The MS in Nutrition Sciences, Dietitian Education Program is an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)–accredited Coordinated Program in Dietetics. This track accepts admission for the fall term only and accepts a total of 30 incoming students each year. All coursework is online, and the student completes all supervised experience hours in-person in the city where they reside.

Open House

The MS in Nutrition Sciences, Dietitian Education Program hosted a Virtual Open House in late October. If you were unable to attend and would like to discuss how UAB’s program could align with your interests or career goals, please contact Dr. Marian Carter at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or schedule a virtual meeting at https://calendly.com/drcartercalendar.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for the MS in Nutrition Sciences, Dietitian Education Program, you must have:

• Completed a minimum of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university in the United States
• Earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• No GRE required
• Have a DPD verification statement or have completed the equivalent to the following science and nutrition prerequisites:
  • Introductory Biology – 3 credit hours- lab is not required
  • Organic Chemistry – 3 credit hours – lab it not required
  • Microbiology – 3 credit hours – lab is not required
  • Physiology - 3 credit hours – lab is not required
  • NTR222 Nutrition and Health (Intro to Nutrition) (3 credit hours)
  • NTR232 Lifecycle Nutrition (3 credit hours)
  • NTR320 Nutrition and the Consumer (3 credit hours)
  • NTR330 Nutrition and Metabolism (3 credit hours)
  • NTR420 Nutrition Genetics (3 credit hours)
  • NTR421 Nutrition Assessment and the Nutrition Care Process (3 credit hours)

REQUIRED: Send completed DEP Screening Form and syllabi of nutrition courses to Dr. Marian Carter (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for review and approval.  

Although we require a minimum grade of C or better for prerequisite courses, the most competitive students have a GPA well above 3.0 in prerequisite courses, and overall undergraduate degree GPA.  Prerequisites cannot be completed concurrently with this degree program; all prerequisites must be completed prior to the program start date.

If you have not completed the equivalent to the prerequisites listed above, you may consider exploring the Lifestyle Management and Disease Prevention Program. Students in the LMDP track can apply to the Dietitian Education Graduate Certificate Program (DEP-C). Graduates of the LMDP track with the Dietitian Education Graduate Certificate Program are eligible to take the national exam to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.

Application Process

1. Complete the online application Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Services (DICAS) portal. The application fee is $50. Detailed information about DICAS application procedure and fees can be found on the DICAS Applicant Help Center.
   • Official Transcripts: Submit official transcripts from all universities and colleges attended directly to DICAS. In the coursework entry section, applicants must also enter all courses exactly as they appear on their transcripts. These steps must be completed for your GPA to be calculated accurately. A full tutorial is available on the DICAS Applicant Help Center website.
   • Recommendations: Three letters of recommendation are required. Strong letters of recommendation generally come from the following:
     • Current or previous professor
     • Current or previous work supervisor
     • A registered dietitian you’ve interacted with professionally (if not applicable, use another professor or work supervisor)
       Every applicant has unique circumstances. Collectively, your letters of recommendation should describe transferable skills such as leadership, critical thinking, decision making, overcoming adversity and attest to your academic ability to complete a rigorous graduate program. Providing specific examples that illustrate these characteristics make for a strong letter of recommendation. DICAS will send an email link to each of your references from the email address that you provide for each reference as part of your application. Your letters of recommendation will be submitted electronically by your references directly to DICAS.
   • Complete the program specific questions.
2. Interview: If your application is selected to move forward in the admission process, a virtual interview is required.
3. Admissions Decision
   • Early Decisions: Applications submitted on or before December 1 will receive an admission decision by January 15.
   • Applications received after December 1 and prior to the February 1 deadline will receive an admission decision by March 1.
   • All applicants who receive offers for admission into the program must notify UAB of their decision to accept or decline their offer by March 15.
4. Graduate School Application
   • Students who accept offers for admission into the Dietitian Education Program will then apply to the UAB Graduate School (Deadline: June 1)
   • Application fee: $50

Other Requirements

• Exceptions to any admission requirements will be considered on an individual basis by the Dietitian Education Program Director, and the DEP Admissions Committee.
• Applicants with networking experiences in the field of nutrition and dietetics is expected. These experiences can be paid or unpaid. Please see the networking section below for more information.
• Learn more about the Supervised Practice (practicum) process.

Networking

Networking is a very important aspect of learning about a career as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. There are many opportunities to assist.

• Build relationships with your professors. Keep in mind you will need several letters of recommendation.
• Get involved with your local dietetic association.
• Shadow a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (preferred) or other related health professionals (e.g., Pharmacist, Nurse, Respiratory Therapist, Physician Assistant, Clinical Lab Technician). Strive for obtaining quality experiences where you gain depth of knowledge. Keep in mind that you can have these experiences in a variety of settings, such as in the clinical setting, community setting, or food service setting. Use these experiences to build your professional relationships and to demonstrate depth of unique experiences that make you stand out.

International Applicants

Due to the exclusively online delivery system of the Dietitian Education track, this program is not available to students who desire to pursue their studies while physically present in the US on an F-1 or J-1 student visa. Applicants who are physically present in the US in another immigration status that permits exclusively online study (such as H-4, L-2, TN, pending green card, etc.) are welcome to apply.

Please email your current immigration document (USCIS approval or receipt notice, plus most recent I-94 card) to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for an initial assessment and information about English proficiency requirements.

The program expects a cumulative TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 80, IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 6.5, PTEA (Pearson Test of English Academics) score of 53, Duolingo score of 120, or IELA (International English Language Assessment) score of 176.