Master of Science in Nutrition & Dietetics
Feed your passion for health and wellness
The Nutrition and Dietetics graduate program is an accredited program leading to the registered dietitian/nutritionist (RDN) credential and a Master of Science in this growing field.
The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) released the Future Education Model Accreditation Standards for programs in nutrition and dietetics (see www.eatrightpro.org/FutureModel). These accreditation standards integrate didactic coursework with supervised experiential learning in a competency-based curriculum designed to prepare nutrition and dietetics practitioners for future practice.
The graduate program in Nutrition and Dietetics at Shenandoah University has been granted candidacy accreditation status. Students accepted as of April 30, 2025 and succeeding classes will be considered graduates of an ACEND-accredited program and eligible, upon satisfactory completion of the program, to write the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s, Registration Examination for Dietitians.
ACEND has granted candidacy for accreditation for a four-year term ending April 21, 2029. A site visit for full accreditation will occur April – June 2028.
Contact: nutritiondietetics@su.edu
Shenandoah’s master’s program in nutrition and dietetics integrates didactic education with experiential learning and supervised practice to prepare you for the future of dietetics practice. Our program combines critical thinking, problem analysis and scientific inquiry to train you for the expanded scope of practice to meet the needs of a continually complex and diverse profession – you’ll be ready to meet the nutritional needs of individuals and local communities.
Your program will include not only a capstone course, but also supervised practice, food experimentation labs, nutrition assessment and interviewing practice, and experiential learning opportunities.
The program is located in the Health Professions Building on the campus of Valley Health | Winchester Medical Center in Winchester, Virginia.
This program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of jobs for registered dietitians and nutritionists will increase by 7% between 2022 and 2032, however, the Academy believes that even more RDs will be needed, because of the ongoing U.S. health crisis of diet-related diseases that continue to rise annually (such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease). Median rates of pay are $66,450 annually or $31.95 per hour for bachelor’s-trained individuals.
Fall Semester – Year One
Course Number | Course Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
ND 501 | Dietetics as a Profession** | 3 |
ND 502 | Nutrition Assessment** | 3 |
ND 507 | Nutrients | 3 |
ND 510 | Food and Culture** | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
Spring Semester – Year One
Course Number | Course Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
ND 503 | Nutrition Education and Communication** | 3 |
ND 511 | Food Service Management** | 4 (lecture/lab) |
ND 512 | Food Science and Experimentation** | 4 (lecture/lab) |
*ND 670 | Supervised Practice | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
Summer Semester – Year One
Course Number | Course Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
ND 520 | Nutrition Epidemiology and Evidence Based Practice | 3 |
ND 521 | Community Nutrition** | 3 |
ND 522 | Nutrition Through the Lifespan** | 3 |
*ND 670 | Supervised Practice | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
Fall Semester – Year Two
Course Number | Course Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
ND 601 | Approaches in Nutrition Counseling** | 3 |
ND 620 | Medical Nutrition Therapy I** | 3 |
ND 522 | Performance Nutrition** | 3 |
*ND 670 | Supervised Practice | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
Spring Semester – Year Two
Course Number | Course Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
ND 602 | Leadership for Nutrition and Dietetic Professionals** | 2 |
ND 621 | Medical Nutrition Therapy II** | 3 |
ND 640 | Capstone Project | 2 |
*ND 670 | Supervised Practice | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 10 |
Total Program Hours – 58 credit hours
48 Didactic Credits
*10 Supervised Practice Credits (course can be taken for variable credit hours 1, 2 or 3)
** Experiential Learning Activities are planned in the course
Tammy Wagner, Ph.D.
Director of Nutrition and Dietetics Graduate Program
This program is designed for students entering who completed a bachelor’s degree, with an overall GPA of 3.0. Required prerequisite courses are anatomy, physiology, statistics and an introductory nutrition course. The admissions process requires an application, three letters of recommendation, a professional statement of interest essay and interview. This is a full-time, on-site program housed in the School of Health Professions at the Health Professions Building in Winchester, Virginia.