Certificate in Dietetics
Admission Requirements
The DPD Certificate is designed for individuals who are interested in completing the American Dietetic Association didactic requirements to become a registered dietitian, and who have a minimum of a baccalaureate degree in an area other than dietetics.
The course requirements included in the Certificate curriculum are the same as the undergraduate DPD requirements and meet the Foundation Knowledge and Learning Outcomes for Didactic Programs in Dietetics established by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of the American Dietetic Association.
Upon completion of the DPD Certificate, students receive the CADE Verification Statement, confirming their eligibility to enter a dietetic internship.
The DPD Certificate requires completion of 128 quarter credit hours to obtain the CADE verification statement, which includes any applicable courses transferred from another university. Students must complete a minimum of 24 of the 128 credit hours required after they have been accepted into the program to be awarded the DPD Certificate and receive the American Dietetic Association DPD Verification Statement.
In the fall 0f 2012, the University of Cincinnati will be converting to semesters. At that time, the DPD Certificate will require completion of 91 semester credit hours. Students will still be required to complete a minimum of 24 credit hours after acceptance into the DPD Certificate.
Admission Requirements for the DPD Certificate
- Prospective students must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university with a minimum GPA of 3.0 to be eligible for admission into the DPD Certificate. Students who have a GPA lower than 3.0 cannot use additional courses taken after completion of a baccalaureate degree to increase their GPA to meet the admissions requirements.
- Prospective students must submit the following materials to be considered for admission:
- Completed application form.
- Official copies of transcripts from all colleges/universities attended, including those for advanced degrees. Transcripts from foreign institutions must include a credential evaluation from an organization approved by the American Dietetic Association. Information about approved credentialing organizations can be obtained by going to the American Dietetic Association website at: www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xs/career_398_ENU_HTML.htm.
- Recent résumé.
- Completed copy of the UC Admission Confirmation Form.
- Additional materials, including course catalogs or syllabi, may be requested during the application review process to assist in determining which courses can be transferred into the DPD Certificate.
Application Deadlines
Applications for the DPD Certificate are sent directly to the Department of Nutritional Sciences. It is not necessary for applicants to apply to the University of Cincinnati separately. Prospective students can apply for the DPD Certificate any time during the academic year. To guarantee acceptance for autumn quarter/semester, students must submit their applications no later than May 31 for the 2011/2012 academic year and no later than April 15 for the 2012/2013 academic year. Applications will not be accepted during the summer break.
Review of the Application for the DPD Certificate
Completed application packets will be reviewed by the Coordinator of the Certificate Program in the Department of Nutritional Sciences and then forwarded to the Student Affairs Office in the College of Allied Health Sciences for final processing. A confirmation of admission to the DPD Certificate will be sent to the student by the Student Affairs Office.
Transfer Credits from Previous Degrees
Undergraduate transcripts submitted with the DPD Certificate application will be evaluated by the University of Cincinnati Center for Transcript Evaluation to determine which courses are acceptable for transfer into the DPD Certificate. Credit evaluations can also be obtained prior to submission of the application if an individual wishes. Information on how to obtain a credit evaluation is available at www.admissions.uc.edu/transfer. The University of Cincinnati has a recency requirement of 10 years for all science and math courses.
The Department of Nutritional Sciences has established recency requirements for biochemistry and medical nutrition therapy, which must be taken within the last 7 years and 5 years, respectively. Additional coursework may be waived by the Department of Nutritional Sciences on an individual basis if it is determined that the prospective student is competent in the CADE Foundation Knowledge and Learning Outcomes in this area.
Newly accepted DPD Certificate students should meet with the Coordinator of the program to determine if additional courses can be waived. In addition, the University of Cincinnati does not permit the transfer of courses with grades below a “C-."
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