Your Guide to UND’s Online Master of Science in Nutrition
A Q&A with Dr. Anne Bodensteiner
Pursuing a graduate degree in nutrition can open doors to various and exciting career opportunities, but understanding the right path for your goals is key. Dr. Anne Bodensteiner, Clinical Associate Professor and Master of Science Nutrition Program Director for Nutrition & Dietetics at the University of North Dakota, is passionate about helping students navigate their academic and professional journeys.
In this Q&A, Dr. Bodensteiner answers some of the most common questions prospective students have about UND’s fully online Master of Science in Nutrition program.
Is an online MS in Nutrition a Route to Becoming an RDN?
As program director, this is often the number one question prospective students ask about our fully online master’s degree program and the simple answer is no.
Yet, like everything in graduate school, it is slightly more complex than that. Our department has an accredited dietetics program that leads to a master’s degree, but it is on-campus, full time, and the first 2 years are undergraduate courses, and the final year is in graduate school. This degree is known as an Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s degree and is an awesome option for anyone pursuing a new career in nutrition.
One huge benefit to the UND program is that our Coordinated Program in Dietetics includes the 1,000 hours of supervised practice required to take the national Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) exam.
Even though the online MS in Nutrition does not provide a route to the RDN, it does fulfill the educational requirements for the Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) credential. CNSs and RDNs have similar training but often work in different areas in the nutrition space. Both of these credentials require a master’s degree, 1,000 hours of supervised practice experience, and the successful completion of a national exam. CNSs often have their own nutrition practice whereas many dietitians hold positions in hospitals and long-term care facilities. Both careers have broad opportunities in nutrition leading to exciting career experiences.
One important note is to examine the laws in the state you want to practice as licensure can impact the type of work you can do in the field of nutrition. In North Dakota both RDNs and CNSs are qualified for licensure and able to practice nutrition in very similar ways.
Balancing Life while earning a Graduate Degree in Nutrition
Many students enrolled in our online Master of Science degree in Nutrition have life responsibilities and priorities outside of class and our faculty work to support students with individual needs! Our online program allows flexibility to take the number of courses that work for your life and most of our students take 1-2 courses a semester. When looking at graduate programs, I recommend students ask program directors about class attendance requirements, any on-campus requirements, faculty support, and how much time they expect a course or program requirement to take.
What are the Cost and Career Benefits of an Online Graduate Degree in Nutrition?
Most students will ask me directly about the tuition and fees for attending our program and that’s a pretty simple answer! UND has a tuition calculator that allows you to explore the costs of different programs and program formats.
But I think what people are really interested in is, if I pay for this, will I get the benefits I’m hoping for and expecting? Again, this makes the question more complex!
When I talk with prospective students, I often ask them what they are hoping to gain by attending the program and what their goals are – asking yourself this can help you align your goals with the right graduate program.
Gaining clarity what you expect can help you ask the right questions to the program director and also help you see your own career growth. Because this is such an important consideration, we ask our students after graduation if the program has helped them in their career and here are some of their responses:
- “Yes, I would not have been able to secure my current position without this degree!”
- “I feel I have more options for growth in my current job but also have the opportunity to expand into new careers.”
- “HECK YES! Even just part way though the program I found I was more prepared to answer interview questions for outpatient nutritional counseling roles. This only continues to improve throughout the program and after completing it.”
- “My education gave me the skills, confidence, and understanding to excel in the workplace and communicate effectively with clients and coworkers. I also got offered a promotion.”
- “I received an immediate and unsolicited raise as a result of receiving my degree. I also feel more confident in my work which will likely lead to further opportunities.”
- “While the MS did not open new doors for me (yet), I feel it has added value & credibility to my name & as a business owner. This is exactly why I pursued it initially. I feel that it may open doors & opportunities that would not otherwise be possible.”
How can I pursue an online graduate degree in nutrition?
One thing I love about our program is that we welcome students from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. With that being said, all of our students need to come into the program with some undergraduate pre-requisite courses in nutritional biochemistry and human physiology.
Our advanced graduate courses require these as a foundation to build additional learning, and without the background courses, students struggle and do not get the same benefit from the advanced courses.
UND offers a variety of ways to take undergraduate courses as a non-degree-seeking student so you can complete courses that will enhance your application without getting an additional undergraduate degree, many of which you can take online.
For students with a limited science background, I recommend the following undergraduate courses:
- N&D 240 – Fundamentals of Nutrition
- CHEM 115 – Introductory Chemistry
- CHEM 116 – Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry
- BIMD 220 – Human Anatomy and Physiology I *
- BIMD 221 -Human Anatomy and Physiology II*
- N&D 441 – Nutritional Biochemistry*
*Minimal program requirement
Have Questions?
Feel free to reach out to learn more!
Anne Bodensteiner, Ph.D. RDN LRD NBC-HWC at anne.bodensteiner@und.edu
