The MS Clinical Nutrition Graduate Program is a rigorous 1.5 year program that includes
training in clinical nutrition course work (didactic) and supervised experiential
learning rotations (SEL). The didactic component of the program is completed online,
however, students who are accepted are required to complete the SEL activities onsite
in the Kansas City and Warrensburg areas. The first two semesters will focus primarily
on the didactic courses and the remaining two semesters combine course work with SEL
rotations in the areas of Clinical, Community, and Food Service Management. The MS
Clinical Nutrition graduate program was originally designed and approved for candidacy
accreditation by the Accreditation Council of Education for Nutrition and Dietetics
(ACEND) based on the Future Education Model (FEM).
Students completing the MS Clinical Nutrition graduate program will earn a Master
of Science Degree in Clinical Nutrition as well as a verification statement making
them eligible to sit for the CDR Examination for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists.
In order to earn the degree, students must successfully complete the course plan which
is made up of 30 credits for the didactic area and 10 credits for SEL rotations in
Clinical, Community and Food Service Management rotations. The program also includes
a 3 credit hour capstone course for students either in nutrition/dietetics research
or a student’s chosen area of interest for a total of 43 credit hours.
*Attention Fall 2024 applicants. You must first submit your application and then our system will ask you to upload your additional materials (resume and statement of goals) and also ask for the names and contact information of your three references. UCM will then send a direct request to your references allowing them to submit their recommendations to your application packet. Here is the link to the Graduate Application. You are eligible to apply for the Fall 2024 Cohort as long as you are able to complete all required prerequisites by the end of Summer 2024. Review of the Fall 2024 applications will not begin until after the priority deadline of January 16 at the earliest. Please note, UCM graduates do not have to submit their transcripts as we have access to them.
The Accreditation Council of Education for Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) has provided
candidacy accreditation status for the MS Clinical Nutrition Graduate Program (FEM/GP)
at UCM. Students accepted into this program will be considered graduates of an ACEND
accredited program and are eligible, upon satisfactory completion of this program,
to attempt the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s exam for dietitians.
ACEND, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995
https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend
Phone: 1-800-877-1600
The MS Clinical Nutrition Graduate Program at UCM prepares students to fulfill the university’s Master of Science degree criteria while meeting the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to practice as an entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists by completing supervised experiential learning activities. Through the use of evidence-based practice, nutrition research and communication technologies, students are prepared to become lifelong learners who promote public health and wellness.
Goal 1: Program graduates will be competent to pursue entry-level dietitian nutritionist and/or careers in dietetics and nutrition related areas.
Objectives:
Goal 2: Program graduates will be competent in the practice of nutrition/dietetics research.
The current route to become a registered dietitian nutritionist includes a path of higher education as well as a dietetic internship from an ACEND-accredited program and passing the national registration examination. Shown below are the various pathways students can take depending on their educational background and timeframe.
For more information, see https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/students-and-advancing-education/information-for-students.
To continue practice as a Registered Dietitian:
*Beginning in 2024, a minimum of a master's degree will be an eligibility requirement in order to take the CDR exam. UCM’s Clinical Nutrition Graduate Program will provide the required nutrition and dietetics coursework and supervised experiential learning to meet ACEND's competency requirements to be eligible to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). A verification statement will be issued to individuals who successfully complete the FEM/GP so that students are eligible to take the CDR exam.
Nutrition Minor (32 hours)
The minor in Nutrition will give students the necessary prerequisites needed for the MS Clinical Nutrition Graduate Program and addresses the change in The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) entry-level eligibility requirements for dietitians.
Minor Requirements 32 Semester Hours
ACCT 1101 – Found. of Financial Reporting (3)
BIOL 2510 – Basic Genetics (3)*
BIOL 3401 – Human Anatomy (3)*
BIOL 3402 – Human Physiology (5)
BIOL 3611 – Microbiology (4)*
CHEM 1604 – Elem. Organic and Biochem (4)*
D&N 3340 – Nutrition (3)*
D&N 4010 - Advanced Nutrition (3)
FOOD 2320 – Sanitation and Safety (1)
FOOD 2322 – Food Preparation (3)*
NOTE:
*This course has a prerequisite not listed in the program (most are CHEM 1104 or 1131).
Kinesiology Major w/ Nutrition Minor (Exercise Science, Pre-AT, Pre-OT, Pre-PT) = 21 hours
ACCT 1101 – Foundations of Financial Reporting (3)
BIOL 2510 – Basic Genetics (3)*
BIOL 3611 – Microbiology (4)*
CHEM 1604 – Elementary Organic and Biochemistry (4)*
D&N 4010 - Advanced Nutrition (3)
FOOD 2320 – Sanitation and Safety (1)
FOOD 2322 – Food Preparation (3)*
Kinesiology Major w/ Nutrition Minor (Corporate Fitness) = 18 hours
BIOL 2510 – Basic Genetics (3)*
BIOL 3611 – Microbiology (4)*
CHEM 1604 – Elementary Organic and Biochemistry (4)*
D&N 4010 - Advanced Nutrition (3)
FOOD 2320 – Sanitation and Safety (1)
FOOD 2322 – Food Preparation (3)*
Health Studies Major w/ Nutrition Minor = 21 hours
ACCT 1101 – Foundations of Financial Reporting (3)
BIOL 2510 – Basic Genetics (3)*
BIOL 3611 – Microbiology (4)*
CHEM 1604 – Elementary Organic and Biochemistry (4)*
NUTR 4010 - Advanced Nutrition (3)
FOOD 2320 – Sanitation and Safety (1)
FOOD 2322 – Food Preparation (3)*
Biology Area 6 Pre-Med / Pre-Dental / Pre-Vet w/ Nutrition Minor = 13 hours
ACCT 1101 – Foundations of Financial Reporting (3)
D&N 3340 – Nutrition (3)*
D&N 4010 - Advanced Nutrition (3)
FOOD 2320 – Sanitation and Safety (1)
FOOD 2322 – Food Preparation (3)*
Estimated Cost of Attendance for Academic Year 2023-24 |
||
Tuition/Fees *Per credit hour rates do not include mandatory, technology, program, or course fees. Additional course/program fee per credit hour may be applicable. |
Graduate Online Tuition |
$413.50 per credit hour for both Missouri and Out of State Residents |
Housing |
n/a for courses offered online during the first two semesters but during SEL (last 3 semesters), housing in the Kansas City area will be necessary |
|
Textbooks |
Varies depending on course load |
$600-$1000 per semester |
Liability Insurance |
Prior to NUTR 6000 |
Covered by University |
Background Check |
Required for SEL Sites |
$38.50 + $2.00 admin. fee |
TB Test |
Some facilities require a TB test verification before a student enters the facility |
$10 |
Drug Testing |
Required for SEL Sites |
$42 + $2 admin. fee |
Uniform |
Dependent on SEL Sites |
Varies |
Travel |
n/a for online courses and dependent on SEL Sites and regional or national meetings |
Varies |
RD Exam Study Guide |
Available resource |
No charge |
Subscriptions Neehrperfect
NutriCalc |
Electronic Health Records for MNT, Advanced MNT Nutrition Education and Counseling Courses
Software for Dietary Analysis Projects |
$60-$120
$20 |
Memberships |
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) MO Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (MOAND)
Kansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Association |
$50 per year for student membership (6 year maximum allowed)
|
UCM Graduation Fee |
|
$50 |
*Program costs are variable and subject to change.
Admittance to the MS Clinical Nutrition Graduate Program requires completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or comparable degree from a recognized foreign institution prior to the start of the program.
GPA – A minimum 3.0 point cumulative undergraduate GPA on a 4-point scale is required across all coursework taken at all accredited institutions.
*Prerequisites – Completion of the following prerequisite courses with a grade of B or higher is required prior to beginning the professional program. Program prerequisites include either completion of a U.S. Dietetics Program or transcripts showing the completion of all of the prerequisite courses listed below.
ACCT 1101 – Foundations of Financial Reporting (3 credits)
BIOL 2510 Basic Genetics (3 credits) or BIOL 3511 Genetics w/lab (4 credits)
BIOL 3611 Microbiology with lab (4-5 credits)
BIOL 3401 Human Anatomy with lab (3 credits)
BIOL 3402 Human Physiology with lab (5 credits)
CHEM 1104 General Chemistry with lab (4 credits)
CHEM 1604 Organic and Biochemistry with lab (4 credits)
D&N 3340 Nutrition
D&N 4010 Advanced Nutrition (3 credits)
FOOD 2322 Food Preparation with lab (3-4 credits)
FOOD 2320 Sanitation and Safety (1 credit)
*Program prerequisites may be completed at any accredited institution. For questions
on articulations and/or transfer equivalencies, please contact our Program Director,
Dr. Meera Penumetcha at penumetcha@ucmo.edu.
Supervised practice experiences or experiential learning completed prior to the start of the program will not be considered as replacements of the program’s required applied experiences.
Link to UCM’s academic calendar: https://www.ucmo.edu/calendar/
Semester 1- Fall |
Total Credits 12 |
|
|
NUTR 5010 |
Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism (3) |
|
NUTR 5011 |
Food Systems/Management (3) |
|
NUTR 5012 |
Medical Nutrition Therapy I (3) |
|
NUTR 5013 |
Practical Applications in Nutrition Research (3) |
*Must earn cumulative GPA of 3.00 on first semester courses to advance in Program |
||
Semester 2-Spring |
Total Credits 13 |
|
|
NUTR 5014 |
Advanced Community Nutrition (3) |
|
NUTR 5015 |
Macronutrients (3) |
|
NUTR 5016 |
Micronutrients (3) |
|
NUTR 5017 |
Advanced Medical Nutrition Therapy (3) |
|
NUTR 6013 |
Capstone Project (1) |
Semester 3-Summer |
Total Credits 10-11 |
|
|
NUTR 5018 |
Nutrition Education and Counseling (3) |
|
NUTR 5019 |
Nutrition Across the Life Span (3) |
|
NUTR 6010 OR NUTR 6011 OR NUTR 6012 |
Supervised Experiential Learning - Clinical (4), Community (3), or Food Service Management (3) |
|
NUTR 6013 |
Capstone Project (1) |
Semester 4-Fall |
Total Credits 7-8 |
|
|
NUTR 6010 OR NUTR 6011 OR NUTR 6012 |
Supervised Experiential Learning - Clinical (4), Community (3), or Food Service Management (3) |
|
NUTR 6013
|
Capstone Project (1) |
|
|
|
|
Total hours 43 (30 didactic, 10 experiential, 3 capstone) |
Applicants must submit the online application with a $30 application fee by the application to be considered for admission to the program in the fall semester.
International Students Only. In addition to the above items, all international applicants must submit an acceptable, official (reported directly from ETS) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score. TOEFL scores must be submitted by Educational Testing Services (ETS) directly to the University of Central Missouri’s Testing Services Office (660-543-4919). The ETS code for UCM is 6090.
In addition to the online application, the following materials must be submitted by
the deadline:
Submission of a current resume which details paid and volunteer experiences.
A Statement of Goals - A statement should include the following (approximately 1000 words):
Transcripts – Submission of official transcripts from corresponding institution where your bachelor's degree was earned plus any extra from other insitutions where prerequsites have been taken since that time.
Letters of Recommendation - Applicants must submit three (3) letters of recommendation:
two from faculty, one from clinical/research supervisor or employer. Choose people
who have knowledge of your strengths and goals.
Finalists will be selected for a Virtual Interview before decision is made on admission.
Maximum number of students admitted to the program will be 15 per cohort.
Students completing the MS Clinical Nutrition Graduate Program will earn a Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition Degree. In order to earn this degree, students must successfully complete all required didactic courses, and SEL rotations. The curriculum consists of 43 total required credits (30 didactic, 10 SEL, and 3 capstone) which can be completed in 1 1/2 years. Upon successful completion of the program requirements students will earn a verification statement making them eligible to sit for the CDR exam.
A verification statement will be awarded to all students who successfuly complete the program requirements including required courses and supervised experiential learning hours. Students completing the MS Clinical Nutrition Graduate Program must also meet all ACEND Competencies and Performance Indicators found in the Student Handbook.
University graduation requirements can be found here: https://catalog.ucmo.edu/content.php?catoid=21&navoid=908
UCM offers federal loans and employment aid programs. Each student’s economic situation is recognized as unique, and every federal financial aid application is examined on an individual basis. It is very important for each applicant to:
Contact UCM’s Student Financial Services office with any questions or concerns you may have:
In person: Ward Edwards Building 1100
Telephone: 660-543-8266
Fax: 660-543-8080
Federal financial assistance can be used to help pay direct educational expenses, such as fees, books and supplies, as well as variable living costs, such as off-campus housing, food, transportation, childcare, and other personal costs related to attending UCM. Although the responsibility for meeting educational and living costs lies with the student, financial aid from the following federal program can be awarded to supplement a student’s ability to pay his/her total expenses. Any other assistance received must be included and could impact a student’s eligibility for federal aid.
To be eligible to receive federal and state financial aid, students must have a documented record of attendance in the classes for which they enroll. Registration for classes is not sufficient to prove attendance. A student who receives or otherwise benefits from federal or state financial aid, but has no documented record of attendance in the class(es) for which (s)he is enrolled, is not eligible to have received/benefited from the aid, and will be required to repay all or part of the federal and state assistance credited to his/her UCM account for the semester. For information on return of federal funds, review the Student Financial Services policy.
Federal Financial Aid Available to Graduate Students:
Student Loans - Low-interest unsubsidized Stafford Loans are the only type of federal
aid available to graduate students, and must be repaid, but usually not until after
the student graduates, withdraws, or drops to less than half-time enrollment status.
Satisfactory Academic Progress - Federal law requires that each graduate student who wishes to continue receiving federal financial aid maintain satisfactory academic progress toward the completion of his or her master’s program. Satisfactory academic progress is defined as having successfully completed at least two-thirds of the credit hours attempted during their degree program in order to be eligible for financial aid for the subsequent year. In addition, a graduate student must maintain at least a 3.00 cumulative graduate GPA.
Every student accepted into the MS Clinical Nutrition Graduate Program will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Regina Myers McClain Scholarship Fund through the University of Central Missouri Alumni Foundation in the fall of the semester they begin the program.
Students will need access to a computer with camera, a high-speed Internet connection, and updated version of a web browser, and access to common tools and software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, email, (provided to UCM students) as well as program specific software listed above under Program Costs. Technical support is provided by our Technology Support Center at tsc@ucmo.edu or 660-543-4357.
UCMs Program Coordinator will work with students on being placed with our Preceptors
in various Supervised Experiential Learning settings. We have affiliation agreements
with the following sites to date:
Facility |
SEL Experience |
Western Missouri Medical Center |
Clinical |
Lee’s Summit Hospital-HCA |
Clinical |
Golden Valley Memorial Hospital |
Clinical |
John Knox Village |
Clinical |
Bothwell Regional Hospital |
Clinical |
University Health |
Clinical |
North Kansas City Hospital |
Clinical |
St. Lukes Hospital |
Clinical |
UCM-Sodexo Dining |
Food Service/Management |
Western Missouri Medical Center |
Food Service/Management |
John Knox Village |
Food Service/Management |
Lee’s Summit R7 School District |
Food Service/Management |
Warrensburg R-VI School District |
Food Service/Management |
Children’s Mercy- Center for Children’s Healthy Lifestyles & Nutrition Initiative |
Community |
Johnson County Department of Health and Environment |
Community |
Learn more about preceptor information and opportunities.
Meera Penumetcha, PhD, RDN
Associate Professor and Nutrition Program Director
Morrow 130
Tel: (660) 543-8904