Dietetics
Family and Consumer Sciences
College of Education and Human DevelopmentDietetics
Dietetics is an allied health field that builds on the foundation of life and social sciences.
The Didactic Program in Dietetics at Western Michigan University leads to a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree and is accredited by Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of the American Dietetic Association through 2011. The Dietetics Program meets the Standards of Education of CADE and graduates are eligible to apply for accredited internship programs. 
Students must complete a dietetic internship and pass the Registration Examination for Dietitians in order to qualify for certification as a Registered Dietitian (R.D.). Students apply for admission to internships during the last semester of their senior year or after graduation. Appointment to internships is competitive. Students are selected on a variety of criteria including grade point average (GPA), work experience, and recommendation letters. Most dietetic internships require that applicants have a GPA of at least 3.0. Successful applicants from this undergraduate program have had an average GPA of 3.5.
For more information about accreditation of dietetics education programs contact:
The Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE):
The American Dietetic Association
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
(800) 877-1600 Ext. 5400
www.eatright.org/CADE/
WMU Internship application procedures
After registration, Dietitians are eligible for positions in hospitals, commercial food establishments, long-term care facilities, the food industry, government sponsored child nutrition programs, college and university dining services, the armed forces, community health agencies, and more. Job opportunities are also available with food companies, in consulting, research, private practice, and sports nutrition.
The graduate degree leads to a Master of Arts in Family and Consumer Sciences. Admission to the graduate program does not guarantee admission to the dietetic internship program. This graduate program is suitable for those who are concurrently enrolled in WMU’s Dietetic Internship Program, those who are Registered Dietitian-Eligible, and those who are already Registered Dietitians (R.D.'s) who would like to earn a Master Degree that will provide skills complementing those acquired as an R.D..
For more information about the application and admission requirements, please see the description of the graduate degree program.