About Nutrition & Dietetics
- About the Dietetics Program
- Information About the Dietetics Profession
- Information About the Dietetics Education
The Professional Program in Dietetics at Minnesota State University Mankato is a comprehensive Future Educational Model (FEM) program granted candidacy status by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Students typically apply to the Professional Program after completing pre-requisite foundational courses in Chemistry, Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, Nutrition and other related fields. The three-year Professional Program is a “transitional master’s program” where students will:
- Begin the program as undergraduate students (typically junior year),
- Take graduate courses during the second year in the program (typically senior year),
- Graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics
- Then continue immediately to the final year of the program enrolled as a Graduate student.
- Graduate with a Master of Science in Dietetics (ACEND Graduate Program)
Students who have completed some or all of the coursework of the Professional Program in Dietetics outside of MSU should meet with the Program Director to evaluate the potential for prior learning credit which is determined on an individual basis.
Upon completing the requirements for the Master of Science in Dietetics, including all associated Supervised Experiential Learning hours, the student will graduate with the Master of Science in Dietetics, receive a Verification Statement, and be eligible to sit for the national registration exam for dietitians. As of 1/1/2024, a Master’s degree and a Dietetics Verification Statement are required to take the exam. Successful completion of the exam will allow the graduate to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and pursue employment as such.
This professional “transitional master’s program” at MSU was built on the foundation of our strength and experience having an accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) here from 1977 to 2025. We are proud of this long history of educating Dietitians and our partnerships with practicing dietitians (many whom are MSU alumni!) to provide Supervised Experiential Learning for our students in this new model of education. Our graduates are employed as RDN’s in healthcare, community and public health settings, in corporate wellness sites, on sports teams, in schools and as members of food management teams across the country and around the world! We have state-of-the-art teaching facilities, strong technology capabilities and dedicated faculty. Students are assigned a faculty advisor from the time they declare an interest in dietetics, allowing them to work with experts in the profession to plan their educational pathway. The program is housed in the Department of Family Consumer Science in the College of Allied Health and Nursing which allows interdisciplinary education and opportunities for learning across the health disciplines at MSU. We’re proud to continue our long history by supporting today’s students in the Professional Program in Dietetics and preparing future graduates for entry into the profession!
Information about the requirements to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist can be found on ACEND’s website at https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/students-and-advancing-education/information-for-students
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
Tel: 1-800-877-1600
About the Dietetics Program
- Dr. Shelly Brandenburger, PhD, RD, LN
Dietetics Program Director
Information About the Dietetics Profession
Listen to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics brief talk about the profession:
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
Tel: 1-800-877-1600
Information About Dietetics Education
Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
Tel: 312-899-0040, ext. 5400
Email: ACEND@eatright.org
