Loma Linda University Nutrition Programs

Department of Nutrition and Dietetics • Loma Linda, CA • Campus • $795/Quarter Unit (derived)

Loma Linda University offers 4 dietetics credentials:

  • B.S. + M.S., Nutrition and Dietetics (Coordinated Program)
  • M.S., Nutrition and Dietetics (Prior Bachelor’s)
  • M.S., Nutrition and Dietetics (Post-DPD)
  • M.P.H., Nutrition (Coordinated Program in Dietetics)

Program Tracks Overview

Program Est. Tuition Est. Duration Credit Hours (quarter units)
B.S. + M.S. $116.0K 3 years (11 quarters) after 2 years of transfer coursework 122 + 24 practice
M.S. (Prior B.S.) $126.7K 2.25 years (9 quarters) 102 + 24 practice
M.S. (Post-DPD) $73.2K 2 years (8 quarters, derived) 68 + 24 practice
M.P.H. $97.7K 2.33 years (9 quarters) Not clearly stated

Loma Linda’s defining advantage is that all four of its dietetics programs are ACEND-accredited Coordinated Programs, so no entry point requires a separate dietetic internship match. Every route ends with a master’s degree and supervised practice, which together meet the education and practice requirements for the RDN exam.

Quick Facts

Feature Details
Program Types Three Coordinated Program master’s routes in Allied Health; one Coordinated Program M.P.H. in Public Health
Format Campus. LLU states all classes are in person
Credit Hours 68 to 122 didactic quarter units, plus 24 practice units
ACEND Accreditation Yes: Coordinated Program (Allied Health) and Coordinated Program M.P.H. (Public Health)
RD/RDN Eligibility Yes, on completion of any of the four programs and the CDR exam
Supervised Practice More than 1,000 hours (M.S. routes); 1,100 hours (M.P.H.)
Emphasis Medical nutrition therapy (Allied Health); public health nutrition (Public Health)
Intake Once a year: summer (Allied Health routes), autumn (M.P.H.)
GPA Floor 3.0 in science and non-science prerequisites
Faith Requirements Religion courses in every Allied Health route; M.P.H. students attend weekly chapel
Tuition 2026–27 budgets: about $795 per quarter unit, fees included (derived)
Institutional Accreditation WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)

Bachelor of Science and Master of Science, Nutrition and Dietetics (Coordinated Program)

The estimated tuition for the B.S. + M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics at Loma Linda University is approximately $116,000 (146 quarter units at about $795/unit, derived from LLU’s 2026–27 tuition and fee budgets). The program requires 122 didactic quarter units plus 24 practice units and can generally be completed in 3 years (11 quarters) after two years of coursework at another college.

B.S. + M.S. Curriculum

Students enter at the junior year, complete seven undergraduate quarters, then four graduate quarters, and receive both degrees together at the end. The junior year front-loads organic chemistry and biochemistry taught with nutrition applications, alongside quantity food production and food systems management.

Graduate year content. The graduate year adds pharmacology, integrative and functional medical nutrition therapy, advanced macronutrient and micronutrient courses, a phytochemicals course, and 4 units of research. A written comprehensive exam is typically given in the spring of the graduate year.

  • DTCS 329 Organic Chemistry with Applications for Nutrition
  • DTCS 334 Biochemistry with Applications for Nutrition
  • DTCS 476 Exercise Physiology in Medical Nutrition Therapy
  • DTCS 526 Pharmacology in Medical Nutrition Therapy
  • DTCS 546 Introduction to Integrative and Functional Medical Nutrition Therapy
  • NUTR 519 Phytochemicals
  • AHRM 604 Research-Proposal Writing
  • RELT 436 Adventist Heritage and Health

More curriculum details are available here.

B.S. + M.S. Admissions

Admission is selective and requires two years of prior college work, including a full science sequence.

  • At least 96 quarter units from an accredited college; an A.A. or A.S. waives the high school transcript
  • 3.0 GPA in science and non-science prerequisites, plus an interview
  • Prerequisites include general chemistry (full year), anatomy and physiology with lab, microbiology, human nutrition, and medical terminology
  • A 3.0 cumulative GPA is required at the end of the undergraduate courses to move into the graduate year
You Should Know
  • The estimate covers only the three years at Loma Linda. The first two years of general education at another school are extra.
  • Program pages disagree on the application deadline. The B.S. page lists February 7, a deadline table on the same page lists January 31, and an older banner says April 30. Confirm the current date with the department.
  • The B.S. + M.S. degree page still names the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education, ACEND’s former name. The department’s other pages use the current name.

Master of Science, Nutrition and Dietetics (Prior Bachelor’s Degree)

The estimated tuition for the M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics for prior bachelor’s holders at Loma Linda University is approximately $126,744 (the sum of LLU’s three 2026–27 tuition and fee budget years). The program requires 102 didactic quarter units plus 24 practice units and can generally be completed in 2.25 years (9 quarters).

M.S. (Prior B.S.) Curriculum

This route is for bachelor’s holders in any field, including graduates of nutrition majors that were not ACEND-accredited. It rebuilds the full didactic dietetics sequence at the graduate level, including biochemistry, food chemistry and experimental foods, medical nutrition therapy, and quantity food production, then adds the same graduate core as the B.S. + M.S. route.

  • DTCS 530 Biochemistry with Applications for Nutrition
  • DTCS 566 Food Chemistry and Experimental Foods
  • DTCS 541 Medical Nutrition Therapy I
  • DTCS 571 Quantity Food Purchasing, Production, and Service
  • DTCS 554 Advanced Medical Nutrition Therapy
  • EPDM 509 Principles of Epidemiology

M.S. (Prior B.S.) Admissions

The route is open to international students and admits once a year for a summer start.

  • Bachelor’s degree in any field
  • Prerequisites: college algebra or higher, anatomy and physiology with lab, one year of general chemistry with lab, microbiology with lab, human nutrition, and medical terminology
  • 3.0 GPA in prerequisites, references, and an interview
  • Apply through DICAS between September 1 and January 31; decisions by March 1
You Should Know
  • LLU’s budget shows three full 12-month years for a 9-quarter program. At the roughly $795 per unit that the other Allied Health routes reconcile to, 126 units would cost about $100,000, so the published total may overstate the bill.

Master of Science, Nutrition and Dietetics (Post-DPD)

The estimated tuition for the Post-DPD M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics at Loma Linda University is approximately $73,176 (92 quarter units at about $795/unit, derived from LLU’s 2026–27 budgets). The program requires 68 didactic quarter units plus 24 practice units and can generally be completed in 2 years (8 quarters, derived from the quarter calendar).

Post-DPD M.S. Curriculum

Because students arrive with DPD coursework done, this route skips the undergraduate-level dietetics sequence and goes straight to the graduate core: advanced nutrition, pharmacology, integrative medical nutrition therapy, epidemiology, statistics, and research. It adds advanced public health nutrition and food systems management.

  • NUTR 506 Nutritional Metabolism
  • NUTR 510 Advanced Public Health Nutrition
  • NUTR 517 Advanced Nutrition I: Carbohydrates and Lipids
  • DTCS 575 Food Systems Management
  • DTCS 694 Research

Post-DPD M.S. Admissions

This route requires a verification statement from an ACEND-accredited DPD before enrollment.

  • Bachelor’s degree and DPD verification statement
  • Prerequisites: college algebra or higher, anatomy and physiology with lab, one year of general chemistry with lab, and microbiology with lab
  • 3.0 GPA in prerequisites, references, and an interview
  • Apply through DICAS between September 1 and January 31 for a summer start

Supervised Practice Across the Allied Health Routes

  • More than 1,000 hours, built into the degree rather than matched separately
  • 24 quarter units: a clinical nutrition affiliation plus a practicum, which do not count toward didactic degree units
  • LLU describes clinical affiliations in which students work on the nutrition care team in several clinical settings, plus administrative assignments in volume-feeding operations
  • Allied Health routes emphasize medical nutrition therapy

Integrating practice into the degree removes the internship match, which is the main point where DPD graduates stall. The trade-off is that practice follows the program’s own schedule, so the full-time, in-person commitment extends through the rotations.

Master of Public Health, Nutrition (Coordinated Program in Dietetics)

The estimated tuition for the M.P.H. in Nutrition with a Coordinated Program in Dietetics at Loma Linda University is approximately $97,680 (the sum of LLU’s 2026–27 tuition and fee budgets for 9, 12, and 6 months). A per-unit rate is not derivable because the total unit count was not clearly stated on the pages reviewed; the program can generally be completed in 2.33 years (9 academic quarters) full time, with part-time study permitted.

M.P.H. Curriculum

The School of Public Health runs this route, combining the M.P.H. nutrition core with ACEND dietetics competencies and a public health nutrition emphasis. Learning outcomes include analyzing food and nutrition policy and examining the role of vegetarian diets in health and the environment.

Culminating requirements. Beyond coursework, students complete a comprehensive exam, a field practicum report, and an e-portfolio that includes 100 hours of community service.

More curriculum details are available here.

M.P.H. Supervised Practice

  • 1,100 hours of supervised practice built into the degree
  • Students arrange their own transportation to practice sites
  • A Basic Life Support certificate from an American Heart Association course is required during the program

M.P.H. Admissions

The M.P.H. is the only one of the four routes that can require the GRE, and only for applicants below the GPA floor.

  • Bachelor’s degree with a 3.0 GPA; the GRE is required only if the GPA is below 3.0
  • Prerequisites: general chemistry, organic chemistry, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, and human nutrition
  • Three academic or employer references; an interview may be requested
  • Autumn start; applications open September 1 and close January 31
You Should Know
  • The program director can waive some corequisites for courses completed in a DPD with a grade of B or better, which can shorten the load for DPD graduates.
  • Religious affiliation is not required, but students are expected to follow modest dress, avoid alcohol and smoking, and attend weekly chapel.

Tuition

Loma Linda does not publish a per-unit tuition rate on the program pages reviewed. Dividing LLU’s 2026–27 tuition and fee budgets by program units gives about $795 per quarter unit, fees included, for both the B.S. + M.S. and Post-DPD routes. That is roughly $1,193 per semester-credit equivalent. There is no resident or non-resident difference at this private university.

Credential Budget Years Tuition & Fees
B.S. + M.S. $36,467 + $33,639 + $45,894 $116,000
M.S. (Prior B.S.) $50,124 + $44,262 + $32,358 $126,744
M.S. (Post-DPD) $41,664 + $31,512 $73,176
M.P.H. $36,116 + $45,840 + $15,724 $97,680

Figures are the “Tuition & Fees” rows from each program’s 2026–27 expected cost of attendance on llu.edu. Living costs are excluded.

Confirmed costs

  • Books and supplies allowance: $3,375 (Post-DPD) to $7,895 (Prior B.S.) across the program
  • Professional credentialing cost in the final budget year: $250 to $500 for the Allied Health routes
  • Late payment fee: $100 per term; late registration fee: $200

Be aware that:

  • All figures are one-year budgets repeated across program years. LLU expects amounts to rise each year with inflation, so later years will cost more.
  • The Prior B.S. budget covers three 12-month years for a 9-quarter program and does not reconcile to the $795 per unit seen in the other routes.
  • The B.S. + M.S. total excludes the two years of transfer coursework taken before entry.

A DPD graduate reaches RDN exam eligibility here for about $73,000, the lowest cost of the four routes. A career changer with an unrelated bachelor’s degree should budget $100,000 to $127,000 for tuition and fees alone, and Southern California living costs add about $29,000 a year off campus by LLU’s own estimate.

Why Choose This Nutrition Program?

Built for students who want a guaranteed supervised practice route to the RDN and are comfortable in a full-time, in-person, faith-based setting.

No internship match at any starting point. A community college transfer, a career changer, a DPD graduate, and a public health student each have a Coordinated Program built for them. None has to compete for a separate dietetic internship after finishing coursework.

Clinical or public health emphasis. The three Allied Health routes lean toward medical nutrition therapy. The M.P.H. leans toward public health nutrition and policy while still producing RDN eligibility. Plant-based and vegetarian nutrition runs through both, reflecting the university’s Seventh-day Adventist health tradition.

Where the fit breaks down. Every route is full time and in person in Loma Linda, and all four are costly at private-university rates. Religion coursework is required in the Allied Health routes, and the M.P.H. carries chapel and lifestyle expectations. Students who need to keep working, or who want a lower-cost public option, should look elsewhere.

Choose by starting point. Transfer students with two years of college should look at the B.S. + M.S. DPD graduates should take the Post-DPD M.S. Career changers can compare the Prior B.S. M.S. against the M.P.H., which suits those who want public health work.

Accreditation

Loma Linda University is institutionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), one of the seven regional accreditors. WSCUC accreditation covers every LLU degree and governs credit transfer, graduate admission elsewhere, and federal financial aid eligibility.

ACEND grants continuing accreditation to the School of Allied Health Professions’ Coordinated Program, which covers the B.S. + M.S., the Prior B.S. M.S., and the Post-DPD M.S. ACEND separately accredits the School of Public Health’s M.P.H. in Nutrition with a Coordinated Program in Dietetics.

LLU’s other nutrition degrees fall outside ACEND’s scope. These include the M.S. in Plant-Based Nutrition, the Ph.D. in Nutrition, and an M.S. for students who are already registered dietitians. That is normal for advanced and research degrees, which build on the credential rather than lead to it.

Graduates of any of the four Coordinated Programs hold a master’s degree and have completed accredited supervised practice. They are eligible for the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s RDN examination. California does not currently require separate state licensure for RDNs, so graduates who move should check their new state’s requirements.

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