Nutritional Sciences & Dietetics

About the Program

The Master of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics program prepares students for a career as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. The program provides the required coursework and supervised practice hours for Registered Dietitian Nutritionist credentialing examination eligibility. The program offers a clinically-focused curriculum with a metabolic basic science foundation and research experience.

Student Testimonials

"I'm confident that I will be well-prepared for a career as a registered dietitian after completing this program. The emphasis on active learning in our classes helps to reinforce the lecture material
and encourage engaging discussions with our fellow peers. I'm excited to work with patients during the clinical rotations because I know I can make a meaningful difference in their lives."
--Rachel Lam, UC, Berkeley, MNSD Student

"If I could describe the program in 3 words, I would say it is supportive, inspiring, and collaborative. The MNSD program was my top 1 choice when looking for graduate programs. I couldn't have chosen a better program to complete the requirements to take the CDR exam.
--Caroline Thally, UC, Berkeley, MNSD Student

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Admissions

Please visit the program website for program-specific admissions requirements.

Applying for Graduate Admission

Thank you for considering UC Berkeley for graduate study! UC Berkeley offers more than 120 graduate programs representing the breadth and depth of interdisciplinary scholarship. The Graduate Division hosts a complete list of graduate academic programs, departments, degrees offered, and application deadlines can be found on the Graduate Division website.

Prospective students must submit an online application to be considered for admission, in addition to any supplemental materials specific to the program for which they are applying. The online application and steps to take to apply can be found on the Graduate Division website.

Admission Requirements

The minimum graduate admission requirements are:

A bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution;
A satisfactory scholastic average, usually a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) on a 4.0 scale; and
Enough undergraduate training to do graduate work in your chosen field.

For a list of requirements to complete your graduate application, please see the Graduate Division’s Admissions Requirements page. It is also important to check with the program or department of interest, as they may have additional requirements specific to their program of study and degree. Department contact information can be found here.

Where to apply?

Visit the Berkeley Graduate Division application page.

Master's Degree Requirements (MNSD)

The Master of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics (MNSD) is a full-time continuous 21-month program. MNSD coursework provides the foundation for professional training and covers the core content areas of the profession including nutritional status assessment, clinical nutrition, management, and addressing communities through program development and policy. Students are primarily in the classroom their first year and learn through instruction, discussions, laboratories, and classroom activities. At the end of the first year, students are placed in their first supervised practice facility to obtain professional training. During the summer of year one, students complete a research experience and capstone project. During the second year, students spend more time at on-site supervised practice training facilities and less time in the classroom. Students will be on campus one day a week and spend four days in a supervised practice facility.

Course List
Code	Title	Units
Coursework and Capstone Project (40 required units)
NUSCTX 208	Foods	4
NUSCTX 210	Research Methods & Analysis in Nutritional Science	4
NUSCTX 235	Food Systems Management	4
NUSCTX 245	Counseling in Nutritional Sciences	2
NUSCTX 261	Nutrition Care Process and the Lifespan	4
NUSCTX 262	Medical Nutrition Therapy	4
NUSCTX 266	Nutrition in the Community	3
NUSCTX 294	Dietetics Professional Practice	2
NUSCTX 295	Capstone Project in Nutritional Sciences	11
NUSCTX 298	Directed Group Studies (Metabolism)	2-4
Internship, Supervised Practice (26 required units)
NUSCTX 400	Supervised Practice in Dietetics (approximately: 4-5 weeks of community nutrition, 2 weeks of campus community nutrition, 4-5 weeks of outpatient nutritional care, 6-7 weeks of institutional foodservice management, 16-17 weeks of clinical nutrition)	4-12

Program Outcomes

Graduates will apply their knowledge and skills through employment in nutrition and dietetics or health related fields and will have a personal commitment to a high standard of professional behavior. Specific program objectives and outcome data are available upon request.

Research Resources

The summer session term following year one is dedicated to a capstone project in the metabolic biology research labs or other nutritional sciences focused labs. During this experience, students will investigate nutritional science themes and connect research with their coursework. Past students have had research experiences with program collaborators within the Nutritional Sciences department and on campus, and also off campus with collaborators at Stanford, UCSF, and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, Oakland.

Professional Development Activities

Students will be placed in professional worksites to prepare for practice as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. All students will rotate through a hospital setting, a community nutrition setting, and a foodservice management setting.

Many students take advantage of the professional conferences offered by the California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Past students have attended their annual meeting and the California Academy Advocacy Summit in Sacramento.