In order to be a well-qualified, marketable dietitian-nutritionist, we highly recommend obtaining a master of science (MS) degree in nutrition as well as the registered dietitian-nutritionist (RDN) credential. By completing one of our ACEND-accredited integrated MS-RDN degrees, you will complete a combination of didactic and practice courses that together deliver the MS and prepare you to sit for the registration examination for dietitians-nutritionists administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. You can complete all requirements in two years when attending full-time, September through August. No separate Dietetic Internship Program is needed. We also offer a tailored program for individuals who would like to complete the integrated MS-RDN degree part-time.
Our master’s degrees in nutrition will prepare you to take on different roles, from entry-level to leadership, in a wide variety of settings within the nutrition field. The MS will also make you more marketable. As of January 2024, anyone interested in becoming an RDN will be required by the Commission on Dietetic Registration to have a master’s degree.
The Program in Nutrition at Teachers College offers three MS degrees in:
Each of our MS degrees consists of similar core courses with added courses allowing for specialization in the respective areas. Each integrated MS-RDN degree also offers the supervised experiential learning opportunities required to become an RDN. These occur both within the classroom and at community, clinical, nutrition education, media, research, and food service worksite locations. The integrated MS-RDN degree in Nutrition Education and in Nutrition and Public Health consist of 50 credits, whereas the integrated MS-RDN degree in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology consists of 57 credits.
To be eligible to apply to our master’s program, prerequisite courses are necessary. Successful completion of the prerequisite courses will enable you to attend graduate courses in nutrition and glean all that is necessary from these courses. Please note that your existing bachelor’s degree does not need to be in nutrition to complete a master’s degree in nutrition.
To learn more, please join Dr. Lora Sporny during a Zoom information session.