Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences • Minneapolis, MN • Campus (B.S., Internship) and Hybrid (MPH) • $1,827/Credit (Graduate, Dietetics MPS)
The University of Minnesota Twin Cities lists 8 nutrition credentials, and the MPH Coordinated Program is the one route that delivers the degree and the supervised practice together:
- M.P.H., Public Health Nutrition, Coordinated Program track (School of Public Health)
- B.S., Nutrition, Dietetics subplan (the Didactic Program in Dietetics)
- M.P.S., Dietetics (the graduate-degree step, no supervised practice)
- Dietetic Internship (non-degree, with an M.P.S. plus internship early-admit option)
- B.S., Nutrition, Nutritional Science and Nutrition Studies subplans (non-RD)
- M.P.H., Public Health Nutrition, traditional track (non-RD)
- M.S., Nutrition (research)
- Ph.D., Nutrition (research)
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.P.H. Coordinated Program | $63.4K to $71.0K in tuition (derived, 50 to 56 credits at $1,268) | Not clearly stated | 50 to 56 |
| B.S. Nutrition, Dietetics Subplan | $16,744 a year in tuition (derived, $8,372 a semester) | 4 years | 120; 88 minimum in the DPD major |
| M.P.S. Dietetics | $21,924 for two semesters, residents and non-residents alike (derived) | 2 semesters | 30 |
| Dietetic Internship | $14,000 program fee | 37 weeks | Non-credit |
| M.P.H. Traditional Track | $53,256 in tuition (derived, 42 credits) | Not clearly stated | 42 |
| M.S. and Ph.D. Nutrition | $10,962 a semester resident at 6 to 14 credits | MS about 2.3 years; Ph.D. about 4.0 years (school figures) | MS 30; Ph.D. 50 minimum |
Minnesota’s flagship holds three ACEND programs, a Didactic Program in Dietetics, a Dietetic Internship, and a Coordinated Program, and the Coordinated Program sits in the School of Public Health rather than the nutrition department. Students who want a nutrition-department route take the B.S., the M.P.S., and the internship in sequence, or use the early-admit option that reserves an internship seat in year two.
The department has applied to replace the current routes with a combined two-year Future Education Model program starting in September 2027. ACEND approved the first phase of that application, a final decision is expected in fall 2026, and it is not yet approved.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Format | B.S. and internship: campus. MPH Coordinated Program: in-person plus online coursework, with local practice |
| ACEND Accreditation | DPD and Dietetic Internship, both to Dec. 31, 2027; Coordinated Program to June 30, 2033 (directory) |
| RD/RDN Eligibility | MPH Coordinated Program: yes. M.P.S. plus internship: yes. B.S. alone: no |
| Supervised Practice | Internship: at least 1,000 hours over 37 weeks, program-placed. MPH CP: 1,000 hours |
| Entrance Exams | None. The GRE is not required for the M.P.S. or the MPH |
| GPA Floor | DPD: 2.8 minimum, 3.0 preferred. M.P.S.: about 3.0 expected |
| Cohort Size | Internship: up to 25 a year. MPH CP: up to 11 per an info sheet read through a search snippet |
| Intake | Internship alone: DICAS by January 15. M.P.S.: December 1 early, March 1 standard |
| Tuition | 2026-27: M.P.S. $1,827 per credit for all; MPH $1,268 resident, $1,668 non-resident |
| Institutional Accreditation | Higher Learning Commission |
Master of Public Health, Public Health Nutrition, Coordinated Program
The estimated tuition for the Coordinated Program track at the University of Minnesota is $63,400 to $71,008 for residents (50 to 56 credits at $1,268, derived) and up to $93,408 for non-residents at $1,668 for fall and spring credits (summer credits bill at $1,268). It adds a 1,000-hour ACEND-credentialed supervised practice experience to the traditional 42-credit MPH and gives eligibility for the RDN and CPH exams. Fees are $1,124.07 a semester.
- Prerequisites add microbiology, physiology, organic chemistry, biochemistry, introductory food science, and food service operations to the traditional ones; a DPD verification statement satisfies them all
- Apply through SOPHAS and DICAS; no GRE; the posted final deadline is May 15 and the scholarship deadline December 1, but the admissions page carries a 2015 footer and may be stale
- The curriculum page gives no duration, practicum hour split, or format beyond saying many courses are online; the program’s open or paused status was not stated on any School of Public Health page
Bachelor of Science, Nutrition, Dietetics Subplan
The DPD subplan requires at least 88 credits in the major, 33 of them in the subplan, within a 120-credit degree. Resident undergraduate tuition is $8,372 a semester at 13 or more credits, or $16,744 a year before fees, and non-residents pay $20,390 a semester. Coursework covers medical nutrition therapy I and II, food service, community nutrition, and a science foundation that includes organic chemistry, biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, and statistics.
- The subplan is a separate application reviewed monthly, with a 2.8 minimum GPA, 3.0 preferred, and a C- or better in every required course
- Post-baccalaureate and graduate students can complete it through a prior-learning assessment; science and math must be under 10 years old, the nutrition core under 5, and medical nutrition therapy under 3, with at least 18 credits taken at Minnesota
- Extras are about $300 or less, plus optional Academy student membership of $58 a year; the department notes its coursework list is under review
Master of Professional Studies, Dietetics
The M.P.S. is 30 credits designed as two 15-credit semesters, with a core of medical nutrition therapy I and II, advanced nutrition education and counseling, interprofessional perspectives, current trends, and clinical decision-making. Tuition is a flat $1,827 per credit for residents and non-residents alike, or $10,962 a semester for 6 to 16 credits, so $21,924 over two semesters (derived). It carries no supervised practice.
- Applicants must complete an ACEND DPD by the first class day, with about a 3.0 GPA expected, no GRE, a personal statement, a diversity statement, two letters, and a $75 fee ($95 international)
- The early deadline is December 1, for applicants who need an internship decision before February 1, and the standard deadline is March 1; there is no spring intake
- Mandatory fees come to about $1,199 a term (derived, assuming every listed fee applies), plus a waivable $1,795 student health plan
Dietetic Internship
The internship, established in 1917, is non-credit and non-degree, with at least 1,000 hours over 37 weeks at about 40 hours a week. It carries a $14,000 program fee, the same for residents and non-residents, plus a $500 deposit. Paired with the M.P.S., the total is about $38,323 before housing, insurance, and other costs (derived).
- Concentrations are eating disorders at The Emily Program, or extra clinical weeks at M Health Fairview; rotations are placed by the program and interns find their own housing, which the school puts near $1,200 a month
- Applicants need a master’s before starting or acceptance into the M.P.S., a DPD verification statement or declaration of intent, and DICAS; no minimum GPA is set, but 3.0 is typical; the internship alone opens September 15, 2026 and closes January 15, 2027, with decisions by March 1
- The M.P.S. plus internship route uses DICAS by February 1, 2027 and an M.P.S. application by December 1; up to 25 interns are admitted each year
- The internship is not eligible for federal student loans because it carries no academic credit; the school’s FAQ reports a 100% first-attempt exam pass rate for graduates from January 2021 through December 2024, while the overview page lists only targets
You Should Know
The internship’s home page says it is accredited for 2019 to 2026, while ACEND’s directory shows a term to December 31, 2027, and no decision extending it appears on the decisions pages read. The department’s pages also advertise internship-alone and M.P.S. plus internship applications for the 2027 class while describing a transition to a new coordinated model, and whether the current routes continue for that class was not found.
Master of Public Health, Public Health Nutrition, Traditional Track
The traditional track is 42 credits, or $53,256 for residents and $70,056 for non-residents (derived, with the same summer caveat as above). It leads to the CPH exam only and not to the RDN credential.
Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy, Nutrition
The Nutrition Graduate Program is research-based and not an RD route. The M.S. offers Plan A (at least 20 coursework credits plus 10 thesis credits) and Plan B (at least 30 coursework credits plus a project), and the Ph.D. needs at least 26 coursework and 24 thesis credits. The department lists 9 current M.S. students averaging 2.3 years and 24 Ph.D. students averaging 4.0 years, and rates default to the general graduate schedule of $10,962 a semester for residents at 6 to 14 credits. Assistantship waiver rules were not found.
Tuition
The University of Minnesota’s 2026-27 rates are $1,827 per credit for the Dietetics M.P.S. at one rate for everyone, $1,268 per credit for School of Public Health M.P.H. residents and $1,668 for non-residents, and $8,372 a semester for resident undergraduates. The general graduate rate is $1,827 per credit for residents and $2,894 for non-residents.
- Undergraduate fees per term include $532.50 student services, $359 collegiate fee, $100 athletics, $86.25 capital enhancement, and smaller lines, plus a one-time $150 records fee
- The department’s own cost page still shows 2025-26 rates, with the M.P.S. at $1,773.50, so the 2026-27 increase is 3.0%
- The School of Public Health lists its fee as $1,124.07 a semester, of which the collegiate fee is $262.50
Be aware that:
The MPH total depends on a duration that the school does not publish. The internship fee page is undated and says fees change each year. Official figures are on the University of Minnesota’s graduate tuition page.
Why Choose This Nutrition Program?
Best suited to students who want to stay in one flagship university for the whole sequence and can plan around a transition that ACEND has not yet decided.
If you hold a DPD verification statement, the M.P.S. plus internship early-admit route reserves a seat in year two for about $38,300, and the M.P.S.’s flat rate means out-of-state students pay no more than residents. If you want the degree and practice in one admission, the MPH Coordinated Program is the answer, though its duration and current admission status need confirming and it enrolls only a handful of students.
If your plan starts in 2027, ask which routes will exist then: the proposed combined program is pending, and the current internship term in the directory ends December 31, 2027. If research is the goal, the M.S. and Ph.D. are the relevant degrees and carry no credential.
Accreditation
The University of Minnesota Twin Cities is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, which reaffirmed it on January 16, 2026, read from a search summary. Its School of Public Health is accredited by CEPH. Institutional accreditation matters for transfer credit, graduate admission, and federal financial aid.
ACEND’s directory lists a Didactic Program in Dietetics (initial accreditation December 1, 1970, B.S. offered) and a Dietetic Internship (initial July 1, 1989, M.P.S. offered with a non-degree option), both accredited with terms ending December 31, 2027, and a Coordinated Program (initial July 21, 2008, M.P.H. offered, distance education approved) with a term ending June 30, 2033. ACEND’s decisions pages show full and continued accreditation of the internship and DPD after a site visit in July 2019, of the internship after a progress report in January 2020, and of the Coordinated Program after a site visit in January 2026. No University of Minnesota entry appears in 2021 through 2025, and no Minnesota program is on the Programs Under Review page in the archived copy read.
The proposed Future Education Model coordinated program has no candidacy grant or final decision on any ACEND page and should not be treated as accredited. A graduate of the Coordinated Program, or of the M.P.S. plus the internship, completes the degree and supervised practice and can sit for the CDR exam, while a graduate of the B.S. holds a verification statement only.