Students are required to complete 1,000 hours of Supervised Practice (SP) experience to meet competencies established by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) in addition to coursework. The program’s concentration area is Nutrition, Healthspan and Longevity, preparing graduates for entry-level dietetics. Completion of SP hours and the award of a Master of Science degree provides students with “eligibility” to write the national registration examination of the Commission of Dietetics Registration (CDR), that grants the use of the nationally recognized credential, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).
Announcements
Priority Application Deadline for MSNHL Fall Start Date
January 15
On-Campus vs Online Learning
- Students must enroll in one track only
- Distance students must be 100 miles from USC
- On-campus supervised practice is scheduled by the Internship Coordinators
- Distance students will need to identify all supervised practice rotations and provide confirmation of supervised practice sites for the first year of the program, as a condition of program acceptance.
nearly 400
preceptors
across the country
300+
affiliation agreements
with sites across the country including Texas, New York, Hawaii and Florida
95%
of graduates
passed the CDR credentialing exam for dietitians within one year following first attempt
MSNHL Supervised Practice Sites
MSNHL students have been placed in the following facilities in previous semesters. Available sites may vary from year to year.
- USC Hospitals-Keck, Norris Cancer Center, Verdugo Hills and Arcadia Hospital
- Long Term Care and Skilled Nursing Facilities
- USC Hospitality, USC Sports Nutrition, USC WorkWell Center, and USC Research Labs
- USC Head Start, public and private schools, community colleges and non-profit organizations
- Private practice, consulting RDNs, and disordered eating, substance abuse programs, and other specialized clinics
Rotation Schedule
Rotation | Possible Sites/Activities | Min/Max Hours Possible | Total Hours/Days (1000 Total Hours) |
---|---|---|---|
Professionalization | Professionalization Workshops, Online Self Study Modules, HIPAA and CITI IRB Modules, Policy, Leadership Development, Activities and Field Trips | 40 hours | 40 hours-80 hours |
Retail Food Service | Core Site | 128 hours | 128 hours/16 days |
In-Patient Food Service | Core Site | 128 hours | 128 hours/16 days |
Community Nutrition | Core Site, Care Harbor or Health Fairs, Grocery Store Tours, Research (Community Population) | 112 hours | 112 hours/14 days |
Nutrition Education | Core Site | 40 hours | 40 hours |
Outpatient | Core Site | 96 hours | 96 hours/12 days |
MNT I | Core Site | 160 hours | 160 hours/20 days |
MNT II | Core Site, GROW Conference | 160 hours + 40 hours of virtual MNT simulation or 200 hours (without 40 hours of MNT simulation) | 160 hours /20 days + 40 hours of simulation or 200 hours/25 days |
Specialty Concentration (Elective) | Selected with SP Coordinator, (Renal, Burns, Bariatric, Transplant, Research, Private Practice, Sports Nutrition, etc.) | 96 hours | 96 hours/12 days |
Past Capstone Projects
The MSNHL Capstone Project serves as the program summative experience and is the culminating experience for all MSNHL Coordinated Program students. The purpose of this project is to enable students to demonstrate mastery of a nutrition topic area. Student research may be presented in a variety of forums, such as a presentation at a nutrition or related conference, or published in a peer-reviewed journal or newsletter. Before graduation, students present their research to their professors, preceptors, classmates, and families.
Preceptor Information
All RD preceptors who participate in training our dietetic interns are eligible to receive up to 3 CPEUs per calendar year. A confirmation statement will be provided by the internship coordinator with the number of CPEUs to be awarded based on student contact hours. Learn how to signup to become a preceptor below.
MSNHL Honors and Awards

Rochelle Lai, MS, RDN, MSNHL ‘19
Outstanding Dietetic Student in a Coordinated Program, AND 2019

Ranier Castillo, MS, RDN, MSNHL ‘20
Outstanding Dietetic Student in a Coordinated Program, AND 2020

Ahmicqui Bribiescas-Page, MS, RDN, MSNHL ’22
Outstanding Dietetic Student in a Coordinated Program, AND 2022

Lauren Sutherlin, MSNHL ’23
Outstanding Dietetic Student in a Coordinated Program, AND 2023
Meet the Administrative Team

Jeannie Wakamatsu, MPH, RDN
