The Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences (MSNS) program is designed to educate and form servant leaders in the field of health and wellness. The Dietetic Internship (DI) option is for students seeking to become registered dietitians nutritionists (RDN).
The combined Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences and Dietetic Internship (MSNS-DI) program at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (FranU) is designed to prepare students with the skills and tools needed to excel as entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists. Specialty preceptors and simulated experiences in the Nutrition Skills Lab and Simulation Environment Teaching Hospital (SETH) offer premier learning experiences in many specialty areas of nutrition and dietetics. The combined online Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences degree offers advanced studies with opportunities for research through the completion of a Capstone Research Project.
The mission of the MSNS-DI program is to educate and form entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists or dietetic practitioners to meet the core competencies for becoming servant leaders in health and wellness. With a concentration in community nutrition, graduates will be educated in the most rigorous, individualized, professional and comprehensive manner.
The program outcomes data are available upon request.
Goal #1 - The program will prepare graduates to be competent for entry-level practice as registered dietitian nutritionists.
Goal #2 – Graduates of the program will be compassionate, well-qualified professionals and servant leaders in health and wellness prepared to provide entry-level nutrition and dietetics services.
All supervised practice rotations will be from local and regional preceptors in Louisiana and/or surrounding states; none will be conducted internationally. No more than 10% of rotation hours will be located at a remote site (defined as >/= 100 miles from FranU). Furthermore, students are not required to find their own supervised practice for >/=10% of supervised practice hours.
Supervised practice hours are divided into four semesters:
Fall 1 (Simulation) – 45 hours
Spring (14 weeks) – 440 hours
Summer (8 weeks) – 256 hours
Fall 2 (14 weeks) – 440 hours
Beginning in the spring students rotate in supervised practice areas 32 hours/week, Monday through Thursday. Students are also responsible for attending a two-hour face-to-face class each Friday, located on FranU’s campus in Baton Rouge.
A more detailed breakdown of the supervised practice experiences by rotation area include:
Clinical | (43%) 504 hours 16 weeks |
Community | (18%) 216 hours 7 weeks |
Foodservice Management | (17%) 192 hours 6 weeks |
Sports Nutrition | (5%) 64 hours 2 weeks |
Specialty of Choice | (5%) 64 hours 2 weeks |
Professional Staff Experience | (5%) 64 hours 2 weeks |
Research | (3%) 36 hours 1 week |
Simulation/Service-Learning | (4%) 64 hours 2 weeks |
Total: 50 total weeks over a 17-month curriculum of study (1,181 hours)
A new cohort begins each fall semester. The MSNS-DI program follows the University’s academic calendar. The following criteria must be met for a student to be eligible to apply:
The dietetic internship program participates each spring in a computer matching process. Deadline to register and apply is February 15th at 11:50pm CST. Each student matched through D&D Digital automatically is enrolled in the Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences program. The steps to apply to the program are as follows:
Graduation and program completion requirements include
Meeting all requirement is necessary for students to receive a Verification Statement.
Semester | Credit Hours | Tuition/Fees | Course Fees | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 10 | $6,710.50 | $939.13 | $7,649.63 |
2 | 13 | $8,589.25 | $335.00 | $8,924.25 |
3 | 6 | $4,205.50 | $385.00 | $4,590.50 |
4 | 7 | $4,831.75 | $4,831.75 | |
*Total | 36 | $24,337.00 | $1,659.13 | $25,996.13 |
*Tuition costs do not include textbooks or any additional costs associated with this program. Additional costs can be found in the Student Handbook provided below.
**Information about financing your education can be found by visiting the Office of Financial Aid
Kathryn Fakier, PhD, RDN, LDN
Program Director, Nutritional Sciences
(225) 526-1984
Aimee Serio, MS, RDN, LDN
Director of Clinical Education, Dietetic Internship
(225) 526-1739
Aimee.Serio@franu.edu
Learn more about FranU academic programs, admissions, financial aid and university life.
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. Questions about accreditation of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).
The Nutritional Sciences Dietetic Internship Program is granted full accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, 312-899-0040 ext. 5400.
Note: Prospective students should visit the State Authorization page to verify that Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University is authorized to offer online courses and programs in your respective state. Prior to enrollment, students are also encouraged to visit their state educational agency or licensing board to ascertain whether or not they can utilize their degree program for additional compensation, initial licensing or renewal, as well as any other benefits.
Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). In order to be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor’s degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into CDR's Registration Eligibility Processing System (REPS) before 12:00 midnight Central Time, December 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement visit CDR's website: https://www.cdrnet.org/graduatedegree. In addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited MSNS-DI program at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University are eligible to apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN.
In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. For more information about state licensure requirements click here.
For more information about educational pathways to become a RDN click here.
*Core classes taught across graduate curriculum within the School of Health Professions
Didactic courses = 1 credit hour = 15 hours
Supervised practice courses = 1 credit hour = 180 hours