​The goal of this major is to prepare students towards becoming a Dietetic Technician, Registered (DTR).

The undergraduate Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) at CMU is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics 9ACEND). Completion of this program will allow students to be eligible to apply to a graduate program towards the pathway of becoming a RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist).

Students pursuing this major are encouraged to meet with a dietetics advisor to ensure they understand the educational pathway and to complete the program in a timely manner.

Note: Effective January 1, 2024, any person taking the registration examination for the RDN credential will need to have completed a Master's degree along with an accredited DPD.

Admission Requirements, Retention & Termination Standards

Students must have a minimum of a 3.0 overall GPA in order to declare the dietetics major and enter the pre-professional phase. Students must achieve an overall minimum GPA of 3.0, which will include the DPD course work; the student cannot have a grade lower than a 2.0 (C) in any DPD course work in order to be considered for the professional phase.

Both GPA's must include courses completed at other institutions as well as those completed at CMU.

Selection criteria include:

  1. Application
  2. Overall GPA
  3. DPD course work
  4.  To graduate with dietetics as a major and to receive a verification statement from the dietetics program, students are not allowed to take any required dietetic courses as credit/no credit
  5. Professional recommendation
  6. Work, volunteer, and extra curricular experience
  7. Autobiographical statement

Professional Phase Requirements:

  1. Adherence to the Academy of Nutrition Dietetics Professional Code of Ethics.
  2. Maintenance of a 3.0 GPA overall and in DPD coursework.

Please note: All FNS courses are now listed as NDS.

Dietetics Core (40 hours)

​Basic principles and fundamental processes underlying food preparation. 

Credits 3(2-2) 

Contact Hours (2-2) 

Course Syllabus

​Introduction to the practices and beliefs related to food in major cultural groups and societies around the world. 

Credits 3(3-0) 

Contact Hours (3-0) 

Course Syllabus

​Experimental approach to the study of food: physical and chemical properties, food product development, sensory evaluation, food analyses, food engineering, and food biotechnology. Prerequisites: NDS 160; CHM 342; STA 282 or HSC 544; senior standing in Dietetics. 

Credits 4(3-2) 

Contact Hours (2-2) 

Course Syllabus

​A systems approach to the production and preparation of food in quantity, including food safety and sanitation, purchasing, receiving, storage, service, and distribution. Prerequisite: NDS 160. 

Credits 3(3-0) 

Contact Hours (3-0) 

Course Syllabus

​Techniques of institutional food preparation and service using a wide variety of equipment. Service to the institution's target population will be emphasized. Prerequisites: NDS 160, NDS 364. 

Credits 1(0-2) 

Contact Hours (0-2) 

Course Syllabus

Principles of normal nutrition as related to the health of all age groups. This course may be offered in an online format. May be offered as Writing Intensive. (University Program Group II-A: Descriptive Sciences).

Credits 3(3-0) 

Contact Hours (3-0) 

Course Syllabus

​Nutritional needs across the life span. Introduction to nutritional assessment methods, the physiological basis for nutritional recommendations, and evaluation of nutrition related research. Prerequisite: NDS 370. 

Credits 3(3-0) 

Contact Hours (4-0) 

Course Syllabus

​Study of institutional foodservice systems including recipe analysis, purchasing, personnel selection and development, leadership, decision- making, budgeting, marketing, customer satisfaction and sustainability. Prerequisites: NDS 160, 364, admission into the professional phase of the Dietetics Major. 

Credits 3(3-0) 

Contact Hours (3-0) 

Course Syllabus

​This course addresses the application of medical nutrition therapy in the treatment and management of injury, illness and other disease conditions. Prerequisites: NDS 370, CHM 421 or 521, BIO 392 or HSC 214 and 215; admission to the Professional Phase of the dietetics program. Pre/Co-requisite: NDS 473. 

Credits 3(3-0) 

Contact Hours (3-0) 

Course Syllabus

The application of medical nutrition therapy in the treatment and management of injury, illness, and other disease conditions. Prerequisites: NDS 471, admission to the Professional Phase of the Dietetics Program. 

Credits 3(3-0) 

Contact Hours (3-0) 

Course Syllabus

​Biological needs in human nutrition based on current research and its applications. Prerequisites: Two semesters of chemistry; NDS 370; BIO 392 or CHM 421; admission into Professional Phase of the Dietetics Program. 

Credits 4(4-0) 

Contact Hours (4-0) 

Course Syllabus

​Teaching strategies, advising techniques, resources, and motivational techniques as specifically applied to patients/clients in nutrition programs and patient/clients receiving nutrition services. Prerequisite: NDS 374; acceptance into the Professional Phase of the Dietetics program. 

Credits 4(4-0) 

Contact Hours (4-0) 

Course Syllabus

​Consulting, teaching and supportive research experiences in the field with a nutritionally vulnerable group. Prerequisites: NDS 370, 480; acceptance into the Professional Phase of the Dietetics program. 

Credits 3(Spec) 

Contact Hours (Spec) 

Course Syllabus

Other Requirements I (5-8 hours) Select one of the following options:

​CHM 120 Survey of Chemistry 

Elementary concepts in chemistry. For students on curricula needing minimal chemical background or students who need additional preparation for CHM 131. This course provides suitable preparation for the successful completion of the laboratory courses, CHM 112 or CHM 127. Cannot be counted on a Chemistry/Biochemistry major or Chemistry minor. This course may be offered in an online or hybrid format. Recommended: High school Algebra II or MTH 105. (University Program II-B: Quantitative and Mathematical Science). 

Credits 4(4-0) 

Contact Hours (4-0)

 Course Syllabus 


CHM 127 Introductory Chemistry Laboratory 

Elementary laboratory experiments which parallel the syllabus for CHM 120. Recommended for students in dietetics, sports medicine, health education, and elementary/middle school education. No credit toward chemistry or biochemistry major or minor. Satisfies University Program Group II laboratory requirement. Pre/Co-requisite: CHM 120. (University Program Group II-B: Quantitative and Mathematical Science). 

Credits 1(0-2) 

Contact Hours (0-2) 

Course Syllabus

​CHM 131 General Chemistry I 

Introductory course covering fundamental concepts of chemistry including atoms, properties of matter, reactions and stoichiometry, electronic structure, chemical bonding, molecular structure, thermochemistry, gas laws. Satisfies University Program Group II laboratory requirement. Recommended: High school algebra or MTH 107; high school chemistry or CHM 120. (University Program Group II-B: Quantitative and Mathematical Sciences).

Credits 4(3-3) 

Contact Hours (3-3) 


CHM 132 General Chemistry II 

Continuation of CHM 131 including solutions, kinetics, equilibrium, weak acids and bases, thermodynamics, and electrochemistry. Prerequisite: CHM 131. Recommended: a grade of C or better in CHM 131. 

Credits 4(3-3) 

Contact Hours (3-3) 

Course Syllabus

Other Requirements II (11 hours)

The biology of microorganisms: bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi, algae, and protozoa. Does not count toward Biology majors or minors. Prerequisite: one of: BIO 101, 105, 110, 112, 151. 

Credits 4(3-3) 

Contact Hours (3-3) 

Course Syllabus

​Elementary course covering the field of organic chemistry. Course meets the needs for entrance to some professional schools. No credit toward chemistry major or minor. Prerequisites: One of: CHM 120, 127, or CHM 132 or CHM 161. 

Credits 4(3-3) 

Contact Hours (3-3) 

Course Syllabus

​Introductory one-semester Biochemistry course with a focus on the human body. No credit toward Chemistry/Biochemistry major or Chemistry minor. Prerequisites: CHM 342 or 346 or 343. Recommended: BIO 151 or HSC 211. 

Credits 3(3-0) 

Contact Hours (3-0)

A student opting to take CHM 345 and CHM 346 instead of CHM 342 must have the equivalent of CHM 132 as a prerequisite. 

A student with CHM 345 and CHM 346 may elect CHM 521 and CHM 522, instead of CHM 421.

Other Requirements III (4-8 hours) Select on of the following options:

​BIO 392 Mammalian Physiology 

The functioning of the mammalian body and its component parts, with an emphasis on human systems. Prerequisites: BIO 212, 213 with a C- or better, or BIO 208 or 211 with a C- or better and a signed major in biochemistry, biology in any option, biology/biomedical sciences, dietetics, neuroscience, or a signed science minor; CHM 132 or 342. 

Credits 4(3-3) 

Contact Hours (3-3) 

Course Syllabus

​HSC 214 Human Anatomy 

A comprehensive course in the structure of the human body organized by systems. Laboratory work includes identification of fundamental anatomical structures on models and cadavers. Prerequisites: HSC 211 or 12 credit hours completed with one course in BIO or CHM or PHY. 

Credits 4(3-3) 

Contact Hours (3-3) 

Course Syllabus 


HSC 215 Human Physiology 

A comprehensive course that studies the function of the organ systems of the human body. Laboratory work in fundamental physiological principles is included. Pre/Co-Requisite: HSC 214. 

Credits 4(3-2) 

Contact Hours (3-2) 

Course Syllabus

Other Requirements IV (3 hours) Select one of the following:

This class presents applied statistical concepts, principles and methods in the health services industry. Statistical procedures are applied to health, administrative, and medical data. Prerequisites: STA 282 or PSY 211 or graduate standing. 

Credits 3(2-1) 

Contact Hours (2-1) 

Course Syllabus

​Descriptive statistics, probability, sampling distributions, statistical inference, regression. Course does not count on major, minor in mathematics. Credit may not be earned in more than one of these courses: STA 282, STA 382, STA 392. Quantitative Reasoning. This course may be offered in an online or hybrid format. Recommended: MTH 105 or competency. 

Credits 3(3-0) 

Contact Hours (3-0) 

Course Syllabus

Total: 63-70 semester hours