Graduate Program and Dietetic Experiential Learning Track
The Nutrition and Dietetics Department at Marywood University offers a two-year Graduate program and Dietetic Experiential track leading to a graduate degree and achievement of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) competencies/performance indicators, and verification statement. Marywood University's Graduate Program and Dietetic Experiential Learning track is an accredited ACEND program. A copy of the accreditation approval standards and/or the commission’s policy may be obtained by contacting ACEND staff at the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606, telephone number (312) 899-0040.
Mission for Graduate Program and Experiential Track:
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.
Goals & Objectives for Graduate Program and Experiential Learning Track:
Program Goal 1
The Marywood University Dietetic Graduate Program-Experiential Track will develop competent graduates to encourage critical thinking and evidence based-practice to promote wellness and to treat individuals and diverse populations.
Program Goal 2
The program will produce graduates who are confident self-directed leaders capable of effective advocacy and demonstrate commitment to the community and the profession.
Admission to the Graduate Program Dietetic Experiential Track:
The Graduate Program accepts students with a baccalaureate degree who would like to complete their Masters in Nutrition or Sports and Human Performance Nutrition and also have interest in becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). The Experiential Learning Track admits students with a baccalaureate degree who have completed or plan to complete the mandatory prerequisites of General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, and Statistics. The students will complete the graduate program and experiential learning 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 experiential track receive a Master’s Degree and their verification statement. The students are eligible to sit for the RDN examination after graduating. The current application outlines the Master’s degree options in Nutrition and Sports and Human Performance Nutrition with the option to increase to more degree options in the future.
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 supports 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 https://dicas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login or via e-mail DICASinfo@DICAS.org.
Please refer to the centralized application system for instruction on applying to the Graduate Program at Marywood University. We accept students on a rolling deadline until July of the year the students are to begin the 2-year program.
All prospective students must submit a completed electronic (DICAS) program application including those in the accelerated option.
After being offered and accepting a slot in the program, all students will need to submit a Marywood University Graduate Web Application . Acceptance by Graduate Admissions does not guarantee admission to the program. The Admissions Decision is based on the completed DICAS application.
Students applying to the program may have a Bachelor’s in any field but must have the following prerequisites completed or in progress by the time of application. Students should have at least a “C” in the following courses:
- General Chemistry
- Anatomy & Physiology
- Organic Chemistry
- Statistics
Completion
Upon successful completion of all the master’s degree and the dietetic experiential learning track requirements, students will be awarded a Marywood University signed verification statement. The verification statement is required to take the RDN Exam administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
Curriculum
The dietetic experiential learning track at Marywood University offers experiences in clinical dietetics (MNT), food systems management, long term care, and community nutrition. The supervised experiential learning requires utilizing many health care facilities, which, for the onsite track, are located in the greater Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area and, for the distance track, are located in the home area of the student.
The graduate program and dietetic experiential learning track requires 39 credits for completion.
Masters and Dietetic Experiential Learning Track Course Plan (39 credits)
Core Classes
| ND 530 | Health Promotion | 3 |
| Or | |
| SHPN 530 | Health Promotion | 3 |
| ND 535 | Organizational Leadership in Healthcare | 3 |
| Or | |
SHPN 535
| Organizational Leadership in Healthcare | 3 |
| ND 581 | Advanced Topics in Macronutrient Metabolism | 3 |
| Or | |
| SHPN 581 | Advanced Topics in Macronutrient Metabolism | 3 |
| ND 582 | Advanced Topics in Micronutrients Metabolism | 3 |
| Or | |
| SHPN 582 | Advanced Topics in Micronutrients Metabolism | 3 |
| ND 561 | Medical Nutrition Therapy I | 3 |
| Or | |
SHPN 561
| Medical Nutrition Therapy 1 | 3 |
| ND 562 | Medical Nutrition Therapy II | 3 |
| Or | |
SHPN 562
| Medical Nutrition Therapy 2 | 3 |
Research Classes
Supervised Experiential Learning Courses SEL
| ND 553 | Preparation for Supervised Experiential Learning | 1.5 |
| Or | |
| SHPN 553 | Preparation for Supervised Experiential Learning | 1.5 |
| ND 565 | Supervised Practice: Community Nutrition | 1 |
| Or | |
SHPN 565
| SEL in Community Nutrition | 1 |
| ND 566 | Supervised Practice: Food Systems Management | 1 |
| Or | |
SHPN 566
| SEL in Food Systems Management | 1 |
| ND 568 | Supervised Practice: Clinical Dietetics | 1 |
| Or | |
SHPN 568
| SEL in Medical Nutrition Therapy | 1 |
| ND 500 | Professional Practice in Dietetics | 1.5 |
| Or | |
SHPN 500
| Professional Practice SEL | 1.5 |
Electives for MS in Nutrition + DEL
| ND 579 | Pulmonary Physiology | 3 |
| Or | |
| SHPN 579 | Pulmonary Physiology | 3 |
| ND 537 | Entrepreneurship in N & D | 3 |
| Or | |
SHPN 537
| Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| ND 520 | Recent Trends in Normal Nutrition | 3 |
| Or | |
| SHPN 520 | Recent Trends in Normal Nutrition | 3 |
Electives for MS in SHPN + DEL
| SHPN 549 | Sports & Human Perf Nutrition I: Theory | 3 |
| SHPN 550 | Sprts & Hmn Prfrmnce Nutrition II - App | 3 |
| SHPN 575 | Body Composition for Sports & Performnce Management | 3 |