Eastern Michigan University

Located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Eastern Michigan University was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School. EMU, as it is typically known, is a co-educational, comprehensive public university that comprises seven schools and colleges: a Graduate School, an Honors College, the College of Technology, the College of Health and Human Services, the College of Education, the College of Business and the College of Arts and sciences.

Eastern Michigan University Accreditation Details

Eastern Michigan University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The university also belongs to the Mid-American Conference. In addition, the Master of Science in Dietetics degree program has earned its accreditation from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).

Eastern Michigan University Application Requirements

Students wishing to pursue a Master of Science in Dietetics from EMU are not able to apply directly into the program as faculty cannot make a final decision until they know if students have completed all requirements. Instead, students must apply to the school in one of two ways: as a second B.S. student or as an undergraduate non-degree-seeking post-baccalaureate student. If a student does not need financial aid in order to complete prerequisite courses, he or she will apply as the former, and a student who is seeking financial aid will apply to EMU as a second B.S. student with a dietetic intent major.

Students must have a minimum prerequisite and cumulative grade point average of 2.75 in order to apply as well as the satisfactory completion with a C grade or above of all prerequisite courses. The school uses a screening procedure that includes two reference forms, a completed application, personal statement, cumulative and prerequisite grade point averages, overall application notebook presentation, committee input and an online assessment. Once accepted into the program, students must successfully pass a 10-panel drug screen and a comprehensive background check.

Tuition and Financial Aid

All online courses at Eastern Michigan University are charged in-state resident tuition rates. Course levels up to 499 cost $397 per credit hour, courses levels 500 to 699 cost $712 per credit hour and 700-level courses and above cost $822 per credit hour.

EMU offers a number of graduate school scholarships for eligible students. In order to determine eligibility, students must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The school is also ranked fifth in the country among the top "Military and Veteran-Friendly Schools," and EMU's Military and Veteran Services department received the Gold Standard by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency for academic year 2016 to 2017. Veteran students, spouses and dependent students and guard/reserve students may be eligible for specific benefits and discounts through a number of federal programs.

Online Master of Science in Dietetics Degree Available

The online Master of Science in Dietetics degree from Eastern Michigan University is available for students who wish to further their education while continuing to work in their current roles. However, students may only attend this degree program if they live in an approved State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) state.

Prior to enrolling in courses required for the M.S. in Dietetics, students must first complete a number of prerequisites at either EMU or a previously attended institution. These courses include experimental foods, medical terminology, aging to infancy or life span human growth and development, general psychology lecture and quantitative applications in sociology or elementary statistics. In addition, a course in the fundamentals of nutrition is required for all students seeking a master's in dietetics from EMU.

The full online master's degree consists of 73 to 76 credit hours, 70 of which come from required courses. Students will take classes in community nutrition, integrative medicine, the nutrition of the life cycle, nutrition therapy, food and culture and food systems management. They will also develop further knowledge regarding nutrient metabolism of macronutrients and micronutrients as well as complete a seminar in dietetics. Other courses include a community nutrition experience, advanced topics in nutrition and foods, foodservice systems management experience, research design and methods and an in-depth understanding of the development of the entrepreneurial dietitian.

The remaining three to six hours of credits are made up of a culminating experience. Students may choose one of three options. First, the thesis option consists of six hours and involves a research study that is planned, delivered and written in thesis format. Students must have committees of a minimum of two people, and the chair of the thesis must be a member of EMU faculty and have a Ph.D. This option involves of a research study of which students must write five chapters in detail. An introduction, review of literature and methodology make up chapters one, two and three, and chapters four and five concern the results and conclusions, respectively.

Option two is a non-thesis research experience which also consists of six hours. In this three-class series, students work with one professor on a project. It is similar in format as the thesis, but students are not required to report on statistics and may choose something entirely different. For instance, students may choose to design a module to train students on autism in the future. However, regardless of the top investigated, students are still guided toward submitting their manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals.

The final option consists of research writing and earns the student three hours of credit. This pathway is focused on biomedical research writing, and students are required to complete a newsletter article, a number of assignments in research writing and a short manuscript that will be electronically distributed to the School of Health Sciences' staff and faculty at the end of the semester.

Related Resource: Top 30 Affordable Online Master's in Dietetics

The Master of Science in Dietetics degree from Eastern Michigan University is a coordinated program, meaning students complete the supervised practice experiences and the theory coursework concurrently. Once a student has completed the program, he or she is eligible to sit for the Registration Examination for Dietitians. Passage of the test will provide students with the recognized credential of Registered Dietitian Nutritionist or Registered Dietitian. Graduates of the Master of Science in Dietetics program at Eastern Michigan University are prepared for careers in insurance companies, specialized health care settings, long-term care facilities and in hospitals as well as in federal and state programs such as Area on Aging, Head Start and the Women, Infant and Children's (WIC) Nutrition Program.