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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

August 1

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 offers a doctoral degree in clinical nutrition for those looking to pursue a career as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and for those who are currently registered dietitian nutritionists looking to advance their knowledge. 

What You'll Learn and Do

Be ready to put your degree to use.

The Egan School’s DCN program prepares graduates to become registered dietitian nutritionists who are leaders in the profession. Of graduates who seek employment, at least 90% are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within a year of graduation.

Have an impact on your community.

The program educates students with an emphasis on leadership, evidence-based practice, and research. By applying these skills to post-grad positions, 80% of graduates agree that their position contributes positively to the health outcomes of the community for which they serve.

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.

Offering both a Post-RDN track and a Post-Baccalaureate track, students with any undergraduate educational background can study in the DCN program. The program is open to students with a bachelor's degree in any area who have fulfilled the required prerequisites, students who have graduated from an ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in dietetics who have not yet completed an internship, and registered dietitians with or without a master's degree.

Find Out More

Course Requirements

Doctorate of Clinical Nutrition - Post-Baccalaureate

70 credits

Doctorate of Clinical Nutrition - Post-RDN

50 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

Post-RDN Track

The Post-RDN track is an advanced practice doctoral degree for registered dietitian nutritionists with an emphasis on leadership, evidence-based practice, and research. The deadline to apply is August 1.

The Post-RDN DCN program is a 50-credit, on-campus program that is designed for registered dietitian nutritionists who are looking to advance their clinical knowledge and leadership skills while working in an interprofessional setting.

The mission of the Post-RDN Doctorate in Clinical Nutrition (DCN) program is to provide graduates with advanced skills in clinical nutrition and leadership to prepare them for advanced careers within the healthcare field.

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

  • Successful completion of all academic courses, advanced practice residency and research project.
  • Resolution of all financial responsibilities
  • Return of all loaned items including library books, ID badge, etc.

Cost breakdown for the Post-RDN track.
Asset Cost ($)

Tuition

1,170/credit hour

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)
DCN, RDN, FAND, Director of 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.

For the Post-RDN Track, applicants must be a Registered Dietitian through the Commission on Dietetic Registration. A master’s degree is not required.

The application for both tracks is open November 1 - August 1. Applications submitted after will be considered if there are openings available.

Graduate assistantships are not 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 Healthcare System
  • The Paramount at Somers
  • Nutrigreene

  • Hartford Healthcare System
  • Watertown Public Schools
  • Fairfield University Aramark

  • Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport
  • WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children)
  • Kids in Crisis
  • SNAP-Ed Program
  • Bridgeport Rescue Mission

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

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 Hiser at jhiser@fairfield.edu and include the course number, institution, and course description in your email.

We accept 15 students into our DCN program each year.

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

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.

Post-RDN DCN FAQs

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 Advanced Practice Residency may be offered during the day at the discretion of the mentors.

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

Yes, considerations will be made on an individual basis. Courses must have been completed at an accredited institution and applicants must have received a grade of “B” or better in order to receive transfer credit.

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  • (203) 254-4000

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