1. Submit of an online application for admission to the Graduate School by May 1 of the junior year. Application must include current transcripts, a personal statement detailing experience as well as long-and short-term goals, and a resume.

2. Complete an in-person interview with the program director and representatives of the program faculty shortly after the application deadline.

Admission decisions will be based upon holistic review considering suggested admission criteria as well as completeness of application, clarity of written and oral expression,and expressed interest in pursuing a career as a RDN. Admission is competitive and students accepted to the Master of Science program in Nutrition with a concentration in Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics are required to follow the Nutrition-Dietetics concentration curriculum during the fourth year of the undergraduate program with the addition of HRT 445 and NUTR 426 Clinical Nutrition II Practicum and complete the Bachelor of Science degree. To maintain good academic standing for entry into the Master of Science program, students must complete all required coursework and maintain GPA and grade minimums specified in the admission criteria.

First two years: general education, sciences, prerequisites

Our curriculum is designed in a unique step-wise fashion. During the first two years, students fulfill general education requirements and prerequisites, including many of the sciences, for upper division courses. This allows flexibility for students transferring in to UT to complete prerequisite courses prior to transfer and enter the undergraduate Nutrition-Dietetics concentration at the junior level. A few upper-division courses can also be taken early, if desired, including food science, Introduction to Public Health, Medical Terminology, Life Span Nutrition, and Foodservice Operations Management. The first two years are also a good time to study abroad or take courses for completion of a minor, if desired, as the curriculum beginning spring of the junior year is sequential and time intensive.

Junior and senior years:

The junior year is an exciting time when students dive fully into nutrition during the spring semester and begin to apply classroom learning in practice. Coursework this year explores complementary fields including public health and kinesiology, grounds students in nutrient metabolism, builds upon foundations from Introductory Nutrition, builds skills in reading and understanding the latest in nutrition research, and establishes proficiency in nutrition assessment through both lecture and practicum. In their first practicum, students will learn key hands-on skills such as anthropometric assessment, nutrition-focused physical examination, dietary intake interviewing and analysis, electronic health record use and documentation, and more.

During senior year, students will explore the role of diet in disease prevention and treatment, build foundations in community nutrition and foodservice operations, and continue to build key practice skills. Clinically, that means working intently with case scenarios and trained “patients” before stepping into real clinical practice in a Cherokee Health Systems clinic in the spring. Students will also learn to apply nutrition education and counseling techniques, including real-life development and implementation of a nutrition education session for a group. In Nutrition Research Design & Methods II, they will also begin to lay the foundation for their culminating master’s project in the clinic setting. Minimum credit hours for the B.S. degree: 120.

Graduate year:

The MS concentration in Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics is a full-time program that is three semesters in length, beginning summer term immediately following completion of the BS concentration in Nutrition-Dietetics. The MS requires 31 credit hours of combined classroom and practice-based coursework in clinical, community, and healthcare food-service settings. Key features include scheduled time at a Cherokee Health Systems clinic every week through all three semesters where students have the opportunity to build a base of repeat clients under faculty supervision. They will also take lead roles in establishing the next cohort of students within the clinic through structured mentorship of undergraduates. This clinic experience is further enhanced through additional experiences in the acute care setting. Students in their final semester will hone nutrition informatics skills through design, development, and presentation of a culminating clinical outcomes project of their own design that showcases the impact of clinical nutrition interventions in practice. After successful completion of course requirements, including documentation that all ACEND competencies have been met, students are eligible to graduate with their M.S., receive a verification statement confirming they have met all requirements, and register to take the credentialing exam.

First two years: Lower division courses

General Chemistry I and II
Foundations of Organic Chemistry
Human Physiology
Microbiology
Introduction to Statistics

General Psychology
Introductory Nutrition
General Education coursework
Electives

Last three years: Upper division and graduate courses

Junior Year-Fall
Physiological Biochemistry
Introduction to Public Health
Physical Activity
Epidemiology
Food Science
Medical Terminology
Total of 16 Credit Hours

Junior Year-Spring
Life Span Nutrition
Nutrition Assessment
Nutrition Assessment Practicum
Nutrition Research Designs & Methods I
Vitamins and Minerals
Energy Metabolish & Metabolic Integration
Total of 14 Credit Hours

Senior Year-Fall
Clinical Nutrition I
Clinical Nutrition I Practicum
Food and Nutrition in the Community
Foodservice Operations Management
Foodservicee Management Practicum
Nutrition Education and Counseling
Professional Issues in Nutrition and Dietetics
Total of 15 Credit Hours

Senior Year-Spring
Clinical Nutrition II
Clinical Nutrition II Practicum
Nutrition and Dietetics Management
Nutrition Research Design/Methods II
Advanced Food Production & Service Management
Total of 13 Credit Hours

Graduate Year-Summer
Clinical Practice Experience
Community Nutrition I Practicum
Total of 7 Credit Hours

Graduate Year-Fall
Public Health Nutrition: Community Assessment, Intervention, & Evaluation
Clinical Nutrition III
Clinical Nutrition III Practicum
How to Feed the World
Total of 12 Credit Hours

Graduate Year-Spring
Community Health Practicum
Clinical Nutrition-Outcomes Data Analysis & Interpretation
Advanced Clinical Practice & Mentorship
Healthcare Foodservice Management
Total of 12 Credit Hours