Admission Requirements

Applicants to the MScFN practicum-based program must meet the admissions criteria of Western University’s, School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and the Brescia School of Food & Nutritional Sciences program requirements, as follows:

• A four-year Bachelor of Science degree from a dietetic education program accredited under Canada’s Partnership for Dietetic Education and Practice - PDEP (or ACEND in the U.S.A.) within the past 3 years (2021 or later).
• You must submit confirmation of completion of a PDEP accredited program. This form should be supplied to you and signed by the head of the academic department overseeing your accredited undergraduate program.
• Undergraduate courses in each of Research Methodology and Statistics.
• Minimum undergraduate GPA of 78 per cent on the last 10 Full Course Equivalent credits.
• Relevant work and volunteer experience.
• Demonstrated English language proficiency if English is not your first language. Acceptable tests are:
  • The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Minimum score of 620 (paper-based), 105 (internet-based), 260 (computer-based). [Western’s TOEFL ID is 0984].
  • The International English Language Testing Service (IELTS). Minimum score of 7.5, with no individual score less than 6.5.
  • The Duolingo English Test. Minimum acceptable score is 140.

You are exempt from the English language proficiency requirement if you submit proof you have been enrolled for 2 or more years of full-time undergraduate or graduate study in an English-speaking school in a country where English is the principal language.

If you graduated from a Canadian PDEP accredited Foods and Nutrition/Dietetics program more than 3 years ago you have 2 options to demonstrate that your knowledge is current to become eligible to apply:

• Achieve a Level 1 Result on the College of Dietitians of Ontario’s Knowledge and Competence Assessment Tool.
• Upgrade core upper year courses. Contact us at fnsinfo@uwo.ca for more information.

Practicum Student Additional Requirements

In addition to the above requirements, if you are accepted to this program you must have access to reliable transportation to get to placements, including places where public transit may not be available.

If enrolled, you are required to have several health and non-health requirements in preparation for the practicum portion of their program, including (but not limited to) immunizations, police checks, professional membership, insurances and learning.

Please refer to our practicum page that outlines the additional responsibilities and requirements that must be met before you begin the practicum portion of the program.

International applicants who completed a PDEP accredited undergraduate degree in Canada or ACEND in the United States are eligible to apply.  

All other internationally educated applicants who completed a dietetics degree or practised as a dietitian outside of Canada, Australia or the United States have two ways to become eligible to apply: 

1. Complete a Four-Year Bachelor of Science in Nutrition & Dietetics (or equivalent) from a program which is accredited by the Partnership for Dietetic Education and Practice (PDEP) in Canada or by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics in the U.S. See www.pdep.ca or https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/accredited-programs/about-accredited-programs for a complete list of accredited undergraduate Foods and Nutrition programs.  To inquire about completing your degree at Western, contact one of our undergraduate Admission Officers at fnsinfo@uwo.ca. Our Undergraduate Admissions Officers would be able to guide you on acceptance eligibility as well as the possibility for transfer credit, based on applicable past university course work.
   
   Or, 
   
   
2. complete the College of Dietitians of Ontario Knowledge and Competence Assessment Tool (KCAT) as part of the Prior Learning Assessment (PLAR) process and achieve a Level I Result. 

If a Level II KCAT result is achieved:

1. Retake the KCAT after additional self-study to achieve a Level 1 result. Or,
2. contact us about enrolling at Western to complete the accredited Honours Specialization in Nutrition and Dietetics undergraduate degree with advanced standing: fnsinfo@uwo.ca.

 Note: all other items noted under Admission Requirements also apply.  

You will need to obtain both a valid study visa, and work permit for the practicum portion of the program, and are encouraged to contact Western’s International & Exchange Student Centre as a resource for this and other international student related questions . 

If you graduated from a Canadian PDEP accredited Foods and Nutrition/Dietetics program more than three years ago you have two options to demonstrate that your knowledge is current to become eligible to apply: 

1. Achieve a Level 1 Result on the College of Dietitians of Ontario’s Knowledge and Competence Assessment Tool.
2. Upgrade core upper year courses. Contact us for more information. 

If you graduated from a US Academy ACEND accredited Foods and Nutrition/Dietetics program: 

Please note the College of Dietitians of Ontario have confirmed that completion of an American program that is ACEND-accredited could be considered equivalent to a Canadian program accredited by PDEP. 

Proof of the program being ACEND-accredited is a requirement and should be submitted with your application. 

You will still need to meet all other program admission requirements as stated on the Brescia School of Foods & Nutrition website, and the admission committee will further review transcripts for eligibility. 

Note: all other items noted under Admission Requirements also apply.