Master of Clinical Nutrition Coming Soon
In the field of dietetics, a bachelor’s degree in a qualifying field, an America Dietetics Association-approved internship, and the Registered Dietitian’s national exam are all that are required to obtain the coveted “RD.” However, many RD’s find themselves wanting to pursue a Master’s degree in order to have a competitive edge in the workforce. In addition, many institutions with Master’s degrees in the field count the experience from the internship towards credit for the Master’s.
With this information taken into consideration, Life University decided to begin the process of developing a Master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition. ”By exposing students to best practices in teaching, and evidence-based research in clinical nutrition, each student will gain the proficiencies necessary to achieve optimum personal performance,” director and chair of the department of nutrition Jaleh Dehpahlavan says. “The program will also create opportunities for dietetic students to obtain an advanced degree after completing the requirements for the Dietetic Internship Program, expand the Department of Nutrition and Life University program offerings and will provide another opportunity for the Department of Nutrition to expand its Dietetic Internship Program slots to 30 from 16.” With this expansion, Life will have the largest accredited program in the entire state of Georgia.
“Since this program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education, which is a peer reviewed process, it will enhance the integrity and quality of the university program offering as well.” Ms. Dehpahlavan continues.
The degree will be in Clinical Nutrition, equipping the dietitians who earn this degree to assess and assist patients with a wide array of issues. As our nation grows more and more obese, dietitians are a critical part of helping Americans understand what foods are best for them, and educating patients on the correct way to prepare foods so they are enjoyable and healthy. “Not only will it prepare graduates with the critical scientific and thinking skills needed for transformational leadership in an increasingly diverse, global, and dynamic world, it will also provide them with the values needed for career success and life fulfillment based on a vitalistic philosophy,” Ms. Dehpahlavan says.
Ultimately, this degree will enable Life University to become a leader in the world of dietetics education and will give students who are studying dietetics here an option to stay at Life for the duration of their education, provided the students meet the requirements that will be set. Truly, the future for the nutrition department at Life is bright and only growing brighter as the department grows!
