Master of Business Administration with Coordinated Program in Dietetics
As the first program of its kind in the United States, our accredited MBA/RD program at Dominican provides a distinctive opportunity. If you’ve completed undergraduate coursework in nutrition, this program can prepare you to become a Registered Dietitian/Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD/RDN) by combining your education and training in nutrition and dietetics with a robust, distinctive, and valuable skill set. You’ll graduate from our MBA/RD degree program ready to take on leadership roles in dietetics, food industry, healthcare, and other nutrition-related industries.
Join us on our River Forest campus, located in close proximity to Chicago, and enjoy the benefits of studying in a top dietetics program that’s designed with convenience in mind.
- Get personal attention in small classes of about 15 students
- Graduate from a respected ACEND- and AACSB-accredited program (AACSB accreditation is achieved by only 5% of business schools worldwide)
- Note: This program does not require participation in the DICAS/D&D match and early acceptance is offered
Prepare to advance your career in a high-demand market. Learn more about how you become a Registered Dietitian/Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD/RDN). Request Information Today
What You’ll Learn
Graduates of this program are eligible to sit for the Registration Examination for Dietitians by the Commission on Dietetic Registration. In addition, all graduates develop the business skills needed for long-term career success. In this MBA/RD program, you’ll gain hands-on experience in key areas of dietetics while developing foundations in critical business disciplines like management, accounting, business law, financial management, marketing and operations.
Dominican’s Coordinated Program in Dietetics (MBA/RD) Degree at a Glance
- 48 credits
- Includes minimum of 1,000 hours of supervised practice experience
- The Coordinated Program in Dietetics curriculum is offered during the day; the MBA curriculum is offered in th evening with both online and in person/on campus courses.
- Required nutrition and dietetics courses as well as supervised practice-related classes and meetings are held both in person on our River Forest, Illinois campus and online.
- Supervised practice rotation courses provide a blend of supervised practice experiences, relevant skills training workshops, and other resource sessions and modules to support interns in successfully demonstrating required skills and competencies. Rotations are offered in a variety of practice settings in the Chicago area and provide experiences in community, food service management, outpatient, inpatient, and specialty nutrition.
Expand your career options and your earning potential with MBA/RD
Double your leadership opportunities, double your impact in just 21 months.
- Students will complete 30 credit hours of online and evening classes for the MBA degree and 18 credit hours of supervised practice rotation courses as part of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) requirements to achieve eligibility to sit for the Registration Exam for Dietitians.
- Students must successfully complete all MBA degree requirements and all supervised practice program requirements prior to receiving the ACEND Verification Statement of completed requirements.
- The MBA is offered by the Brennan School of Business, a top-ranked program with AACSB accreditation earned by the top 5% of business schools worldwide.
Focus Your Business Courses with Market-Trending Electives
Along with taking foundational MBA courses, you’ll be able to customize your business and nutrition degree experience toward a specific field that fits your career goals. Electives are not required as a part of your MBA degree, though you have the option to earn a certificate, on top of your degree, in a particular discipline by taking at least two electives in the following market-trending areas: accounting, data analytics, finance, leadership, health care administration, international business administration and marketing. Looking to earn a stand-alone MBA? Learn about our MBA program
Gain Hands-On RD Skills Through Supervised Practice Experiences
Our Coordinated Program in Dietetics includes a minimum of 1,000 hours of field experience in community, outpatient, inpatient, food service management, and specialty nutrition practice settings, giving you a breadth of experiences to launch your career as a Registered Dietitian/Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD/RDN). Highlights include:
- Supervised practice rotations 3–4 days a week that provide on-site training and mentoring with experienced preceptors both one-on-one and as a group (one DU preceptor to 2–3 interns)
- Program-specific advising
- A two-day RD Exam Review Workshop
- Use of RD exam software throughout the program
- Our own RD Boot Camp led by experienced Registered Dietitians
- Both group and individual tutoring and career counseling
All supervised practice rotations and relevant experiences are arranged by Dominican University Coordinated and ISPP Programs staff and are located within a 50-mile radius of our River Forest campus. Classes designed to support supervised practice with relevant skills workshops and resource sessions are held both at our River Forest campus and online. Upon satisfactory completion of all program requirements, graduates will be eligible to sit for the Registration Examination for Dietitians by the Commission on Dietetic Registration. For more information about our program, please review our Coordinated and Local ISPP Programs Handbook (pdf opens in a new window).
What to Expect as You Earn Your MBA/RD Degree
The Dominican University experience is one that embraces unique viewpoints, values hands-on learning and fosters collaborative relationships—among faculty, students and the communities that we hope to influence through our values-centered degree programs. When completing your MBA/RD degree, you’ll get the benefit of modern learning designed for working professionals as well as a relationship-focused atmosphere that will help you become a stronger leader in your field.
Top-Ranked MBA Courses in our Brennan School of Business
Dominican’s Brennan School of Business is recognized for providing high-value, rigorous, relevant business education in a supportive, small-classroom setting. We welcome you to email Dave Aron, professor of management, marketing and international business, to learn more about the MBA degree and certificate programs at Brennan. See what sets us apart
Values-Centered Curriculum in our Borra College of Health Sciences
The Department of Nutrition Sciences, housed within the Borra College of Health Sciences, combines the psychological, biological and social aspects of nutrition to create a well-rounded picture of this field. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email Patricia Knisley, Director of Coordinated and ISPP Programs in Dietetics, to learn more about this unique program. See what sets us apart
Financing Your MBA/RD Degree
Along with opportunities for financial aid through loans and grants, the Brennan School of Business offers a variety of departmental scholarships for outstanding academic achievement and graduate assistantships for those who wish to work with faculty while pursuing their degree. Contact our Office of Financial Aid to learn more.
We can be reached at (708) 524-6809 or by email at finaid@dom.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What can I do with a degree in business and coordinated program in dietetics?
Leadership roles in fields related to health and wellness are in high demand. An MBA/RD degree can open doors to a wide range of those opportunities in marketing and public relations, food industry, disease prevention, government programs, community education and more. This unique program equips you with the skills you need to not only promote health and wellness, but also develop and direct new programs—making it possible to create innovative job roles and career outcomes in the areas that interest you.
What are the requirements and process to become a Registered Dietitian/Registered Dietitian Nutritionist?
In order to become a Registered Dietitian/Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD/RDN) the following criteria must be met:
If you have a nutrition-related bachelor's degree
- Complete a bachelor’s degree at a university or college accredited by ACEND (Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics) and receive a verification statement of completed requirements. Beginning January 1, 2024, a graduate degree will be required to take the Registration Examination for Dietitians.
- Complete an ACEND-accredited dietetic coordinated program, internship, or Individualized Supervised Practice Pathway (ISSP) program.
- Pass the Registration Examination for Dietitians by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
- Secure licensure or certification in your practicing state(s) as applicable. The state of Illinois requires all Registered Dietitian Nutritionists to be licensed.
- Maintain professional continuing education requirements.
If you do not have a nutrition-related bachelor's degree
- For applicants who wish to pursue the MBA/RD program and do not have a nutrition-related bachelor’s degree, it is required that they enroll first in the Certificate in Nutrition and Dietetics Program.
- Applicants who have graduated with a nutrition-related bachelor’s degree, but have not earned a DPD verification statement, will need their transcripts evaluated to see if any further courses are required.
For additional information on program test completion, pass rates, and progress on program goal outcomes, see Dominican University’s consumer information.
How do I apply?
Applying to the MBA/RD program at Dominican is simple. You can complete your application online, GMAT and GRE exam score not required. Learn more about the full application requirements or if you’re ready, you can apply now online.
Accreditation Information
Our Dominican University MBA/RD degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), an agency of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (“the Academy”). Upon satisfactory completion of all MBA with a Coordinated Program in Dietetics requirements, graduates will be eligible to sit for the Registration Examination for Dietitians by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). Information about accreditation status can be obtained from:
Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
1 (800) 877-1600 ext 5400
https://eatright.org/acend | Contact via email