Turn your passion for nutrition and wellness into a career.

Dietetics is a rapidly growing career field. As a registered dietitian, you can help people apply the principles of nutrition to their everyday lives so they can live a better, healthier life.

Mount Mary University is a recognized leader in dietetics education in southeastern Wisconsin. Our program, accredited by Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, combine the required minimum 1,050 hours of supervised experiential learning with coursework and the required ACEND competencies to prepare you to take the Registration Examination for Dietitians and become a registered dietitian.

 

Dietetics

3+2 Program

Dietitians are expected to perform at a high level of practice, much like their healthcare partners in nursing, medicine, occupational therapy and more. As of January 2024, all entry-level dietitians must hold a master's degree or higher.

Incoming Mount Mary undergraduate students (high school students and transfer students) complete a Bachelor of Science (Human Biology: Pre-Dietetics concentration or Psychology: Pre-Dietetics concentration) which flows into the Integrated M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics program. These students earn 24 graduate credits during their senior year, which apply toward the M.S.

  • Accelerated time to completion: Since courses taken in the student's fourth year count toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree, students will save one year of study compared to competitor programs.
  • Budget-friendly: Students in the program save significantly on tuition costs by paying undergraduate tuition in their fourth year (which includes generous financial aid and scholarships), while earning graduate credits.

dietetics

Direct admission for high school and transfer students

High school students and transfer students who are in good academic standing can receive direct admission to Mount Mary's Integrated M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics. Simply apply to Mount Mary; no additional application is required to be considered for direct admission. This means that you'll have a guaranteed spot* in the graduate dietetics program.

*Note: Students must meet progression standards to maintain this guaranteed spot.

 For more information about the pathways to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist visit the ACEND website.

Other pathways

Students entering with a non-nutrition bachelor's degree:

Students who have already completed a bachelor's degree and are seeking a degree in dietetics can earn an Integrated Master of Science in Nutrition & Dietetics from Mount Mary. Click here for details.

Students entering with a dietetic or nutrition science degree and with or without a verification statement:

Students who have already completed a bachelor's degree in dietetics or nutrition and are seeking a degree in dietetics can earn an Integrated Master of Science in Nutrition & Dietetics from Mount Mary. Click here for details.

If you are looking to enroll in Mount Mary's Dietetics Internship Program, please click here for more information.

Registered dietitians:

Registered dietitians seeking a master's degree can click here for information on our Master of Science in Advanced Dietetics.

 

More about Mount Mary's Dietetics Program

Dietetics courses cover areas such as biology, chemistry, nutrition, human physiology, food preparation and management, food safety, psychology, sociology and counseling strategies.

Complete degree requirements and a listing of courses are available in the following:

Faculty

The School of Graduate Health and Professional Programs at Mount Mary is rich with talented faculty who care about their students.

High school & transfer students:

To pursue a dietetics bachelor’s degree, you must first apply online to Mount Mary University. The dietetics application process includes a review of your GPA and course history to determine if you will also receive direct admission into our Integrated Master of Science in Nutrition & Dietetics. If you receive direct admission, this means that you will have a guaranteed spot in Mount Mary's graduate dietetics program provided you meet the department's progression requirements. Students who are not directly admitted can still apply to the M.S. program under standard admission in the second semester of their junior year.

For more information about the pathways to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist visit the ACEND website.


Students entering with a non-nutrition bachelor's degree:

Click here for information on how to apply to our Integrated Master of Science in Nutrition & Dietetics.


Students entering with a dietetic or nutrition science degree and with or without a verification statement:

Click here for information on how to apply to our Integrated Master of Science in Nutrition & Dietetics.
Click here for information on how to apply to our Dietetics Internship Program.


Registered dietitians:

Click here for information on how to apply to our Post-Professional Master of Science in Dietetics.

Mount Mary’s Integrated M.S. in Nutrition & Dietetics includes the required minimum 1,000 hours of supervised experiential learning you need to be eligible to take the Registration Examination for Dietitians upon graduation. This means that you do not need to complete a separate internship experience. Documentation of a physical examination, immunizations, drug testing and a background check are required to participate in supervised experiential learning.

Initially, your supervised experiential learning hours will be accomplished with Mount Mary faculty on-site. In your final year, your supervised experiential learning hours will be completed with a preceptor (a dietetics professional who is dedicated to working with students). Your supervised experiential learning hours will focus on:

  • Medical nutrition therapy
  • Community/consumer nutrition
  • Foodservice management

Practicum site locations include hospitals, outpatient clinics, school districts, nursing homes, businesses, public health departments, food service companies and social service agencies.

Become a Registered Dietitian

The Commission on Dietetic Registration, the credentialing agency for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, administers the Registration Examination for Dietitians to individuals seeking the professional distinction and credential of Registered Dietitian (RD).

Successful completion of the Integrated M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics prepares you for the RD exam and for active membership in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. We encourage you to talk with your faculty adviser prior to taking the RD exam to ensure you are fully prepared. You will meet with your academic advisor in the dietetics department each semester to ensure that all requirements are met.

Registered Dietitians are eligible for certification in the State of Wisconsin.

While state interpretations of statutes may vary, it is ACEND's considered opinion that the program meets the educational requirements for dietetics licensure and certification in all states. However, completing an ACEND-accredited academic program alone does not qualify an individual for licensure or certification as a dietitian in any state. Individuals should review their state's licensing statutes and regulations to understand the specific requirements, including supervised practice and examinations, needed to obtain a dietetics license. More information about state licensure and certification can be found at this link: State Licensure

Most states have licensed or certified dietitian status, and this status is often transferable between states. This process is entirely separate from the registered dietitian requirements of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Requirements for licensure or certification vary by state.
After passing the national Registration Examination for Dietitians, if you wish to practice in Wisconsin you can become a Certified Dietitian (CD), a status required by most employers. Contact the Wisconsin Department of Safety & Professional Services for details.
If you wish to practice outside of Wisconsin, you should investigate the certification or licensure requirements in the state where you plan to practice.
While state interpretations of statutes may vary, it is ACEND's considered opinion that the program meets the educational requirements for dietetics licensure and certification in all states. However, completing an ACEND-accredited academic program alone does not qualify an individual for licensure or certification as a dietitian in any state. Individuals should review their state's licensing statutes and regulations to understand the specific requirements, including supervised practice and examinations, needed to obtain a dietetics license. More information about state licensure and certification can be found at this link: State Licensure.

Through a career in dietetics, you can help people apply the principles of nutrition to their everyday lives so they can live a better, healthier life.

Dietitians who work in clinical dietetics assess, educate and counsel individuals to help manage or prevent medical conditions. They can also manage large foodservice departments or provide nutrition services to the community. The median annual salary for dietitians is about $66,450, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

As a dietitian, you may counsel people to help them manage obesity, diabetes, heart disease, eating disorders or other conditions requiring a modified diet, manage a large foodservice operation, or provide nutrition services to the community. You could work for organizations such as:

  • food product corporations
  • food service companies
  • government agencies
  • grocery stores
  • hospitals
  • nonprofit or social service agencies
  • nursing homes
  • private practice
  • restaurants
  • schools

You can get involved in several service learning activities or student clubs and organizations at Mount Mary. Join the Student Nutrition and Dietetics Association or help in the community garden. The produce from this garden is made available to the Mount Mary community and used in dietetics courses for instructional purposes. 

Scholarships for Dietetics Majors

The Jim and Claire Grammling Scholarship is designated for students majoring in dietetics. Contact Pat Kempen, the dietetics department director, at kempenp@mtmary.edu for more details. Learn about other scholarships available at Mount Mary.

Scholarships for Dietetics Majors

Accreditation

Mount Mary’s well-respected Dietetics programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite #2190, Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995, (800) 877-1600, ext. 5500.

Outcomes data for our Dietetics programs is available on request.

Commission on Dietetic Registration Requirements

Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) now requires a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). For more information about this requirement visit CDR's -website: https://www.cdrnet.org/graduatedegree.

In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. For more information about state licensure requirements click here.

For more information about educational pathways to become a RDN click here.

In order to address this need, the Mount Mary University Integrated Masters of Science Program in Nutrition and Dietetics began in Fall 2021. Students will achieve not only the Master’s degree, but also the required coursework and supervised experiential hours, in order to be verified to take the Registered Dietitian examination.

The last class of the Mount Mary Coordinated program has graduated. The program closed in November of 2022. 

Contact us to hear from your Admission Counselor: