The Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics with Supervised Experiential Learning (MSND-SEL) program will admit students in compliance with the following application and admission policies and criteria:
I. UPR-RP general admission criteria for graduate programs (Certification No. 95, pages 21-22)
- Bachelor’s degree (or its equivalent) from an accredited or recognized university or college.
- General Grade Point Average (GPA) equal or greater than 3.00 on a scale of 4.00. Each program will address exceptional cases according to each applicant’s merits.
- Be able to communicate orally and in writing in two languages, one of which should be Spanish or English.
- The UPR-RP will provide the academic instance or unit that will determine and inform programs of the proficiency of their students in the second or third language (if the program requires a third language).
Information related to admission requirements and processes can be found at: Decanato de Estudios Graduados e Investigación (DEGI)
Application form: https://solicitud.upr.edu/
Application form tutorial: How to fill your graduate application form
II. Specific Admission criteria for the MSND-SEL program
Admission criteria for students with an undergraduate degree in nutrition and dietetics, a degree in science-related fields and a degree in a field not related to science are detailed below: Admission Pathways 1, 2 and 3.
Students with an ACEND's accredited bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics (1)
Students with a bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics (2)
Students with a bachelor’s degree in science other than Nutrition and Dietetics and those who come from disciplines other than science (3)
Students with an ACEND's accredited bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics (1)
Admission criteria are the following:
- Verification Statement (Verification Statement Baccalaureate in Nutrition and Dietetics accredited by ACEND and receive the Verification Statement once passed” or VS) of the accredited, approved baccalaureate degree. If the degree is an ACEND-accredited Foreign Dietitian Education Program, you must submit the FDE Verification Statement.
- Minimum 3.00 Grade Point Average on a 4.00-point scale
- Three letters of recommendation, two from university professors
- Short essay (500 words) indicating how pursuing graduate studies will contribute to your development.
- Spanish and English proficiency
- Students for whom English is a second language must obtain a minimum score in TOEFL exam of 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based). Exam must have been taken no more than five-years prior.
Students with a bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics (2)
Admission criteria are the following:
- Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics or equivalent from an authorized and accredited higher education institution in the US
- Undergraduate courses that constitute the Alternate Second major in Nutrition and Dietetics, under the bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Río Piedras Campus.
- Must have approved with C or more undergraduate courses
- Minimum 3.00 Grade Point Average on a 4.00-point scale
- Minimum 3.00 Grade Point Average in science and math courses on a 4.00-point scale.
- Three letters of recommendation, two from university professors
- Short essay (500 words) indicating how pursuing graduate studies will contribute to your development
- Spanish and English proficiency
- Students for whom English is a second language must obtain a minimum score in TOEFL exam of 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based). Exam must have been taken no more than five-years prior.
To be eligible and prior to submitting an admission application to the graduate program:
- The Program will determine if any additional coursework is needed to complete undergraduate requirements. A course-by-course evaluation is required by corresponding institutional academic departments.
- Conditioned admission:
- If at the deadline for admission application to the graduate program the Alternate Second Major requirements are in progress, upon evaluation of an official transcript, the Program will determine eligibility for a conditioned admission to the graduate program.
- Students with conditioned admission are allowed up to a maximum of 9 credits of required undergraduate courses.
- Students with conditioned admission are allowed a maximum extension of time to the first semester of the graduate program.
- During the allowed extension of time, the student must complete successfully all undergraduate requirements for official admission to the graduate program.
- Students under conditioned admission who do not comply will all undergraduate requirements during the maximum extension of time of the first semester will be dismissed from the graduate program.
For approved Foreign Degrees: https://www.cdrnet.org/RDNeligibility
- If the degree is an ACEND-accredited Foreign Dietitian Education (FDE) program and was issued a Verification Statement, the FDE Verification Statement must be presented.
- If the degree is from outside the US, it Is required to have the official transcript evaluated by an approved Foreign Degree Evaluation Agency. https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/students-and-advancing-education/international-students/foreign-degree-evaluation-agencies
- After receiving the evaluation report, contact the MSND-SEL program director to request a review of the official transcript and foreign degree evaluation report.
- The program will determine if any additional coursework is needed to complete program undergraduate requirements. A course-by-course evaluation is required by corresponding institutional academic departments.
Students with a bachelor’s degree in science other than Nutrition and Dietetics and those who come from disciplines other than science (3)
Admission criteria are the following:
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an authorized and accredited higher education institution in the US
- Undergraduate courses that constitute the Alternate Second major in Nutrition and Dietetics, under the bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Río Piedras Campus.
- Must have approved with C or more undergraduate courses
- Minimum 3.00 Grade Point Average on a 4.00-point scale
- Minimum 3.00 Grade Point Average in science and math courses on a 4.00-point scale
- Three letters of recommendation, two from university professors
- Short essay (500 words) indicating how pursuing graduate studies will contribute to your development.
- Spanish and English proficiency
- Students for whom English is a second language must obtain a minimum score in TOEFL exam of 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based). Exam must have been taken no more than five-years prior.
To be eligible and prior to submitting an admission application to the graduate program:
- Admission to the Alternate Second Major is required for a course-by-course evaluation by corresponding institutional academic departments.
- Also, if any additional coursework is needed to complete program undergraduate requirements.
- Conditioned admission:
- If at the deadline for admission application to the graduate program the Alternate Second Major requirements are in progress, upon evaluation of an official transcript, the Program will determine eligibility for a conditioned admission to the graduate program.
- Students with conditioned admission are allowed up to a maximum of 9 credits of required undergraduate courses.
- Students with conditioned admission are allowed a maximum extension of time to the first semester of the graduate program.
- During the allowed extension of time, the student must complete successfully all undergraduate requirements for official admission to the graduate program.
- Students under conditioned admission who do not comply will all undergraduate requirements during the maximum extension of time of the first semester will be dismissed from the graduate program.
For approved Foreign Degrees: https://www.cdrnet.org/RDNeligibility
- If the degree is from outside the US, it is required to have the official transcript evaluated by an approved Foreign Degree Evaluation Agency. https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/students-and-advancing-education/international-students/foreign-degree-evaluation-agencies
- After receiving the evaluation report, contact the MSND-SEL program director to request a review of the official transcript and foreign degree evaluation report.
- The Program will determine if any additional coursework is needed to complete undergraduate requirements. A course-by-course evaluation is required by corresponding institutional academic departments.