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The Lactation Consultant Training Certificate Program is housed in the Department of Nutrition and allows students to meet the eligibility requirements to complete the International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) Exam and, once students pass the exam, work as a credentialed IBCLC.
There are three pathways to become qualified for the IBCLC exam, according to the International Board of Certified Lactation Examiners (IBCLE).
For more information on the Lactation Consultant Training Certificate Program, please contact the Department of Nutrition at [email protected].
International Board Certified Lactation Consultants function and contribute as members of the maternal-child health team. They provide care in a variety of settings while making appropriate referrals to other health professionals and community support resources. Working together with mothers, families, policymakers and society, IBCLCs provide expert breastfeeding and lactation care, promote changes that support breastfeeding and help reduce the risks of not breastfeeding.
IBCLCs typically work with patients as advanced practice clinicians. They work independently and as members of the maternal-child health team to manage clinical lactation concerns for mother, baby, and family units.
More information can be found on the IBLCE website.
A new lactation-training program at MSU Denver prepares students to support nursing moms
This is a great place for students to network with IBCLC’s and others who work in maternal and child health. Attending Lactation Journal Club will keep you abreast of recent developments and updates in the field of lactation support. Additionally, 2 CEUs will be provided for each journal club attended.
Lactation Journal Club will meet monthly, starting in October 2023. Check out our upcoming events below and register to attend the events that interest you here!
Thursday October 12, 2023 from 5PM – 7PM in the CAVEA Theatre at the Jordan Student Success Building on MSU Denver’s Campus. Light refreshments will be provided.
Cost:
Registration:
Literature to be Discussed:
Facilitators:
This session provides:
This event will take place on November 6, 2023 with Dr. Kelly McMullen. Check back for more details soon!
This event will take place in February, 2024. Check back for updated information soon!
This event will take place in May, 2024. Check back for updated information soon!
Professor | Lactation Program Director
[email protected] 303-615-0990The MSU Denver Baby Cafe’s are lactation support groups in the community and free to any community members who would like to participate. We offer groups in both Spanish and English, lactation support and community for postpartum parents. MSU Denver partners with these sites to provide a well-rounded experience to our lactation students as well as serve our community.
Day: Fridays Starting January 13th, 2023
Time: 1:00pm – 2:30pm
Location: 1100 E 18th Ave, Denver, CO 80218
Day: Mondays Starting September 11th, 2023
Time: 1:00pm – 2:30pm
Location: 601 N. Broadway Room 408, Denver, CO 80204
Day: Fridays
Time: 9:30am – 11:30am
Location: 11292 Oswego St. Henderson, CO 80640
The mission of the Lactation Program at MSU Denver is to prepare diverse students for successful careers in maternal and child health and wellness as well as eligibility for the IBCLE credentialing exam to become an IBCLC through quality education that is culturally sensitive and instills a desire for life-long learning.
To prepare competent entry level lactation consultants in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains.
Students must complete these prerequisite courses in order to enroll in the certificate program.
Prerequisite Course Information:
Prerequisite | MSU Denver Undergraduate Courses | MSU Denver Graduate Courses |
Biology | BIO 1080: General Biology | N/A |
Human Anatomy | BIO 2310: Human Anatomy and Physiology I
BIO 2320: Human Anatomy and Physiology II |
N/A |
Human Physiology | ||
Basic Nutrition | NUT 2040: Introduction to Nutrition or
NUT 3170: Advanced Human Nutrition |
NUT 5010: Macronutrients in Health and Disease or
NUT 5011: Vitamins, Minerals, & Bioactive Compounds in Health & Disease |
Prior to applying for the IBLCE exam, all candidates must complete education in 14 health science corequisites (including the prerequisites above). This general education must be completed prior to applying for the exam. See the required courses below.
For more information please review the Health Science Education Guide.
Content Requirements | MSU Denver Undergraduate Courses | MSU Denver Graduate Courses |
Sociology or Cultural Sensitivity or Cultural Anthropology | NUT 3300: Cultural Aspects of Nutrition (3) or SOC 1010: Introduction to Sociology (3) |
NUT 5050: Global and Cultural Nutrition Topics (3) |
Psychology or Counseling Skills or Communication Skills | NUT 3700: Nutrition Education & Counseling (3) or PSY 1001: Introduction to Psychology (3) or any equivalent counseling or communications course |
NUT 5060: Nutrition Communication Strategies (3)or any equivalent counseling or communications course |
Infant and Child Growth Development | Any undergraduate 1-3 credit infant growth and development course | Any graduate 1-3 credit infant growth and development course |
Clinical Research | NUT 4040: Nutrition Research Design & Evaluation (3) or any course that includes a research focus | NUT 5040: Nutrition Research Design & Evaluation (3) or any course that includes a research focus |
Additional subjects that will be met through program content:
Students can be accepted into the IBCLC program for either a Fall or Spring start term.
The Spring Application for the Spring 2024 Start is now open!
For Spring 2024, the deadlines are as follows:
Early application: August 1st
Priority deadline: September 15th. Acceptance after the priority deadline is only granted if space in the program is available. Final application deadline: November 1st.
The Fall Application Cycle opens on November 1st.
For Fall, the deadlines are as follows:
Early application deadline: January 1st.
Priority deadline: February 15th. Acceptance after the priority deadline is only granted if space in the program is available. Final application deadline for Fall is May 1st.
To apply for the Undergraduate Certificate in Lactation Consultant Training complete the online Undergraduate Admission Application.
To apply for the Graduate Certificate in Lactation Consultant Training applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. Students accepted into the program with a CPA lower than a 3.0 must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA during the first semester of the program.
Here are the steps to complete an application:
Application fees for prospective, domestic students to apply to Master’s Programs and Graduate Certificates at MSU Denver will be waived starting 10/1/2023 through 10/1/2024.
Students admitted to the Graduate Certificate in Lactation Consultant Training are non-degree seeking students. Non-degree seeking students do not qualify for financial aid. If you are enrolled in the MSND or another graduate program, you may qualify for financial aid.
The proposed tuition for the Undergraduate Certificate in Lactation Consultant Training is $400/credit hour for residents and $450/cr
The proposed tuition for the Graduate Certificate in Lactation Consultant Training is $500/credit hour for residents and $550/credit hour for non-residents.
Pathway 1 is primarily meant for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), Registered Nurses (RNs) or other recognized health care professionals.
This pathway requires a minimum of 95 hours of lactation-specific education including 5 hours of communication skills and a minimum of 1,000 hours of lactation-specific clinical practice. Lactation-specific clinical practice hours can be obtained in an appropriate setting to include hospital, birth center or community clinic. More details on Pathway 1 can be found on the IBLCE website.
*Pathway 1 can be completed at the undergraduate or graduate level.
To see how MSU Denver meets this pathway requirement, please review the curriculum below.
Pathway 3 is a mentorship program established with an existing IBCLC that requires a minimum of 95 hours of lactation-specific education including 5 hours of communication skills within the five years prior to IBCLC examination application, 12 credit hours, and a minimum of 500 hours of directly supervised lactation-specific clinical practice.
*Pathway 3 can be completed at the undergraduate or graduate level.
To see how MSU Denver meets this pathway requirement, please review the curriculum below.
In the Pathway 1 program, the Department of Nutrition at MSU Denver will provide 95 hours of lactation-specific education through two courses (NUT 4950 and NUT 4970). Students in this pathway will gain their lactation-specific clinical practice in their healthcare-related places of employment under the coordination and direction of the Department of Nutrition.
In the Pathway 1 program, the Department of Nutrition at MSU Denver will provide 95 hours of lactation-specific education through two courses (NUT 5950 and NUT 5970). Students in this pathway will gain their lactation-specific clinical practice in their healthcare-related places of employment under the coordination and direction of the Department of Nutrition.
In the Pathway 3 program, the Department of Nutrition at MSU Denver will provide 95 hours of lactation-specific education through two courses (NUT 4950 and NUT 4970). Students in this pathway will gain their lactation-specific clinical practice in hospitals and outpatient lactation practices under the supervision and direction of the Lactation Program director and facility IBCLC. In order to complete the 500 hours of lactation internship, the student will enroll in 12 credits of NUT 4990-Lactation Internship.
In the Pathway 3 program, the Department of Nutrition at MSU Denver will provide 95 hours of lactation-specific education through two courses (NUT 5950 and NUT 5970). Students in this pathway will gain their lactation-specific clinical practice in hospitals and outpatient lactation practices under the supervision an d direction of the Lactation Program director and facility IBCLC. In order to complete the 500 hours of lactation internship, the student will enroll in 12 credits of NUT 5990 – Lactation Internship.
The IBCLC Exam is offered twice per year.
Spring Offering – Apply in the Fall, registration opens mid-September to October
Fall Offering – Apply in the Spring, registration opens mid-April to May
Eligible for exam after all education courses and supervised hours are complete.
For initial candidates the cost is $660.
Want more information?
For more information on the Lactation Consultant Training Certificate Program, please contact the Department of Nutrition. Click below to send us an email!
Email UsDepartment of Nutrition
Phone:
303-615-0990
Office Location:
Modular 1
Office Hours:
8:00am – 5:00pm
Mailing Address:
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Department of Nutrition
Campus Box 33N
P.O. Box 173362
Denver, CO 80217-3362