Admissions
Prerequisites
The following prerequisite undergraduate college courses are required. Classes can be taken at regionally-accredited university or community college. As a general rule, all prerequisite coursework should be no more than seven years old at the time of application. However, each situation is reviewed on an individual basis. One semester or one quarter of each course is required. Prerequisites do not need to be complete at the time of application, however, if accepted to the MS CPD, the classes must be successfully finished with a grade of C or better (C- does not count) by July 31 of the year admitted.
- General Chemistry (including lab)
- Organic Chemistry (including lab)
- Biochemistry
- General Biology (including lab)
- Microbiology
- Human Anatomy (including lab)
- Human Physiology (including lab)
- Human Nutrition
- Psychology
- Statistics
Timeline
The MS CPD program starts in the fall semester only. The application deadline is January 31 every year.
- January 31 – Deadline for application submission
- First two weeks in February – Applications screened for meeting overall and prerequisite GPA requirements; if GPA requirements are met, applications are sent to the Admissions Committee with the grades blinded.
- Mid-February – Admissions Committee reads and scores applications using a common rubric
- First week in March – A select group of applicants are invited to interview for the 30 seats available in the MS CPD
- Mid-March – Interviews are conducted by Zoom; interviews are rated using a common point system and the score is added to the overall application score
- End of March – First week in April – Offers of admissions sent by email
How to Apply
Applications for admission are submitted online through the Dietetics Inclusive Centralized Application System (DICAS).
Required materials include:
- WSU Graduate School Application (via DICAS)
- Personal Statement: Please provide a 250–500 word statement of purpose that introduces yourself and motivations for entering the fields of dietetics, nutrition, and exercise physiology. Summarize your undergraduate education and how your work, volunteer, and/or life experiences relate to your academic journey and long-term goals. Finally, describe how the WSU MS CPD will help you achieve your professional goals.
- Resume: Applicant resumes are reviewed based on metrics including the amount of time and extent of general work and/or volunteer activities, amount of time and extent of work and/or volunteer activities in dietetics or nutrition-related settings (prefer >6 months of experiences), leadership positions held, and demonstration of scholarly activity and/or awards (e.g., Dean’s List, involvement in research).
- Three Letters of Recommendation: Two from a professor or lab section teaching assistant (TA) and one from a work or volunteer supervisor.
- TOEFL, IELTS or MELAB scores from international applicants (See details about minimum scores and English language proficiency waivers)