Coordinated Program in Dietetics

The Nutrition Program at UC offers an ACEND® accredited graduate Coordinated Program in Dietetics, designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to practice as an entry-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).  The Coordinated Program combines graduate-level coursework with hands-on-supervised practice, with a focus on professional training in clinical nutrition.  All students who complete the Coordinated Program in Dietetics will earn a Master of Science in Nutrition with a concentration in clinical nutrition and are eligible to take the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) examination to earn the RDN credential.   In Ohio, those who obtain the RDN credential can apply to be a licensed dietitian through the Ohio Medical Board.  

There are two admission pathways into the Coordinated Program in Dietetics (click the pathway link for more information):

1. Accelerated Dietitian Nutritionist (ADN) - Students in the undergraduate Nutrition and Dietetics major at UC can apply to the ADN program in the spring of their sophomore year.  This program allows students to earn a BS and MS degree in 5 years.  

2.MS in Nutrition Science, clinical nutrition concentration (MCN) – Students with a BS degree from UC or elsewhere, who meet graduate Coordinated Program pre-requisites are eligible.  Students with a DPD verification statement from an ACEND accredited undergraduate program will have met the program pre-requisites for admission and can submit their verification with their application.   The MCN program allows students to earn an MS degree in 2 years.

Supervised practice in the Coordinated Program includes on-site, hands-on experience in community nutrition, clinical nutrition, food service management, and a specialty rotation in an area of practice matched to the students’ professional interests.   Students also complete a capstone project in quality improvement, which is a skill set being advocated by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as essential for dietitians in practice.   There is a selective admission process for the Coordinated Program with approximately 30 students admitted per class.

The graduate Coordinated Program in Dietetics is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995; 312-899-0040, extension 5400; https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend.

Helpful resources/links

For more information about the graduate Coordinated Program in Detetics including the mission, goals, student learning objectives, supervised practice experience, program completion requirements and estimated costs consult the handbook graduate Coordinated Program Handbook.

For information about the requirements and process to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), including education, computer matching information, if applicable, supervised practice, the CDR credentialing exam, state licensure/certification, states for which the program meets State requirements for licensure/certification, and how the program fits into the process visit Pathways to Becoming an RDN.

Headshot of Sarah Collins Couch

Sarah Collins Couch

Professor (F2), CAHS Rehab, Exercise & Nutrition Science

279 HSB

513-558-7504

I am a professor and registered dietitian in the Department of Rehabilitation, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Cincinnati (UC) Medical Center and have over 20 years of experience in performing observational and randomized controlled trials related to dietary approaches to manage cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in youth.  My training has included extensive work in dietary intervention development and dietary assessment at Columbia University, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and presently at UC.  I have worked on several studies developing instruments to assess the home food environment as a potential modifiable risk factor related to childhood obesity and CVD risk. For example, I participated as co-investigator on the Neighborhood Impact on Kids study (NIH R01 ES014240) to examine the relationship between the neighborhood social and physical environment on child weight status, a major risk factor for CVD.  I also recently completed a randomized clinical trial (NIH R01 HL088567-01) to examine the effects of a dietary pattern emphasizing fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and lean protein on reducing blood pressure in adolescents with pre-hypertension and hypertension.  The DASH-4-teens intervention that I developed for this trial was designed to be administered by telephone to adolescents and has been successfully implemented in a clinic-based setting.  Results from this study support the beneficial effects of this behavioral nutrition intervention on blood pressure and vascular function.  In addition to research, I teach graduate classes in macronutrient metabolism, clinical nutrition, and nutrition across the lifespan.
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