The Egan School’s Doctorate of Clinical Nutrition program is the first of its kind to be offered in the state of Connecticut, and will prepare graduates to become registered dietician nutritionists with advanced-level skills.
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.
— Meredith Wallace Kazer, PhD, APRN, FAAN
Fairfield University’s Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies has been awarded a four-year accreditation candidacy through the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) for its brand-new Doctorate in Clinical Nutrition program. Fairfield University demonstrates its continued leadership in education by being the first doctoral program in the nation under the new Future Education Model (FEM) Standards.
“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 under the future education model," 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 program will prepare graduates to become registered dietitian nutritionists with advanced leadership skills necessary to assess, manage, and promote health and well-being in the community. 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.
According to Janet Hiser, MOE, RDN, CNSC, CDN, FAND, director of the clinical nutrition program, Fairfield’s DCN comes at a pivotal time for students interested in becoming RDNs. Beginning in January 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration will require a graduate degree, in order to sit for the national credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist.
Admission to the program is open to students who have completed a bachelor’s degree in any discipline, with required prerequisites. Registered dietitians and those with a master’s degree are also encouraged to apply.
Learn more about the program at fairfield.edu/nutrition.
