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MS in Nutrition Programs (with and without Dietetic Internship)

The graduate programs offer advanced study in human nutrition. As described below, Master of Science (MS) degree programs are available for students who do, or do not, have undergraduate preparation in nutrition. Some programs incorporate the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) and/or a Dietetic Internship (DI). The DPD and the DI are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995; 312-899-0040, ext. 5400.

The Boston University DI is a 29-week, 6-unit course requiring payment of tuition. In addition, a $1,000 fee must be paid to the hospital site. Boston University also has partnerships with DI programs. Students admitted to a partnership program will complete the MS in Nutrition at BU first. After successful completion of the MS, these students will complete the DI at a DI partnership site. Start dates, length of DI, rotation schedule, and fees vary based on the DI site. A car may also be necessary to get to the DI site. 

Learning Outcomes

  • Evaluate an individual or environmental-level intervention/policy for nutritionally related disease reduction.
  • Demonstrate the ability to interpret current research in nutrition and health.
  • Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate media communications with nutrition and disease claims for evidence-based nutrition science content.

Programs of Study

Students interested in advanced study of nutrition science can apply to one of the three MS nutrition program tracks. All MS nutrition program tracks offer core coursework to provide advanced education in nutrition science. All tracks offer a choice between a clinical or public health model course to explore prevention of nutrition-related disease risk. In the two-term MS program (September or January entry), students choose a nutrition-related concentration to complement their study of nutrition science. Upon admission, students (in conjunction with their academic advisor) work to identify a concentration and then propose this to the program faculty, who then approve the student’s curriculum plan. Common concentrations include public health, sports nutrition, nutrition research, and clinical nutrition.

In the MS nutrition program tracks that include the BU dietetic internship, students are required to complete the clinical concentration. This is because accreditation requirements for the dietetic internship require coursework included in that concentration. In the MS nutrition program tracks that include a DI partnership, students may be required to complete the clinical concentration based on their DI partner’s requirements, or they may choose a nutrition-related concentration based on their DI partner’s requirements.

Program Track for Students Interested in Graduate-Level Studies in Nutrition with or without Undergraduate Preparation in Nutrition

Students with or without undergraduate preparation in nutrition who have already earned the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist credential, or those who are interested in graduate-level study in human nutrition combined with a concentration, should pursue the two-term MS program. This track does not include a DI, which is required for the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist credential.

Program Track for Students with Undergraduate Preparation in Nutrition

Students interested in the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist credential and a career in clinical nutrition/counseling who have received a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) or International Dietitian Education Verification Statement should pursue the MS (clinical concentration)+BU DI or one of our BU MS+DI Partnership Programs, which typically begin in September. Based on availability, students may apply to begin the MS+BU DI program in January. Students in the BU MS+DI Partnership with Delicious Living will begin the program in January. In these programs, the MS must be completed before entry into the DI. Specific admission requirements are listed below. For students in the BU MS+BU DI, the 29-week, full-time DI begins in either June or January following successful completion of the MS program. Students in one of the BU MS+DI Partnership Programs shall refer to the DI partnership site policies regarding start date and length of program.

Program Track for Students Who Are Seeking the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Credential but Do Not Have Undergraduate Preparation in Nutrition

Students who have not received a DPD or International Dietitian Education Verification Statement and are interested in obtaining an MS degree and credentialing as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) should apply to the DPD/MS (clinical concentration)+DI program, which begins in September. In this track, students maintaining satisfactory academic progress in coursework will receive the appropriate Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) Verification Statement and will begin the DI. Specific admission requirements are listed below. The 29-week, full-time DI begins in January or June following successful completion of the five-term DPD/MS program.

Advanced Study in Nutrition Science

All programs prepare graduates to critically evaluate and implement the results of current research, solve problems, and communicate effectively. Students study with faculty involved in research, education, administration, professional practice, communication, and consulting. As part of their program, students develop a research proposal and have the opportunity to complete a practicum. Past practicum sites have included large urban hospitals, as part of a nutrition support team; private practice focused on nutrition for athletes; clinical research centers at large teaching hospitals; outpatient cardiovascular clinics at suburban teaching hospitals; and the offices of a nationally distributed nutrition newsletter.

The BU DI has clinical sites at major teaching and community hospitals in the greater Boston area. Students may need a car to get to a clinical site. The clinical sites provide excellent opportunities for students to observe and participate in a wide variety of specialties, such as nutrition support, pediatrics, oncology, nephrology, cardiology, diabetes, surgical care, outpatient counseling, food service, and management. Sites include our DI partnership programs with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Delicious Living Nutrition, and Massachusetts General Hospital.

Depending on their program, graduates pursue careers in a wide variety of settings. Clinical environments could include medical and surgical services of hospitals, outpatient clinics, cardiac rehabilitation centers, and private practices. Graduates could also work in the fitness/wellness industry, the pharmaceutical industry, public health, or as consultants to professional sports teams, corporations, and restaurants, or go on to doctoral or medical/dental/veterinary programs.

Admission Requirements

Applicants should refer to the appropriate program track website below for the most up-to-date admission requirements and application deadlines:

Degree Requirements

Students are eligible to receive a Master of Science upon completion of a minimum of 32 units of coursework at the 700 level and above*. At least 25 units must be taken at Boston University as a degree candidate. Required courses for each program are listed below.

An overall grade point average of B (3.0) or higher must be attained in graduate-level (700-level or above) classes. In graduate courses, no grade below C is acceptable for units. Additionally, the maximum number of units with a C or C+ in courses 700 level or above is 8 units.

SAR HS 704 and SAR HS 811 are tied to the Dietetic Internship. In order to proceed into the Dietetic Internship, students must receive a passing grade for these courses (B– or above). SAR HS 811 is graded on a Pass/Fail basis. Failure to receive a passing grade in SAR HS 811 will prohibit entry into the Dietetic Internship. The practicum course cannot be repeated.

A student may complete any of the academic programs on a full- or part-time basis. The DI must be completed on a full-time basis. All programs must be completed within seven years of matriculation.

*Note: 500- and 600-level courses designated as graduate courses may contribute to graduate elective units and/or graduate concentration course units.

Information Specific to the DPD/MS (clinical concentration)+DI

The DPD/MS (clinical concentration) is a five-term program. In the Curricula section below, courses are classified based on whether they meet DPD requirements, MS requirements, or both. All DPD Professional courses must be completed with a minimum grade of B–, and DPD Science courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C–. Requirements for completing the MS degree are detailed in the Degree Requirements section. After successful completion of the five-term DPD/MS (clinical concentration) program, students will receive an ACEND DPD Verification Statement. They will then begin the DI program. The DI begins in either January or June following successful completion of the DPD/MS (clinical concentration). After satisfactory completion of the DI, which includes documentation of the completion of dietetic competencies and the MS (clinical concentration)+DI program evaluation, students will receive the ACEND DI Verification Statement and be awarded the MS degree.

Information Specific to the BU DI

The BU DI is a 6-unit, 29-week, full-time course requiring payment of tuition. In addition, interns must pay a nonrefundable $1,000 fee to their internship site by the end of the first two weeks of the DI. A car may be necessary to get to the BU DI site as some sites are as much as 60 miles from Boston. After successful completion of the DI, the student will receive the appropriate ACEND DI Verification Statement. At this time, the student will have met the academic and core competencies for the supervised practice component of entry-level dietitian education programs as mandated by the ACEND and be eligible to sit for the national registration examination to be credentialed as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. Most states in the US require some form of licensure in addition to the RDN credential in some practice settings. It is ACEND’s considered opinion that the program is designed to and does meet all state dietetics licensure and certification laws, though some states may interpret their statutes differently.

Curricula

All courses are 4 units unless otherwise indicated. The DI begins following successful completion of all courses in the appropriate programs.

Two-Term MS—September Entry (All courses listed are required for the degree program unless noted.)

Fall

    • SPH BS 704 Introduction to Biostatistics (3 units)
    • SAR HS 776 Nutritional Epidemiology (4 units)
    • SAR HS 783 Metabolic Regulation (4 units)
    • Concentration course (3–7 units)

    Spring

    • SAR HS 742 Nutrition and Disease Prevention: A Lifecourse Approach or SAR HS 720 Lifecourse Approach to Community Nutrition (4 units)
    • SAR HS 785 Nutrition Research (3 units)
    • Concentration courses (7–11 units)
    • Optional: SAR HS 811 Nutrition Practicum (3 units)

    Two-Term MS—January Entry (All courses listed are required for the degree program unless noted)

    Spring

    • SAR HS 742 Nutrition and Disease Prevention: A Lifecourse Approach or SAR HS 720 Lifecourse Approach to Community Nutrition (4 units)
    • SPH BS 704 Introduction to Biostatistics (3 units)
    • SPH EP 758 Nutritional Epidemiology (4 units)
    • Concentration courses (3–7 units)

    Fall

    • SAR HS 783 Metabolic Regulation (4 units)
    • SAR HS 785 Nutrition Research (3 units)
    • Concentration courses (7–11 units)
    • Optional: SAR HS 811 Nutrition Practicum (3 units)

    MS (clinical concentration)+BU DI—Fall Entry (All courses listed are required for the degree program.)

    Fall I

    • SPH BS 704 Introduction to Biostatistics (3 units)
    • SAR HS 776 Nutritional Epidemiology (4 units)
    • SAR HS 783 Metabolic Regulation (4 units)
    • SAR HS 788 Theory and Practice of Nutrition Counseling (3 units)
    • SAR HS 779 Advanced Clinical Nutrition (4 units)
    • SAR HS 705 Foundations of Interprofessional Practice A1 (0 units)*

    Spring I

    • SAR HS 704 Essentials of Professional Practice (2 units)
    • SAR HS 742 Nutrition and Disease Prevention: A Lifecourse Approach (4 units)
    • SAR HS 785 Nutrition Research (3 units)
    • Graduate elective (2+ units)
    • SAR HS 811 Practicum (3 units)*
    • SAR HS 705 Foundations of Interprofessional Practice A1 (0 units)*

    Summer I

    • SAR HS 703 Supervised Practice in Nutrition (3 units)*

    Fall II

    • SAR HS 703 Supervised Practice in Nutrition (3 units)*
    • SAR HS 705 Foundations in Interprofessional Practice A2 (0 units)*

    *Optional for degree, required for the DI

    MS (clinical concentration)+BU DI—Spring Entry (All courses listed are required for the degree program.)

    Spring I

    • SAR HS 704 Essentials of Professional Practice (2 units)
    • SPH BS 704 Introduction to Biostatistics (3 units)
    • SPH EP 758 Nutritional Epidemiology (4 units)
    • SAR HS 742 Nutrition and Disease Prevention: A Lifecourse Approach (4 units)
    • Graduate elective (2+ units)
    • SAR HS 705 Foundations of Interprofessional Practice A1 (0 units)*

    Fall I

    • SAR HS 783 Metabolic Regulation (4 units)
    • SAR HS 785 Nutrition Research (3 units)
    • SAR HS 788 Theory and Practice of Nutrition Counseling (3 units)
    • SAR HS 779 Advanced Clinical Nutrition (4 units)
    • SAR HS 705 Foundations of Interprofessional Practice A1 (0 units)*
    • SAR HS 811 Practicum (3 units)*

    Spring II

    • SAR HS 703 Supervised Practice in Nutrition (3 units)*
    • SAR HS 705 Foundations in Interprofessional Practice A2 (0 units)*

    Summer

    • SAR HS 703 Supervised Practice in Nutrition (3 units)*

    *Optional for degree, required for the DI

    The BU DI (SAR HS 703) begins in June or January following successful completion of academic coursework. It is a 6-unit, 29-week, full-time class requiring payment of tuition. In addition, a $1,000 fee must be paid to the internship site.

    DPD/MS (clinical concentration)+DI

    Courses marked (*) are required to complete the DPD.

    Courses marked (+) are required to complete the MS.

    Courses marked (‡) are required to complete the DI.

    Fall I

    • SAR HS 542 Exercise Physiology (4 units)*
    • SAR HS 551 Human Nutrition Science (4 units)*
    • SPH BS 704 Introduction to Biostatistics (3 units)+
    • CAS PS 101 General Psychology*

    Spring I

    • SAR HS 500 Food Science (4 units)*
    • SAR HS 510 Managing Food and Nutrition Services (4 units)*
    • SAR HS 561 Nutrition Throughout the Life Cycle (4 units)*
    • SAR HS 720 Lifecourse Approach to Community Nutrition (4 units)*+

    Fall II

    • SAR HS 584 Medical Nutrition Therapy I (4 units)*
    • SAR HS 588 Applied Nutrition Counseling (4 units)*
    • SAR HS 705 Foundations of Interprofessional Practice (0 units)‡
    • SAR HS 776 Nutritional Epidemiology (4 units)*+‡
    • Graduate elective (2+ units)+

    Spring II

    • SAR HS 585 Medical Nutrition Therapy II (4 units)*
    • SAR HS 704 Essentials of Professional Practice (2 units)‡+
    • SAR HS 705 Foundations of Interprofessional Practice (0 units)‡
    • SAR HS 742 Nutrition and Disease Prevention: A Lifecourse Approach (4 units)+
    • SAR HS 785 Nutrition Research (3 units)+‡
    • SAR HS 811 Practicum (3 units)‡

    Fall III

    • SAR HS 586 Applied Nutrition Care (4 units)*
    • SAR HS 705 Foundations of Interprofessional Practice A2 (0 units)‡
    • SAR HS 779 Advanced Clinical Nutrition (4 units)‡+
    • SAR HS 788 Theory and Practice of Nutrition Counseling (3 units)‡+
    • SAR HS 783 Metabolic Regulation (4 units)+

    Spring III

    • SAR HS 703 Supervised Practice in Nutrition (3 units)*
    • SAR HS 705 Foundations in Interprofessional Practice A2 (0 units)*

    Summer

    • SAR HS 703 Supervised Practice in Nutrition (3 units)*

    The BU DI (SAR HS 703) begins in January or June following completion of academic coursework. It is a 6-unit, 29-week, full-time class requiring payment of tuition. In addition, a $1,000 fee must be paid to the internship site.

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