Certified Nutrition Specialists

The Department of Nutritional Sciences (NUSC) has partnered with the American Nutrition Association’s® (ANA®) Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists™ (BCNS™) to meet the current academic requirements for the Certified Nutrition Specialist® (CNS®) credential. BCNS requires a graduate degree in the field of nutrition from an accredited university, specific coursework, and 1000 hours of supervised clinical practice. Considered an advanced certification for personalized nutrition practitioners, CNS specialists extent evidence-based nutrition therapies to individuals to promote health, as well as prevent and manage chronic diseases, across the lifespan.

The credit hours required in Nutrition, Biochemistry, Anatomy/Physiology, and Clinical/Life Sciences are outlined here. These requirements can be embedded in the NUSC Undergraduate and 4 + 1 MS Plans of Studies for students preparing for careers in Nutrition (RDN, MS/PhD), Medicine (MD, DO, PA), Dentistry (DDS), and Physical Therapy (DPT). Acquiring eligibility for and eventually securing the credential documents a level of expertise in the practice of nutrition that will add another dimension to your professional portfolio, including focused practice in pediatrics, family medicine, endocrinology, geriatrics, nutrition support, and orthopedics/sports medicine.

For information about CNS Supervised Practice Experience, click here.

For information about CNS Application, click here.

More information about CNS is available on the ANA website.

Students who are interested in the CNS can contact Dr. Ji-Young Lee for more information.