Program Highlights

Our world-class faculty at the Mount are committed to the pursuit of knowledge, understanding and responsibility for food, nutrition, and health issues in social, political, cultural, ecological and economic contexts. Whether you plan to become a dietitian or nutritionist, to work in health care, food product development, community nutrition or food service, or to build your career in Canada or abroad, our programs will give you the knowledge and skills that you need to meet your goals.

To learn more about our program vision, mission and objectives that guide our teaching and support student education, follow this link: MissionVisionObjectives2020.

Program Options

We offer a full range of program options to meet your career goals. You will start with either the BScAHN Nutrition or Dietetics and then apply to the IEP, Practicum or Honours during your program of study.

Highlights of each program option are summarized below, including links to more information about the IEP, Practicum and Honours. The sidebar links on this page will lead you to details about program requirements.

Are you ready to start working toward a rewarding career in nutrition, dietetics, food development, research, or the health care professions? Apply now »

Students may count courses from a major, concentration and/or minor towards a second major, concentration and/or minor; however, students must complete a minimum of 50 percent of unique courses toward the second major, concentration and/or minor, unless otherwise stated in the Undergraduate Academic Calendar.

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BScAHN Nutrition

BScAHN Nutrition: This program is best suited to those who are not interested in becoming a dietitian and want freedom to choose more electives. Nutrition is the study of the relationships among food, its nutrients, the environment, and health. Careful choice of electives prepares graduates to seek work in a variety of fields including commodity marketing boards, food retailing, government, social services, homemaking services, and the agri-food sector. Graduates may also choose to pursue additional studies for careers in school or community teaching, research, or business or to pursue graduate studies (e.g. nutritional sciences, food studies.)

BScAHN Dietetics

BScAHN Dietetics: This program is for those students who want to become professional dietitians (PDt or RD), legally registered to practice in the Canadian province(s) of their choice. The BScAHN (Dietetics) program supports the achievement of the Integrated Competencies for Dietetic Education and Practice (ICDEP). This program was previously accredited by the Partnership for Dietetic Education and Practice (PDEP) and is currently accredited by EQual (Accreditation Canada) so that graduates can apply for a dietetic internship to be eligible to become a registered dietitian. Dietetics integrates and applies the art and science of food, nutrition and health to promote the nutritional well-being of the public in a wide variety of settings.

Internship Education Program (IEP)

Internship Education Program (IEP): This program combines coursework with the dietetic internship necessary to be eligible to become a registered dietitian. Students can apply to the IEP during their third year of study in the BScAHN Dietetics program. If admitted to the IEP (limited enrolment, competitive), students must be prepared to relocate for the three internship/practical courses (little to no financial compensation). Graduates of this EQual (Accreditation Canada) accredited program (previously accredited by PDEP) can seek work as a dietitian in health care, health promotion, private practice, food industry, research and beyond.

Learn more about the Internship Education Program (PDF)

Food and Nutrition Practicum

Food and Nutrition Practicum (FNP): This program combines course work with a work experience in the food or nutrition fields.

The Food and Nutrition Practicum (FNP) (NUTR4500) is offered to eligible students in the BScAHN (Nutrition or Dietetics) or MAHN or MScAHN degree. Students can apply to this program during their third year of study in the BScAHN program or upon 5-units of coursework in the MScAHN or MAHN program. The FNP has limited enrolment and may be competitive based on the number of applicants each year.

Students admitted into the FNP program will complete an additional 1 semester, full-time for 14 weeks, as a 1.0-unit course (NUTR4500). This is in addition to the other units required for the BScAHN (Nutrition or Dietetics), MAHN or MScAHN degree.

If admitted to the FNP, students must be prepared to relocate for the practicum and complete the program full-time with little to no financial compensation. Although practicum is generally considered unpaid work integrated learning, graduates of this program will gain valuable experience for their future careers.

Students in the Internship Education Program (IEP) can also apply to the FNP if they wish to do both programs and meet the eligibility criteria.

Please note that FNP is not a dietetic internship necessary for students to be eligible to become Registered Dietitians; the IEP is an accredited program for students seeking RD licensure (see IEP page above). The FNP is for select work experience in a desired career area of the food and nutrition industry.

Learn more about the Food and Nutrition Practicum

Follow this link for the Food and Nutrition Practicum Application Form: Food and Nutrition Practicum Application 2025

Follow this link for the Food and Nutrition Practicum Terms and Conditions: Terms and Conditions Food and Nutrition Practicum

Please contact us for more information.

BScAHN Honours

The Honours thesis course (NUTR 4499) offers students an opportunity to conduct a research project as part of their undergraduate program.  In the first semester, the student will thoroughly plan the honours project under the supervision of a departmental faculty member, write a thesis proposal, present it via an open oral presentation and complete an ethics application form. In the second semester, the student will carry out the planned project, write the thesis, and present the thesis at a public thesis defense.  The student must carry the project to its final conclusion in order to be awarded credit for the course work.  The faculty supervisor will assign a final grade to be submitted to the Registrar based on the student’s performance in all aspects of conducting the thesis.

Follow this link for the BScAHN Honours Degree Application Form with BScAHN Honours Thesis Guidelines: NUTR Honors Application 2021 – no lines

Graduate Programs - Master of Applied Human Nutrition and Master of Science Applied Human Nutrition

We also offer two Master’s level programs. The Master of Science Applied Human Nutrition and the Master of Applied Human Nutrition programs provide students with the opportunity for advanced level study in nutrition, with an emphasis on issues related to community nutrition, food and human nutrition.

For more information about these programs follow this link: Graduate Applied Human Nutrition Program | Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (msvu.ca)