Bluffton University

Master of Nutrition and Dietetics

 

Be a guide to health through nutrition

Is your goal to become an allied healthcare professional? Working to help others understand the importance of diet in managing chronic health conditions, supporting weight management or maximizing athletic performance?

After earning a bachelor’s degree, you must have a master’s degree and at least 1,000 hours of supervised experiential learning before taking the credentialing exam to become an Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.

At Bluffton University, you can complete these requirements in one calendar year.

Start your Master’s program in summer 2025

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Steps to apply

Course plan

• One year program begins in June
  
  • Begin with three on-line courses and 100 hours of supervised experiential learning in the summer.
    • Computer access is extremely important as many activities require research and writing. Students must provide their own laptop computer.
  • For fall and spring semesters, spend one day per week taking in-person graduate courses and four days in supervised experiential learning.
  • Course plan
• Two optional tracks
  or complete the MND as a generalist
  
  • Eating disorders
    • Focus on theory, best practices, research methods, seminars and clinical observation sessions focused on eating disorder prevention and treatment.
    • Increased supervised experiential learning hours at eating disorder sites including Divergent Dietitian.
    • Complete a capstone project on a relevant eating disorder topic
    • Students are encouraged to attend the Academy of Eating Disorders or International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals Foundation conference.
  • Sports nutrition
    • Focus on prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of athletic injuries and illness through nutrition intervention.
    • Increased supervised experiential learning hours at sports nutrition sites including with University of Toledo NCAA Division I athletes
    • Complete a capstone project on a relevant sports nutrition topic
    • Students will be encouraged to attend the American Sports and Performance Dietitians Association conference.

Bluffton’s master of nutrition and dietetics program is accreditated through the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). 

Why Bluffton?

• Clinical educator
  • An experienced clinical educator will schedule your supervised experiential learning experiences. 
• Local facilities and preceptors
  • No need to find your own preceptors, we do it for you.
  • Bluffton has long standing relationships entities including hospitals in Findlay and Lima, extension offices in Hancock and Allen counties, and school food service with Cory Rawson, Lima City, Wapakeneta and Pandora. 
• Affordable tuition
  • With tuition at $515 per credit hour for a 38-hour program, you could earn a graduate degree and complete 1,000 hours of experiential learning for $19,570.

• Accreditation status
  The master in nutrition and dietetics program is currently granted candidacy accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, located at 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190 Chicago, IL 60606-6995, (312) 899-0040 ext. 5400  

  While state interpretations of statutes may vary, it is ACEND’s considered opinion that the program meets the educational requirements for dietetics licensure and certification in all states. However, completing an ACEND-accredited academic program alone does not qualify an individual for licensure or certification as a dietitian in any state.
  
  Individuals should review their state’s licensing statutes and regulations to understand the specific requirements, including supervised practice and examinations, needed to obtain a dietetics license. In Ohio, a registered dietitian must also be a licensed dietitian. Licensure requirements for other states can be found on the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) website.

• Academic calendar
  The graduate program generally follows the university academic calendar  However, graduate Supervised Experiential Learning (SEL) hours may not necessarily follow the academic calendar. For example, the SEL hours may begin shortly after the New Year’s holiday, which is earlier than the start of classes. Due to the nature of SEL hours we cannot guarantee that students’ holiday breaks will coincide with the academic calendar.
   
  

For more information

Contact

Ethan Stearns
Adult and graduate studies recruiter
stearnse@bluffton.edu

Request more information online.