Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics
Graduate students in the Department of Nutrition and Health Science can earn a Master of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics with either a thesis or a non-thesis concentration. The graduate program, designed to provide flexibility and individualization for students with varying needs and interests, can include an ACEND-accredited dietetic internship with a Medical Nutrition Therapy focus. At present, with the exception of candidates who are currently registered dietitian nutritionists (RD/RDN), only candidates who are accepted into the Ball State Dietetic Internship through the DICAS match are accepted into the program.
The program is intended for two types of individuals—current dietitians who are seeking to complete a master's degree and aspiring dietitians who have matched to Ball State's ACEND-accredited dietetic internship. The MS Nutrition and Dietetics has four concentrations: 1) Dietetic Internship: Research, 2) Dietetic Internship: Applied; 3) Registered Dietitian: Research, and 4) Registered Dietitian: Applied. Aspiring dietitians who are accepted into Ball State’s dietetic internship must choose between the research (i.e., thesis) or the applied (i.e., non-thesis) concentration with internship, while current dietitians must choose between the research (i.e., thesis) or the applied (i.e., non-thesis) concentration without internship. It is possible for candidates to transfer up to 9 graduate credits into the program. Current dietitians may be granted up to 9 additional credits if they completed a dietetic internship for which no graduate credit was received. Contact the Graduate Program Director for details.
Dietetic Internship
The dietetic internship at Ball State University is a 32-week, full-time program. Prior to beginning the internship, students must complete a minimum of 9 graduate credits, including NUTR 642 Nutrition Assessment. Students are placed in one of two internship classes that run from January through August or from May through December of the year following the student’s acceptance into the program. Dietetic students accepted into the internship program will have the opportunity to complete the requirements of the dietetic internship and at least 18 credits toward the completion of the master’s degree. The dietetic internship is currently granted accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, 312-899-0040.
36 credits
Concentration 1: Dietetic Internship: Research
Research component, 12 credits from
| EDPS 641 | Introduction to Statistical Methods | 3 |
| | or | |
| EDPS 642 | Analysis of Variance | 3 |
| | or | |
| HSC 683 | Principles of Epidemiology | 3 |
| | or | |
| HSC 687 | Statistical Theory and Methods in Health Science | 3 |
| NUTR 697 | Research Methods in Nutrition and Dietetics | 3 |
| THES 698 | Thesis | 1 TO 6 |
Students must take THES 698 for 6 credits.
Nutrition core, 24 credits from
| NUTR 642 | Nutrition Assessment | 3 |
| NUTR 647 | Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Lipids | 3 |
| NUTR 648 | Vitamins and Minerals | 3 |
| NUTR 680 | Supervised Practices in Food Systems Management | 3 |
| NUTR 681 | Supervised Practice in Nutrition Therapy | 3 |
| NUTR 682 | Supervised Practice in Community Nutrition/Business/Entrepreneur | 3 |
| | 6 credits from 600-level NUTR courses | 6 |
Concentration 2: Dietetic Internship: Applied
Research component, 6 credits from
| EDPS 641 | Introduction to Statistical Methods | 3 |
| | or | |
| EDPS 642 | Analysis of Variance | 3 |
| | or | |
| HSC 683 | Principles of Epidemiology | 3 |
| | or | |
| HSC 687 | Statistical Theory and Methods in Health Science | 3 |
| NUTR 697 | Research Methods in Nutrition and Dietetics | 3 |
Nutrition core, 24 credits from
| NUTR 642 | Nutrition Assessment | 3 |
| NUTR 647 | Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Lipids | 3 |
| NUTR 648 | Vitamins and Minerals | 3 |
| NUTR 680 | Supervised Practices in Food Systems Management | 3 |
| NUTR 681 | Supervised Practice in Nutrition Therapy | 3 |
| NUTR 682 | Supervised Practice in Community Nutrition/Business/Entrepreneur | 3 |
| | 6 credits from 600-level NUTR courses | 6 |
6 credits from Electives inside or outside the Department of Nutrition and Health Science
Concentration 3: Registered Dietitian: Research
Research component, 12 credits from
| EDPS 641 | Introduction to Statistical Methods | 3 |
| | or | |
| EDPS 642 | Analysis of Variance | 3 |
| | or | |
| HSC 683 | Principles of Epidemiology | 3 |
| | or | |
| HSC 687 | Statistical Theory and Methods in Health Science | 3 |
| NUTR 697 | Research Methods in Nutrition and Dietetics | 3 |
| THES 698 | Thesis | 1 TO 6 |
Students must take THES 698 for 6 credits.
Nutrition core, 15 credits from
| NUTR 647 | Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Lipids | 3 |
| NUTR 648 | Vitamins and Minerals | 3 |
| | 9 credits from 600-level NUTR courses | 9 |
9 credits from Electives inside or outside the Department of Nutrition and Health Science (no more than 6 credits from 500-level courses)
Concentration 4: Registered Dietitian: Applied
Research component, 6 credits from
| EDPS 641 | Introduction to Statistical Methods | 3 |
| | or | |
| EDPS 642 | Analysis of Variance | 3 |
| | or | |
| HSC 683 | Principles of Epidemiology | 3 |
| | or | |
| HSC 687 | Statistical Theory and Methods in Health Science | 3 |
| NUTR 697 | Research Methods in Nutrition and Dietetics | 3 |
Nutrition core, 18 credits from
| NUTR 647 | Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Lipids | 3 |
| NUTR 648 | Vitamins and Minerals | 3 |
| | 12 credits from 600-level NUTR courses | |
12 credits from Electives inside or outside the Department of Nutrition and Health Science (no more than 6 credits from 500-level courses)
Total Credit Hours: 36