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Recruitment of applicants is completed by listing the nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program on the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics website and through information about accelerated bachelor’s to master’s degree programs posted on the SDSU website and with information posted at School of Health and Human Sciences. In addition, program information will be shared via the nutrition and dietetic educators and preceptors LISTSERV and by having a booth at the national Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo’s Student Recruitment Fair. The nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program follows all state and federal laws and regulations to ensure nondiscrimination and equal opportunity.

Prior assessed learning may be granted for certain courses and Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics competencies. Please refer to the courses and conditions listed under nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) admissions for prior assessed learning eligibility. The number of required supervised experiential learning experiences planned hours will not be reduced based on prior assessed learning. Any course discipline fees are also not reduced from prior assessed learning.

Students accepted into the program who meet prior assessed learning eligibility will be required to complete evidence of competency completion for applicable competencies attached to specific classes prior to the start of their first semester in the program.

The program director will provide clear guidance on the competencies and evidence required and will evaluate each on a case-by-case basis to determine if the student has “passed” the competency.

Students who do not provide adequate evidence from a previous SDSU course to determine if a competency has been passed will not be required to retake the course but will be required to complete an alternative practice experience assignment as directed by the program director.

Students must be admitted as degree-seeking students. Student financial assistance programs are administered through the student Financial Aid Office in the Enrollment Services Center. They may be contacted at 605-688-4695 or via email at Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships for more information. Graduate assistantships, fellowships and traineeships are administered by the department or program involved. Students enrolled in SDSU certificate programs are not eligible for federal student financial aid. The nonfederal alternative loan programs may be used for students meeting the lender criteria as found at www.sdstate.edu (alternative loans). Please contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships if you have any questions.

Graduate students must be admitted as degree-seeking students and be taking at least five credits per semester to be eligible for federal financial aid. Any prior student loans must be deferred. The following information is inserted directly from the . Student financial assistance programs are administered through the student Financial Aid Office in the Enrollment Services Center. They may be contacted at 605-688-4695 or via email at Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships for more information. Graduate assistantships, fellowships and traineeships are administered by the department or program involved. Students enrolled in SDSU certificate programs are not eligible for federal student financial aid. The nonfederal alternative loan programs may be used for students meeting the lender criteria as loans. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships if you have any questions.

SDSU has implemented a Student Success Model to assist students in the transition to college career and academic success. SDSU First Stop provides much of the information required by students. There are many services on campus offered through the Wintrode Student Success Center.

As part of the Student Success Model, all freshmen are advised by first-year advisors familiar with first-year academic hurdles. Students must meet with their academic advisor before registering for classes. Students are transitioned to their professional major advisor for the remaining academic career.

The professional advisor has access to the student transcripts and checks at each of the academic advising visits. Students with less than a 3.0 cumulative GPA are encouraged by their professional advisor to pursue a different academic degree.

Additionally, SDSU has implemented an early alert process for all 100- and 200-level classes through the Campus Labs system. All instructors of 100- and 200-level classes must record the midterm grades of students who have a “D” or less. This system automatically alerts the advisors of the performance. The Campus Labs system is available for instructors of 300- and 400-level classes if they desire to use it.

All faculty at SDSU are required to adhere to the South Dakota Board of Regents policy for course syllabi and include the evaluation procedures in the syllabus. Faculty must also submit grades at the end of the semester to allow timely dissemination of grades and GPA to the students. Students have access to unofficial transcripts through Banner.

Overall program improvement is a priority and ongoing process for the SDSU nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program. Open communication and feedback on program strengths and areas of improvement are highly encouraged. The nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program is committed to providing a quality program that meets the mission, goals and objectives of the program.

Students evaluate and provide feedback on required activities/assignments, rotation sites and preceptors. In addition, students provide information regarding their overall level of preparedness and direction via an exit review survey and interview at the conclusion of the program.

Preceptors evaluate student competencies and are also asked for feedback on their overall perceptions of student preparedness and the organizational management of the program. Students are responsible for sending evaluations for activities/assignments and performance to preceptors. Students have an opportunity to review preceptor evaluations and provide comments regarding their evaluation.

Postgraduate surveys and employer supervisor surveys are administered 10-12 months post program completion and are utilized to determine graduate perception of competency skill level and employer satisfaction of the graduate’s performance.

The content of each evaluation tool utilized is available to students and preceptors via the nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program rotation guide. The questions asked for the site, preceptor, postgraduate, employer supervisor and exit surveys can also be made available by contacting the program director. Results toward meeting programmatic goals will be posted on the SDSU nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program website as they are available and a statement on the website indicating that program outcomes data are available on request is posted.

Upon entry into the Nutrition and Dietetics (M.S.) program, students will receive an orientation to the program which will include a detailed overview of competency assessment, and the process required to track demonstration of competencies and the target threshold for each. Formative (direct observation, mid-point rotation performance evaluations) and summative assessment methods (case studies, project evaluations, end-point rotation performance evaluations) will be utilized to assess competencies. Several different types of summative assessments will be utilized, and student must meet the established threshold for each competency. In other words, if student successfully meets the threshold for a one of three performance indicators for a particular competency but does not meet the threshold for the other two performance indicators, then level of performance has not been met for the competency and will be advised of a remediation plan. However, it is not required to meet all performance indicators to receive an Overall Level of Performance for the competency. If a student does not meet a competency with the initial set of learning activities determined, that student will be advised of a remediation plan and an opportunity to “revise, re-do” work. The Program Director should be notified by the student prior to starting a remediation plan. Student will be provided with the opportunity to remediate competency at a maximum of 2 different attempts. If student fails to successfully meet the competency after 2 different attempts, the Program Director will advise student of potential withdrawal from program, according to policy as outlined in the program handbook. Students withdrawn from the program will be counseled into career paths that are appropriate to their ability.

Students will utilize a detailed master checklist and portfolio via the university’s online learning management system (Desire 2 Learn, D2L) that will be utilized to track competency completion. It will be the student’s responsibility to assure that all required summative assessments, with the practice illustration (i.e., project, case study, etc.) are provided in their portfolio. Program staff will monitor master checklist or portfolio assessment on at least a monthly basis throughout the program and will conduct a competency review at the midpoint and endpoint NUTR 794 - Internship. Results of the review in addition to any suggestions for moving forward in the program will be provided to each student.

Years 1 and 2 of the program students enrolled and working towards their Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. Students must abide by program requirements outlined in the undergraduate catalog for Nutrition and Dietetics B.S. Advisors assist students in catalog year, requirements and completion of the undergraduate degree.

Per the SDSU Graduate School Policy, graduate students whose plan of study cumulative grade point average drops to less than 3.0 are automatically placed on Academic Warning and will receive a letter from the Dean. (If a plan of study is not in place, all courses will be counted, and the cumulative GPA will be used.) Should a student on Academic Warning fail to achieve a GPA of at least 3.0 in their plan of study the following semester, the student will be placed on Academic Probation, and a hold will be placed on their registration for the subsequent semester.This hold can be removed only after the student and their advisor submit a letter to the Dean of the Graduate School indicating how the GPA will be brought up to 3.0 or better.The student must then meet with the Dean to review this work improvement plan.In the semester following the hold, the student must have a GPA of 3.0 or better to be retained in the program.

Students will be expected as members of the university community to abide by the SDSU and South Dakota Board of Regents Student Code of Conduct which includes but is not limited to: academic misconduct, violence, discrimination, harassment, damage to property, possession and use of controlled substances and theft. Violation of the Student Code of Conduct may result in sanctions up to and including expulsion from the nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program and the university. The policy and procedures of the Student Code of Conduct will be followed in processing alleged violations thereof and these protocols should be reviewed by all nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program students and students.

Students have established student accounts with private logins and passwords. Students should not share their login or passwords to these accounts. All supervised experiential learning experiences in institutions outside the campus have an memorandum of understanding approved by the university administration. Any complaint from a practitioner about a student should be directed to the instructor of record for the course.

The unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of controlled substances by its employees and agents while on duty or while in any workplace controlled by the university, to include vehicles owned by the university, is prohibited. In compliance with the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989, the university strictly prohibits the unlawful possession, use, manufacture or distribution of alcohol, marijuana or controlled substances by its students or employees while on university-controlled property or while participating in any capacity in activities or employments sponsored by it. Any person violating the proscriptions outlined in South Dakota Board of Regents policy 4.7.1 and University Policy 4:7 shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action as outlined in the SDSU policy.

The nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program follows the university polices on discipline and termination. Discipline policies are outlined in the Student Conduct Code and the Student Academic Misconduct Policy. The Satisfactory Performance for Financial Aid Policy states the minimum standards to remain enrolled. Note this policy states that students must maintain a GPA of 2.0 to remain enrolled.

The Office of Continuing and Distance Education provides information about courses that are offered online. To access all online applications, including the D2L learning management system, a university-issued Single Sign-On is used, as well as two-factor authentication using Duo.

The Acknowledgement of Receipt of Policy Handbook is reviewed and signed by students indicating their understanding of program requirements, including graduate degree and program completion within 4.5 years of program enrollment (see final page in handbook).

Per Graduate School policy, master’s programs should be completed within six years, and coursework at the time of graduation that is older than six years is considered expired and is ineligible for the plan of study.

Students who satisfactorily complete the requirements of the nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program and graduate degree, with an official transcript listing degree and date earned, will receive verification statements. Verification statements will be submitted to the Commission on Dietetic Registration so that students who completed the nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program are eligible to take the registered dietician examination.

A Verification Statement is issued upon successful completion of all NDMS program requirements, which include:

1. Supervised Experiential Learning (SEL):
   1. Completion of a minimum of 1,000 hours of supervised experiential learning across clinical, community, and foodservice management settings.
   2. Satisfactory evaluations from preceptors and faculty, demonstrating progressive achievement of ACEND‑required competencies consistent with competency‑based education.
2. Graduate Coursework:
   1. Completion of all required NDMS graduate courses as outlined in the program plan of study and NDMS advising guide; with a minimum grade requirement per graduate program policy (cumulative GPA ≥ 3.0).
   2. Successful completion of all projects, assignments and case studies mapped to ACEND competencies and program learning outcomes.
3. Culminating Experience:
   1. Completion of a capstone project under the guidance of a faculty advisor (selected by or with the Program Director), including submission and/or presentation per program requirements.
4. Professional and Program Standards:
   1. Compliance with all program policies (e.g., attendance, professionalism, confidentiality), site requirements (e.g., background check, immunizations, drug screen, insurance), and university requirements (e.g., academic integrity).
   2. Completion of required orientations, trainings (including distance education technologies as applicable), and documentation.

Upon verification by the Program Director that all requirements are met and final grades are posted, the program issues the ACEND Verification Statement.

A professional liability insurance of $1 million/$3 million will be charged from tuition and fees as noted in costs above. This insurance is required by the health care organizations with which we have memorandum of agreements. All students are required to have health insurance. Documentation of health insurance coverage is required prior to beginning the program.

The nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program follows the student immunization policy of SDSU. Students must complete the required immunizations prior to beginning rotations. The cost of obtaining the required immunizations is the responsibility of the student. Occasionally, sites may require additional tests or screening in addition to the requirements of the program. It is the responsibility of the student to cover these additional costs unless the site offers to cover the cost for the student. Students with any medical or religious exemptions for any of the required vaccinations will be required to complete an exemption form, dependent on the site’s policies. Sites may not accept vaccination exemptions for students. In this instance, the student and not the program will be responsible for finding adequate experiences at sites to meet minimum hours requirements and competencies to receive a verification statement.

All the SDSU nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program students will provide proof of the following prior to starting supervised experiential learning experiences:

• Proof of Hepatitis B series
• Proof of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) two-dose series
• Proof of one-time dose of tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (Tdap)
• TB skin test completed within the last 12 months
• Seasonal flu shot by Nov. 1
• Proof of varicella (chicken pox) immunity or varicella vaccination, two doses
• Proof of COVID-19 vaccination

Travel off campus for required supervised experiential learning experiences will be managed through the student travel policy. Students are responsible for their safety as they travel to and from assigned rotations, classes and other program-required travel. Students are required to carry adequate liability insurance covering themselves and any other students they might carry in their vehicle.

Students driving state vehicles will be submitted as a volunteer and are required to have a driver’s license and automobile insurance. If the student has not been submitted as a volunteer through the system or they are traveling in their own vehicle or the vehicle of others, the university is not responsible for their safety as they travel to and from assigned classes.

Students should check weather and road conditions and only travel when it is safe to do so. Students are required to communicate with preceptors and program staff if weather or road conditions prevent them from attending their assigned rotation location or class. Occasionally, group travel arrangements may be necessary for professional meetings and training. This type of travel may be covered by the program, subject to travel policies and procedures of SDSU and the South Dakota Board of Regents.

The student needs to notify the appropriate program faculty and/or staff immediately of any injury sustained while at a supervised experiential learning facility. Injury procedures are followed according to the guidelines established at each specific facility. In the event of a major injury, the nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program director shall be contacted.

It is required that students have their own health insurance. SDSU is not liable for injuries or health incidents that arise from the student spending time at supervised experiential learning sites or from the student traveling to/from supervised experiential learning locations. The student will provide the nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program staff and each supervised experiential learning facility with emergency contact information. Should the student become ill while at the supervised experiential learning facility, the appropriate supervised experiential learning site facility staff should be notified immediately, and nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program staff needs to be contacted within 24 hours. Time missed due to illness must be rescheduled.

If a site requires additional testing, such as drug testing above the requirements of the nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program, staff will inform the student of the additional requirements as soon as they become aware of the additional requirements. The student is responsible for making arrangements and paying for any additional testing that the site may require.

Students are required to complete a criminal background check through verified credentials prior to starting the program to include social security trace, county criminal record history, state by state sex offender search the Office of Inspector General’s List of Excluded Individuals and Entities and the General Services Administration’s Excluded List Party System.

If a student or facility contact has a complaint regarding a required component of the nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program or university faculty or staff, the student or facility contact may report the complaint to various people depending upon their comfort level regarding the complaint. If the student or facility contact feels comfortable taking the complaint to the program director, the director would handle the complaint. If the complaint is regarding the program director and the student or facility contact does not feel comfortable disclosing the complaint to the program director, the complaint may be reported to the School of Health and Human Sciences department director. Students and facility contacts will not be retaliated against for reporting a complaint. If a complaint cannot be handled through these channels, the student may address the concern/complaint formally through the SDSU Office of Academic Affairs. Additional information about where an individual may file complaints is available at SDSU Concerns and Complaints. The policy regarding academic appeals can be found in the SDSU Student Academic Misconduct and Appeals.

Academic Affairs
South Dakota State University Administration (SAD) 230
Brookings, SD 57007
Phone: 605-688-4173
Email: sdsu.office.academicaffairs@sdstate.edu

The program will maintain a copy of the complaint and resolution on file in the department office in a locked cabinet for seven years.

In the instance where the student does not consider the complaint to be satisfactorily resolved at the SDSU institutional level in accordance with the institution’s complaint procedures as outlined in the MSN handbook, the student may choose to provide a written complaint to the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. The procedures and required written complaint investigation form for Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics is found on the .

SDSU provides a variety of services to assist students:

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• Tutoring Support
• Writing Center
• Housing
• Student Connection and Engagement
• Veterans Services and Engagement
• American Indian Student Center
• Hilton M. Briggs Library
• Counseling Services
• Student Health Clinic

Students with disabilities should discuss potential accommodations for their supervised experiential learning hours with nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program staff. Accommodations related to academic coursework should be directed to the Office of Student Accessibility.

SDSU follows the policies of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. Information regarding FERPA is provided at SDSU Records and Registration FERPA. Students have access to their files upon request.

The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the university to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave. SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-5901

Students may have student records on file in more than one place within SDSU, including the Registrar’s Office. Records for all nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program students are kept electronically and confidential.

Students are personally responsible for their attendance at all scheduled lectures, classes, rotation experiences, program assignments, etc. Absences from scheduled hours will be excused only under extraordinary circumstances (i.e., death in the family, personal illness, etc.). SDSU classes are rarely closed due to inclement weather; however, notification is through local radio stations and MyState. During supervised experiential learning experiences, contact your preceptor for policies applicable to that site. Students are advised that they are not to travel if they feel the roads are unsafe. Students are required to make up time missed due to inclement weather conditions.

Students in supervised experiential learning experiences will have a one-week break over the week of Thanksgiving and an approximately two-week break over Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Time off for these holiday breaks will be identified by the student’s rotation schedule which is determined by nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program staff. Additional holidays will follow the policies of the supervised experiential learning site in which the student is currently working. Additional vacation time is not allowed due to time limitations and workloads.

A leave of absence from the nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program may be granted by the program director for a specific period if deemed necessary for medical or personal reasons. Any time requested off must be brought to the attention of the program director at least two weeks prior to the requested time off. Individual circumstances will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis following review of program progress. Once the program director has approved the request, the student will go to the preceptor and request the time off and determine how the time will be made up. Any time missed must be rescheduled. Students will be permitted to resume work upon satisfactory resolution of the issue necessitating the leave of absence without repetition of work, provided resumption occurs within one academic year from the date the leave of absence begins.

According to the withdrawal and refund policy at SDSU:

• When students withdraw from school, tuition and fees are assessed or credited, as appropriate, according to the date the student officially notifies SDSU of intent to withdraw by contacting the SDSU Registrar's Office. Room charges and meal plans are adjusted according to the residence hall and meal plan usage.
• The federal refund policy will be used for all students receiving; federal aid. If you received loan money, the university will calculate the amount of your loan that was "earned" according to your date of withdrawal, following federal Title IV regulations. The unearned portion will be paid back to your lender by the university. This amount paid by the university to your lender will then be charged to your university account. If this amount is larger than the credits on your account following withdrawal, you will be required to pay the difference due.
• View SDSU tuition and withdrawal policy for more information.

It is the requirement of the nutrition and dietetics (M.S.) program that all students must be a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics while in the program. Proof of student membership will be required prior to starting the program.

All students will receive an SDSU student photo identification card. This identification card is to be worn at all times during rotation experiences unless the facility requires the student to wear a facility-required ID card or badge.

All students will receive an SDSU student photo identification card. This identification card is to be worn at all times during rotation experiences unless the facility requires the student to wear a facility required identification card or badge.

There may be paid supervised experiential learning opportunities throughout the NDMS program. All experiences must be approved by the Program Director and the designated supervisor. All paid experiences must follow Policy 2:24 and the procedures set forth applicable to internships and other experiential learning opportunities offered for the benefit of the students, and as related to the University, to ensure compliance with state and federal laws and regulations as well as SDBOR and University policies.

In accordance with ACEND guidelines, students will not be allowed to “replace” employees during their SEL rotations. For example, if an employee at a facility calls in sick, the student may not “fill in” for that employee. Students may provide complete care (sometimes referred to as “staff relief”) as directed and supervised by their preceptor and as indicated for their rotation competencies.

In accordance with SDSU policy, students will be asked to sign a media release prior to any pictures or information about them being made public on the SDSU website or social media pages.

SDSU is committed to violence prevention and education. Information concerning prevention, warning signs and what to do in identifying and responding to a threat or concern are outlined at SDSU Violence Prevention and Education.

On-campus emergencies should be reported by dialing 111 for the SDSU Police Department or 911 for the Brookings Police Department.

For nonemergency assistance, the SDSU Police Department can be contacted at 605-688-5117 and is located on the east side of the football stadium on campus. The Annual Campus Security Report containing additional information regarding safety and security as well as statistics concerning criminal activity is available.