Clinical Nutrition Capstone
Work online to earn your capstone certificate in Clinical Nutrition at UW–Madison, so that you can provide outstanding patient care. Develop the expertise and skills to advance your career or obtain a competitive dietetic internship.
Is this program right for you?
The UW–Madison online certificate in Clinical Nutrition provides you with graduate-level education in the topics most valued by employers. We offer advanced training in areas such as critical care, nutrition support, complex nutritional assessment, advanced nutrition counseling, advanced pediatrics, and clinical nutrition research—so you can thrive in today’s complex clinical environment.
Whether you are a new graduate or an experienced professional, you want to provide the best nutritional support and counseling for the people in your care. You also want to stay ahead of the educational curve; starting in 2024, a graduate degree will be required to obtain the registered dietitian credential.
Our 9-credit clinical nutrition certificate is offered completely online, so you can enhance your education no matter where you live. You can earn your certificate while you maintain your current job. Because they are taught at the graduate level, classes may be transferred to applicable graduate degree programs, including the master’s degree in clinical nutrition at UW–Madison.
You will work directly with the same faculty who teach clinical nutrition on the UW–Madison campus. Our instructors have many years of clinical nutrition teaching experience and are registered dietitians with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Many are practicing dietitians who understand the challenges you face in the workplace and the knowledge you need to succeed in the clinical nutrition profession.
Many of our students are practicing registered dietitians who need continuing education credits. Others are graduates in nutrition or dietetics programs who want to improve their ability to obtain a highly competitive dietetic internship. Students are also nurses, pharmacists, speech pathologists, and other medical professionals who want to provide better care for their patients.
Is this program right for you?
The UW–Madison online certificate in Clinical Nutrition provides you with graduate-level education in the topics most valued by employers. We offer advanced training in areas such as critical care, nutrition support, complex nutritional assessment, advanced nutrition counseling, advanced pediatrics, and clinical nutrition research—so you can thrive in today’s complex clinical environment.
Whether you are a new graduate or an experienced professional, you want to provide the best nutritional support and counseling for the people in your care. You also want to stay ahead of the educational curve; starting in 2024, a graduate degree will be required to obtain the registered dietitian credential.
Our 9-credit clinical nutrition certificate is offered completely online, so you can enhance your education no matter where you live. You can earn your certificate while you maintain your current job. Because they are taught at the graduate level, classes may be transferred to applicable graduate degree programs, including the master’s degree in clinical nutrition at UW–Madison.
You will work directly with the same faculty who teach clinical nutrition on the UW–Madison campus. Our instructors have many years of clinical nutrition teaching experience and are registered dietitians with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Many are practicing dietitians who understand the challenges you face in the workplace and the knowledge you need to succeed in the clinical nutrition profession.
Many of our students are practicing registered dietitians who need continuing education credits. Others are graduates in nutrition or dietetics programs who want to improve their ability to obtain a highly competitive dietetic internship. Students are also nurses, pharmacists, speech pathologists, and other medical professionals who want to provide better care for their patients.
Admissions requirements
All applicants must:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- Have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0.
- Have completed a Didactic Program in Dietetics or the following prerequisite courses (must be equivalent to the courses listed from UW–Madison):
- General Chemistry
- CHEM 103 General Chemistry I and CHEM 104 General Chemistry II
- Two courses in Biological Sciences
- BIOLOGY/ZOOLOGY 101 Animal Biology and ZOOLOGY/BIOLOGY 102 Animal Biology Laboratory and MICROBIO 101 General Microbiology and MICROBIO 102 General Microbiology Laboratory or
- ZOOLOGY/BIOLOGY/BOTANY 151 Introductory Biology and MICROBIO 101 General Microbiology and MICROBIO 102 General Microbiology Laboratory
- Organic Chemistry
- CHEM 341 Elementary Organic Chemistry or CHEM 343 Organic Chemistry I
- Biochemistry
- BIOCHEM 301 Survey of Biochemistry or
- BIOCHEM 501 Introduction to Biochemistry or
- BIOCHEM 507 General Biochemistry I and BIOCHEM 508 General Biochemistry II
- Physiology
- ANAT&PHY 335 Physiology
- Statistics
- STAT 371 Introductory Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences or
- STAT 301 Introduction to Statistical Methods or
- PSYCH 210 Basic Statistics for Psychology or
- C&E SOC/SOC 360 Statistics for Sociologists I
- Human Nutrition
- NUTR SCI 332 Human Nutritional Needs
- Clinical Nutrition
- NUTR SCI 631 Clinical Nutrition I and NUTR SCI 632 Clinical Nutrition II
- General Chemistry
Please note the prerequisites are only offered on campus in Madison, WI.
Application materials required:
- Online application
- Resume/CV
- Statement of purpose
- Transcripts
Program highlights
- Our Clinical Nutrition Capstone Certificate is online and accelerated, allowing you the flexibility to complete your coursework from anywhere in the world, without disrupting your career.
- Our instructors have many years of clinical nutrition teaching experience and are registered dietitians with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
- Our courses are designed to be immediately applicable to the real world. You learn through project-based activities and actual case studies from UW Hospital, and develop a culminating research proposal applicable to your interests or your employer’s needs.
How you'll learn
- Fully online curriculum; you choose when you do most of your work each week.
- Complete the program over three semesters.
Sample curriculum
Choose 9 credits from the following list
3 Credit Courses
- Advanced Clinical Nutrition: Critical Care and Nutrition Support
Advanced Clinical Nutrition – Pediatrics
Advanced Nutrition Counseling and Education
Clinical Nutrition Research
Nutrition and Dietetics Practicum I
Nutrition and Dietetics Practicum II
Micronutrients: Human Physiology and Disease
Nutritional Management of Gastrointestinal Disorders
Nutrition in Aging
2 Credit Courses
- Human Energy Metabolism
Advanced Sports Nutrition
1 Credit Courses
- Personalized Nutrition: Genetics, Genomics, and Metagenomics
Advanced Nutrition Assessment
Nutrition Informatics
Advanced Community Nutrition
Want to sample an online course?
Test drive Canvas, our online learning platform, with modules from an actual UW–Madison master’s program.
Job outlook
- Registered dietitian
- Dietitian
- Clinical dietitian
- Clinical nutrition managers
- Nutritionists
Source: Lightcast™ 2022.
Ready to learn more about Clinical Nutrition Capstone?
View the UW-Madison Guide
Stay in touch
Sign up to receive application tips and deadline reminders.
Connect with our enrollment coaches
Our friendly, knowledgeable enrollment coaches are here to answer your questions. Contact an enrollment coach to:
- Learn how to make this program work with your life/schedule
- Get help with your application
- Determine if financial aid is available
Visit with our coaches on campus or at an upcoming student fair in your area. Search student fairs & events.
Read more about SarahThe flexibility was key because I can look at the course schedule and choose when I want to get things done. The professors are so responsive, and are always there when you need to ask a question. And you can still have conversations with your classmates about classroom topics and real-life experience.
Sarah Droege, Student
