Foods and Nutrition
Contact Information
Foods & Nutrition
Anne Buison, PhD, RDN
apellizzon@steu.edu
973-290-4065
The Graduate Program in Entrepreneurial Nutrition Practice prepares students to take the national registration exam to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and educates students to develop the critical thinking and scientific skills for clinical dietetics, management, and professional leadership. Built upon the mission and core values of Saint Elizabeth University, this program has a focus on nutrition education and counseling and supports entrepreneurship for today’s nutrition and dietetics professionals.
Upon completion of the program, students earn a Master of Science in Nutrition degree and are eligible to take the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s Registration Examination for Dietitians.
Why Entrepreneurial Nutrition Practice?
This program’s focus on Entrepreneurial Nutrition Practice offers a distinctive educational experience that prepares graduates to think creatively, lead confidently, and make meaningful contributions to the future of nutrition and dietetics while expanding their career possibilities. Emphasizing nutrition education, counseling, community engagement, and population health, the program prepares graduates for a lifelong commitment to service and the advancement of health and wellness across clinical and community settings.
Note to prospective students
As of January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration changed the requirement from a bachelor's degree to a master's degree in order to be eligible to take the CDR credentialing exam for registered dietitian nutritionists.
The MS in Nutrition degree, in the Graduate Program in Entrepreneurial Nutrition Practice, is a full-time, five-semester, Future Education Model Graduate Program that integrates experiential learning with graduate coursework.
Accreditation
The MS in Nutrition is Graduate Program (GP) in Nutrition and Dietetics accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, 312-899-0040 ext. 5400. For more information, visit their website at www.eatrightpro.org/acend.
Program Highlights
Complete in 22 months
The MS in Nutrition degree, Graduate Program in Entrepreneurial Nutrition Practice, is a full-time program consisting of a required 38 credits, with 2 additional, optional credits to personalize learning.
No GRE required
Students can apply and enroll in the program without having to complete the Graduate Readiness Exam (GRE).
Interprofessional collaboration
Graduate nutrition students will have the chance to work collaboratively with students in the Physician Assistant Studies, PsyD in Counseling, and Speech-Language Pathology Programs.
Experiential Learning
Students rotate through diverse settings, including hospitals, clinical and management settings, community-based settings, and entrepreneur and private practices.
Medical Simulation Center
In SEU’s state-of-the-art Center, students will receive training on inserting nasogastric feeding tubes, conducting nutrition-focused physical exams and point-of-care laboratory tests, completing routine health screening assessments and more. This Center has a 12-bed clinical assessment lab, three simulation rooms with a wide range of mannequins and task-trainers, six standardized patient evaluation rooms, and a video-capture system to facilitate formative and summative feedback.
Requirements to Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
Complete a minimum of a master's degree at a U.S. regionally accredited university or college or foreign equivalent, and coursework through an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) accredited Didactic (DPD), Coordinated (CP), Graduate Program (GP) or Foreign (FDE) program.
Complete required supervised practice/experience through an ACEND accredited Dietetic Internship (DI), Coordinated (CP), Graduate Program (GP) or an Individualized Supervised Practice Pathway (ISPP) offered through an ACEND- accredited program.
The Graduate Program of Entrepreneurial Nutrition Practice at Saint of Elizabeth University meets the first two requirements in the process to become an RDN.
Pass a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). For more information regarding the examination, refer to CDR's website at http://www.cdrnet.org.
Complete continuing professional educational requirements to maintain registration. Some RDNs hold additional certifications in specialized areas of practice. These are awarded through CDR, the credentialing agency for the Academy, and/or other medical and nutrition organizations and are recognized within the profession, but are not required. Some of the certifications include pediatric or renal nutrition, sports dietetics, nutrition support, and diabetes education.
After fulfilling the requirements for becoming a registered dietitian nutritionist, some states may require further licensure. For information on state licensure requirements, please visit the Commission on Dietetic Registration at https://www.cdrnet.org/licensure