Jess Oaks
LARAMIE – The University of Wyoming (UW) has received accreditation for a new graduate program in nutrition and dietetics, offering students the opportunity to become registered dietitian nutritionists without leaving the state.
The UW Graduate Program in Nutrition and Dietetics will be housed in the department of family and consumer sciences and will prepare students to become registered dietitian nutritionists, who can provide services ranging from medical nutrition therapy to personalized nutrition planning and food access improvement for those facing food insecurity.
“The leading causes of death in the U.S. are related to diet and nutrition,” said Jill Keith, RDN and head of the UW Family and Consumer Sciences Department. “Our Wyoming communities need these practicing nutrition professionals to help prevent and address those health outcomes.”
The new program addresses a recent change in credentialing requirements. While UW has offered an undergraduate dietetics program since 1923, the RDN credential now requires a graduate degree as of January 2024.
The accelerated program allows students to complete their bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and required supervised experiential learning hours in five years. Students will complete the 18-month master’s program as a cohort, with admissions occurring each spring semester beginning in spring 2026.
Program Director Jeff Gilis, RDN, emphasized the program’s focus on rural practice challenges.
“Our future RDNs are going to be better positioned to work right here in Wyoming communities in a variety of fields, including hospitals, health clinics, long-term care facilities, food service operations, private practice and much more,” he said.
Undergraduate students interested in the master’s program are encouraged to major in human nutrition and food, which offers a dietetics pathway to prepare students for the graduate program.
The program received accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, an autonomous accrediting agency for education programs preparing students for careers as registered dietitian nutritionists or registered dietetic technicians.
For more information about the program, contact Gilis at jgilis@uwyo.edu or visit
link