The Accelerated MS Clinical Nutrition Pathway provides motivated undergraduate students pursuing the B.S. in nutrition & dietetics the opportunity to complete a bachelor’s and master’s degree in as little as five years. Specifically, UW–Madison undergraduate students that graduate with their nutrition & dietetics bachelor degree in either the fall or spring semester can complete the Masters of Science in Clinical Nutrition (MSCN) within just 12 months following graduation.
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Admissions
Students enrolled in the Nutritional Sciences, BS Nutrition and Dietetics major are eligible for the Accelerated MSCN Pathway if their UW-Madison cumulative GPA is >3.00 at the time of their application to the Nutritional sciences, nutrition and dietetics program.
- Application materials to the Accelerated Pathway includes successful submission of Nutritional Sciences, nutrition and dietetics program application materials. You will indicate your interest in the Accelerated MSCN Pathway on the application form. The winter admission cycle deadline is January 5 and the summer admission cycle deadline is July 5.
- If a student does not apply for the Accelerated MSCN Pathway at the time of the application to the Nutritional sciences, nutrition and dietetics program, or they become eligible in subsequent semesters, the student can make an appointment with their academic advisors to determine eligibility.
- Students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher at the time of application to the Accelerated Pathway, in alignment with the UW-Madison Graduate School minimum admission requirements.
- Students must continue to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above through graduation in order to maintain eligibility for the Accelerated Pathway to the MSCN.
- Students will be notified of admission decision within 2 weeks after application cycle deadline date via email.
- Students accepted to the Accelerated Pathway to the MSCN will also need to apply for admission to the UW-Madison Graduate School during their senior year and must meet all UW-Madison Graduate School minimum admission requirements. At that time, students will follow the admission process and deadlines to the Clinical Nutrition, MS outlined in Guide.
- Students will be considered undergraduates until all bachelor degree and major program requirements are complete.
- UW–Madison students enrolled in the nutritional sciences B.S. degree may petition to enroll in the Accelerated MSCN Pathway, and their application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Why should I pursue this program?
To become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, students must earn a Master’s degree as part of the eligibility requirements.
The MS in Clinical Nutrition is focused on core nutrition, clinical nutrition, professional skills, and electives. This is advanced learning at its best and is ideal for people with a strong background in clinical nutrition, confidence working at the graduate level, and a commitment to become leaders in clinical nutrition and dietetics. The curriculum is designed to prepare students to translate research; recognize and formulate responses to evolving developments in clinical nutrition practice, policy, and research; and lead and manage professional teams to design nutrition-related services.
The Accelerated Pathway to the MSCN allows you to transition to a master’s degree immediately after graduate and earn your degree in a shorter amount of time!
Pathway with Registered Dietitian Nutritionist eligibility
To be eligible to sit for the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) exam, students must complete an ACEND-accredited academic program, earn a graduate degree, and complete at least 1,000 hours of supervised practice. The MSCN graduate program partners with several ACEND-accredited programs that provide these supervised practice hours. While admission to these programs is not guaranteed upon entry into the Accelerated Pathway MSCN program, students may apply as early as October of their final year of study. In addition, upon completion of the MSCN degree, students are eligible to apply to any of the 87+ standalone dietetic internship programs nationwide. Read more about our partnerships with UW Health, Mayo Clinic – Rochester, VCU, Minneapolis VA, and Aramark.
How does it work?
- If accepted to the Accelerated Pathway to the MSCN, students in their final year of study may complete select courses in the Clinical Nutrition, MS curriculum in consultation with their advisor and apply up to 7 credits from those courses to the 30 credits required by the Clinical Nutrition, MS. This aligns with the Clinical Nutrition, MS and Graduate School prior coursework policy.
- This leaves 23 remaining credits to complete, which allows students to complete the graduate program within 12 months after completing their bachelor’s degree.
- Courses completed as senior are selected in consultation with the student’s program advisor, because there are important prerequisites and policies student must follow to successfully complete this program.
- The full curricular requirements for the Clinical Nutrition, MS can be found in Guide. Students can meet with an advisor to discuss their specific questions and scenarios.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is not a cost to the initial application students complete as juniors. However, there is a $75 application fee to complete the UW-Madison Graduate School application that accepted students complete as seniors.
The Bursar’s Office provides information about tuition and fees for specific programs. Students enrolled in the Accelerated MSCN Pathway program are not eligible to receive tuition remission from graduate assistantship appointments at this institution. Our program does offer scholarship opportunities.
Undergraduate students will be expected to work with an advisor and the Clinical Nutrition, MS program coordinator if you have any questions regarding your graduate program plans. Advisors work directly with the students regarding course selection, policies, degree timelines and more.
More Questions?
Makayla Schuchardt, MS, RDN, CNCS
Teaching Faculty III, Program Manager, MS Clinical Nutrition
mlschuchardt@nutrisci.wisc.edu
(608) 261-1397