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Prepare for Excellence in a Vital Profession

This interdisciplinary program offers a strong foundation in community nutrition, using innovative and engaging teaching strategies. You will study evidence-based practices, develop leadership skills, and gain hands-on experience providing nutrition education to diverse populations within the community.

The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) requires a master鈥檚 degree for entry-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionists. This program enables earning a MS degree in nutrition and complete all requirements necessary to become an entry-level Registered Dietitian/Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD/RDN).   

Needed

100%
Evening Graduate Classes Offered Online
1,000
Minimum Hours of Supervised Practice
4
Semesters to Complete as a Full-time Student

Dominican鈥檚 MS in Nutrition with Coordinated Program in Dietetics at a Glance

Our high-impact curriculum will prepare you for a career as a Registered Dietitian/Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD/RDN) focusing on the areas of public health/community nutrition or clinical nutrition.

  • Time to complete: four semesters as a full-time student
  • Full- and part-time status available
  • 39 credit hours total
  • Graduate classes are offered in online format in the evening to allow for supervised practice rotations during daytime hours.
  • You will complete a minimum of 1,000 hours of supervised practice to meet ACEND requirements and provide a variety of opportunities and learning activities for you to demonstrate required practice competency skills. This meets one of the requirements for eligibility to take the credentialing exam for Registered Dietitians. Most interns have supervised practice three to four days (21鈥32 hours) per week.
  • Academic and program advising will also be available to help you achieve required academic, clinical and professional milestones in the program.
  • You may qualify for a waiver of the GRE.

To qualify for the MS in Nutrition with Coordinated Program in Dietetics, students must have a bachelor's degree or post-baccalaureate certificate in nutrition and dietetics. All applicants鈥 transcripts will be evaluated to determine whether any other courses are required.

If you do not have a nutrition-related bachelor's degree:

  • For applicants who wish to pursue the Local ISPP program and do not have a nutrition-related bachelor鈥檚 degree, it is required that they enroll first in the Certificate in Nutrition and Dietetics Program.
  • Applicants who have graduated with a nutrition-related bachelor鈥檚 degree, but have not earned a DPD verification statement will have their transcripts evaluated to determine whether any further courses are required.

Our program鈥檚 philosophy is to promote the Sinsinawa Dominicans鈥 dedication to the values-centered intellectual development. Therefore, our program strives to recruit and serve a diversified community as well as promote an appreciation for service to the community and our profession.

What to Expect as You Earn Your MS in Nutrition with Coordinated Program in Dietetics Degree 

As a graduate of Dominican鈥檚 program, you will enter the profession with multilayered experience and a deep understanding of the complex role that nutrition plays in the lives of individuals, families, and communities. You will be well prepared for a wide range of clinical and community-based positions in this important and burgeoning field. All MS graduate classes are provided online, and the supervised practice rotation curriculum is provided at on-site practice settings and at our River Forest campus.

Our supervised practice rotations provide a minimum of 1,000 hours of field experience in practice settings including community, food service management, outpatient nutrition, and clinical inpatient nutrition鈥攖his will enable you to complete your supervised practice requirements with robust opportunities and experiences in each rotation. Supervised practice experiences are arranged by our program staff and are located within a 50-mile radius of our campus. For more information, please review our Coordinated and Local ISPP Programs Handbook (pdf opens in a new window).

You will also participate in extensive preparation for the Registration Examination for Dietitians, including a two-day RD Exam Review Workshop, use of RD exam software throughout the program, and our RD Boot Camp. Upon completion, program graduates receive the Verification Statement required for application to take the Registration Examination for Dietitians.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

In order to become an RD/RDN the following criteria must be met:

  • Complete a bachelor鈥檚 degree at a university or college accredited by ACEND and received a verification statement of completed requirements. A graduate degree will be required to take the Registration Examination for Dietitians.
  • Complete an ACEND-accredited dietetic coordinated program or internship.
  • Pass the Registration Examination for Dietitians from the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
  • Secure licensure or practice certification in your practicing state(s) as applicable. The state of Illinois requires all Registered Dietitians/Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDs/RDNs) to be licensed.
  • Maintain professional continuing education requirements. 

For additional information on program test completion, pass rates, and progress on program goal outcomes, please visit Dominican University consumer information.

Registered Dietitians work in a wide range of settings:

  • Hospitals
  • Clinics
  • Schools
  • Local, state and federal government health departments
  • Community organizations
  • Private practice
  • Businesses and marketing organizations
  • Food industries
  • Regulatory agencies
  • Nutrition communications and consulting firms

The process for financing a degree can seem daunting, but you do have options. A 20% tuition discount is also available to Dominican University alumnae/i. Contact our Office of Financial Aid to learn more. 

We can be reached at (708) 524-6809 or via email at finaid@dom.edu.

Testimonial

Every course prepared me for what I鈥檓 doing today. But the most valuable part of the program were the experiences outside of the classroom. These experiences allowed me to visualize additional career opportunities within the field.鈥 

Stacie D. Miller, MS, RDN
Dominican University Graduate

Accreditation

Dominican University鈥檚 Master of Science in Nutrition with Coordinated Program in Dietetics  is accredited by the , an agency of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Upon successful completion of all program requirements, graduates will be eligible for application to sit for the Registration Examination for Dietitians by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).

Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
1 (800) 877-1600 ext 5400
Website:  Contact via email

For more information,
please contact:

Office of Graduate Admission
Enrollment Management
Elisa Buzinski MS, RD, LDN
Interim Director, Coordinated Program in Dietetics
Sarah D. Jones, PhD, RDN
Associate Professor
Department of Nutrition Sciences

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