Pre-Dietetics
St. Catherine University offers a limited number of undergraduate students a dual-degree program leading to the Master of Science in Nutrition & Dietetics. This program is available only to students in the “Applied Science in Nutrition Science (pre-MSDT) major and contingent on students meeting the MSDT admission requirements.
If students wish to apply to other MSDT programs, beyond St. Kate’s, they should not complete the dual degree program. Instead, students should complete a Bachelor’s Degree in a standard major and complete the necessary MSDT prerequisite courses for the school of their interest. Students should contact the schools of interest to learn about their specific admission requirements.
Qualifying students will complete their undergraduate major in three years. In their fourth year, while still enrolled as undergraduates, students will begin taking MSDT courses to earn their Bachelor's degree. In their fifth year, students will complete the MSDT program while enrolled as graduate students.
Please see the next tab for more information about the application process and the program's curriculum.
Dual Degree (3+2) Applicants
To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the following academic requirements:
- Junior status at St. Catherine University in the College for Women
- Declared major in Applied Science in Nutrition & Dietetics (pre-MSDT)
- Grade expectations:
- An undergraduate cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
- If GPA is below 3.0, students can submit an explanatory statement along with their application (more details below)
- A prerequisite GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
- The prerequisites will appear differently on a student's degree evaluation (in major courses or major supporting requirements). Please see the list of prerequisites underneath the curriculum section.
- Grade of C or higher (Pass/Fail or S/U grading is not acceptable) in all prerequisite courses
- Only one prerequisite grade in the most recent course is calculated in the prerequisite GPA
- Strongly recommended that pre-requisite courses be completed within five years of starting the dual degree program
- Must have completed five out of the eight pre-requisite courses at the time of application. Including FSNU 2300 Nutrition Foundations. All pre-requisite courses must be completed before enrollment in the MSDT program.
- AP Scores accepted for General Psychology & Statistics only. Applicants must submit College Board scores directly to St. Kate's.
- In-person format courses preferred. Online acceptance from a regionally accredited institution. Admissions will not accept credits from Straighterline/Study.com/SOPHIA
- An undergraduate cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the following application requirements:
- Submission of admissions application.
- The final deadline for applications is October 1st of the student's junior year
- Admissions decisions will be sent out by the end of December that same year
- If students are accepted, they will begin their first year of graduate classes (the dual degree year) the following fall, during their senior year.
- For example, if a student applies by October 1st, 2026, they will start the program in Fall 2027 and take a year's worth of graduate classes, provided they are accepted.
- No GRE Required
- Volunteer Experience - 125 hours of volunteer or experience in a relevant setting
- Example: hospital diet technician, nutrition assistant, hospital kitchen staff, restaurant kitchen, or wait staff, etc.)
- Admission Essay
- The admission essay should be approximately 800 words in length. The admission committee considers both the quality of content and written communication skills. The admission essay should address the following:
- What drew you to the field of nutrition and dietetics? Please describe some formative experiences that were involved in your draw to the field.
- What personal skills and attributes have you identified that will likely serve you well in this program and profession?
- Beyond academic knowledge, what do you hope to gain from this program, such as professional connections, research opportunities, or practical skills?
- How do you envision using your graduate degree in nutrition and dietetics to make a positive impact in your community or the world at large?
- In addition to the 800-word essay, please share the following information about your paid and/or volunteer work experience that is relevant to the field of nutrition and dietetics:
- name(s) of organization(s)
- duration of experience(s) (span of dates, for example)
- The roles and responsibilities that you had in the experience(s)
- How will the experience(s) serve you in this program and in your career in nutrition and dietetics
- The admission essay should be approximately 800 words in length. The admission committee considers both the quality of content and written communication skills. The admission essay should address the following:
- All applicants with a cumulative GPA below 3.0 must also include an explanatory statement.
- Please include an explanation of factors that affected previous academic performance, as well as your plan to ensure academic success in a graduate program.
- This statement should be limited to 400 words and is in addition to the personal statement described above.
- Transcripts
- The Office of Graduate Admission will access a current copy of the applicant's St. Catherine transcript via the Registrar Office; students do not need to order their St. Catherine University transcript to be sent to St. Catherine University
- Please submit any other transcripts that are not currently on file with the university; if students are unsure if a transcript is on file, they may contact their admissions counselor for clarification
- All transcripts must be up to date and include your name, name of the institution, and all courses taken with grades and degrees received (if applicable)
- Electronic transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing college or university to St. Kate's (at graduateadmission@stkate.edu) to be considered official
- Paper transcripts must be mailed in a sealed envelope directly from the registrar of each institution to the Office of Graduate Admission at St. Catherine University (address below)
Once you’ve submitted your online application form, you will have access to your Application Status page to upload any supporting documents (instructions for accessing the status page are emailed at the time you applied). If you are unable to upload electronic documents to your Application Status page, you may send items as an attachment via email to graduateadmission@stkate.edu. Paper documents may be mailed to:
St. Catherine University
Graduate Admission #4027
2004 Randolph Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105
It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that their application is completed by the deadline. The Admission Committee will not review your application until we have received all required documents. Fulfillment of the admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. No credentials will be returned to the applicant.
Before starting the MSDT program, students must complete 95 credits and ALL of the following: MSDT prerequisite courses, liberal arts core requirements, elective courses (if needed), and Major courses in Nutrition Science. Please see the curriculum below.
Students who are admitted into the MSDT program will take graduate level coursework in their senior year, which will count towards their undergraduate and graduate program requirements.
Students will be awarded their Bachelor's Degree at the end of their senior year after completing their year of graduate classes, provided they have earned at least 120 credits.
Students are encouraged to work with Academic Advising and the Financial Aid Office when planning for their senior year to ensure their eligibility for financial aid.
After completing their Bacehlor's degree, students will complete any remaining graduate level courses to earn their Master of Science in Nutrition & Dietetics.
See the end of this section for the list of courses taken in the fifth year.
**Students not admitted to the graduate program or who choose not to complete a dual degree program will instead complete a B.S. in Nutrition Science.**
Courses Required for Admission to MSDT Program:
| Area | Requirement | Semester Credits | SCU Courses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | Human Anatomy w/Lab | 3-4 | BIOL 2610, BIOL 2400 |
| Biology | Human Physiology w/Lab | 3-4 | BIOL 2620, BIOL 2410 |
| Biology | Microbiology | 3-4 | BIOL 2200 |
| Chemistry | General Chemistry I w/Lab | 3-4 | CHEM 1110 |
| Chemistry | General Chemistry II w/Lab | 3-4 | CHEM 1120 |
| Mathematics | Statistics | 3-4 | STAT 1090, PSYC 1090, ECON 1090, HLTH 1090 |
| Nutrition | Foundational Course in Nutrtion | 3-4 | FSNU 2300 |
| Psychology | General Psychology | 3-4 | PSYC 1000, 1001 |
Applied Science in Nutrition & Dietetics
This dual-degree major is only availble in the College for Women.
Students who do not gain entry into the MSDT program after their junior year complete the remaining course requirements for the B.S. in Nutrition Science.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite Courses | ||
| CHEM 1110 | General Chemistry I with Lab | 4 |
| CHEM 1120 | General Chemistry II with Lab | 4 |
| BIOL 2200 | Introduction to Microbiology with Lab | 4 |
| BIOL 2610 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab | 4 |
| BIOL 2620 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab | 4 |
| PSYC 1000 | General Psychology | 4 |
| or PSYC 1001 | General Psychology with Lab | |
| STAT 1090 | Statistical Analysis | 4 |
| or PSYC 1090 | Statistical Methods in Psychology | |
| or HLTH 1090 | Biostatistics | |
| or ECON 1090 | Statistical Analysis for Decision Making | |
| Nutrition Science Courses | ||
| FSNU 2300 | Nutrition Foundations 1 | 4 |
| FSNU 2400 | Food is Medicine | 2 |
| FSNU 3400 | Sports Nutrition | 4 |
| Supporting Courses | ||
| PSYC 4450 | Psychology of Eating with Lab 2 | 4 |
| or EXSS 3200 | Health Behavior Psychology | |
| IPE 1030 | Healthcare Teams Foundations and Medical Terminology | 2 |
| PHIL 3400 | Biomedical Ethics | 4 |
| PSYC 2025 | Lifespan Developmental Psychology | 4 |
| Total Credits | 52 | |
- 1
Also meets prerequisite requirement for MSDT program
- 2
Check prerequisites before planning a program of study
Graduate Courses taken during senior year:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| FSNU 4300W | Advanced Nutrition 1 | 4 |
| NUTR 5100 | Nutrition Education and Counseling | 3 |
| NUTR 5300 | Professionalism in Dietetics | 3 |
| NUTR 5400 | Lifecycle Nutrition: Pediatrics | 3 |
| NUTR 5450 | Lifecycle Nutrition: Adulthood | 3 |
| NUTR 5500 | Medical Nutrition Therapy I | 3 |
| NUTR 5200 | Community Nutrition I | 3 |
| NUTR 5600 | Foodservice and Nutrition Management | 3 |
| Total Credits | 25 | |
- 1
Takes the place of NUTR 5700 for dual-degree students only.
gRADUATE cOURSES TAKEN AFTER COMPLETION OF BACHELOR'S DEGREE
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NUTR 6200 | Community Nutrition II | 3 |
| NUTR 6270 | Current Issues in Nutrition | 3 |
| NUTR 6300 | Food Science | 3 |
| NUTR 6400 | Culinary and Experimental Food and Nutrition | 3 |
| NUTR 6500 | Medical Nutrition Therapy II | 3 |
| NUTR 6600 | Foodservice Operations and Production | 3 |
| NUTR 6700 | Applied Research in Nutrition and Dietetics | 3 |
| NUTR 6800 | Dietetics Practicums | 3 |
| Total Credits | 24 | |