“The education of nutrition professionals fits seamlessly with the Egan School’s current health offerings, and we are honored to offer the first doctoral nutrition program in the state,” said dean and professor of nursing Meredith Wallace Kazer, PhD, APRN, FAAN. “Ensuring leaders across social and healthcare environments improve health outcomes for all, inclusive of underserved or vulnerable populations, is our goal. The DCN offers an interprofessional, competency-based health education program that will truly impact those we serve.”

The DCN program will prepare graduates to become registered dietitian nutritionists with advanced level skills necessary to assess, manage, and promote health and well-being in the community, as well as design and implement nutrition programs through a cross-population perspective. Registered dietitian nutritionists provide services in a variety of settings including health care, business and industry, community/public health, education, research, government agencies, and private practice.

Upon successful program completion, graduates will be granted the required verification statement and will be eligible to sit for the national creden­tialing exam set by the Commission on Dietetics Registration and state certification licensure, if applicable.

The DCN is a, three-year, full-time or four-year, part-time program. Admission to the program is open to students who have completed a bachelor’s degree in any discipline, with required prerequisites.

The DCN is in initial phases of accreditation with the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, and the process will be completed by Summer 2020. Qualified students will be admitted upon program accreditation.

Learn more about the program at fairfield.edu/nutrition.