Graduate Dietetics Future Education Model

Curriculum

The program requires a total of 34 credits including completion of experiential rotations.

At the conclusion of this curriculum, students will have demonstrated satisfactory performance of all FG Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) competencies including didactic skills such as reviewing scientific literature, analyzing research designs, developing appropriate research questions, identifying problems relating to dietary quality in vulnerable groups using a national database, data extraction, analysis and reporting based on this database, identifying community nutrition problems and developing a community nutrition intervention grant proposal to address these problems.

Required Courses

Year 1

Fall

Course NumberCourse NameCredit
NUT 504Food Systems, Sustainability and Health3
NUT 505Methods in Nutrition Research3
NUT 553Nutrient Metabolism I3
NUT 580Experiential Learning in Dietetics 12
Total11

Spring

Course NumberCourse NameCredit
NUT 507Applied Nutrition 2
NUT 581Experiential Learning in Dietetics 22
NUT 582Experiential Learning in Dietetics 31
Total5

Year 2

Fall

Course NumberCourse NameCredit
NUT 507Applied Nutrition2
NUT 581Experiential Learning in Dietetics 22
NUT 582Experiential Learning in Dietetics 31
Total5

Spring

Course NumberCourse NameCredit
NUT 506Nutrition in the Community3
NUT 524Global Nutrition3
NUT 550Epidemiology of Nutrition and Chronic Disease3
NUT 554Nutrient Metabolism II3
NUT 583Experiential Learning in Dietetics 41
Total13

Experiential Requirements

In addition to the M.S. coursework requirements, FG students must complete a minimum of 1,100 hours of supervised practice experience in health care, food service and community facilities.

Students must complete the experiential rotations as well as M.S. degree requirements in order to receive a Commission on Dietetic Registration Verification Statement qualifying them to take the Dietetic Registration Examination, as well as to apply for licensure to practice dietetics in Rhode Island.

Experiential Rotations Semesters 2 and 3:

Professional Practice Settings:

  • Medical Nutrition Therapy (NUT 581 and NUT 582):
    • 15 weeks (600 hours – 60 hours holidays/workshops= 540 hours)
    • 8 weeks community-based facility, 6 weeks advanced MNT at Rhode Island Hospital (RIH) and 1 week nutrition support at RIH
  • Foodservice Management (NUT 581):
    • 7 weeks (280 hours – 28 hours holidays/workshops= 252 hours)
  • Community (NUT 582):
    • 7 weeks (255 hours – 28 hours holidays/workshops= 227 hours)
    • 5 weeks SNAP-Ed and EFNEP
    • 1 week Outpatient Counseling
    • 1 week Long Term Care
  • Elective (NUT 583)
    • 5 weeks (200 hours – 20 hours holidays/workshops= 180 hours)
  • Counseling and Professional Engagement (NUT 583)
    • 28 hours

Total supervised planned experiential = 1227 hours .

Additional Experiential Learning including Interprofessional Education (IPE)

  • Pediatric Health Promotion IPE (Semester 1)
  • Senior Wellness IPE (Semester 1)
  • South Kingston High School Health Fair IPE (Semester 1)
  • Special Olympics (June following Semester 2)
  • University of Rhode Island Health Fair (Semester 4))
  • Pediatric and Nutrition Support workshops (Semesters 2 and 3)
  • Rhode Island Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics annual meetings (Semesters 2 and 4)
  • Student initiated Learning Self-management (Semesters 2 and 3)

[1] Total hours may be reduced based on facility scheduling but will exceed 1100 hours.