Nutrition and Dietetics (MS)

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

The Master of Science in nutrition and dietetics coordinated program is designed for students who wish to earn a master's degree while gaining eligibility to become a registered dietitian and pursue careers as entry-level dietitians. The nutrition and dietetics program is offered through the Department of Applied Health in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior. The program combines graduate-level coursework in nutrition with the clinical curriculum and supervised practice that allows graduates to sit for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics examination for registered dietitians. This program is also ideal for those students who have earned a BS degree in another field but are now interested in becoming a registered dietitian or those who graduated with a BS in nutrition and were not matched for a dietetic internship. Students graduating with a master's degree and passing the RD exam can pursue careers in clinical dietetics, community and public health, consulting, private practice, food and nutrition business industry, food service, food management, research and education, sports and wellness nutrition, or corporate wellness. The program is carefully designed to provide both the didactic coursework as well as a minimum 1,200 hours of supervised practice experience in clinical, community, food service management and sports nutrition. Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to take the registration examination for dietitians offered through the Commission on Dietetics Registration (CDR). Successful completion of the RD exam is a prerequisite for licensure or certification in most states.

School of Education, Health and Human Behavior