The Doctorate in Clinical Nutrition (DCN) program is designed for students with a registered dietitian credential (RDN), with current professional licensure when required by their state, a Master's degree, and currently working in the field of nutrition and dietetics. This advanced degree will broaden the knowledge base and enhance critical thinking skills to keep pace with the medical complexity of today's clinical nutrition practice. Students will expand their interprofessional experiences, communication skills, medical nutrition therapy skills, management and leadership skills, and research. The program is offered by the KU Department of Dietetics.
Graduates will be prepared for leadership roles in clinical nutrition or higher education settings through cutting-edge coursework and completion of outcomes-based research projects. Educators, employers and practitioners recognize the competitive advantage that an advanced degree offers to elevate graduates as experts in the field.
Evidence-based practice requires outcomes research to determine best practices. Advanced-level practitioners need strong research skills to develop and direct appropriate and valuable research projects. Program faculty conduct human nutrition research and are well-equipped to mentor students through the research process.
The program is offered fully online, with one orientation and experiential learning campus visit required. The program faculty are located at the KU Medical Center campus of the University of Kansas, which along with The University of Kansas Health System forms the region's top academic health center. The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and training institution serving as a center for learning, scholarship, and creative endeavor.
The mission of the Doctorate of Clinical Nutrition is to serve the citizens of Kansas, the region, and the nation by producing advanced-level nutrition and dietetic practitioners, transformational leaders and researchers.
Academic Goals of Program
- To graduate students with mastery of applied medical nutrition science for advanced-level practice.
- To produce graduates who apply existing knowledge and research to clinical settings, evaluate and disseminate findings to advance clinical practice.
- To produce graduates with mastery of interprofessional collaboration, critical thinking, communication, management and leadership skills.
Application for admission to the DCN program will be made through the Department of Dietetics and Nutrition. Application deadlines are February 1 for fall semester entry and September 1 for spring semester entry. Applicants meeting criteria will undergo a standardized screening interview by DN faculty before acceptance. The following materials are required for admission:
1. Be an RDN with current professional licensure when required by their state.
2. A Master’s degree
3. Currently working in the field of nutrition and dietetics (may be part time)
4. Completed graduate application form (including letter of intent with professional goals)
5. Official transcripts from all colleges and/or universities attended with final degrees posted.
6. Three letters of recommendation from supervisors, faculty or advisors in the field within in the last five years. All recommendation letters must be on a professional letterhead.
7. International students must reside in a country that has reciprocity with Commission on Dietetic Registration. Official TOEFL exam scores for international applicants sent directly to KU Medical Center (Institution code 6875). Minimum English proficiency requirements are set by KU Medical Center Office of Graduate Studies and are posted online at https://www.kumc.edu/academic-and-student-affairs/departments/office-of-international-programs/inbound-programs/information-for-students/academic-english-requirements.html
8. Minimum GPA requirements for admission to KU as a graduate student: An undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better is required for regular admission status. Previous graduate coursework must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better for admission.
Degree requirements:
The DCN program would require a total of 48 credit hours. The 39 credits of coursework are offered entirely online. The Advanced Clinical Nutrition Residency and Applied Research Project (see details below) would be completed within a professional workplace with the guidance of their DCN advisor. These courses were specifically selected to enhance communication, collaboration and leadership skills, in addition to research skills and clinical nutrition skills.
- Degree requirements must be completed within a maximum of 8 years.
- Cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 for all KU graduate coursework
- Successful completion of the following courses:
Communication, Collaboration and Leadership Core
- DN 920: Nutrition Communication for Advanced Practice, 3 credits.
- DN 910: Leadership Essentials in Clinical Nutrition, 3 credits.
- DN 950: Interprofessional Collaboration, 2 credits.
- DCLS 880: Principles of Interprofessional Education and Practice Theory, 1 credit
Research Core
- DN 930: Evidence Analysis in Clinical Nutrition, 3 credits.
- DN 932: Ethics in Clinical Nutrition Research, 1 credit.
- DN 934: Advanced Methods of Research in Clinical Nutrition, 3 credits.
- DN 941: Applied Nutrition Epidemiology, 3 credits.
- IPHI 850: Introduction to Health Informatics, 2 credits.
Clinical Nutrition Core
- DN 915: Advanced Nutritional Assessment, 3 credits.
- DN 970: Pharmacology in Clinical Nutrition, 3 credits.
- DN 971: Advanced Nutrition Counseling, 3 credits.
- DN 972: Frontiers in Medical Nutrition Therapy, 3 credits
- DN 980: Nutrigenomics & Nutrigenetics in Health and Disease, 3 credits.
- One elective (see list, below), 3 credits.
DN 991: Applied Research Project, 6 credits
DN 992: Advanced Clinical Nutrition Residency, 3 credits (360 hours at workplace)
Select 1 elective class from the following as part of Clinical Nutrition Core Requirements
DN 829 Nutrition in Aging 3 hrs
DN 837 Nutrition in Diabetes 3 hrs
DN 839 Clinical Aspects of Nutrition Support 3 hrs
DN 842 U.S. Public Health Nutrition 3 hrs
DN 865 Nutrition in Sports & Exercise 3 hrs
DN 875 Pediatric Clinical Nutrition 3 hrs
DN 876 Interventions for Prevention & Management of Obesity 3 hrs
DN 880 Dietary and Herbal Supplements 3 hrs
DN 881 Intro to Dietetics and Integrative Medicine 3 hrs
DN 882 Nutrition Approach to Inflammation Immune Regulation 3 hrs
DN 884 Diet, Physical Activity and Cancer 3 hrs
DN 885 Nutritional Biochemistry 3 hrs
DN 895 Advanced Macronutrients and Integrated Metabolism 3 hrs
DN 896 Advanced Micronutrients and Integrated Metabolism 3 hrs
- Advanced Clinical Nutrition Residency (3 hrs): The residency experience is designed to span 360 hours and will be completed within a professional workplace setting. Students will identify an area of practice through which they will provide leadership to develop a research-based clinical initiative or program. Upon completion, the students will provide their clinical team with the program or clinical initiative, along with program evaluation methods.
- Applied Research Project (3 hrs): A planned and approved research project which is advisor-guided, student-directed, and designed to enhance the student’s ability to apply graduate knowledge to achieve tangible and relevant outcomes will be completed. All aspects of this translational research project will be included (i.e., planning, data collection, analysis and interpretation of results, preparation, and oral presentation of the project). The goal is a manuscript suitable for publication. Collaborative interprofessional patient care projects are strongly encouraged.
- DCN students actively working on their research project must maintain active enrollment each semester while in the research phase by enrolling in a suitable and repeatable course (DN 990). The final oral defense of the research project will be scheduled after the final draft of the manuscript has been accepted by the student’s graduate committee. The oral examination is a defense of the manuscript and can include questions about knowledge of clinical nutrition concepts and applications.
Reasonable accommodation will be considered and may be made to qualified students who disclose a disability, so long as such accommodation does not significantly alter the essential requirements of the curriculum and the training program, or significantly affect the safety of patient care. Students who disclose that they have a disability are considered for the program if they are otherwise qualified. Qualified students with a disability who wish to request accommodations should provide appropriate documentation of disability and submit a request for accommodation to:
The Office for Academic Accommodations
Cyn Ukoko, Senior Coordinator of Academic Accommodations
913-945-7035 or 711 TTY
cukoko@kumc.edu
1040 Dykes Library
The Department of Dietetics & Nutrition and the University of Kansas Medical Center have a commitment to nondiscrimination, access and reasonable accommodation of students with disabilities. Therefore, all students admitted to the MS Degree in Dietetics & Nutrition must be able to meet the following requirements and expectations with or without an accommodation. The MS degree prepares students to practice dietetics and nutrition and to interpret and participate in research in nutrition within academic and healthcare organizations. Graduates need knowledge and skills to function in diverse practice and research settings. All students who are admitted into the MS degree program in Dietetics & Nutrition are able to do the following:
Observe: Students must be able to observe lectures, demonstrations, research, and practice situations in the practice and research of health sciences. Observation is necessary to perform competent health assessments and interventions. Students must be able to observe, learn from, and analyze medical record content, including discernment and use of clinical and administrative data displayed within the medical record. Students must be able to observe, learn from, and analyze statistical, financial, and reimbursement data, including utilizing spreadsheets, software, databases, and performing mathematical calculations.
Communicate: Students must have the ability to use multiple communication techniques (oral, written, nonverbal) to enable communication with clients, teachers, health providers, and faculty. Students must be able to report to members of the team, express accurate information to clients, and teach, explain, direct, and counsel people. Students who are hearing impaired may give and receive information through sign language or CART services.
Ethical Standards: Students must demonstrate professional attitudes and behaviors and must perform in an ethical manner in dealing with others. Personal integrity is required and the adherence to standards that reflect the values and functions of the profession of Dietetics. Students are required to abide by the professional code of ethics for Dietetics and student honor codes.
Psychomotor: Students must have sufficient motor capacities and motilities to execute various tasks and physical maneuvers such as: Use an electronic keyboard to generate, calculate, record, evaluate, and transmit information; prepare assignments, both written and on-line; deliver public presentations to large and small audiences; collect specimens and perform basic tests and physical assessments on individuals, e.g., finger sticks for blood glucose testing, using glucometers, skin fold thickness, blood pressure, and placing feeding tubes; working in institutional and food demonstration kitchens to prepare foods and direct employees involved in food services; and conducting patient visits individually and with health care team members to provide nutrition care. Graduate students must be able to travel to sites involved in residency.
Intellectual and Cognitive Abilities: Students must be able to measure, calculate reason, analyze, synthesize, integrate, and remember to apply information. Creative problem solving and clinical reasoning requires all of these intellectual abilities. Student must be able to participate in patient-oriented research activities.
Professional and Social Attributes: Students must exercise good judgment and promptly complete all responsibilities required of the program. They must develop mature, sensitive, and effective professional relationships with others. They must be able to critically evaluate one’s own performance, accept constructive criticism, and look for ways to improve. They must able to tolerate taxing workloads and function effectively under stress. They must be able to recognize potentially hazardous materials, equipment, and situations and proceed safely in order to minimize risk of injury to self and nearby individuals. They must be able to adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and function in the face of uncertainties and ambiguities. Concern for others, interpersonal competence, and motivation are requisites for the program.
