Prerequisites for DPD/MS+DI Program

Required Prerequisites

This program is designed for students with an undergraduate degree in any area of study who aspire to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.  In preparation, prior to entering the DPD/MS +DI program, students must have completed foundation coursework in science, math, and writing.

Prerequisite courses may be taken at any accredited college or university and must have a minimum of 3 credit hours.  All courses must be within 5 years of degree conferral. All courses, including online courses, taken at another university are subject to approval by BU’s Programs in Nutrition in consultation with the relevant BU college or department (i.e.: College of Arts and Sciences Chemistry Department).  A minimum grade of C is required.  With the exception of biology and statistics, minor deficiencies in prerequisite coursework (1-2 courses) may be completed during graduate studies, but this may extend the program.  

If you have any questions on whether a course you have taken (or plan to take) will fulfill a particular requirement, we encourage you to contact the Boston University Programs in Nutrition in writing at staniec@bu.edu and include an email attachment of the course description and course syllabus.  Please allow at least two business weeks for a decision. If a preapproval or waiver is granted by the Programs in Nutrition Admissions Committee, be sure to keep written confirmation for your records.

All transcripts for prerequisites that you have taken or are currently taken should be sent directly to DICAS.  Any questions related to submissions of transcripts should be directed to DICAS at at support@dicas.myliaison.com or by phone at 617-612-2855.

The following courses are required:

• 1. Human Anatomy: One course with content including gross structure of the human body, skeletal, muscular, nervous, respiratory, circulatory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems.
  2. General Chemistry: One course with a laboratory section.  Course titled Life Science Chemistry may be acceptable. Content should include structure of atoms & molecules, quantum theory, chem. periodicity/bonding/formulas, stoichiometry, water, solutions, concentration, acids, bases, pH and buffers, gasses, reactions in aqueous solutions and thermochemistry and the first law of thermodynamics.  It is recommended that this prerequisite be completed before your application is submitted.
  3. Organic Chemistry: One course with a laboratory section. Content should include structure, stereochemistry, functional groups, carbon- containing compounds, and reactions of biochemical interest. 
  4. Biology 1 and 2 for full series:  Two courses with laboratory sections (with a lab); If course does not cover content in genetics, an additional course in genetics can meet the requirements AP courses may be acceptable.  It is recommended that this prerequisite be completed before your application is submitted
  5. Human Physiology: One course with laboratory section. Course titled Systems Physiology may be acceptable.
  6. Microbiology: One course with laboratory section. Course titled Human Infectious Diseases may be acceptable
  7. Writing:  One course – AP course may be acceptable; Course titled Writing for Research or Scientific Writing and Communication may also be acceptable. Content should include critical reading and writing with a variety of sources and practice in writing in a range of genres
  8. Biochemistry:  One course with course content including: structure/function with  applications to medicine, nutrition, and biotechnology, including acid/base chemistry, protein structure, enzyme mechanisms, thermodynamics, and kinetics; nucleic acid structure/function and information transfer, carbohydrates and carbohydrate metabolism, lipids and lipid metabolism, and bioenergetics of oxidative energy metabolism.
  9. Statistics 1: AP course may be acceptable. Content should include numerical and graphical summaries of univariate and bivariate data. Basic probability, random variables, binomial distribution, normal distribution. One- sample statistical inference for normal means and binomial probabilities. It is recommended that this prerequisite be completed before your application is submitted.
  10. Statistics 2: Content should include statistical modeling techniques, one- or two- sample inference for unknown means, proportions and variances, categorical data analysis, introduction to design of experiments and analysis of variance, analysis of simple and multiple linear regression models, non-parametric methods.

At the time of application, prerequisites may be in progress or pending (ie: planning to take in the summer).  Prospective Sstudents are encouraged to apply even if they have not completed all prerequisite coursework. If accepted into the program, a faculty advisor will evaluate their prerequisite preparation and help them with selection of appropriate prerequisite courses.

To help guide whether your courses will meet prerequisite requirements, the following courses at BU would be considered equivalent. Prerequisite courses do not need to be taken at Boston University.

Note: Students who have previously completed courses in introductory psychology, human nutrition science (including nutrient metabolism), and/or exercise physiology may be able to customize their program with additional graduate elective courses. 

Spring semester 2020: Given the COVID-19 pandemic, we recognize that many colleges/universities moved to a pass/fail or credit/no credit system of grading for spring semester 2020.  Please know that we will accept prerequisite coursework taken and completed during spring 2020 in which a student received a “pass” or “credit” grade designation. We will not accept coursework for spring 2020 coursework graded “fail” or “no credit.”