Accelerated M.S. in Nutrition and Health
The accelerated M.S. program allows qualified undergraduates in the School of Health Sciences to obtain both a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and a Master of Science (M.S.) in shorter time than typically required to earn a B.S. plus a M.S. if both degrees are pursued separately.
Students can obtain the M.S. with a thesis, report, or coursework-only option.
Admission Requirements
A full description of admission requirements for the accelerated M.S. program is found in the Catalog link: Accelerated Nutrition and Health (BS)/Food, Nutrition and Health (MS)
Prospective students who have earned a Bachelors degree are not eligible to apply to the accelerated M.S. program.
The university has formal deadlines for international applicants.
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- January 8: fall (August) enrollment
- August 1: spring (January) enrollment
- December 1: summer (June) enrollment
The department has set priority deadlines for domestic applications.
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- March 1: summer (June) enrollment and priority deadline for fall (August) enrollment
- May 1: general deadline for fall (August) enrollment
- September 1: M.S.DI application deadline
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
- When applying select the appropriate campus before selecting the accelerated M.S. program. If you select the Manhattan campus, courses are offered in-person on campus. If you select Global Campus, all courses are offered online.
- Students will prepare and submit an accelerated M.S. program application to the Kansas State University Graduate School and pay the application fee one semester prior to the semester where the student will start to take the "shared" courses. 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.
- All admissions to the graduate program at this point will be provisional. Only once the student completes B.S. degree requirements will full admission be offered. While the student has been provisionally admitted to the accelerated MS program, their student status will remain undergraduate until full admission is extended.
- Students will take their nine "shared" credits (FNDH 600+ level) after provisional admission to the accelerated M.S. in NDSS program.
- Questions or concerns can be directed toward the department's graduate student coordinator.
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. FNDH courses at the 600 and 700 levels are eligible to be shared if taken for graduate credit.
Accelerated MS Thesis Option
| Course | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| FNDH 880 | Graduate Seminar in Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health | 1 |
| ≥FNDH 700 | Graduate Level FNDH Course | ≥3 |
| FNDH 899 | Master's Thesis | Variable |
| One of the Following Courses | ||
| STAT 701 | Fundamental Methods of Biostatistics | 3 |
| STAT 703 | Introduction to Statistical Methods for the Sciences | 3 |
| STAT 705 | Regression and Analysis of Variance | 3 |
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
| Course | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| FNDH 880 | Graduate Seminar in Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health | 1 |
| ≥FNDH 700 | Graduate Level FNDH Course | ≥3 |
| FNDH 898 | Master's Report | Variable |
| One of the Following Courses | ||
| STAT 701 | Fundamental Methods of Biostatistics | 3 |
| STAT 703 | Introduction to Statistical Methods for the Sciences | 3 |
| STAT 705 | Regression and Analysis of Variance | 3 |
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
| Course | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| FNDH 880 | Graduate Seminar in Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health | 1 |
| ≥FNDH 700 | Graduate Level FNDH Course | ≥3 |
| FNDH 897 | Applications in Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health | 3 |
| One of the Following Courses | ||
| STAT 701 | Fundamental Methods of Biostatistics | 3 |
| STAT 703 | Introduction to Statistical Methods for the Sciences | 3 |
| STAT 705 | Regression and Analysis of Variance | 3 |
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 Health Science program)/M.S. in Nutrition, Dietetics and Sensory Sciences
| Course | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| FNDH 600 | Public Health Nutrition* | 3 |
| FNDH 620 | Nutrient Metabolism* | 3 |
| FNDH 631 | Clinical Nutrition I* | 3 |
| FNDH 700 | Global Health and Nutrition | 3 |
| FNDH 800 | Nutrition Education and Communication | 3 |
| FNDH 820 | Functional Foods for Chronic Disease Prevention | 3 |
| STAT 701 | Fundamental Methods of Biostatistics | 3 |
| GERON 773 | Physical Health & Nutrition in Aging | 3 |
| FNDH 844 | Nutritional Epidemiology | 3 |
| FNDH 880 | Professional Communication in FNDH | 1 |
| FNDH 897 | Applications in FNDH | 3 |
| Total | 31 |
*shared courses between the B.S. and M.S. degrees; courses must be taken for graduate credit
- Students cannot be in two career programs (undergraduate and graduate) at the same time, even if they are completely linear of one another.
- When students officially start the M.S. program, their undergraduate career becomes inactive, and they can no longer take undergraduate credits nor courses.
- Once a student is fully admitted to graduate school, they are immediately no longer eligible for financial aid for undergraduate studies.
- Once students start taking graduate credits, they must continue to be in at least one course for graduate credit until they start officially in the graduate program (summer semester exclusion).
- Completing shared courses for graduate credit does not guarantee admission into the accelerated M.S. program.
In the event that a student begins the M.S. program, but does not wish to finish the M.S. Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health degree requirements, the tution difference between undergraduate credit and graduate credit of their shared courses will not be refunded, nor would those credits be transferrable to another institution.
Who should consider the accelerated M.S. program?
Students who are enrolled full time, want to continue their education at the graduate level, and know they want to pursue their graduate degree at K-State right after bachelor’s completion.
Fields of hire:
- Academia (instruction, research, doctorate)
- Industry
- Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (M.S. required in 2024)
- Community nutrition/public health
- Private practice/consulting
Who is eligible to apply?
- Applicants must have completed 75 credits towards a degree program within the School of Health Sciences with a minimum GPA of 3.25.
- Students who have earned previous bachelor's degrees may not apply for this program.
- Applicants need to ensure they meet university requirements for number of K-State credits in order to earn a bachelor's degree from K-State.
How do I "share" courses between the two degrees?
Students must enroll in the shared courses for graduate credit. In order to have this option, you need to be provisionally admitted to the accelerated M.S. program. If you are not at the time of enrollment for shared courses, enroll as you normally would and once acceptance is offered, a request will be made to change those courses to graduate credit.
How much do graduate courses cost?
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 B.S. degree requirements are completed. Then once the M.S. degree requirements are completed, you will apply for graduation with your M.S. degree.
How long does it normally take to finish the M.S. degree?
For those completing the accelerated M.S. program, you will have 21 graduate credits to complete after B.S. completion. While highly variable, this averages out to be about three additional semesters beyond the B.S. degree.
- Students will apply to the accelerated M.S. in NDSS program via the Graduate School the semester prior to the semester they will be taking shared coursework. Be sure to list the start date on the graduate application as the same semester the student is to start in their shared coursework (courses that will count towards both B.S. and M.S.).
- If admission to the accelerated program is recommended, only provisional admission will be offered until the B.S. degree is conferred and the student maintains all admissions requirements (ex: GPA). Then admission status will be changed to full after BS degree completion.
- Students will utilize this approval to enroll in 9 graduate credits of FNDH 600 level coursework during their B.S. career. The student must maintain continuity of enrolling in graduate credits until the end of their undergraduate career (example: 6 credits one semester, 3 credits the next or vice versa) with the exception of summer semesters as long as they have not received full admission to graduate school.
- For those seeking undergraduate financial aid, please prompt your academic advisor to email the Office of Student Financial Assistance stating the shared courses are courses required for the B.S. degree program.