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Having the right nutritional direction is key to maintaining or regaining health. That’s why Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University trains students in its Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences program to use their skills in the healthcare and community settings.
FranU designed its Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences program to educate and form servant leaders in the field of health and wellness. The program is uniquely crafted to expand education opportunities to more students interested in the dietetics or nutrition field.
With a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) option and a thesis option, the Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences program allows students to customize the curriculum to fit their career goals and interests.
FranU’s Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences offers the first ACEND accredited Graduate Program in nutrition and dietetics in Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast. With that designation, FranU can admit students who do not have a bachelor’s degree in nutrition into the Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences program. This allows the university to offer this level of education and training to a broader population of students, ultimately adding more qualified Registered Dietitian Nutritionists to the job market.
“We need more registered dietitians to help improve the health of our communities,” says Program Director, Dr. Kathryn Fakier, RDN, LDN.
With diverse simulation suites and debriefing rooms, students will find FranU’s facilities 
provide collaborative, hands-on learning experiences. Students in the Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences program can take advantage of FranU’s state-of-the-art Simulation Environment Teaching Hospital and Nutrition Skills Lab.
FranU prepares students for work in medical nutrition therapy, a field unique to dietitians who focus on preventing and treating chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Students of FranU’s Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences program also learn to work with other healthcare professionals as part of a holistic care team. FranU’s Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences program candidates learn to work collaboratively with other students in the Physician Assistant Studies program, the Family Nurse Practitioner program and the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
“For our degree, our profession, the options are pretty broad. There are a lot of different areas where dietitians practice,” adds Fakier. “It’s not necessarily just in the clinical setting.”
FranU’s Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences program sets students up for success in
any of the four main areas of dietetics: research, clinical, food service and community health/nutrition. Graduates can pursue careers as RDNs or nutrition and dietetic practitioners in various settings, as well as careers in food research, menu development, wellness, exercise and other related health practices.
Given the breadth of work and value RDNs can add to clinical and community health, FranU faculty believes in its first-in-class program.
“We wanted to find the best way to provide all who wanted to be registered dietitians an easier pathway to become one, so we can train and produce more registered dietitians in our community,” says Fakier.
For more information, visit franu.edu/msns.
