Abilene Christian University-Undergraduate Online

Programme overview

This combined M.S. in Nutrition/Dietetic Internship integrates graduate coursework with supervised practice to meet current eligibility requirements for the Registration Examination for Dietitians. The program emphasizes clinical experience, community nutrition work focused on hunger and poverty, and Christian-informed service. Total program credit is 36 hours, with 30 credit hours required within the first year and an overall completion timeframe typically around two years.

What you'll study

Coursework and rotations address clinical nutrition, community nutrition, research and practical culinary skills. Example course topics listed by the program include:

• Nutrition and Poverty
• Weight Management
• Nutrition and Integrative Medicine
• Nutrition Research

Clinical rotations include cardiac, endocrinology, intensive care, oncology, pediatric, renal, surgical, and general medical settings, plus an outpatient counseling rotation. Students complete 1,120 supervised practice hours. A culinary nutrition certificate from To Taste is offered to students in the second year. Optional short choice rotations (1–2 weeks) are available but do not count toward required internship hours. The program also offers a two-week Uganda missional dietetics opportunity through ACU’s Wildcats on Academic Mission.

Entry requirements

All applicants must apply through DICAS. Minimum admission requirements specified by the program are:

• Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0
• Completion of Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) requirements from an ACEND-accredited program
• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Verification Statement or Declaration of Intent to Complete a DPD
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official transcripts in English showing a bachelor’s degree in nutrition or a related field from a regionally accredited institution
• A personal statement that covers short- and long-term professional goals, how faith can inform nutrition work, experiences with individuals facing poverty or homelessness and the applicant’s philosophy for working with the impoverished, and reasons for applying to ACU’s M.S. program

Requests to transfer graduate credits are reviewed by the academic liaison and program director; up to nine graduate credit hours may be accepted as electives if equivalent. CRDNs met in other accredited internships must be verified by program leadership. Prior work experience and external rotations are not accepted for credit.

Career prospects

The program is designed to prepare graduates/interns to be entry-level registered dietitians and to sit for the Registration Examination for Dietitians. Training includes clinical nutrition experience, outpatient counseling, community food-security work, culinary instruction, and opportunities in global health contexts—preparing graduates for roles in clinical dietetics, outpatient nutrition counseling, community nutrition programs, and related public health or nonprofit settings.

Scholarships & funding angle

Estimated cost information is provided by the program: tuition per credit hour and a per-term resource fee are listed in the program materials, and a Dietetic Internship Program Fee is identified; financial aid may be available for students who qualify. The Uganda WAM mission trip is offered at a significantly discounted cost, largely supported by the WAM program. Prospective applicants should consult the program handbook and contact the program director for details on financial aid and exact fee schedules.