Mount Mary’s Integrated M.S. in Nutrition & Dietetics includes the required minimum 1,050 hours of supervised experiential learning you need to be eligible to take the Registration Examination for Dietitians upon graduation. This means that you do not need to complete a separate internship experience. Documentation of a physical examination, immunizations, drug testing and a background check are required to participate in supervised experiential learning. 

Initially, your supervised experiential learning hours will be accomplished with Mount Mary faculty on-site. In your final year, your supervised experiential learning hours will be completed with a preceptor (a dietetics professional who is dedicated to working with students). Your supervised experiential learning hours will focus on: 

• Medical nutrition therapy 
• Community/consumer nutrition 
• Foodservice management 

Practicum site locations include hospitals, outpatient clinics, school districts, nursing homes, businesses, public health departments, food service companies and social service agencies. 

Mount Mary’s well-respected Dietetics programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite #2190, Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995, (800) 877-1600, ext. 5500. 

Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) now requires a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). For more information about this requirement visit CDR's -website: https://www.cdrnet.org/graduatedegree. 

In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. Learn more about state licensure requirements at this link: https://www.cdrnet.org/LicensureMap 

Our program, accredited by Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, combines the required minimum 1,050 hours of supervised experiential learning with coursework and the required ACEND competencies to prepare you to take the Registration Examination for Dietitians and become a registered dietitian. 

The Commission on Dietetic Registration, the credentialing agency for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, administers the Registration Examination for Dietitians to individuals seeking the professional distinction and credential of Registered Dietitian (RD). 

Successful completion of the Integrated M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics prepares you for the RD exam and for active membership in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. We encourage you to talk with your faculty adviser prior to taking the RD exam to ensure you are fully prepared. You will meet with your academic advisor in the dietetics department each semester to ensure that all requirements are met. 

After passing the national Registration Examination for Dietitians, if you wish to practice in Wisconsin you can become a Certified Dietitian (CD), a status required by most employers. Contact the Wisconsin Department of Safety & Professional Services for details. 

If you wish to practice outside of Wisconsin, you should investigate the certification or licensure requirements in the state where you plan to practice.  

Most states have licensed or certified dietitian status, and this status is often transferable between states. This process is entirely separate from the registered dietitian requirements of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Requirements for licensure or certification vary by state. Individuals should review their state's licensing statutes and regulations to understand the specific requirements, including supervised practice and examinations, needed to obtain a dietetics license. 

More information about state licensure and certification can be found at this link: State Licensure. 

Meagan Gibson, MS, RDN, LDN, CPT 
Department Chair/ Assistant Professor/ Dietetic Internship Director 
Phone: (414) 930-3337 
Email: maritatm@mtmary.edu 
Expertise: Foodservice management, private practice, national diabetes prevention program 

Erin Berg, MS, RDN, CSSD, CD 
Assistant Professor, Graduate Program
Office (414) 930-3345 
Email: berge@mtmary.edu   
Expertise: Sports nutrition, clinical nutrition 

Dana Scheunemann Ph.D., MS, RD, CD 
Assistant Professor, Graduate Program 
Phone: (414) 930-3658 
Email: scheuned@mtmary.edu 
Expertise: Clinical nutrition, renal disease 

Dietitians who work in clinical dietetics assess, educate and counsel individuals to help manage or prevent medical conditions. They can also manage large food service departments or provide nutrition services to the community.  

As a dietitian, you may counsel people to help them manage obesity, diabetes, heart disease, eating disorders or other conditions requiring a modified diet, manage a large foodservice operation, or provide nutrition services to the community. You could work for organizations such as food product companies, government agencies, hospitals, schools, nursing homes, private practice—and more!

According to 2024 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual median annual salary for dietitians is $73,850.