Admissions

Requirements

Applicants to the Master of Science Coordinated Program in Dietetics, Nutrition and Exercise Physiology (MS CPD) must have a bachelor’s degree that satisfies one of the following options:

  • Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science/Physiology from a regionally accredited university
  • Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition/Dietetics from a regionally accredited university
  • Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from WSU

Eligible applicants must also have:

  • A cumulative GPA of 3.0
  • A cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the MS CPD prerequisite courses
  • No grade lower than a C in any individual prerequisite course (C- does not count)

The Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology no longer requires the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for admission to the MS CPD.

Acceptance into the MS CPD is based on meeting the admissions criteria, an applicant’s readiness for the program as judged by the Admissions Committee, and the availability of quality supervised practice sites for the clinical nutrition, food service management, and community nutrition rotations.

Prerequisites

The following prerequisite undergraduate courses are required. Classes can be taken at a regionally accredited university or community college. Generally, all prerequisite coursework should be no more than seven years old at the time of application. However, each situation is reviewed individually.

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)
  • 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
  • End of February – A select group of applicants are invited to interview for the 30 seats available in the MS CPD
  • Early- to 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
  • Mid-March – Offers of admissions sent by email
  • April 1 – Confirmations of intent to enroll in the MS CPD due to academic coordinator

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)