The Graduate Program and Dietetic Experiential Track provides the education and training necessary to become a Registered dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). Completion of educational programs and supervised experiential learning (SEL) that are ACEND-accredited is required for the training to become a Registered dietitian Nutritionist.  The GP DET program has been granted candidacy status by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and is intended to be completed n after the achievement of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college university and completed prerequisites. 

More information about educational pathways to become a RDN are linked here.

Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).

Graduates who successfully complete an Marywood’s GP DET are eligible to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN. The Registration Exam requirements are set by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). After successfully passing the Registration Examination, graduates can practice as Registered dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs). In order to maintain registration, graduates must complete continuing professional educational requirements. In most states, graduates also must acquire licensure or certification to practice.

The Board of Registration of dietitians/Nutritionists grants licenses to qualified individuals who comply with the requirements of the statute. The Board also ensures that licensees have complied with continuing professional education requirements necessary to maintain current knowledge and renew their license. More information about state licensure requirements is available here.

Note: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Food & Nutrition Conference Expo is typically held mid-October each year. Check Eat Right Website for additional details.

The Graduate Program accepts students with a baccalaureate degree who would like to complete their master's degree in Nutrition or Sports and Human Performance Nutrition and also have interest in becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). The Graduate Coordinated Program in Nutrition and Dietetics admits students with a baccalaureate degree who have completed or plan to complete the mandatory prerequisites of General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, and Statistics. The students will complete the graduate program and supervised practice requirements within 22 months of starting in the Fall, which includes 39 credits of graduate coursework and a minimum of 1,000 hours of experiential learning. The students who complete the program receive a Master’s Degree and their verification statement for eligibility to take the RDN credentialing exam after graduating. 

For the accelerated BS/MS option, students will be conditionally accepted into Marywood’s GP program upon enrollment in the undergraduate program at Marywood. Marywood students may apply to the accelerated, BS/MS option after the end of sophomore-level courses. A review committee will review application materials to determine if students have met specific criteria (e.g., GPA, volunteer/work experience) that support their ability to complete the program at an accelerated rate. Eligible students will begin the graduate program and graduate coursework during their 4th year. Students who do not qualify for the accelerated program may begin the graduate program during their 5th year. Once they are in the program, they are held to the GP standards for GPA and course grades. Our Marywood undergraduates will complete all prerequisites as part of their BS degree. 

As many as 25 distance students and 15 onsite students are selected each year. Up to 10 on-site and 15 distance students can be part of the pre-select option.

All other students apply through DICAS, which may be accessed at this link. More information can be found at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Application Process for Students site.

We accept students on a rolling deadline until July of the year the students are to begin the two-year program. 

All prospective students must submit a completed electronic (DICAS) program application including those in the accelerated option.

The Admission Committee of the program considers the following qualities in the selection process:

• Academic ability
• Communication skills
• Leadership potential
• Evidence of the ability to be self-directed and organized
• Commitment to the profession of dietetics
• Technological skills 

The Admissions Decision is based on the completed DICAS application.

Students applying to the program may have a Bachelor’s degree in any field, but must have earned at least a C in the following prerequisites (completed or in progress) by the time of application. Students who have completed coursework in related content areas may reach out to David Frable (dtfrable@marywood.edu) for review of earned prerequisite knowledge. 

• General Chemistry
• Anatomy & Physiology
• Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry
• Statistics

Degree obtained: The degree obtained by the end of the program is a verification statement as well as a Masters in Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition or a Masters in Sports and Human Performance Nutrition.

The Graduate Program requires successful completion of the requirements for the MS degree and all rotations. This includes a minimum of 1000 hours of supervised experiential learning in addition to the coursework. Students must demonstrate both academic and clinical competence as described under "Evaluation System". Students in addition to completing the required credits are required to maintain a B average overall and a B or higher in all SEL courses and receive at least a moderate rating in all learning outcomes to be awarded the Verification Statement.

Verification to CDR that the student has completed the program* may be delayed or withheld if a student in the opinion of the academic faculty and/or staff of supervised experiential learning affiliations, does not demonstrate entry-level competence. Students will be provided with a signed verification statement after completion of all program requirements. This Verification Statement is necessary for eligibility to take the National Registration Examination.

* (including all financial obligations to Marywood University) 

Each year students in the program participate in various supervised practice experiences.

Highlights

Meet Alison Bashore

Alison chose Marywood University because she found it to be a very welcoming, friendly, and personable environment during her undergraduate years. All of her professors have been a tremendous help and an incredible support system throughout her college career. The emphasis on health promotion and overall wellness was incredibly important to her as well as being able to complete her master’s degree in five years.

As a future dietitian, she hopes to work in the community to provide nutrition education and awareness. She also has an interest in nutrition counseling.

Meet Alex Caljean

Alex chose Marywood to pursue her RDN credential because of the wonderful faculty and staff that have made her feel at home since the first time visiting. The program is stellar from an academic standpoint, but what truly sets it apart is how kind, supportive, and encouraging the professors are. The distance track was of great interest to her because it allows her to have flexibility and choice in my sites and locations, while continuing her education through Marywood.

Alex led a lesson about reading food labels and sodium and gave handouts that were provided by the Seniors First RDN facility.

Meet Katie Costello

Katie chose Marywood because she truly enjoyed her undergraduate experience as a Nutrition and Dietetics student. When she was granted the opportunity to stay and continue her education at Marywood, it was an easy decision! The Nutrition and Dietetics Department provides a welcoming and encouraging environment to all students. She knew Marywood was exactly where she was meant to be while pursuing her dream of becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). In the near future, she hopes to work in the clinical field of pediatrics! 

Meet Abigail Turner

Abigail chose Marywood because it offered a 5-year master's program, highly rated for the nutrition and dietetics program, and a beautiful campus. She is receiving her master’s degree in sports and human performance nutrition, so she would like to work with a college sports team or a VA program.

Meet Kelsey Banfield

Kelsey chose Marywood University's program for her dietetic internship because it is close to home which meant a lot to her. Also, the 5-year program at Marywood allowed her to complete her Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, and supervised practice all at the same school.

At this time, she sees herself working somewhere within the clinical field, perhaps for a private practice one day!

Highlights

Time and Temperature
Julianna doing in-service training during her food service management rotation.

Meet Emily Brown Truscott
Emily chose Marywood because this program allows her to pursue a Master’s degree and complete her supervised practice from anywhere. she loved the freedom she has to be close to her family, connect with her community, and travel all while working to become a registered dietitian. Marywood is a close-knit community, and she always felt supported and empowered by the faculty and her peers. Emily has yet to choose an area of practice, but she knows her supervised practice rotations will help point her in the right direction. She has special interests in pregnancy nutrition, lactation, and advocacy.

Meet Angela Favorite
Angela was drawn to Marywood University because it is a faith-based university with a mission to serve others, which aligns with her own values. The distance program has allowed her to stay in her home in Ohio to do her online coursework; while developing professional contacts in her area to build upon for her future work as a practicing dietitian. 

Benefits of Being a Preceptor for Dietitians and Institutions

• Recruitment: The institution has the advantage of reviewing the students' performance and screening them for a match as future employees.  Since the student is already familiar with the institution, they require less orientation and training upon hire.
• Improved quality of care: A study by Zisberg et al. (2003) found that nurses gave a higher quality of care when working with students than when nurses were not working with students. This might be explained because the staff became more aware of their own performance and focused more intently on the care they were providing when working with the students.
• Professional development:  Student presence and questions stimulate and intellectually challenge staff.  They bring fresh ideas and up-to-date information.  For example, many facilities have received assistance from students with implementing the Nutrition Care Process.
• Provide assistance with job responsibilities and additional duties:  For example, students can be asked to develop educational materials, analyze menus or teach classes that staff might not have the extra time to complete. 
• Personal satisfaction: Experienced by staff who mentor students.

Free Online Preceptor Training

Preceptors may record a total of 15 CPEUs per 5-year cycle for precepting and/or leadership on your Activity Log. For more information and  visit The Commission on Dietetic Registration which offers a free Online Dietetic Preceptor Training Module worth 8 CPEUs.

Dietetics Preceptor Training Program 

Preceptor Verification Form

Preceptor Material 

Coding and Billing Handbook: A Guide for Program Directors and Preceptors - free for Academy members

This Handbook provides foundation knowledge and suggested supervised practice experiences to help interns become competent in this area. 

Be a Member of the DPG: Nutrition and Dietetic Educators and Preceptors (NDEP) 

The dietetic education system is multi-tiered; consisting of didactic program instructors and directors, supervised practice program directors and preceptors.  NDEP is the practice group for Dietetic Educators and Preceptors.  

All the faculty in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Marywood University are members and has found their membership as extremely worthwhile. The annual NDEP meeting is usually in the month of April and provides ~ 10 CPEs in 1.5 days.

The Marywood University Graduate Program and Dietetic Experiential Learning track participates in the Prior Learning program recognized by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) and ACEND. This program is developed to grant competency credit in specific rotations of the program based on the applicant’s previous experiences including work, volunteer, achievement, education, or family responsibilities. Typically, the individual qualifying for this credit has significant, relevant work or life experiences. The student must have at least two (2) years of full-time at least 30 hours per week or four (4) years of part-time at least 20 hours per week of work experience in the discipline at the level of course work being challenged such as a manager/supervisor or the student must have completed a comparable supervised experiential learning experience where the student has achieved a B or better grade. The student must present proof of experience that led to learning specific to the ACEND competencies.

The student will still be required to complete a minimum of 1000 hours of SEL, however, if a student can provide proof that a competency was met in a previous experience this may decrease the workload of the student. Additionally, if a student already possesses a Master’s degree or has taken graduate coursework at the undergraduate level, the student can transfer in credits for some courses that can challenge the electives. However, courses that meet specific competencies must be completed or the student must provide proof that they have successfully met that competency in a prior work or learning activity on the level at which the graduate program intends.

This proof must also be visible in the SEL portfolio that is submitted before completion of the program

The student must notify the Director of the Program that they intend to challenge the hours before starting the program and submit the required portfolio in August before starting Phase One of the Program (Graduate Coursework). This would be the August following spring match or pre-select process. A successful challenge does not change the cost of the program.

How to Successfully Apply for Prior Experiential Learning Credit:

After the student has informed the Program Director of the proposed plan to apply:

1. The applicant must submit a portfolio that includes the job title and a copy of the job description that covers the area of the A letter from their past employer or administrator confirming the employment must be submitted OR the applicant must provide their official transcript and a letter from their past program director, department chair, instructor, or other supervisor along with the syllabus or instructions of the project that met the challenged competencies, the completed project or experience, and the grade achieved in the course or on the project.
2. The applicant needs to determine the Competency Statements and Performance Indicators covered in the experience and submit the portfolio containing a narration on how they met each individual statement or outcome separately including evidence when appropriate, i.e., projects, reports, presentations, lesson plans, handouts, budget reports, copies of developed employee scheduling, inventory records, menus, analysis of menus, taste panel reports and/or evidence of problem solving/critical thinking that demonstrate advanced knowledge and skill in the area of dietetics for which assessment is
3. The applicant will be notified by the Program Director within four (4) weeks of submitting the portfolio. A written statement acknowledging the applicant’s successful application will be placed in the student's file in the student’s electronic
4. Credit is granted only for learning, not solely on
5. Credit for prior learning does not change the cost of the program or reduce tuition. It is recommended that you read all of the information on the program website. Although you may have work or life experience, you must be able to demonstrate or prove that this led to learning that achieved the ACEND competencies required for entry-level practice as a
6. ACEND competencies and standards can be obtained on the ACEND website or via the Program Director upon request.

Licensure Information

See Licensure Information for Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist

The philosophy of Marywood University’s Dietetic Experiential Track runs parallel with the mission of the graduate program and the mission of Marywood University. Students will enhance their intellectual perspectives, and promote ethical professional practice based on humanitarian values. Students are encouraged to discover their passions, prepare for their credentialing exam and careers and acquire tools and motivation for a lifelong process of learning following the Code of Ethics, the Scope/Standards of Practice and the Standards of Professional Performance of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Marywood University’s Dietetic Experiential Track is passionate about developing competent practitioners dedicated to service of others and to the profession. Throughout the Graduate Program and the Supervised Experiential Learning Hours, students will be embedded in a professional, academic environment. Students will gain knowledge to develop and apply the skills needed to become competent in the areas of nutrition therapy, community dietetics, and food service management. Students will develop skills to serve as collaborative members of an interdisciplinary team and be leaders in the profession. 

The Mission of Marywood University Dietetic Graduate Program and Supervised Experiential Track, is to prepare well-rounded graduates who are competent entry-level Registered dietitian Nutritionists. Graduates are ready to respond to the challenging demands of productive careers in dietetics and nutrition-related fields through a commitment to lifelong learning. They will demonstrate professionalism, self-directedness, evidence-based practice decisions, effective communication, critical thinking, collaboration in their professional community, and active ongoing self-assessment all in the pursuit of meaningful work that makes a positive impact on others.

Marywood University’s Dietetic Experiential Track aims to produce dietetic professionals who are competent to enter the dietetics profession as registered dietitian nutritionists who strive to commit to leadership and service opportunities and aim to enhance the dietetics profession with innovative ideas.