Program Information
Dietetics
The K-State Distance Dietetics Program is designed so that students can complete the professional courses in Dietetics via distance education.
Before applying to the distance program to complete the professional courses for the bachelor’s degree, students need to take general education courses in written and oral communications, humanities, and the social, physical, and biological sciences. These courses can be taken on the K-State campus in Manhattan or from other institutions. Emphasis is placed on successful completion of Chemistry I and II, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, and Environmental Issues in Hospitality (or General Microbiology). Students who wish to take general education courses at institutions other than K-State should visit the K-State transfer equivalency web page prior to enrollment to ensure that the courses will transfer to K-State. If your institution is not listed on this page, or if you have questions consult with Karla Girard, the dietetics distance program coordinator, for further assistance. Barton County Community College has partnered with K-State to offer the first two years of coursework for the Dietetics bachelor’s degree. This provides a seamless transfer of credits from one institution to the other. Read more about this partnership on the Admissions page.
Professional courses for the Didactic Program in Dietetics are completed by distance via a variety of media.
The Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) meets the academic requirements set forth by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and qualifies the student to apply for post-baccalaureate supervised practice programs. The didactic program is available by distance to both in-state and out-of-state students.
After students are admitted to the university and start the dietetics program, they will need to apply to the DPD three semesters before their expected graduation date.
Admission requirements for the DPD
- No grade lower than a B in a science course or a professional (HMD or HN and ACCTG 231) course.
- No grade lower than C in communications, social sciences, quantitative studies and humanities courses.
- Dietetics-related work or volunteer experience.
- Completion of application with personal statement, resume, transcripts and summary of experience.
Upon completion of the didactic program, students must apply and be accepted into an accredited dietetic internship in order to qualify to take the national examination to become a registered dietitian. More information about internships can be found on the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’s website at http://www.eatright.org/
Admission to the DPD program does not guarantee acceptance into an internship program. According to the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, nationwide over the last several years only 50% of those who applied to internships/supervised practice programs were accepted.
Completing a Verification Statement
Students wishing to complete only a verification statement for eligibility to apply for dietetics internships (must already have earned a graduate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or the equivalent, or earn a graduate degree before the verification statement is issued):
- Submit the nondegree program application form
- Have official transcripts sent to:
Karla Girard, Dietetics Distance Program Coordinator
Kansas State University
Department of HMD
104 Justin Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506-1404 - Also send Karla Girard your resume, as well as official descriptions of any relevant classes from the college catalog that was in effect when you were enrolled. If you do not have a catalog, you should contact your college’s Registrar’s Office to see if they have old catalogs on file and can send you a photocopy of the descriptions.
Your application, official transcripts, and supporting materials must be received by June 1 for fall semesters, November 1 for spring semesters, and April 1 for summer sessions.
If you do not meet the prerequisites, Karla Girard will notify you by e-mail and will help you figure out where you can take the courses you are lacking. If you have questions about the application process, please contact Karla Girard.
