Colorado State University offers 5 nutrition credentials:
- B.S., Nutrition Science
- M.S., Food Science and Nutrition
- Coordinated Master’s Program in Dietetics
- Master of Advanced Practice in Dietetics
- Ph.D., Food Science and Nutrition
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.S. | $62.2K / $156.5K | 4 years (8 semesters) | 120 |
| M.S. | $29.6K / $65.0K | 2 years (4 semesters) | 35 minimum |
| CMPD | $44.4K / $97.5K | 2.75 years (6 semesters plus summers) | 50–57 |
| MAPD | $18.8K | As little as 1 year | 30 |
| Ph.D. | $7.4K / $16.3K per semester | Not clearly stated | 72 (42 beyond a master’s, derived) |
Colorado State’s route to the RDN runs through a research master’s: dietitian candidates enroll in the campus M.S., then compete in their second year for a place in the Coordinated Master’s Program in Dietetics, which adds a 1,000-hour internship. Only the Dietetics and Nutrition Management concentration of the B.S. and the coordinated program are ACEND-accredited.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | B.S. with 4 concentrations; campus M.S. with an optional coordinated internship; online MAPD; Ph.D. |
| Format | Campus in Fort Collins for all except the MAPD, which is Online |
| Credit Hours | 120 (B.S.); 35 minimum (M.S.); 50–57 (CMPD); 30 (MAPD) |
| ACEND Accreditation | Yes: DPD (Dietetics and Nutrition Management concentration) and the Coordinated Master’s Program |
| RD/RDN Eligibility | Yes via the CMPD. The DPD is coursework only; the M.S. alone, MAPD, and Ph.D. include no supervised practice |
| Supervised Practice | CMPD only: 1,000 hours in clinical, community, and foodservice rotations |
| CMPD Gate | Open only to current CSU M.S. students in the department; application in the second fall |
| GPA Floor | 3.1 in the Dietetics concentration for a DPD verification statement |
| Tuition | 2026–27 full-time semester: $7,129 / $18,913 undergraduate; $7,401 / $16,253 graduate |
| Institutional Accreditation | Higher Learning Commission (HLC) |
Bachelor of Science, Nutrition Science
The estimated tuition for the B.S. in Nutrition Science at Colorado State University is approximately $62,190 for Colorado residents (eight full-time semesters at $7,129 in tuition and fees after the College Opportunity Fund stipend, plus about $5,160 in upper-division differential tuition). The program requires 120 credits and can generally be completed in 4 years (8 semesters).
B.S. Curriculum
All students share a science core of general and organic chemistry, human physiology, and statistics, then choose one of four concentrations. At least 42 of the 120 credits must be upper-division.
- Dietetics and Nutrition Management (the ACEND-accredited DPD)
- Sports Nutrition and Wellness
- Pre-Health Nutrition
- Pre-Nursing
Practicums on campus. Dietetics students complete a counseling practicum at the department’s Kendall Reagan Nutrition Center, a sports nutrition practicum with CSU’s director of sports nutrition, and a foodservice practicum at an approved site. That gives dietetics students applied experience before they apply for internships.
- FSHN 150 Survey of Human Nutrition
- FSHN 300 and 301 Food Principles and Applications, with lab
- FSHN 302 Dietetics Management and Leadership
- BC 351 Principles of Biochemistry
- FSHN 340 Food as Preventive Medicine
- FSHN 350 Human Nutrition
- FSHN 360 Nutrition Assessment
- FSHN 386A Practicum: Food Service Management
- FSHN 392 Dietetic Practice Seminar
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- A DPD verification statement requires a 3.1 GPA in the concentration and no grade below C- in DPD courses, including transfer credits.
- The DPD does not award credit for prior learning experience.
- CSU publishes DPD targets, such as at least 60 percent of applicants admitted to supervised practice within 12 months, but not actual outcomes. Outcome data are available on request.
- Only the Dietetics concentration produces a verification statement; the other three do not lead toward the RDN.
B.S. Admissions
Admission runs through standard CSU undergraduate admission, and the concentration is declared within the major. There is no separate application to the DPD.
Master of Science, Food Science and Nutrition
The estimated tuition for the M.S. in Food Science and Nutrition at Colorado State University is approximately $29,604 for Colorado residents (four full-time semesters at $7,401 in tuition and fees). The program requires a minimum of 35 credits and can generally be completed in 2 years (4 semesters), in person.
M.S. Curriculum
The Nutrition specialization shares an 11-credit core: advanced nutritional science, nutritional epidemiology, a recent-developments seminar in community, energy metabolism, or genomics, and a graduate seminar. Students add a research methods or statistics course and electives drawn from biochemistry, physiology, medical nutrition therapy, and counseling.
- FSHN 551 Advanced Nutritional Science: Macronutrients
- FSHN 640 Selected Topics in Nutritional Epidemiology
- FSHN 650C Recent Developments: Genomics, Proteomics, and Metabolomics
- FSHN 540 Nutrigenomics and Advanced Lipid Metabolism (elective)
- FSHN 520 Advanced Medical Nutrition Therapy (elective)
- FSHN 630 Integrative Exercise and Nutrition Metabolism (elective)
More curriculum details are available here.
M.S. Research Requirements
- Plan A (thesis): 10 thesis credits and 10 to 11 elective credits
- Plan B (non-thesis): a 4-credit research project and 16 to 17 elective credits
- Both plans total 35 credits and require a graduate committee, a filed program of study, and a final examination
- The department describes these as an advisor-directed track with lab research and a course-directed track
Plan B suits a student who wants the degree for the RDN graduate requirement or for industry. Plan A is the stronger preparation for a doctorate, and it is the path CSU’s coordinated program calendar is built around.
Coordinated Master’s Program in Dietetics
The estimated tuition for the Coordinated Master’s Program in Dietetics at Colorado State University is approximately $44,407 for Colorado residents (six full-time graduate semesters at $7,401 in tuition and fees, before summer terms). The program requires 50 to 57 credits, depending on the CSU source, and can generally be completed in about 2.75 years.
CMPD Curriculum
The CMPD is not a separate degree. It adds ACEND-required coursework and a dietetic internship to the M.S., so graduates finish with one master’s degree plus a verification statement. CSU’s program calendar lays out a thesis in the first two years and rotations in the third.
- Year 1: define a thesis topic, form a committee, begin research
- Year 2: submit the CMPD application in fall; admission and cohort meetings in spring; thesis defense
- Year 3: supervised practice rotations in fall and spring
- Every graduate completes a nutrition-related research project
CMPD Supervised Practice
- 1,000 hours of supervised practice, built into the degree
- Rotations in community nutrition, clinical nutrition, and foodservice management
- Rotations run in person during the final two semesters
- Students pay rotation onboarding costs of $40 to $200 plus a $40 background check
The coordinated model removes the national internship match for students admitted to it. The trade-off is timing: admission comes mid-degree, so a student who is not selected still finishes an M.S. but must then apply to outside internships.
CMPD Admissions
The only way in is through CSU’s own M.S. program, and the internship application comes a year after starting it.
- Applicants must be current M.S. students in Food Science and Human Nutrition
- Students must first be admitted to the department’s graduate program and complete specific prerequisite courses
- Human Nutrition (FSHN 350 or 530) is recommended for students without a nutrition or biochemistry background
You Should Know
- CSU’s cost page assumes 35 M.S. credits plus 15 supervised practice credits (50 total), while its program calendar totals 57 credits. Ask the director which plan applies before budgeting.
- CSU’s own cost estimate, $43,514 resident and $93,579 non-resident, is based on 2024–25 rates.
- The program page does not say how rotation sites are assigned. Ask whether the program places students or expects them to find sites.
- CSU publishes CMPD targets, including an 80 percent one-year exam pass rate, rather than outcomes. Data are available on request.
Master of Advanced Practice in Dietetics
The estimated tuition for the Master of Advanced Practice in Dietetics at Colorado State University is approximately $18,810 (30 credits at $627/credit through CSU Online). The program requires 30 credits and can be completed in as little as 1 year.
MAPD Curriculum
The MAPD is an online, non-thesis professional master’s that ends in a capstone. Students choose one of three specializations: clinical nutrition, community nutrition, or nutrition counseling. CSU notes that the curriculum draws on faculty from multiple universities.
- FSHN 515 Advanced Health Equity
- FSHN 551 and 552 Advanced Nutritional Science: Macronutrients and Micronutrients
- FSHN 562 Nutrition and Dietetics Research
- FSHN 549 Advanced Pathophysiology: Nutrition Diseases (clinical)
- FSHN 629 Special Topics in Nutrition Counseling (counseling)
- FSHN 620 Community Nutrition Planning and Evaluation (community)
- FSHN 690 Dietetics Graduate Capstone
MAPD Admissions
- A DPD verification statement or RDN credential is required before admission
- Meeting minimum standards does not guarantee admission
You Should Know
- The MAPD meets the CDR graduate degree requirement but includes no supervised practice. Students still need a separate dietetic internship.
Doctor of Philosophy, Food Science and Nutrition
The estimated tuition for the Ph.D. in Food Science and Nutrition at Colorado State University is $7,401 per full-time semester for Colorado residents ($677.50/credit, capped at 9 credits a semester). The program requires about 72 credits, including up to 30 transferred from a master’s degree; completion time is not clearly stated.
Ph.D. Research Requirements
- At least 10 dissertation credits in the Nutrition specialization
- Two statistics or research methods courses, a research ethics course, and a graduate seminar
- 11 to 13 elective credits chosen with the graduate committee
- A preliminary examination two terms before the final dissertation defense
Because up to 30 credits can come from a prior master’s, a student who finishes CSU’s M.S. first has a direct ladder into the doctorate. Assistantship availability is not stated on the pages reviewed; ask the department before assuming the sticker price.
Tuition
Colorado State bills undergraduate residents $632.61 per credit, or $516.61 after the $116 College Opportunity Fund stipend, with tuition flat from 11 to 18 credits. Non-resident undergraduates pay a flat $17,466 a semester for 10 to 18 credits. Graduate students pay $677.50 per credit as residents and $1,661.10 as non-residents, capped at 9 credits a semester. The online MAPD charges $627 per credit.
After 60 credits, undergraduates also pay differential tuition on each course. The 2026–27 rate is $86 per credit for nutrition, biochemistry, and chemistry courses, and $66 or $114 for some others.
| Credential | Resident | Non-Resident |
|---|---|---|
| B.S., 4 years (with differential) | $62,190 | $156,464 |
| M.S., 4 semesters | $29,604 | $65,013 |
| CMPD, 6 semesters | $44,407 | $97,520 |
| MAPD, 30 credits | $18,810 | $18,810 |
Totals are derived from CSU’s 2026–27 tuition and fee tables and include mandatory fees. The differential estimate assumes 60 upper-division credits at $86.
Confirmed costs
- Undergraduate fees per full-time semester: general $1,009.84, technology $34.50, alternative transportation $46.02, and a facility fee of $23.75 per credit
- Graduate fees at 9 credits: $1,304.11 a semester
- CMPD extras (CSU estimates): health insurance $1,477 and supplies $570 a semester, background check $40, onboarding $40 to $200, transportation and insurance $337 a semester
Be aware that:
- Differential tuition starts once a student reaches 60 credits, including AP and transfer credits, so transfer students can hit it earlier.
- Summer terms in the CMPD calendar are excluded from the totals above.
- CSU auto-enrolls full-fee students in its health insurance plan unless they waive it.
- Residents must apply for and authorize the College Opportunity Fund stipend, or the bill is $116 a credit higher.
- The MAPD rate comes from CSU Online’s tuition list, which does not show an academic year. Confirm it before enrolling.
A Colorado resident who stays at CSU for the whole route, B.S. then CMPD, spends about $106,600 in tuition and fees over nearly seven years. A resident who takes the B.S. and then the online MAPD pays about $81,000 but still needs an outside internship, which can add both cost and a year.
Why Choose This Nutrition Program?
Best suited for future dietitians who want serious research training and are prepared to spend nearly three graduate years on campus in Fort Collins.
A research master’s with the internship inside. CMPD graduates leave with a thesis-based M.S., a completed research project, and a verification statement from the same program. That combination is useful for clinical research, academic, and doctoral paths.
A bachelor’s that keeps options open. The B.S. lets students choose among dietetics, sports nutrition, pre-health, and pre-nursing concentrations under one major. Dietetics students also get on-campus counseling and sports nutrition practicums before graduating.
Where the fit breaks down. Everything that leads to the RDN is campus-based, and the internship admission comes mid-degree rather than at entry. The online MAPD is convenient but does not include supervised practice. Research-track students in the other concentrations, the stand-alone M.S., and the Ph.D. should not expect a dietitian credential.
Choose the route by starting point. A high school graduate set on dietetics enters the Dietetics concentration, then the M.S. and CMPD. A DPD graduate who already has an internship lined up elsewhere takes the MAPD online. Someone aiming for research or a doctorate takes the M.S. under Plan A and continues to the Ph.D.
Accreditation
Colorado State University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), one of the seven regional accreditors. HLC accreditation covers every CSU degree and governs credit transfer, graduate admission elsewhere, and federal financial aid eligibility.
ACEND accredits two CSU programs: the Didactic Program in Dietetics, delivered through the Dietetics and Nutrition Management concentration of the B.S., and the Coordinated Master’s Program in Dietetics, which combines the M.S. with a dietetic internship.
The other three B.S. concentrations, the M.S. without the CMPD, the MAPD, and the Ph.D. fall outside ACEND’s scope. That is normal for pre-health, research, and professional master’s degrees, and the MAPD and M.S. still satisfy the graduate degree requirement for DPD graduates who complete supervised practice elsewhere.
DPD graduates receive a verification statement and may apply to accredited supervised practice programs. CMPD graduates hold a master’s degree and have completed 1,000 supervised hours, making them eligible for the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s RDN examination. Colorado does not license dietitians, so graduates who move should check their new state’s requirements.
More Nutrition Degrees in Colorado
- Metropolitan State University of Denver - Denver
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs - Colorado Springs
- University of Northern Colorado - Greeley