Join the next class of future RDNs
One class of 14 students is enrolled in August each year. Applicants must apply through Dietetic Inclusive Centralized Application System (DICAS). All application materials, including three recommendations and college transcripts, must be completed and received between August 5, 2026 to February 1, 2027 for the Master of Clinical Nutrition graduate students who will begin the program in the fall semester of 2027.
The University of Iowa MCN program offers admission on a rolling basis. Completed applications are reviewed as they are received, and those applicants considered most competitive, will be invited for a personal interview. Interviews will be conducted from September 2026 through February 2027. Candidates who meet admission selection criteria will be offered admission, traditionally, within two weeks of an interview. Final applicant notification of admission status will occur on March 1, 2027 and applicant decision is required by March 10, 2027.
Admissions requirements
- Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States and completion of prerequisite courses required for admission
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
- The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test is recommended but not required.
- Health Care or Food Service work experience in the field.
- The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required of all applicants for whom English is not their native language. Official scores from ETS for the TOEFL must be received in order for your application to be reviewed. Only the IBT (internet Based Test) form of the TOEFL will be accepted. A total score of 93 and a speaking score of 26 is required for entry into our program.
- Meet recency of education requirements
- No credit is awarded for prior learning experiences, such as course work, supervised experiential learning, or direct assessment
Prerequisites
Prospective students must either have completed a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) or meet the course requirements listed below:
Biological Sciences Required Courses
- At least one semester of biology (animal or human) or general zoology
- An animal, exercise, or physiology course
- An animal or human anatomy course
- At least two additional courses in advanced biology or advanced physiology
Examples of Other Upper-Level Courses
- Cell biology
- Genetics
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Molecular biology
- Pharmacology
- Embryology
- Endocrinology
- Histology
- Advanced physiology
Chemical Sciences Required Courses
- At least one semester of inorganic chemistry
- At least one semester of organic chemistry
- An introductory or general biochemistry course
Statistical Sciences Required Courses
- A general statistics or biostatistics course
Professional Required Courses
At least one nutrition course such as:
- Introductory nutrition
- Lifespan nutrition
- Advanced nutrition
- Medical nutrition therapy
Recency of education requirements
Additional courses in nutrition and the sciences are required to update a degree which was completed five or more years prior to the current application deadline.
Number of required credits
Five to 10 years since you completed your degree
- Three semester hours of medical nutrition therapy or clinical nutrition
More than 10 years since you completed your degree
- Three semester hours of medical nutrition therapy of clinical nutrition
- Three semester hours of physiology
- Three semester hours of biochemistry