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DCN

Clinical Nutrition

Format & Location

On-Campus (Fairfield, CT)

School/College

Egan School of Nursing & Health Studies
A student works on a manikin.

Start Dates

Fall (September)

Application Deadline

February 1 (Priority)

Completion

36-48 months

Schedule

Full-Time or Part-Time

Apply Now Request Information
Attend a Virtual Information Session Check for Upcoming Dates

The Doctorate in Clinical Nutrition program at Fairfield University is designed for those looking to pursue a career as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. It offers an on-campus interprofessional educational environment for full-time and part-time students with an emphasis on leadership, evidence-based practice, and research.

What You'll Learn and Do

Be ready to put your degree to use.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts demand for dietitians will increase by 7% between 2022 and 2032, while the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics predicts even higher future demand due to increasing rates of conditions that are preventable and treatable by dietitians.

Have an impact on your community.

The Doctorate in Clinical Nutrition program prepares graduates to be Registered Dietitan Nutritionists who are leaders in the profession. Graduates will possess the knowledge necessary to improve health outcomes with particular attention to the needs of underserved and vulnerable populations.

Open doors for your career.

Only 4% of registered dietitian nutritionists have doctoral degrees. In this program, students will benefit from increased credibility and recognition that will prepare them for careers in management, research, and higher education.

Enter the industry with any background.

The program offers entry for baccalaureate degree holders in any field who meet the required prerequisites and for graduates from ACEND-accredited didactic programs in dietetics (DPD). Fairfield's DCN program was the first doctoral degree program to integrate experiential learning with didactic coursework and is intended for aspiring Registered Dietitian Nutritionists.

Find Out More

Course Requirements

Doctorate of Clinical Nutrition - Post-Baccalaureate

70 credits

Contact Us

Graduate Admission
gradadmis@fairfield.edu
(203) 254-4184

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DCN Program at Fairfield

Learn more about Fairfield's highly regarded DCN program.

Accreditations

Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics

Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics

The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) granted the Future Education Model Track in the DCN program candidacy for accreditation in May 2020 under the newly released Future Education Model Standards for programs in nutrition and dietetics. These accreditation standards integrate didactic coursework with supervised experiential learning in a competency-based curriculum designed to prepare nutrition and dietetics practitioners for future practice.

Learn More About ACEND Accreditation

Future Education Model Track

Fairfield University demonstrates its leadership in education by being among the first Doctoral programs to be granted candidacy for accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) under the new Future Education Model standards. This is an on-campus, three-year full-time, or four-year part-time program.

Following the completion of the program, graduates will be eligible to take the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) credentialing examination to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.

The mission of the Doctorate in Clinical Nutrition (DCN) program is to prepare graduates to become Registered Dietitian Nutritionists who are leaders in the profession. Graduates will expand their knowledge of clinical nutrition to improve health outcomes with particular attention to the needs of underserved or vulnerable populations.

Goal #1

Graduates are competent registered dietitian nutritionists prepared for leadership roles in healthcare settings.

  • At least 80% of program students complete program requirements within 4.5 years (150% of the program length).
  • Of graduates who seek employment, at least 90 % percent are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.
  • At least 100 % percent of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.
  • The program’s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of their first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.
  • 80% of returned employer surveys rank graduates working in dietetics as “adequately prepared”.
    50% of graduates are employed in and/or hold a volunteer position in a leadership position one year after graduation.

Goal #2

Graduates improve the health outcomes of the community, especially in underserved populations.

  • 50% of graduates agree they serve an underserved, or vulnerable population
  • 80% of graduates agree that their position contributes positively to the health outcomes of the community for which they serve.

Outcome data is available upon request.

The following requirements must be met before the student is eligible to receive his/her degree from Fairfield University:

  • Verification of successful completion of all practicum and academic course requirements
  • Demonstrated competence in all ACEND required competencies and performance indicators
  • Resolution of all financial responsibilities
  • Return of all loaned items including library books, ID badge, etc.

Students must complete all course requirements within 150% of the program length. This equates to 4.5 years for the full-time track and 6 years for the part-time track.

The DCN program at Fairfield University is under the Future Education Model standards. The curriculum includes all necessary courses and experiential supervised practice required for graduates to obtain a verification statement that allows them to sit for the Registration Examination for Dietitian Nutritionist. Beginning January 1, 2024, a graduate degree will be required to sit for this exam.

RDNs are not required to be licensed in Connecticut; however, some states do require licensure/certification.

Information Regarding State Licensure

Cost breakdown for the Future Education Model track.
Asset Cost ($)

Housing

8,000

Textbooks and Supplies

800

Parking for Practicum Sites

300

Background Check

75

Drug Testing

70

Health Requirements for Practicum Sites

200

Lab Coat

35

Hospital ID Badge

25

Non-Slip Shoes

25

Student Membership to the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetic

58

Total

9,388

Learn From Industry Experts

Fairfield University’s Egan School boasts experienced faculty who inspire students to become leaders across social and healthcare environments. These students actively engage with faculty in practice, policy, scholarship, and service.

View All Faculty

Elizabeth Sack
Instructor of the Practice Clinical Nutrition
Janet Stuhrcke (Hiser)
Janet Stuhrcke (Hiser)
Director, Doctorate in Clinical Nutrition Program, Assistant Professor of the Practice, Clinical Nutrition

Admission Information

For the Future Education Model DCN Track, applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree in any area from an accredited four-year college or university and must have fulfilled the required prerequisites, or have graduated from an ACEND-accredited didactic program in dietetics and have not yet completed an internship.

Applications open October 1 and have a priority deadline of February 1. Fairfield University will notify admitted applicants no later than March 1, and they will have until March 15 to accept their offers. If openings are still available after March 15, additional applications will be accepted until July 1.

Graduate assistantships are currently available.

Admission Requirements

Tuition & Costs

Financial Aid

Commission on Dietetic Registration Scholarships

Career Outlook

Employment opportunities for registered dietitian nutritionists are on the rise in the state of Connecticut and nationally. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of dietitian nutritionists is projected to grow 11% from 2018-2028, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Professional Opportunities

Registered dietitian nutritionists may be employed in a wide variety of settings, including:

Settings

  • Private Practice
  • Hospitals
  • Government
  • Food Service
  • Healthcare Organizations
  • Corporate Nutrition Programs
  • Food and Nutrition Industry
  • Schools
  • Sports Nutrition
  • Community and Public Health Facilities

My degree from Fairfield University has allowed me to not only become a registered dietitian but has equipped me with the tools to become a leader in this career path.

- Kelsey Reader DCN'23

Kelsey Reader smiles.

Supervised Experiential Learning

Students in the DCN program will participate in a variety of supervised experiential learning experiences that focus on clinical nutrition, food service management, and community. Travel to some sites may require a travel time of up to 1 to 1.5 hours from the student’s living location. A car is required to travel to the supervised experiential learning sites.

  • Hartford Hospital
  • St. Vincent's Medical Center
  • The Paramount at Somers
  • UCONN Health
  • NY Milk Bank
  • Nutrigreene
  • Fairfield County Lifestyle Consultants

  • Watertown Public Schools
  • VA Medical Center
  • Danbury Hospital
  • Norwalk Hospital
  • Fairfield University

  • Sage Healthcare
  • Bridgeport Rescue Mission
  • Kids in Crisis

The experiences I had at Fairfield University allowed me to gain valuable insights into effective approaches to address the unique nutritional needs of diverse populations. I feel confident that graduating from this program will allow me to positively impact my patients by providing the best quality care.

- Cara Treble, DCN'23

Cara Treble smiles in front of a building.

Future Education Model DCN FAQs

All students are required to have access to a personal computer with internet access. Every currently enrolled student has been provided with an email account at no cost to the student. Email is the official method of communication for University correspondence.

These University-provided email addresses are the only officially recognized email addresses for all currently enrolled students.

No, the majority of the classes are taken on campus once a week and are offered typically Monday-Thursday from 5-7:30 p.m. The supervised experiential learning rotations may be offered during the day at the discretion of the preceptors.

Yes. Once the program is completed and all competencies have been passed, you will be eligible to sit for the RD exam through the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). Verification statements and test eligibility will be issued after the degree is conferred by Fairfield University.

The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) started Future Education Model Programs as a first step towards changing the educational pathways within the field of nutrition and dietetics. We volunteered to be one of the first programs and try out this new educational pathway. That is why it is called a Future Education Model. The wave of the future in nutrition and dietetics education is to include all training at the graduate level for eligibility to sit for the RD exam. Therefore, our program includes the didactic coursework in dietetics, supervised experiential learning (similar to the dietetic internship), and the graduate degree requirements.

No, applicants are only required to have a bachelor’s degree; it does not have to be in nutrition or dietetics. There is, however, a list of pre-requisite courses which must be completed before starting the DCN program.

If the course was a college-level course taken at an accredited university and the title of the course is similar to the titles of our pre-requisite course requirements, then it is likely the course will “count” as a pre-requisite. You must have received a grade of “C” or better in each course. If you have any concerns or questions about a specific course, contact the program director Janet Stuhrcke at jstuhrcke@fairfield.edu and include the course number, institution, and course description in your email.

We accept 10 students into our DCN program each year.

Yes, we will interview our top candidates in a short video conference.

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