In this Article
By: Kendall Upton
For many people hoping to become dietitians, a Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Nutrition is a popular option. These programs teach advanced nutritional science concepts and applications to prepare students for a career in the ever-evolving field of nutrition and dietetics.
“The field of nutrition is very dynamic. We are a young profession, which is also one of its challenges. You’re maneuvering this new area of science,” said Makayla Schuchardt, a faculty member and Program Manager for the MS in Clinical Nutrition program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “I’m biased of course, but if you understand the basic science, then you can apply that to all these new, up and coming areas of nutrition trends. You kind of can’t go wrong with a solid foundation [in clinical nutrition].”
Though every individual program has their own curriculum, structure and requirements, understanding the basics of a master’s in clinical nutrition can help you determine if it’s the right education path for your dietetics career.
Who it’s for
Most master’s programs in clinical nutrition are specifically designed to prepare students to become registered dietitians (RDs) and registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) and work in a variety of healthcare settings. These titles mean the exact same thing and are a credential granted by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). The title that someone uses is simply a matter of preference.
It’s worth noting that there are also many other master’s programs in nutrition, nutrition and dietetics, nutritional science and similar iterations. While these programs may share a lot of similarities to clinical nutrition programs—and many of their students may go on to become RDs/RDNs as well—they usually have a more interdisciplinary curriculum. They may also prepare students for a wider range of career opportunities in public health, food systems research, food science and more. A clinical nutrition program, on the other hand, typically specifies preparation for a more treatment-focused career as a dietitian.
There are also other clinical nutrition master’s programs which are designed for practicing dietitians and other healthcare professionals to expand their nutrition knowledge and skills. If you’re ever unsure, contact a program directly to find out exactly who their program is meant for as well as its specific learning objectives.
Admissions requirements
Admissions requirements vary from program to program, but there are similarities.
In general, most clinical nutrition master’s programs require that you’ve completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and certain prerequisite courses, which typically include undergraduate courses in:
For most programs, you do not have to major in nutrition for your undergraduate degree so long as you’ve completed the prerequisite courses—but having a bachelor’s degree in nutrition can certainly help prepare you for your graduate studies.
From there, you’ll need to include any supplemental materials with your application, which often include:
Some graduate programs may also require you to complete an interview with an admissions representative or submit standardized test scores.
What can I learn in a clinical nutrition master’s program?
Many programs—though not all—are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Completion of an ACEND-accredited program is required to earn the RD/RDN credential. This ensures that the program has been evaluated for certain quality standards and can sufficiently prepare you for a career as a dietitian.
Many ACEND-accredited curriculums now follow what is known as the Future Education Model (FEM).
“The Future Education Model Standards and Templates are based on a competency-based education model and are optional standards for those programs who apply to become demonstration programs,” ACEND states.
The FEM program competencies are:
- Foundational knowledge:
- Applies foundational sciences to food and nutrition knowledge to meet the needs of individuals, groups and organizations.
- Client/patient services:
- Applies and integrates client/patient-centered principles and competent nutrition and dietetics practice to ensure positive outcomes.
- Food systems management:
- Applies food systems principles and management skills to ensure safe and efficient delivery of food and water.
- Community and population health nutrition:
- Applies community and population nutrition health theories when providing support to community or population nutrition programs.
- Leadership, business, management and organization:
- Demonstrates leadership, business and management principles to guide practice and achieve operational goals.
- Critical thinking, research and evidence-informed practice:
- Integrates evidence-informed practice, research principles and critical thinking into practice.
Though not every program follows the FEM yet, many programs are moving towards a competency-based model.
“In a master’s program, they really should expect to be increasing their higher order and critical thinking skills and be able to expand that knowledge and be able to apply it to real world situations. Since we’re very clinical focused, we do a lot of case studies and simulations to get students ready for being in clinical,” said Dr. Jennifer Tomesko, Associate Professor and Program Director for the MS in Clinical Nutrition program for aspiring dietitians at Rutgers University. “We really emphasize that progression from Knows to Shows to Does.”
Program courses
Exact courses and program structure vary from school to school, but there are similarities. Some common courses you may take in a clinical nutrition master’s program include:
“These clinical nutrition master’s programs are essentially building on those foundational courses [you took in undergrad]. Often you’ll see nutritional biochemistry—where you’re looking at metabolism, macronutrients and micronutrients—and then common foundation courses such as nutrition assessment, epidemiology, statistics possibly, and some type of research methods,” Schuchardt said, adding that nutritional research is often a core part of a program in some way. “Then you begin adding on those specialty courses in clinical nutrition where you’re really going to dive in and learn about providing medical nutrition therapy in a variety of settings.”
Clinical experience
In addition to core coursework, a major part of any clinical nutrition master’s program is the supervised clinical practice component, which may also be called a clinical internship or practicum. Students are placed in a healthcare environment where they begin to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom in real-world settings under the supervision of a preceptor.
In Tomesko’s program, their supervised practice is split up into different units of study.
“We have four weeks of medicine and surgery, and then four weeks of food service management. They occur first to let students get acquainted with whatever facility they’re at, and then they have eight weeks of ambulatory care and outpatient. And there are such a wide range of options that students could be placed. It could be diabetes centers, oncology centers, dialysis centers, community public health, sports nutrition, pediatrics,” Tomesko said. “We try and place students where their interests lie, but it’s not always possible. Part of the internship is about getting exposure to see what you like. Some students may not know what area they want to go into, and this provides them that opportunity.”
Part of the internship is about getting exposure to see what you like. Some students may not know what area they want to go into, and this provides them that opportunity.
After that, students complete two weeks of health and wellness, about five weeks of higher acuity med-surge, three weeks of critical care and nutrition support, and then a three-week culminating staff relief experience.
“By that time, they’re really functioning as an entry-level dietitian. They still have oversight from the preceptor because they’re ultimately accountable for them, but they’re ready to just hit the ground running when they graduate, and they know what it feels like to be responsible for an entire unit,” Tomesko said.
In Schuchardt’s program, their supervised clinical experience—which takes place at any of the three academic medical centers they partner with—is optional, meaning you can complete the program without this internship component. You would not be eligible for the RD/RDN practice credential, but this might make sense for practicing dietitians and other healthcare professionals who may simply complete the program to expand their own nutritional knowledge and skills.
In most programs, students take classes and complete their clinical work concurrently. Other programs may front load all the coursework at the beginning of the program and then have them complete the internship after. It all depends on each program’s structure. However, most programs are moving towards a more integrated learning model.
After graduation: What comes next?
For aspiring dietitians, your next step is to obtain the proper credentials from the CDR and your state’s licensing board.
You may have already completed your degree program, but you also need to complete sufficient nutrition-related coursework and supervised practice hours to qualify for the CDR’s examination.
Most clinical nutrition master’s programs have both requirements built into their program already, meaning you’ll be ready to take the CDR’s exam after graduation. However, some don’t—you may need to complete a non-degree dietetic internship after graduation, for example, to finish out your supervised practice hours. Once you satisfy the CDR’s eligibility requirements, you can apply to take their exam. After you pass, you should be granted the RD or RDN designation, whichever you prefer.
But you’re not done quite yet. You’ll also need to apply for a licensure through your state’s licensing board before you can practice as a dietitian. Most states simply require applicants to fulfill the CDR requirements to get licensed. Be sure to check with your state’s licensing board to understand exactly what you need to become a dietitian where you live.
Factors to consider when selecting a program
There are many factors to weigh as you begin to search for a master’s in clinical nutrition program that’s best for you and your career. Consider the following to help you get started.
Program focus
Probably the first aspect of a program you should consider is simply its curricular focus. You want to make sure that the classes you’d take are going to prepare you for the career you hope to have.
“When I talk to undergraduate students, oftentimes people are drawn to this profession because of a very specific practice area or a very personal experience,” Schuchardt said. “Maybe they really want to work in eating disorders or be a sports dietitian. And then we have a lot of career changers who make a total 180 and they’re just very passionate about nutrition. I always tell students to look at the curriculum and those foundational courses. If you have a great foundation in multiple areas of clinical nutrition practice, all of that will prepare you to hopefully get to that end goal.”
“You might have a program that has more of an emphasis on clinical, while others may have more of a public health or community health focus. That’s helpful to know because [students] want to enjoy what they’re learning about,” Tomesko said.
“There are some degrees that are more focused on general nutrition, so the audience might be a bit broader. But for the clinical nutrition programs, you can look much more closely at the specific courses they offer and you can build out a curriculum that you’re most interested in to advance that clinical career where you see yourself,” Schuchardt said.
Student body
Consider speaking with a program adviser or coordinator to make sure you understand the primary student body of their program. Is it for fresh-out-of-undergrad aspiring dietitians and career changers? Or is this meant for current dietitians, nutritionists and other established healthcare professionals? Is it open to both? You should apply to programs that meet you where you’re at in your career.
Graduate outcomes
For programs meant for aspiring RDs, you should inquire about their program’s CDR exam pass rate. This can give you a good indication of how well the program prepares its students and is usually readily available data. Tomesko also suggested that students ask about any CDR exam prep that the program provides, whether it’s their own review course, study guides or anything else.
In addition, ask about graduate employment statistics. Many programs keep data on what percentage of their graduates are employed as dietitians within a certain period after graduation. Much like their CDR exam pass rate, this data can give you a sense of how effective the program is.
Faculty
Evaluate the program’s faculty and check out their credentials to get a sense of who you’d be studying under.
“Are your instructors from within that University’s nutrition department, or are most of them adjunct, from throughout the country? Is it a good core teaching team?” Schuchardt said.
Online options
Some programs offer all or some of their courses online, with the exception of any in-person clinical internships. This is the case for Schuchardt’s program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Online courses can be a great cost-saving option that also provides increased flexibility for students.
“The number one benefit of being online is that we’re able to draw practicing clinicians who can do the program part time at their own pace, and then once you add the practicum, that in and of itself is almost a full-time job, so they’re still able to complete the coursework while they’re doing [the practicum],” Schuchardt said. “Since so many are online, ask about how the courses are designed. Are they asynchronous, synchronous? Do they use best practices [with distance learning]?”
Tips for success
Whether you’re still contemplating if a clinical nutrition master’s degree is right for you or you’re already enrolled, consider these tips to help you maximize your potential for success throughout the program.
Keep organized:
Both Tomesko and Schuchardt emphasized that a clinical nutrition master’s program is a lot of work, especially when you’re juggling classes and clinical components all at once. Organization is key if students want to stay on top of it all. “It’s a lot to juggle, so just being very organized and very disciplined is important because for new undergrads it’s sometimes a hard transition,” Schuchardt said.
Be flexible and open minded:
“Things are constantly changing. And I think just having gone through COVID, we know how important it is to just be able to pivot and go with the flow,” Tomesko said. Students should also keep an open mind to the many different practice areas you can work in, especially if you enter the program wanting to work in a particular specialization. As you get exposure to other specialties, you may end up liking something completely different.
Communicate effectively:
“Communicating, whether it’s orally or written, is important because they’re going to be communicating nutrition information to patients, clients, customers—whoever it may be—forever,” Tomesko said.
Embrace professionalism:
“This is really the start to your career, and you’re going to meet many faculty, preceptors and dietitians all along the way, and they’ll become a part of your network. The field of dietetics is small, and so it’s just good to always make that great first impression,” Tomesko said. Students should also consider joining relevant industry organizations like the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and their state affiliates or the American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) to get exposure to various member benefits, networking opportunities, continuing education classes and more.
Wrapping it up
If you want to begin a career as a dietitian, you need to complete an ACEND-accredited master’s program to become an RD or RDN. A master’s degree in clinical nutrition can be a great option, and with many degrees offering their courses online, these types of programs are now more accessible than ever.
Though these intensive programs require a great deal of passion and discipline to succeed, they can ultimately lead to a gratifying career helping people improve their health through the healing powers of food.
