Online Dietetics & Nutrition Master of Science Degree

Program Summary
Cost per credit hour:

2023-2024: $600
2024-2025: $610
Learn more about Tuition and Cost

Average time to complete: 26 months

36 Hours

The Great Plains IDEA Online Dietetics & Nutrition Master of Science Degree is diverse, just like our profession. You will apply cutting-edge information in food, nutrition, food service management, and wellness to enhance your practice. This program will teach you to think independently and critically to evaluate and apply new research concepts and theories to advance your career.

Why study Dietetics & Nutrition through Great Plains IDEA?

Flexibility. Our Dietetics & Nutrition master’s degree is offered completely online which means you can complete your coursework when it’s convenient for you. Listen as graduate Casey Colin explains how the flexibility of this program allowed her to accomplish her goals.

Choice. Build your own degree program. With 21-24 credit hours of elective courses, you have a lot of options to craft a program that fits your needs and interests. Whether you want to learn more about medical nutrition therapy, nutrition and aging, supporting public health initiatives, or how nutrition influences cancer recovery, you can choose a path to help you make a difference in the lives of others by advancing your level of practice as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) or nutrition professional. Listen as graduate Brooke Noble shares her experience.

Academic excellence. Our online curriculum prepares you to integrate and apply dietetics and nutrition principles in biomedical sciences, human behavior, and program management in order to design and lead effective food and nutrition programs.

Affordable Online Structure Designed for Flexibility and Convenience

Your home university is where you pay tuition, manage your program, receive academic advising, and meet graduation requirements. While you will take courses online from any of the participating universities, your home university will award the diploma at the completion of the program.

Designed for working professionals, the Online Dietetics & Nutrition Master’s degree provides flexibility and convenience, as well as affordability through a common price per credit hour through all universities.

Autumn Laurito's Headshot"The Great Plains IDEA program has granted me opportunities through online learning that would never be possible in a traditional setting. As a military family, we are required to move frequently and sometimes unexpectedly. There were times when I lived in three different states in a matter of one year. The Great Plains IDEA program allows me to receive an outstanding education regardless of my home state. I have access to classes and universities throughout the United States to provide a comprehensive array of knowledge in my field. The Great Plains IDEA program has proven to be an excellent fit for myself and for my family."
Autumn Laurito, dietetics master's student and recipient of the 2022 Student Excellence Award.

Dietetics & Nutrition Program Format

The Dietetics & Nutrition online master’s degree consists of a 36-credit hour curriculum that prepares Registered Dietitian Nutritionists and nutrition professionals to practice at an advanced level in one of the most dynamic and versatile of the health-related professions. This interdisciplinary curriculum will provide you with the skills to adapt to the ever-evolving field of nutrition. Students typically finish in two to three years, taking one or two courses each semester.

"Given the wide variety of courses that are available, you are allowed to pick and choose what courses are of interest to you which allows you to tailor your education essentially to whatever your aspirations or interests or clinical goals would be.  I really thought this was one of the unique aspects in comparison to other programs."

Kathryn Holt, dietetics and nutrition student, and recipient of the 2019 Student Excellence Award

Dietetics Curriculum

The online program is tailored for dietetics professionals who seek to enhance their knowledge in a specific area or retool for new career opportunities in dietetics practice. You can build a program of study that fits your needs and interests.

There are three core courses offered every fall and spring semester. These include current issues and trends, basic statistics, and research methods. These courses will ensure your success throughout the remainder of your program.

You will customize your degree experience through an additional 7-8 courses – 21-24 credit hours – of electives. Our elective courses allow you to choose a focus that best fits your professional needs and interests. Electives include courses in these areas:

  • Clinical nutrition
  • Community or public health nutrition
  • Healthcare administration
  • Management and leadership
  • Food science
  • Foodservice management

Your culminating experience (3-6 credit hours) will depend on the requirements of your home university and generally fit into these three categories: thesis explanation, comprehensive paper explanation, or comprehensive project explanation. The Dietetics & Nutrition Student Handbook provides further explanation about the culminating experience requirements for each home university.

Current students seeking supervisory committee members should contact their advisor for a list of available faculty.

Review the Master’s Degree Curriculum

Listen to Deana Hildebrand, associate professor at Oklahoma State University, explain the many benefits of Great Plains IDEA’s Dietetics & Nutrition program, including the flexibility and customization of the program.  

Program Information at Participating Universities

Four universities work together to bring an innovative, top-notch academic experience, allowing you to get the best from our member universities. Learn more about the program at each participating university.

Degree titles vary by university. Review the official master’s degree names at our member institutions in the Dietetics & Nutrition Student Handbook.

Go to the Dietetics Student Handbook

All Great Plains IDEA member universities are accredited by regional agencies, aligning with requirements set by the U.S. Department of Education. This ensures that students pursuing their degree through Great Plains IDEA are met with a high standard of academic excellence. All five member universities participating in the Online Dietetics and Nutrition Master's Degree program are accredited. Learn more about the accreditation of our member universities. 

Career Opportunities with a Dietetics & Nutrition Master's Degree

A dietetics and nutrition master’s degree will open the door to numerous career possibilities in health-related professions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of U.S. adults are obese, and dietitians will play an increasingly important role in preventing obesity-related conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease. An aging baby boomer population has increased demand for dietitians in nursing homes and home healthcare settings.

This degree can help you advance in fields such as:

  • Public health nutrition
  • Healthcare administration
  • Pediatrics
  • Critical care
  • Wellness counseling
  • Sports programs

Graduates of this program take diverse professional paths. Some places include:

  • Hospitals
  • Clinic long-term care facilities
  • Private practice
  • Community nutrition education interventions
  • Nonprofit agencies
  • Community or corporate health programs
  • K-12 schools
  • Correctional facilities
  • Retail grocery
  • Government programs

Some career paths are only available to those who hold the RDN credential which requires completing an internship followed by passing the RD exam. Do you still have questions about a career in Dietetics? Find answers to 12 of the most commonly asked questions from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics or contact us with your questions.

Learn how Casey Colin, a graduate of this program, uses the skills and knowledge learned in this program every day in her job.

Collaborate with Expert Faculty

Great Plains IDEA’s Dietetics & Nutrition faculty come from five different home universities, providing a range of experiences and perspectives not able to be offered at a single university. Get to know more about the Dietetics and Nutrition faculty members at the bottom of this webpage.

Admission to the Online Dietetics and Nutrition Program

This program is designed for those who are already Registered Dietitian Nutritionists working in the field or those with verification from a didactic program in dietetics (DPD) or dietetic internship program. Applications are accepted year-round so you can start in the fall, spring, or summer semester – whatever works best for you.

To be admitted to this program, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Have a bachelor’s degree
  • Have the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential (or be eligible to sit for the RDN exam). Some universities are accepting students who have completed a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) program. The Dietetics Student Handbook provides additional information.
  • Fulfill (or meet) the entrance requirements for a master’s program at your home university. Typically, this requires a minimum 3.0 undergraduate grade point average or a 3.0 in the last 60 hours of coursework in the undergraduate degree
  • The GRE or GMAT is not required by any participating universities
  • Additional admissions requirements are included in the Dietetics Student Handbook

View the Dietetics & Nutrition Student Handbook

Individuals who hold credentials offered by the following foreign regulatory boards are also eligible to apply:

  • Dietitians of Canada (DC)
  • Dutch Association of Dietitians/Ministry of Welfare, Public Health and Culture (NVD)
  • Philippine Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)
  • Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute (INDI)

Alison Eddy is a dietetics graduate student."Great Plains IDEA has so many benefits for its students. The ability to continue my education while working full-time and growing my family has been a huge benefit for me. Earning the Student Excellence Award will greatly benefit my family as we begin our lives with our new daughter because we can use it to pay for the rest of my tuition and will not have to budget in finishing my degree."
Alison Eddy, dietetics and nutrition master's student, and recipient of the 2023 Student Excellence Award

Advance Your Career with a Dietetics Master's Degree

Great Plains IDEA’s online Dietetics master’s degree will provide you with the skills and knowledge to excel in your career in this high-demand profession.

Ready to get started? Learn how to get started today!

A master's degree designed to prepare Registered Dietitian and Nutritionists to practice at an advanced level in one of the most dynamic and versatile of the health-related professions.

Course List for Master's Degree

University Contact
These campus coordinators can help you navigate Great Plains IDEA. Click on the university name to learn more about how Great Plains IDEA works at that campus. Stacy Duffield
Rae Ann Montgomery
Kendra Spaeth
Kelly Durkin
University Members
Members of the Great Plains IDEA are universities accredited by a regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Member universities recruit, admit and graduate students, teach in an academic program and contribute to the leadership and maintenance of the alliance. Membership in the alliance is a selective process that engages institutional leadership at all levels.

Macy Burgess is a graduate of the family and community services degree.I made the decision to switch specializations in my master’s program mid-way through my degree. This change took me from the traditional on-campus experience to the Great Plains IDEA online experience. The switch seemed intimidating to me but it ended up being an incredible experience that I would not have gotten if I'd taken all classes at one university. Getting to dive into courses offered at schools all over the country was beneficial as it opened pathways for communication and sharing of knowledge with students and faculty I would not normally have interacted with. 

– – Macy Burgess, Family and Community Services Graduate Student,
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