Curriculum

Master's Degree - Dietetics

Core Courses

Students are introduced to both descriptive and inferential statistics. tests of hypotheses concerning means (t-tests and one-way ANOVA), correlation, regression, and chi square (goodness of fit and independence) are presented.
The course focuses on basic components of the research process and the application of various research methods in dietetics. This includes the use of various research designs for answering research questions, methods for conducting research, evaluation of research articles, development of research proposals, communication of research findings, and demonstration of understanding of ethical issues in research.
Students review current issues in the economic, social, ethical, political, legal, technological, and ecological environments. Students explore how changes in these environments affect dietetics practice.

Elective Courses

In this course, students learn about the role of diet in disease including diet as a factor related to prevention of disease or illness, diet as an etiologic agent in illness, and diet as a treatment for disease. The course focuses on medical nutrition therapy, which is the use of specific nutrition services to treat an illness, injury, or condition and involves two phases: 1) assessment and 2) treatment, which includes diet therapy, counseling and/or the use of specialized nutrition supplements.
Physiological and biochemical aspects of macronutrients metabolism and human nutrition.
This course is designed to give students the opportunity to explore and integrate topics and ideas that are at the forefront of the field of nutritional science. Students examine topics that are new and/or controversial and have implications that range from the cellular/molecular /biochemical level up to clinical/educational level. The primary goal of this course is to emphasize the integrative and complex nature of human nutrition research from basic science to clinical studies to population studies and dietary recommendations.
This course is about specialized nutrition assessment and support. Students study review of energy expenditure and substrate utilization in specific disease states. Students look at current methods for the initiation and management of enteral and parenteral nutrition therapy including access, metabolic, and mechanical complications. The course includes evaluation of nutrition support methodology in selected disease states.
An in-depth study of diabetes management with emphasis in nutrition care. Topics will include diabetes pathophysiology, clinical care guidelines, basic pharmacology, clinical nutrition education and counseling strategies, and nutrition care planning. Prerequisites : a course in medical nutrition therapy or consent of instructor.
Students explore the safety and efficacy of botanical/herbal and dietary supplements in health applications. The course includes dietary supplementation in prevention and treatment of chronic disease. Note: Students are advised to complete Human Physiology prior to enrollment.
This course is about development and management of small businesses or private practices within the dietetics industry. Students learn about business plan development, marketing, and cost considerations. Students get an overview of consulting to healthcare and hospitality operations and examine skills required for success.
This course is designed as a survey of topics that affect how we perceive food in the modern world. Students examine food as a badge of cultural identity, a focus of media scrutiny and promotion, a symbol of religion, and a driver of technology.
Students study key issues in the theory, research, and application of leadership in organizations. This includes defining leadership, understanding situational characteristics that facilitate/hinder effective leadership, understanding effective/dysfunctional leadership, and gaining greater insight into one's own leadership style and functioning.
The course is an overview of phytochemicals (non-nutritive biologically active compounds) from fruits, vegetables, cereals, and oilseeds. It covers recent findings on chemistry, physiological functions, and potential health implications of phytochemicals.
Topics of this course include integration and evaluation of regulatory principles, food science, nutrient science, nutritional metabolism and the development of functional foods, nutraceuticals, and dietary supplements for chronic disease prevention.
Topics of this course are grant writing, identifying external funding, managing grants, preparing manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication, and preparing papers and poster for presentation at professional meetings.
This course is an advanced study of the magnitude, causes, and nature of hunger and undernutrition in low income countries. The course emphasizes programs, policies, and planning directed toward alleviating hunger.
This course is a critical examination of behavioral, physiological, and public health issues impacting dietary and nutritional factors that support normal growth and development. The course content focuses on the early stages of the life cycle: gestation, lactation, infancy, preschool, school age, and adolescence. Topics include the fetal programming hypothesis, growth and nutritional requirements, breast feeding and formula feeding of infants, infant weaning, and eating behaviors that lead to normal growth, growth faltering, and pediatric obesity.
The course features interrelationships of micronutrients in terms of biochemistry, physiology, genetics, and nutrition. Emphasis of the course is on developing understanding of how the coordination of structure and function is related to metabolic needs of the cell and its response to the environment. This integrated approach forms the basis for evaluating the micronutrient needs of humans in both normal and altered metabolic states.
This course is about nutritional needs throughout the life span, including pregnancy, lactation, growth, and aging. The course also covers approaches to nutrition education for different ages.
Students gain understanding of basic cancer biology and methodology used to study nutrition and cancer relationships. Using current research as a basis, students explore the role of nutrition in specific cancers. Students learn about sources of information for cancer prevention programs and how to apply this information to clinical patient management.
The focus of this course is nutrition education for groups and individuals in clinical and community settings. The course includes discussion and experience in applying learning theory, assessing educational needs, stating goals and objectives, selecting learning activities, implementing and evaluating instruction, and documenting care provided.
This course provides an overview of community and public health nutrition including nutrition education concepts for community settings. A review of community nutrition programs and nutrition services are explored.
This course emphasizes the important issues related to designing, conducting, and interpreting research on the role of diet or physical activity in the development of disease (& health) in human populations.
This course is designed for students to develop an understanding of nutrition based upon knowledge of the biochemical and physiological process and functions of specific nutrients in meeting nutritional requirements. The course emphasizes the relationship of optimal nutrition and physical efficiency and performance.
This course focuses on principles and issues related to nutrition and immunology. Course content includes the impact of nutrients and nutritional status on immune responses and the impact of disease states on nutritional status.
In this course, students identify the basic physiological changes during aging and their impacts in health and disease. The focus of the course is on successful aging with special emphasis on physical activity and nutrition. The course addresses practical application to community settings.
Students will gain in-depth knowledge about nutrition assessment tools. Students will have the opportunity to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of different tools and gain experience collecting, analyzing, and interpreting nutrition assessment data.
An online study of eating disorders management and nutrition care. Topics will include eating disorders medical complications, clinical care guidelines, basic pharmacology, clinical nutrition education, nutrition care planning, psychology of eating disorders, team collaboration, and therapeutic modalities for nutrition counseling. Prerequisites: A course in medical nutrition therapy or consent of instructor.
The course addresses wellness promotion through nutrition. Students examine nutritional risk and protective factors in relation to public health and individual nutrition.
This course offers exploration of the affects that obesity has on public health, the healthcare system, and society in general. The course provides an overview of strategies to prevent obesity across the lifespan.
This course examines the physiological, biochemical, and nutritional aspects of disease processes relevant to infants and children up to 18 years of age. The course includes discussion of medical nutrition therapy for a variety of medical conditions found in this population including inborn errors of metabolism, food hypersensitivity, obesity, and diseases of the major organ systems.
This course examines U.S. public health and nutrition concerns in diverse U.S. populations, examines nutritional status in communities, looks at health communication, and considers nutrition policies and community-based nutrition interventions. Students explore roles of dietitians, nutritionists, and others in developing and delivering nutrition policies and interventions in U.S. communities.

Practicum/Creative Component/ Thesis

Independent study is outlined and completed with the guidance of the student's advisory committee at the home institution.
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

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.

Huang_Shaojun_Headshot_for_Website1.pngHaving an integrated financial strategy for families has become increasingly important for families to stabilize their finances, especially during the pandemic. Acquiring professional knowledge on how to well manage family wealth has motivated me to pursue a master’s degree program in family financial planning and become a professional financial planner. The Great Plains IDEA program offers me a great path to this academic field and to gain the skills to help people protect financial resources.

– – Shaojun Huang, Family Financial Planning Graduate,
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