Prerequisite Requirements

You must be a registered dietitian/registered dietitian nutritionist or have completed the equivalent coursework to meet the eligibility requirements of the Commission on Dietetic Registration to sit for the RD/RDN credentialing exam to apply for and enroll in the Advanced Master of Science in Dietetics program.

Degree Requirements & Completion Time

Degree requirements and time to completion depend on how many credits you take each semester. The degree program requires a minimum of 34 credits. You also can choose to pursue a thesis or non-thesis degree option. The degree requirements are comprised of two components:

Component 1: Specialized Knowledge in Dietetics (25-27 credits)

You will be required to take 9 classes, 2 of which can be from other disciplines such as counseling or food science.

Mount Mary University currently offers two Dietetics Certificates, one in Private Practice and one in Nutrition and Mental Health. Pursuing a Dietetics Certificate will fulfill 3 of these 9 classes. 

Component 2: Application of Specialized Knowledge to Dietetic Research (7-9 credits)

This component consists of 4 courses on foundational research, research methodology and analysis, and research funding.  In the non-thesis option, students will write a research proposal. In the thesis option, students will write a research proposal, obtain IRB approval, and conduct a research study.

See complete degree requirements and a listing of courses in the Academic Catalog, which can be downloaded at this link.

Transfer Credits

A maximum of 9 credits or 30 percent of total program credits, whichever is greater, may be transferred from other regionally accredited institutions with the approval of the program director. All transfer credits must be at a grade B or better, and must be documented with official transcripts. Credit earned prior to admission will be evaluated during the admission process only.