Master of Science
Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics
YOUR FUTURE AS A REGISTERED DIETITIAN NUTRITIONIST STARTS HERE
Program Overview
Priority Application Deadline: December 1, 2025
Regular Application Deadline: July 15, 2026
FALL START • FULL TIME FOR 16 MONTHS • COHORT MODEL
Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RD/RDNs) have the skills to improve patient health outcomes through the strategic application of Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT). Johnson & Wales University’s Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics (MSCND) trains the next generation of dietetics leaders through applied learning experiences emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration and a holistic approach to wellness.
Building upon JWU’s recognized history in culinary nutrition and dietetics, this 16-month program prepares graduates to apply for the Commission on Dietetic Registration credentialing exam to become an RDN.
Expand your culinary and nutrition knowledge through the program’s close collaboration with our world-renowned College of Food Innovation & Technology (CFIT), and learn to efficiently apply your expertise to patient and client care through experiences within the College of Health & Wellness.
As you develop your clinical nutrition expertise, you will be guided in class by experienced faculty — and in the field by professional preceptors, many of whom are JWU alums.
Individual states may require specific licensing or professional certification in addition to earning a degree in order to practice in the field. Learn more via the Catalog’s Licensure & Professional Certification Disclosures.
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What Makes JWU’s MSCND Unique?
JWU’s Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics helps you develop the analytic, diagnostic and clinical skills to work in a range of settings. Learn to assess and modify patients’ diets to help treat or manage existing conditions — or prevent future health issues. As part of this program, you will:
- Participate in interdisciplinary work across multiple JWU programs, including health science, physical therapy, exercise and sports science, nursing, physician assistant studies, public health and occupational therapy.
- Learn from nationally recognized faculty in a fully modernized facility.
- Participate in at least 1,000 hours of supervised experiential learning (SEL) focusing on various healthcare areas such as inpatient and hospital care, ambulatory and outpatient care, community outreach and education, private practice, senior living and longterm care facilities.
Potential career options include:
- Academia
- Clinical nutrition and/or sports nutrition
- Community or public health
- Food service management
- Private practice
- Corporate wellness
- Food communication
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Merit Scholarship Opportunity
Outstanding full-time applicants will be considered for the Dean’s Scholarship, which offers up to $4,000 per academic year for full-time study. Enrolled students who did not receive the scholarship as incoming students will be eligible for consideration in their second year, provided they maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 at the end of their first year as full-time students. For students awarded multiple university scholarships or grants, the scholarship with the highest value will be applied to their program.
JWU Alumni may be eligible to receive a 25% tuition discount through the Wildcat Alumni Scholarship.
“JWU Providence’s MSCND program prepares future registered dietitian nutritionists by focusing on applied learning experiences that emphasize the importance of interprofessional collaboration.” PROGRAM DIRECTOR LUCIANA SOARES, DCN, MS, RDN, LDN, FAND
The Value of the RDN Credential
The RDN credential sets the quality standards for the dietetics practitioner, demonstrating a level of professional competence to offer an evidence-based approach to sustaining a healthy life. RDNs have access to diverse opportunities and a wide range of practice areas.
Is There a Difference Between RD and RDN?
No. The RD and RDN credentials are used interchangeably, and it is really a matter of preference. Historically, Registered Dietitian (RD) denoted those with Commission on Dietetic Registration credentials. In 2013, “Nutritionist” was added to set the credential apart from individuals calling themselves nutritionists, despite a lack of formal training.
SEMESTER 1: FALL*
- NUTR5100: Macronutrients in Human Nutrition (3 credits)
- NUTR5200: Micronutrients in Human Nutrition (3 credits)
- NUTR5300: Nutrition for Health and Wellness (3 credits)
- DIET5350: Nutrition for Health & Wellness Experience (3 credits)+
SEMESTER 2: SPRING*
- RSCH5700: Research and Inquiry (3 credits)
- NUTR6200: Grantsmanship and Publication (3 credits)
- NUTR5500: Nutritional Counseling and Education (3 credits)
- DIET5550: Nutritional Counseling and Education Experience (3 credits)+
SEMESTER 3: SUMMER
- DIET5600: Culinary Nutrition and Food Service Management (5 credits)
- DIET5700: Current Topics in Nutrition Seminar (1 credit)
- NUTR6100: Advanced Clinical Nutrition (3 credits)
- DIET6150: Clinical Supervised Practice Experience I (3 credits)+
SEMESTER 4: FALL
- NUTR6950: Nutrition Capstone (3 credits)
- DIET6450: Clinical Supervised Practice Experience II (9 credits)+
3-week specialty rotation
Review the full curriculum in the JWU Catalog:
Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics
*Students without a DPD verification statement will be required to take two foundation courses prior to the start of the MSCND program. + Denotes a Supervised Experiential Learning (SEL) course related to the course directly above it.
Our Expert Faculty
At JWU, you’ll be guided by professors with years of industry experience and multiple professional certifications. As practitioners, they will help you gain hands-on experience that you will apply through fieldwork.
Professor and Director, Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics; Nutrition & Dietetics Department Director
Soares’ passion for food and health led her to become a registered dietitian nutritionist and work in the clinical, community and academic settings, where she remains.
Professor
Cucinotta has practiced dietetics since 2009, working with adult and pediatric patients and clients in inpatient hospitals, outpatient clinics, and a private practice for nutrition counseling.
Professor
A registered dietitian nutritionist and educator, Bechard has wide-ranging expertise in clinical nutrition research and specialized pediatric clinical practice.
Johnson & Wales University is dedicated to recruiting students from local colleges and universities through articulation agreements. JWU maintains articulation agreements with the following institutions to provide a pathway for undergraduate students to matriculate into this program:
- Albertus Magnus College
- Assumption University
- Bridgewater State University
- Providence College
- Roger Williams University
- Springfield College
- Stonehill College
- University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Johnson & Wales University’s Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics Program has been granted candidacy status by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995, 800-877-1600 ext 5400. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please email.
Candidacy for accreditation is a pre-accreditation status granted to programs that have demonstrated the potential to meet the ACEND® Accreditation Standards. Students who enroll after candidacy is granted are considered to be in an ACEND®-accredited program upon successful completion of the program.
