Kirtland Community College and Central Michigan University Unveil Affordable Pathway for Students Pursuing a Career in Dietetics

GRAYLING, Michigan (October 10, 2023) – Kirtland Community College and Central Michigan University (CMU) unveiled their new partnership transfer agreement designed to create a more transparent and cost-effective way for aspiring students to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Dietetics.

“The basics of the agreement are simple: students who want to enter the field of Dietetics and Nutrition will start at Kirtland to take two years of coursework as outlined in the agreement, and then they’ll transfer on to CMU after their second year at Kirtland to finish their degree program in Mt. Pleasant,” said Kirtland’s Dean of Liberal Arts John Thiel. “I’m excited about the Dietetics Transfer Agreement because it’s another example of the strong relationship between our Kirtland’s science department and CMU.”

Expanding upon their previously established relationship, CMU and Kirtland’s transfer agreement within the field of Dietetics aims to offer prospective students a comprehensive roadmap to navigate their academic journey successfully. Under the newly forged agreement, all courses completed at Kirtland for Dietetics will be officially certified and guaranteed for transfer to CMU, allowing students to seamlessly transition to CMU’s Mt. Pleasant campus as confident, more assured juniors.

Concurrent with the traditional transfer degree programs facilitated through the Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA), students in this program will complete their initial two years of coursework at Kirtland. During this period, they will accumulate as many as 67 credit hours, fulfill all requirements laid out by the MTA, and pay much less than tuition at a four-year college or university. Upon completing these two years, students will be eligible to transfer with an Associate in Science and Arts already conferred and at a small percentage of the cost compared to attending a four-year university for the entire degree.

“This collaboration (between Kirtland and Central Michigan University), further enhances the career opportunities for Kirtland graduates,” said Dr. David Green, Kirtland’s Biology and A&P Instructor. “For Kirtland students who wish to pursue a career in Dietetics, they can have complete confidence when they start their career studies at Kirtland that they can seamlessly transfer all their earned credits directly into Central Michigan Universities Dietician bachelors’ program.”

In the effort to defend against misconceptions surrounding general education classes offered at the community college level, transfer agreements, such as the collaborative partnership between CMU and Kirtland, underscore the influential role these courses play in anyone’s education. Thiel highlighted the importance of agreements such as the one between CMU and Kirtland, which dominantly address many of these misconceptions.

“One of the misconceptions about general education classes at the community college level is that it’s only about getting the “basics” done or “out of the way” before moving on to a four-year school,” said Thiel. “An agreement like this one between Kirtland and CMU addresses this issue in powerful ways. By following this agreement and others like it, students are ensured that their general education classes at Kirtland are guaranteed to transfer in meaningful ways to CMU, and they’ll start their third year of college in Mt. Pleasant with a strong foundation towards their eventual degree.”

With the recent establishment and commencement of the Dietetics transfer agreement, Kirtland aspires to cultivate a sustained and mutually beneficial collaboration with CMU to foster an array of educational pathways that empower graduates from both institutions to excel. Green remarked that two esteemed higher education institutions collaborating to deliver exceptional educational opportunities augments graduates’ prospects and significantly enhances the communities they are poised to serve.

“When two institutions, known for quality educational experiences, work closely together, the communities and their students always benefit. So, Kirtland will always be looking at ways to add to our already close working relationship with Central Michigan University,” said Green.

For more information on the Dietetics transfer pathway visit www.kirtland.edu or call 989-275-5000.