Graduate Coordinated Program in Dietetics at the University of Washington

Introduction

What is a GCPD? A Graduate Coordinated Program in Didactics (GCPD) provides the coursework and supervised practice that is required to become a Registered Dietitian^® (RD). Students who want to be an RD must also pass an examination offered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration. Information on the credential of Registered Dietitian may be obtained from the American Dietetic Association.

The GCPD at the University of Washington is open to graduate students in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Nutritional Sciences. Therefore prospective students will need to apply to the Graduate Program in Nutritional Sciences for either a Master's in Science Degree, a Master's in Public Health Degree or a Doctoral Degree. In addition to the application to the Graduate Program in Dietetics students will complete an application to the GCPD.

The University of Washington is the major public post-baccalaureate university in the state, with over 45,000 students enrolled at the Seattle campus. Associated with the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Nutritional Sciences, the Dietetic Program is administered through the Department of Epidemiology in the School of Public Health and Community Medicine.

The GCPD admits 12 new students to the program each year. These students must also be accepted into the Graduate Program in Nutritional Sciences. The first year of the program is primarily devoted to course work for both the graduate program and the GCPD. The second year of the program focuses on the practice experiences. We recommend that students begin their thesis efforts the first year of their graduate studies by working with their advisor to identify their thesis project and submit their graduate portfolio as described on the Nutritional Sciences web page. Students will not be eligible to sit for the examination to become an RD until the GCPD, the graduate degree and the thesis have been completed.

GCPD Mission Statement

The mission of the Graduate Coordinated Program in Dietetics is to develop competent professionals with a strong foundation in the applied science of nutrition and provide training to integrate research into practice, support leadership development and enable graduates to assume careers in dietetics.

GCPD Goals

Goal 1: Program outcomes
Provide an evidence-based curriculum and supervised practice to develop competent professionals.
Goal 2: Research and Technology
Integrate research related to nutrition as an applied science into the advancement and dissemination of knowledge in both coursework and experiences in a variety of practice settings. Integrate informatics and technology into the didactic courses and practice experiences
Goal 3: Leadership
Prepare student in the GCPD to assume roles in leadership and policy development

Accreditation

The Graduate Coordinated Program in Dietetics (GCPD) at the University of Washington is currently granted accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education by the American Dietetic Association (ADA), 120 Riverside Dr., Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, 1-800-877-1600

GCPD Completion Rate and Pass Rate on RD Exam

The GCPD at the University of Washington has experienced a 98% completion rate over the last five years. Our graduates have been very successful in taking the RD examination with a 100% pass rate.

The GCPD program with the Graduate Program in Nutritional Sciences is housed in Raitt Hall on the north section of the campus and is administered through the Department of the Epidemiology in the School of Public Health and Community Medicine.

The following are approximate costs for enrollment in the program. The student enrolled in the GCPD is also working toward a graduate degree in Nutritional Sciences; thus these fees refer to quarters of study recognizing that the student will need to incorporate additional credits toward final completion of the chosen degree.

The University of Washington observes a quarter system. The academic calendar is available on the university web site. Academic Calendar 2008-2009

Tuition:

Tuition fees are established by the UW. Graduate school tuition fees apply. For the 2007-2008 academic year the fees per quarter for full time enrollment (minimum 7 credits) are:

2007-2008 Washington State Resident Non-Resident

. Tier I (MS) Tier III (MPH) Tier I (MS) Tier III (MPH)

Autumn/ Winter/ Spring $3,139 $3,473 $7,155 $7,488

Summer (3 cr) $1,243 $1,313 $ 2,932 $3,002

. . . . .

Annual Tuition (4 quarters) $10,660 $11,732 $24,397 $25,466

2008-2009
(Estimated Tuition)

Washington State Resident

Non-Resident

.
Tier I (MS) Tier III (MPH) Tier I (MS) Tier III (MPH)

Autumn $3,139 $3,473 $7,155 $7,488

.
All Students

Supervised Practice
Winter, Spring, Summer Quarters

$3,392/quarter

Annual Tuition (4 quarters) $13,315 $13,649 $17,331 $17,664

http://www.washington.edu/students/sfs/sao/tuition/rates.html
Information on residency classification may also be obtained on the UW web site.
http://www.washington.edu/students/reg/residency.html

Other program fees:

Application fee - $55

Technology fee - $32

Student activity fee - $103
Liability Insurance - $25
Immunization Review including immunizations - $275
Food Handler's Permit - $10

Housing:

Information regarding student housing may be found on the UW web site: http://www.washington.edu/students/#STDLIFE. This page will also give you information about Academics, Finances in general, Student life, University Policies, Career Planning and Student Services as well as many other topics of interest.

Transportation:

Transportation: The UW offers an exceptional transportation package to students. The U-Pass program allows a student to ride Metro, Community Transit and Sound Transit service anytime, anywhere on these systems. (This system does not include Washington State Ferries or Pierce County Transit). A U-Pass sticker is automatically sent to the student at the beginning of each quarter with the registration confirmation. The $44 quarterly fee (2008) is included on the tuition statement.

Books and Fees:

Books and fees: The number and cost of textbooks required in the GCPD courses will vary. The student should anticipate spending approximately $100-$120 per course in texts and course syllabus materials.
Students in the GCPD are required to be members of the American Dietetic Association. The student membership fee in 2007-2008 is $49.

Students are required to attend the Washington State Dietetic Association Annual Meeting at least once. Student registration fees are approximately $75. The location of this meeting varies but may be outside the Greater Seattle area and therefore students may need to pay for overnight lodging and arrange for transportation. Information on the meeting is available on the WSDA web site.

In addition to these fees the student will incur typical living expenses.

Financial Aid:

Information on financial aid may be obtained from the University of Washington web site. Limited financial aid may be obtained from the Interdisciplinary Program in Nutritional Sciences in the form of work-study funds and student stipends. The American Dietetic Association and the Washington State Dietetic Association have student awards and scholarships available. Please note that financial aid from these sources is competitive. Students are encouraged to explore these funding opportunities as early as possible.

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