Nutrition Degree Options : School for Health Studies : Simmons College

Simmons offers a Master of Science in Nutrition and Health Promotion and an online Certificate in Sports Nutrition program. Our Dietetic Internship Program is distinguished for providing exceptional preparation to take the national examination to become a registered dietitian. Students who enter our programs from other disciplines may apply to our Didactic program in Dietetics Certificate which fufills the American Dietetic Association's didactic requirements for becoming registered dietitians. Nutritionists and dietitians who have practiced professionally within the past three years and hold a Master's Degree may also consider the Certificate in Advanced Graduate Study (C.A.G.S.) Health Professions Education.

Master of Science in Nutrition and Health Promotion

The Master of Science in Nutrition and Health Promotion is a versatile degree that emphasizes community nutrition. Students are prepared for a wide range of careers as health educators, researchers, personal trainers, public health planners, and more. The program can be completed in one academic year, including the summer session, or two to four years of part-time study (for U.S. students only). Classes are offered in the evening, and some courses are available on weekends or online.
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Certificate in Sports Nutrition

The Certificate in Sports Nutrition prepares students for the American College of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer Exam. This flexible online program may be completed in one to two years — at your convenience from home or office. A combination of nutrition and exercise knowledge allows students to build competence in the area of personal training and fitness. The curriculum includes four classes, two of which are required courses in our master's program (another course in the Certificate in Sports Nutrition curriculum can be used as an elective toward the master's degree): Sports Psychology; Nutrition, Fitness, & Wellness; Exercise Assessment & Prescription; and Sports Nutrition Practice.
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Certificate in Didactic Program in Dietetics (D.P.D.)

The D.P.D Certificate fulfills one of the requirements to become a Registered Dietitian (R.D.). The American Dietetic Association (ADA) requires the successful completion of a series of specific didactic courses. The D.P.D. Certificate will prepare graduates to become competent entry level professionals, as well as successful students in a graduate nutrition program or accredited supervised practice program (dietetic internship). The certificate, along with a verification statement from Simmons College, will confirm the successful completion of the first step in the credentialing process for dietetics practitioners.

Students must pass the D.P.D. courses at Simmons to be eligible for a verification statement. In addition to a minimum of a Bachelor's degree, and the didactic courses, an accredited supervised practice program (dietetic internship) must be completed to ensure eligibility to take the R.D. exam. The courses in this certificate are coded as graduate courses but they are actually undergraduate in content. The application for the dietetic internship (D.I.P.) is a separate process through the ADA and completion of the D.P.D. Certificate does not guarantee acceptance to a D.I.P.

Students must formally apply to this program by submitting the Nutrition application. Carefully review the application since some items required for other nutrition program options are not required for the D.P.D. application. GRE is not required. Although courses are undergraduate,the educational credential awarded is a graduate certificate,thus, tuition and fees are based on the current School for Health Studies rates.
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Dietetic Internship Program

The Dietetic Internship Program fulfills the internship requirement to become a registered dietitian. The program also provides preparation for the registered dietitian exam. Simmons students have been highly successful passing at the first attempt. This full-time program takes approximately 30 weeks to complete, including fieldwork and a nutrition practice course. Internship rotations emphasize community-based health care settings. A distance-learning option allows students from regions beyond Boston to arrange local internship rotations and commute to Simmons once a week for class. Students in the Dietetic Internship Program may also apply in the nutrition and health promotion master's degree or sports nutrition program simultaneously.
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