
Master of Applied Nutrition, Waterloo Regional Health Network Stream
Immerse Yourself in Clinical Nutrition
If you are interested in the Master of Applied Nutrition program and see yourself working as a dietitian in a hospital setting, the Waterloo Regional Health Network Stream (MAN-WRHN) is for you.
The Master of Applied Nutrition is a career-focused program with students gaining 30+ weeks of hands-on experience in practicum placements. The Classic MAN Stream places students with three different community healthcare partners for equal focus on three major areas of dietetics. Students with a strong interest in working in a hospital receive training with more emphasis on clinical rotations in the Waterloo Regional Health Network Stream while completing the same graduate coursework and research components.
Waterloo Regional Health Network Stream students are exposed to several clinical settings within the hospital over the course of a challenging but highly rewarding year. Could this be you?
- 3 semesters
- from September to August
- 37 weeks
- of hands-on experience
- 5 clinical rotations
- at Waterloo Regional Health Network

About Waterloo Regional Health Network
Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN, pronounce "wren") is the largest health service provider in Waterloo Region and Guelph-Wellington. As a proud community teaching hospital, WRHN delivers an exceptional learning experience for students in 60+ professional disciplines. Students at WRHN are challenged and stretched during their learning experience, but are never without mentorship and support.
WRHN operates three main campuses in Kitchener-Waterloo as well as several satellite locations.
The Waterloo Regional Health Network Practicum Experience

Nutrition Care
20 + 3 Weeks
As a MAN student in the Waterloo Regional Health Network Stream, you'll complete five different clinical rotations. Each rotation will last four weeks, for a total of 20 practicum weeks focusing on Nutrition Care in a variety of clinical settings.
Your rotations will include a mix of outpatient and inpatient areas, ensuring you gain experience with a wide range of clinical skills, from counselling to nutrition support and everything in between.
Clinical rotations can be scheduled throughout all three semesters of the program. Regardless of your individual schedule, you'll wrap up your year in the program with three weeks of consolidation. Consolidation is an opportunity to return to an area you have previously trained in and practice more independently, while still under the supervision and mentorship of a dietitian.
Throughout your rotations, you'll also meet registered dietitians and other healthcare professionals, not only broadening your horizons for a career in nutrition, but also giving you plenty of networking opportunities.
Between each four-week clinical rotation, you'll have a Flex Week to focus on graduate coursework and prepare for your next rotation.
Sample Clinical Rotations at Waterloo Regional Health Network
- Clinical Teaching Unit (CTU)
- Complex Continuing Care (CCC)
- Diabetes
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
- Medicine
- Mental Health
- Oncology
- Pediatrics
- Rehab
- Renal
- Stroke
- Surgery

Food Provision
8 Weeks
During your eight-week practicum in Food Provision, you'll work alongside the hospital's nutrition and food services team, which is responsible for the management of a centralized cold plating/retherm system that delivers thousands of meals and snacks to patients each day.
While completing your rotation, you'll be introduced to all aspects of food service operations, including food production and distribution, and you'll contribute to managing human and physical resources and finances.

Population Health Promotion
6 Weeks
Your six-week practicum in Population Health Promotion will be completed through a community healthcare provider.
Whether you're placed with a public health unit, community health centre or a university wellness program, you'll gain invaluable training on interpreting food and nutrition surveillance data, health status data, and information related to determinants of health and health equality.
You'll learn how to integrate your assessment findings and then identify nutrition-related assets, resources, and needs in order to contribute to a population health plan.
Hear from the Master of Applied Nutrition Community

Careers After Graduation
The hands-on nature of the Master of Applied Nutrition program means you'll be well-prepared for your career as a registered dietitian when you graduate. MAN students graduate with the required competencies to take the national Canadian Dietetic Registration Exam (CDRE) to become registered dietitians.
Registered dietitians work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, community health centres, clinics, long-term care facilities, private practice, government, the food industry, and more.
During your practicum placements, you'll be learning and networking at the same time. Select students in the Waterloo Regional Health Network Stream are often hired to keep working at the hospital after graduation.
Applying to MAN
- Completion of an undergraduate degree1 from a dietetic program accredited by the EQual/Accreditation Canada or the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) within the last three years2, with a minimum cumulative average of 75% in the last four semesters of study
- Completion of a statistics course with a grade of 75% or higher
- Completion of a social science research methods course with a grade of 75% or higher
- Completion of three one-semester 400-level courses in human nutrition
- Access to a car for travel to practicum placements
1Requirements may be in progress at the time of application, but must be completed by April 30 of the program entrance year.
2Applicants who completed their accredited undergraduate program more than three years ago may still be admitted with a Level 1 result from the Knowledge and Competency Assessment Tool (KCAT).
Prospective graduate students must apply to the University of Guelph online, through the Ontario Universities Application Centre (OUAC).
After submitting an online application for the Master of Applied Nutrition program, you will be invited to submit required documents through the University of Guelph's online system, WebAdvisor.
Visit the Student Financial Services website for full details on domestic and international tuition per semester.
MAN applicants are encouraged to apply for external scholarships in the fall of the year before entering the program. External award opportunities include, but are not limited to:
- Dietitians of Canada
- Canadian Home Economics Foundation
- Ontario Graduate Scholarship Program
- Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master's program
Applicants can also browse scholarships available to graduate students in the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition.
MAN Webinar
Interested in applying to the Master of Applied Nutrition?
Watch our webinar to learn more about the program and how to apply! We go over the application process, discuss what to expect in the program, and answer your questions!
Get in Touch
Questions about the Master of Applied Nutrition program or the Waterloo Regional Health Network Stream? Contact:
Shauna Porter
Graduate Program Assistant
Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition
Email: man.grad@uoguelph.ca