Master of Science in Nutrition

Online M.S. in Nutrition Admission Requirements

  1. Completion of a bachelor's or higher degree in nutrition, dietetics or closely related field from a regionally accredited college/university.
  2. Students must have a grade of "C" or better in undergraduate courses in advanced nutrition or biochemistry, human physiology, and statistics. Recency of courses will be evaluated.
  3. A cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.0 for all undergraduate work and a GPA of at least 3.0 for the junior and senior years of undergraduate work (based on A=4.0).
  4. Meet minimum requirements for admission set by the School of Graduate Studies, including English proficiency requirements.

Combined Human Nutrition and MS in Nutrition Degree

The combined B.S. in Human Nutrition/M.S. in Nutrition degree allows students to utilize a maximum of 6 credits of coursework to be double-counted toward each of the two degrees. Students seeking the Master of Science in Nutrition through the Combined Degree program at UND must satisfy all requirements for both the B.S. and the M.S. degree. 

 Admission Requirement for the B.S./M.S Degree

  1. Students may apply for this program upon completion of 60 credits toward their undergraduate degree.
  2. Currently enrolled or eligible for enrollment at UND. All applicants must complete the UND Graduate School application.
  3. Students must have a grade of "C" or better in all undergraduate nutrition courses and science courses. Recency of courses will be evaluated.
  4. A cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.0 for all undergraduate work (based on A=4.0).
  5. Minimum requirements for admission set by the School of Graduate Studies including the English Language Proficiency requirements.

Online M.S. Degree Requirements

Students seeking the Master of Science in Nutrition degree at the University of North Dakota must satisfy all general requirements set forth by the School of Graduate Studies as well as particular requirements set forth by the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics:

  1. A minimum of 30 credits including the following:
    • 9 credits of core courses
    • 2 credits of either independent study or scholarly project or 4 credits of thesis
    • 19 credits of electives, with a minimum of 13 credits from N&D elective courses 
  2. A maximum of 9 credit hours required for the degree may be transferred from another institution and must the meet the School of Graduate Studies transfer credit requirements.

Curriculum

Core course requirements:

N&D 541Biochemical and Physiological Basis of Nutrition: Macronutrients3
N&D 542Biochemical and Physiological Basis of Nutrition: Micronutrients3
N&D 594Research Methods in Nutrition3
N&D 997Independent Study (or)2
or N&D 995 Scholarly Project

N&D Electives (availability based on instructional resources, student interest, and minimum enrollment)

N&D 543Advanced Topics in Lifecycle Nutrition3
N&D 544Obesity and Eating Disorders3
N&D 545Nutrition in Disease Prevention and Wellness3
N&D 550Nutrition Education and Program Planning3
N&D 554Nutrigenomics3
N&D 560Nutrition and Health Coaching3
N&D 561Clinical Nutrition Care I3
N&D 562Clinical Nutrition Care II3
N&D 563Entrepreneurship in Nutrition and Dietetics3
N&D 564Integrative and Functional Nutrition3
N&D 590Directed Studies in Nutrition1-4
N&D 596Practicum1-2
N&D 998Thesis1-4

Additional electives, up to 6 credits, can come from any department that has relevant coursework. Courses must be approved by the student's academic advisor and be included on the student's Program of Study before the course is taken. Graduate level courses taken prior to acceptance as a graduate student at UND may be included in the student's Program of Study with approval.

On-Campus M.S. in Nutrition - Dietetics Specialization

On-Campus M.S. Accelerated Admission

The Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s (ABM) 5 year program is available for students completing the Coordinated Program in Dietetics, an accredited professional program. All requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Dietetics (BSD) and the Master of Science in Nutrition (MS) can be met with up to 12 credit hours of graduate coursework that may count toward requirements for each degree.

Students who have completed at least 60 undergraduate credit hours and all required, pre-requisite coursework for dietetics apply to the ABM program through an online School of Graduate Studies (SGS). Pre-requisite coursework, including at least 60 undergraduate credit hours, may be in-progress at the time of application but must be completed before beginning the ABM program. 

Standard Program Admission Requirements

  1. Completion of prerequisite courses and currently enrolled or eligible for enrollment at UND. All applicants must complete the UND Graduate School application.
  2. Students must have a grade of "C" or better in all undergraduate nutrition courses and science courses. Recency of courses will be evaluated.
  3. A cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.0 for all undergraduate work (based on A=4.0).
  4. Minimum requirements for admission set by the School of Graduate Studies.
  5. Submission of the online application to the School of Graduate Studies including three letters of recommendation, a Statement of Goals, Program of Study, and résumé. The Statement of Goals should address your educational goals and your interest in becoming a registered dietitian nutritionist, including characteristics, skills, and experiences that uniquely qualify you to be successful as a student dietitian. 
  6. Professional interview.

On-Campus M.S. Degree Requirements

The ABM program allows UND dietetics students the opportunity to complete degree requirements for a BSD and MS at an accelerated pace. Students are expected to graduate with the MS within 12 months of completing their BSD.  

Program requirements are:

  1. A minimum of 31 credits hours of core courses.
  2. Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0 or higher and “B” or higher in courses listed in the Program of Study.  
  3. Successful completion of a comprehensive examination in the form of independent study or scholarly project.

Curriculum

Core requirements:

N&D 325Nutrition Through the Life Cycle3
N&D 350Medical Nutrition Therapy I3
N&D 380Culinary Operations and Management3
N&D 450Medical Nutrition Therapy II3
N&D 541Biochemical and Physiological Basis of Nutrition: Macronutrients3
N&D 542Biochemical and Physiological Basis of Nutrition: Micronutrients3
N&D 554Nutrigenomics3
N&D 560Nutrition and Health Coaching3
N&D 594Research Methods in Nutrition3
N&D 598Dietetics Practicum2-4
N&D 997Independent Study2
or N&D 995 Scholarly Project