Accelerated M.S. in Nutrition, Dietetics and Sensory Sciences

The application process is the same as for the traditional M.S. degree except that completion of the B.S. degree is not required at the time of application. M.S. applicants must be enrolled in one of the undergraduate programs in the Department of Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health.

Required Application Materials

• Unofficial transcripts (official transcripts will be required upon admission)
• Three completed surveys from professional references (individuals who can speak to your potential success in a graduate program)
• A completed supplemental applicant information form:
  • Graduate faculty meet routinely throughout the academic year to holistically consider applications. To assist us in doing this, we require that applicants complete this form (link sent by email once online application is started) which captures this information in addition to the online graduate application.
  • Please visit the Application Requirements page for further details

Additional Information

• Student preparing to apply to the accelerated MS program will plan to take their nine "shared" credits (FNDH 600+ level) before program application. Students must submit a special enrollment access request form for the Graduate School to process and approve before you plan to enroll in “shared” credits.
• As you are preparing and submitting your application materials, it is strongly recommended that you contact graduate faculty with whom you are interested in working with.

• Questions or concerns can be directed toward the department's graduate student coordinator.

• Submit an online application to the Kansas State University Graduate School and pay the application fee. International students also need to complete the Affidavit of Financial Support and language competency exam scores as part of the application.

• Once a completed application is received, applications are evaluated by the admissions committee. If the minimum requirements for admission are met, applications are reviewed by graduate faculty. A faculty member must agree to be an applicant's advisor before a recommendation can be made to the Graduate School that the applicant be admitted. The files of all applicants will be considered for institutional or departmental awards and graduate assistantships. Applications for admittance will be considered for fall and spring semesters, and the summer session.

Since there is some overlap between undergraduate and graduate study, some graduate courses will satisfy the degree requirements for the undergraduate degree. A maximum of 9 graduate credit hours from the M.S. Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health degree can be counted toward the B.S. Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health degree. Students should sign up for these courses as graduate credit.

The following courses are eligible to be shared if taken for graduate credit:

FNDH 600 (3) Public Health Nutrition
FNDH 620 (3) Nutrient Metabolism
FNDH 631 (3) Clinical Nutrition I
FNDH 632 (3) Clinical Nutrition II
FNDH 635 (3) Sports Nutrition

Accelerated M.S. Thesis Option

Of the 30 hours required for a master's degree, at least 18 hours should be at the 700 level and above.

Accelerated M.S. Report Option

Of the 30 hours required for a master's degree, at least 18 hours should be at the 700 level and above.

Accelerated M.S. Course Work Option

30 total graduate credits required (at least 18 credits at 700 level and above)
Oral exam for committee member (following seminar)
Written exam (questions submitted by committee members)

Graduate Catalog Degree Requirements

B.S. in (any FNDH program)/M.S. in Nutrition, Dietetics and Sensory Sciences

*shared courses between the BS and MS degrees; courses must be taken for graduate credit

Once a student is admitted to the accelerated M.S. Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health degree program, the student should consult the graduate handbook for policies and procedures for M.S. degrees, which include: supervisory committee, final examination, thesis defense, etc. The student will work closely with his/her major professor to form a supervisory committee and file a program of study. The student's supervisory committee must approve the program of study, which is a statement of the student's graduation requirements. The undergraduate advisor will continue to advise the student in academic progress toward the B.S. degree, and the major professor will supervise the student's academic progress (including thesis, report or course-work only option) for the M.S. degree.

If the student is approved for admission by the Department of Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health Graduate Admissions Committee, admission will be provisional, pending the award of the B.S. degree. The student must complete all B.S. Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health undergraduate requirements with the exception that up to 9 credit hours taken for graduate credit can also count toward his/her undergraduate degree requirements.

A B.S. degree may be awarded at any time following the completion of the undergraduate degree requirements. Alternatively, the B.S. and M.S. degrees may be awarded concurrently.

In the event that a student begins this program, but does not wish to finish the M.S. Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health degree requirements, he/she must change the nine credit hours of his/her graduate classes to undergraduate credit and then he/she will receive a B.S. degree.

Any student who has already graduated with a B.S. in Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health from Kansas State University may not enroll in the accelerated M.S. program. The student must apply for this program and be accepted before receiving the B.S. degree.

I am currently receiving financial aid in the form of a federal loan. Will I still be eligible to receive this once I have started in the BS/MS program?

No. Upon application, students receiving undergraduate federal finanical aid will select their starting semester in the BS/MS program as their last semester of their BS degree in order to mitigate this loss. The semester in which the student officially starts in the BS/MS program, the student will no longer be eligible for undergraduate financial aid. In this case, the student will need to complete a special enrollment access request form as an undergraduate in order to enroll in the identified shared coursework for graduate credit while maintaining undergradaute student status. It is strongly suggested every applicant discuss the impacts of a concurrent program and aid eligibility with their financial aid officer before applying.

What courses count as shared coursework towards both the BS and MS degrees?

If enrolled in for graduate credit, nine credits from any FNDH 600+ level course can be shared.

When is the deadline to apply to the BS/MS program?

A completed application can be submitted anytime after you have finished 75 credit hours towards your BS program and up until the beginning of your final semester in your BS program. In order to capture the nine shared credits for graduate credit, students must submit a special enrollment access request form for the Graduate School to process and approve before you plan to enroll in your nine “shared” credits.

What happens if I complete my BS degree, but not my MS degree?

If you choose to not complete your MS, the nine shared credits would be exclusively applied to your BS degree (which would be unaffected) and you would not be able to receive a refund for the additional cost in tuition you paid to take those courses for graduate credit, nor would those credits be transferrable to another institution.

How much do graduate courses cost?

The graduate tuition rate is roughly 125% of the undergraduate tuition rate.

Online program tuition information

On-campus program tuition information

Are both degrees conferred at the same time?

No. You will apply for graduation once the BS degree requirements are completed. Then once the MS degree requirements are completed, you will apply for graduation with your MS degree.

How long does it normally take to finish the MS degree?

For those completing the BS/MS degree, you will have 21 graduate credits to complete. Enrollment in six credits a semester (fall and spring) is considered a full-time graduate student. While highly variable, this averages out to be about three additional semesters beyond the BS degree.

1. FNDH student is identified after completion of at least 75 credits towards degree by undergraduate advisor and/or MS program as eligible for admission with a minimum GPA of 3.25.
2. Student visits with undergraduate advisor to select nine credits that may be used for both programs (600+ level FNDH courses) AND the courses have not been taken thus far in the undergraduate curriculum.
3. The student visits with their financial aid advisor and understands any financial aid ramifications of applying to a concurrent BS/MS program.
4. The student applies for the concurrent BS/MS program in CollegeNET and if admitted THEN enrolls in the shared graduate classes for graduate credit. The student must START in the concurrent program before their BS conferment.
5. Upon acceptance to the BS/MS program, the department graduate student coordinator will provide the required student acceptance form that identifies the 9 credits that are to be shared between degrees. This form is required by the Dean’s Office.