The University of Colorado Colorado Springs offers 1 dietetics credential:
- M.Sc., Nutrition and Dietetics
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.Sc. | $49.4K in-state | 2 years (4 semesters) | 47 |
UCCS’s defining advantage is a graduate-only route to the RDN that does not require a DPD: one 47-credit master’s combines the coursework, a graduate degree, and at least 1,000 hours of supervised practice at sites the program arranges. UCCS no longer offers an undergraduate dietetics program, so this master’s is its only path to the credential.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | One master’s degree built on ACEND’s Future Education Model standards |
| Format | Campus in Colorado Springs, plus supervised practice sites in the region |
| Credit Hours | 47 |
| ACEND Accreditation | Yes: the M.Sc. in Nutrition and Dietetics |
| RD/RDN Eligibility | Yes. Graduates receive a verification statement for the CDR exam |
| Supervised Practice | At least 1,000 hours, placed by the program, alongside coursework from the first semester |
| DPD Required | No. Applicants from nutrition, health sciences, or other fields are eligible |
| GPA Floor | 2.8 undergraduate to apply; 3.0 to remain in good standing |
| Transfer Credit | None accepted, including prior supervised practice hours |
| Tuition | $49,350 for Colorado residents and WRGP-eligible students (program estimate) |
| Institutional Accreditation | Higher Learning Commission (HLC) |
Master of Sciences, Nutrition and Dietetics
The estimated tuition for the M.Sc. in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs is approximately $49,350 for Colorado residents (47 credits at about $1,050/credit, derived from UCCS’s estimate). The program requires 47 credits and can generally be completed in 2 years (4 semesters) of full-time study.
M.Sc. Curriculum
The curriculum is competency-based and organized around three workforce themes: food systems, community nutrition, and clinical nutrition. Each semester pairs a content course with an apprenticeship in the same area, so students practice what they are learning that term. UCCS emphasizes environmental sustainability alongside clinical training.
A fixed two-year sequence. Year 1 covers research methods, sustainable food systems management, advanced nutrition and metabolism, community nutrition interventions, the first medical nutrition therapy course, and one elective. Year 2 is clinical, with two more medical nutrition therapy courses, two clinical apprenticeships, and a graduate seminar with a project.
- Research Methods and Statistical Design
- Sustainable Food Systems Management, with apprenticeship
- Advanced Nutrition, Metabolism, and Disease
- Community Nutrition Interventions, with apprenticeship
- Applied Medical Nutrition Therapy 1, 2, and 3
- Clinical Apprenticeship 1 and 2
- Nutrition Graduate Seminar
More curriculum details are available here.
M.Sc. Supervised Practice
- At least 1,000 hours across foodservice, community, clinical, and research experiences
- Hours run alongside coursework; UCCS has described about 250 hours a semester, roughly 6 hours a day, three days a week
- The program coordinates placements; students share interests during planning, but no site, specialty, or preceptor is guaranteed
- Clinical preceptors come through UCCS’s partnership with CommonSpirit, the parent of Penrose-St. Francis Health Services
- Sites are across the region; students need reliable transportation, and placements should not be assumed to be paid
- Sites may require immunizations, background checks, drug screening, and health insurance
Program placement removes the internship match and the preceptor search, the two steps where many dietitian candidates stall. The trade-off is control: students go where the program has capacity, on the site’s schedule, which can include early mornings and evenings.
M.Sc. Admissions
Admission runs through DICAS, and the program does not require a DPD verification statement.
- Bachelor’s degree with a 2.8 undergraduate GPA
- Required before applying: introductory nutrition, algebra or higher, biology, anatomy and physiology with labs, general chemistry with lab
- Organic chemistry with lab and biochemistry may be completed in the first year under conditional admission
- No time limit on prerequisites, though UCCS suggests retaking introductory nutrition after five or more years away
- Deadlines: priority November 1, secondary January 5, final May 15; DICAS opens September 1
- Three references, personal statement, resume, and a $50 application fee
- International applicants are welcome, and the program is STEM-designated
You Should Know
- UCCS does not award credit for prior learning or work experience, and it does not accept transfer credits.
- Courses and rotations are sequential. An incomplete course, unmet competency, or interrupted placement can delay graduation.
- UCCS says regular daytime employment may be difficult alongside the schedule, and placements are not arranged around outside jobs.
- Applicants seeking full financial aid consideration should apply by January 5 to meet the March 1 aid deadline.
- UCCS publishes targets, including an 80 percent one-year exam pass rate, rather than outcomes. Data are available from the program director on request.
Tuition
UCCS does not publish a per-credit rate on the program page; its two-year resident tuition estimate of $49,350 for 47 credits works out to about $1,050 per credit (derived). Students from WICHE states who qualify for the Western Regional Graduate Program pay the Colorado resident rate. Other non-residents must use UCCS’s bill estimator, since the program page does not publish a non-resident total.
| Cost Category | Two-Year Estimate |
|---|---|
| Resident tuition, 47 credits | $49,350 |
| Student and graduation fees | $165 |
| Application fees | $120 |
| Placement-related costs (checks, immunizations, travel, attire) | $576–$800 |
| Books, memberships, insurance | $190–$590 |
| Program-related total (UCCS estimate) | $50,400–$51,025 |
Figures are UCCS’s own program cost estimate. The component ranges reconstruct its published total.
Confirmed costs
- Resident tuition: $49,350 for the full program
- University fees: about $165 across two years
- Background checks and drug screening: $56 to $200, depending on sites
- Transportation to placements: $400 or more
- CDR exam after graduation: $250 to $325
Be aware that:
- The per-credit rate is derived from a program estimate; UCCS tells students to use its bill estimator for an exact figure.
- Non-resident tuition is not published on the program page, except that WRGP-eligible students pay the resident rate.
- UCCS estimates living costs of about $50,400 over 24 months, putting total cost of attendance near $101,000 to $102,000 for a resident.
- Admission does not guarantee a scholarship, assistantship, or paid placement.
For a career changer, this single degree replaces a DPD certificate, a separate master’s, and an internship application. The price of that consolidation is two years of full-time study with limited room for a job, so living costs matter as much as tuition when planning.
Why Choose This Nutrition Program?
Best suited for career changers with a science-leaning bachelor’s who want a single-admission path to the RDN and can study full time in Colorado Springs.
No DPD, no match, no preceptor search. Applicants with any bachelor’s and the listed prerequisites enter directly. The program then arranges every rotation, so there is no separate internship application after the degree.
Practice from the first semester. Apprenticeships start in year 1 with food systems and community nutrition, then move to clinical rotations in year 2. Students apply each course in practice during the same term rather than waiting until the end.
Where the fit breaks down. The program is campus-based and full time, and it accepts no transfer credit or prior-learning credit. Students cannot choose their sites, need a car for regional placements, and should not count on working during the day. UCCS offers no undergraduate dietetics route, so there is no bachelor’s-to-master’s pipeline here.
The trade-off is flexibility for simplicity. A student who can commit two full-time years gets the DPD, the degree, and supervised practice in one admission decision. A student who needs to keep working, or to study online, will find the structure hard to fit.
Accreditation
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), one of the seven regional accreditors. HLC accreditation covers every UCCS degree and governs credit transfer, graduate admission elsewhere, and federal financial aid eligibility.
ACEND accredits the M.Sc. in Nutrition and Dietetics, which is built on ACEND’s Future Education Model competency standards. In DICAS it is listed as the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs / Penrose-St. Francis Health Services Partnership.
UCCS previously held an ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics and an Individualized Supervised Practice Pathway. Both have closed, and the M.Sc. is now UCCS’s only accredited dietetics program.
Graduates who complete all coursework, competencies, and at least 1,000 supervised hours receive a verification statement and are eligible for the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s RDN examination. Colorado does not license dietitians, so graduates who plan to practice elsewhere should check UCCS’s state licensure disclosure and their state’s rules.
More Nutrition Degrees in Colorado
- Colorado State University - Fort Collins
- Metropolitan State University of Denver - Denver
- University of Northern Colorado - Greeley