coursework.
    • Most graduate courses are 600-level or above. In consultation with a faculty advisor, graduate elective or concentration course requirements may be fulfilled with 500-level and above courses.
    • No grade below C will count toward degree requirements.
    • The maximum number of units with a C or C+ is 8 units. If a student achieves a grade lower than a C, they must retake the course. A student may repeat a course only once to meet the above requirements. If a course is repeated to meet the minimum cumulative GPA requirement, the units and grades from both courses are included in the calculation of the student’s GPA. If a course is repeated to meet a course minimum grade requirement, the grade in the repeated course must meet the minimum grade requirement.
    • Graduate coursework may be completed on a full- or part-time basis.

    Dietetic Internship

    • Students begin ACEND Competencies for the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (CRDNs) in their final semester of graduate coursework and complete them during their full-time DI.
    • After successful completion of the DPD and all graduate-level coursework as described above, students begin 29 weeks of full-time supervised practice at one of our BU Affiliate DI sites, starting in either January or June. This component of the program is a 6-unit graduate-level course requiring payment of tuition.
    • All programs must be completed within seven years of matriculation.
    • The DI must be completed on a full-time basis.

    The successful completion of the DPD, all MS coursework, and all DI activities are required for degree conferral.

    Upon successful completion of all MS and DI requirements, students receive a Master’s degree and an ACEND DI Verification Statement, confirming their eligibility to take the CDR national exam to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).

    Prior Learning Policy

    Visit the DPD/MS/DI program Prior Learning Policy page to learn about the criteria and procedures used to evaluate credit for prior coursework. Prior experiential learning (e.g., internships, practica, etc.) will not be evaluated for use toward academic credit hours for the DPD/MS/DI program.