What to Expect in the Nutrition Coordinated Program
Put evidenced-based nutrition research into practice.
The path to a career in nutrition and dietetics expands far beyond the classroom.
In our Coordinated Program, classroom learning is combined with a supervised practice experience starting in the spring semester of your second year. These rotations are spent with registered dietitians and other food and nutrition professionals at a variety of practice sites. Locations include hospitals, clinics, research facilities, community sites and Chicago-area businesses.
Our program must be completed on a full-time, in-person basis. This usually takes two and a half to three years. (If you choose to do a project or thesis, you’ll likely take longer.)
Coursework:
Our Coordinated Program is coursework only. We require a minimum of 36 credits of graduate-level courses.
Depending on your specific interests, our graduate curriculum can provide:
- Advanced understanding of the impact of poor diet on health and chronic disease risk.
- Specialized courses in nutrition research such as the microbiome, nutrigenomics, pediatrics, aging, and intermittent fasting.
- Practical and effective skills to address diet and lifestyle changes.
- Biochemical and pathophysiological aspects of nutrition
- Practical application of Food as Medicine and areas of Food Science
- Advanced understanding of community nutrition and patient-centered cultural humility
- Understanding of research methods and research ethics
- Participation in research projects
Many of our students also participate in research and projects with our outstanding faculty. You’ll have the opportunity to:
- Participate in feeding trials
- Perform clinical visits
- Conduct dietary counseling
This is an example of a typical program of study. Your advisor will work with you to design a schedule that will ensure you complete all of the required courses.
Each semester’s course work builds upon that of the previous semester, so all of our courses must be completed in the order in which they’re listed in this sample. That will enable you to reach the supervised practice portion at the planned time.
Courses
Does this all seem like a heavy course load? It is.
What’s here is the fastest way to complete the program, but we strong encourage you to consider going into the spring of your third year to ease the pressure. Plan for that now and spread your courses out!
Courses
Courses
| HN 455 | Supervised Practice II | 5 hours |
Courses
| HN 455 | Supervised Practice II | 8 hours |
| HN 500 level elective | 3 hours |
Verification
Congratulations! Once you complete your coursework and supervised practice this semester, you’ll be issued a verification statement. That confers your eligibility to take the registration exam to become a registered dietitian.
Career information
Explore dietitian careers with this video from the PA Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Supervised Practice:
In the first semester of your supervised practice, you’ll spend two days a week at your practice site and three days in class. In the next two semesters, you’ll be at practice sites 40 hours a week, giving you the full experience of working full time in a professional setting.
You will complete 4-6 different types of rotations in supervised practice as seen below. We work hard to make sure you have high quality experiences that fit your needs.
- Inpatient Clinical
- Outpatient Clinical
- Community
- Foodservice
- Elective
- Professional Practice
Goals and objectives of the Coordinated Program can be found here.
Program data regarding goals and objectives of our programs and RD exam pass results are available upon request from the program director.
Accreditation
The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) requires didactic coursework and supervised practice are completed in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Effective January 1, 2024, CDR requires a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).
Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited Master’s Coordinated Program in Dietetics at UIC 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.
The UIC coordinated program and the nutrition science program are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
120 S. Riverside Plaza
Suite 2190
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
800-877-1600
UIC’s Disability Resource Center (DRC) ensures the rights of college students with disabilities to have full and equal access to their college experience.
All prospective students are asked to review the Technical Standards. The Technical Standards describe the performance abilities and characteristics that are necessary to successfully complete the requirements of MS Coordinated Program curriculum and provide effective and safe health care. Students matriculating into the MS Coordinated Program and seeking reasonable accommodations due to a disability or wanting to explore the accommodation options at UIC are asked to contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) in advance of the Fall 1 semester. To set up or explore accommodations, complete the steps described on the DRC website: https://drc.uic.edu/students-2/new-to-drc/. The steps involve completing the online Student Registration Form and calling the DRC at (312) 413-2183 to schedule an intake appointment.