Saybrook University Nutrition Degree Programs

College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences • Pasadena, CA • Online • $1,497/Credit (Graduate, Private)

Saybrook University offers 3 nutrition credentials, all online, and none leads to RD/RDN eligibility:

  • M.S., Integrative and Functional Nutrition (with Culinary Nutrition, Mind-Body Medicine, and Integrative Wellness Coaching specializations)
  • Ph.D., Integrative and Functional Nutrition
  • Integrative and Functional Nutrition Certificate

Program Tracks Overview

ProgramEst. TuitionEst. DurationCredit Hours
M.S. Integrative and Functional Nutrition$59,880 to $73,353 in tuition (derived)2 to 3 years40 to 49
M.S. with Culinary Nutrition Specialization$77,844 to $91,317 in tuition (derived)About 1 to 2 semesters longer52 to 61
Ph.D. Integrative and Functional Nutrition$98,580 to $112,890 by credit count; dissertation billed separately (derived)4 to 5 years62 to 71 (catalog gives 61, 62, and 71)
Integrative and Functional Nutrition Certificate$17,964 in tuition (derived)About 8 months full-time12

Saybrook has no ACEND program of any type, and its catalog states that the M.S. does not lead to eligibility for the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist credential. The master’s is designed to meet the academic requirements for the Certified Nutrition Specialist exam and for the Certified Clinical Nutritionist credential, and the 1,000 supervised hours the CNS needs are arranged by the student.

The Culinary Nutrition specialization is a 12-credit add-on to the M.S. with a remote cooking lab. It does not confer a culinary arts or dietitian credential.

Quick Facts

FeatureDetails
FormatOnline, mostly asynchronous, with a required virtual learning experience each fall and spring
ACEND AccreditationNone; absent from the live California directory and the decisions pages
RD/RDN EligibilityNo
Supervised PracticeNone built in; the CNS needs 1,000 hours arranged separately
Entrance ExamsNone; no GRE or DICAS
GPA FloorM.S. and certificate: 3.0. Ph.D.: 3.3, conditional 3.0 to 3.3
IntakeSpring 2027 starts January 4, 2027; apply by December 17, 2026
Tuition2026-27: $1,497 per credit (M.S., certificate), $1,590 (Ph.D.), plus a $1,750 resource fee per semester
Institutional AccreditationWASC Senior College and University Commission

Master of Science, Integrative and Functional Nutrition

The estimated tuition for the M.S. at Saybrook is $73,353 for the 49-credit catalog requirement or $59,880 if all three basic-science courses are waived and only 40 credits remain (49 or 40 credits at $1,497, derived). It takes about two to three years, and the catalog and the web page give the length several ways. Up to 6 transfer credits are allowed, and registered dietitians receive 6 credits of advanced standing.

M.S. Curriculum

The 49 credits are 9 in basic science (nutritional science, general biochemistry, and anatomy and physiology, unless waived), 19 in core courses including advanced nutritional biochemistry, systems biology, and a capstone seminar, 6 in research, and 15 in five electives chosen from 16, such as nutritional genomics, sports and exercise nutrition, functional laboratory testing, and dietary supplements and herbal medicine. Graduation needs a capstone paper and a final exam, with no thesis.

M.S. Admissions

  • A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university with a 3.0 GPA, a personal statement, and a resume or CV; a writing sample may be requested
  • No GRE, no DICAS, and no admissions science prerequisites named; the basic-science courses are taken inside the degree or waived
  • Spring 2027 starts January 4, 2027 with a December 17, 2026 deadline, and there is also fall entry; cohort size was not found
You Should Know

The M.S. page lists two admission requirements, a bachelor’s with a 3.0 GPA and a master’s with a 3.3 GPA. The second matches the Ph.D. admissions text word for word and looks pasted from that page, while the catalog supports the bachelor’s route, but that is an inference. The catalog’s “3 credits of basic science” is a typo for 9, and a 2018 rule requiring a B in science within ten years is stale. One page says a portion of supervised practice is built in, and the catalog shows none.

Culinary Nutrition Specialization

The specialization adds 12 credits to the M.S., so the degree becomes 52 to 61 credits, or $77,844 to $91,317 in tuition (derived). It is four 3-credit courses: introduction to culinary nutrition, therapeutic diets and menu planning, cultural competency in culinary nutrition, and a whole foods cooking lab taken remotely. The catalog describes food-centered strategies, behavior change, lifestyle medicine, and culturally responsive practice in clinical, community, and wellness settings.

  • Delivery is 100% online with no in-person kitchen requirement; the lab’s title says remote
  • The 52 to 61 range is printed for all three specializations, so it is not specific to culinary nutrition
  • Three of the four culinary courses also appear on the M.S. elective menu, and the catalog does not say whether they can count twice; the school’s stated total adds the 12 credits
  • The same specialization takes the Ph.D. to 83 credits, and the page lists no start dates for it

Doctor of Philosophy, Integrative and Functional Nutrition

The Ph.D. is 100% online with a required virtual learning experience, a dissertation, and a fourth specialization in teaching and advanced research. The catalog gives 61, 62, and 71 credits in different sections: 26 core, 24 research, and 12 elective credits sum to 62, and the 9 basic-science credits make 71. At $1,590 per credit that is $98,580 to $112,890, but dissertation courses bill by a separate $7,030-per-semester fee in place of tuition, so these are rough figures.

  • Admission needs a master’s with a 3.3 GPA (3.0 to 3.3 conditionally), a personal interview, a statement, a resume, and a writing sample; up to 9 transfer credits from the past 15 years are allowed
  • An M.S.-to-Ph.D. pathway is a marketing construct with no catalog entry, quoted at 68 to 77 credits on one page and 68 to 100 on another
  • Doctoral holders without a dietetics verification statement are pointed to ACEND’s supervised practice pathways at other schools

Integrative and Functional Nutrition Certificate

The certificate is 12 credits, four 3-credit courses chosen from 21 options, for $17,964 in tuition (derived). It takes about 8 months full-time or 16 part-time, requires a bachelor’s with a 3.0 GPA, and does not qualify for the CNS, the Certified Clinical Nutritionist, or the RDN. Standalone certificates are ineligible for federal aid.

Tuition

Saybrook’s 2026-27 rates are $1,497 per credit for the M.S. and the certificate and $1,590 for the Ph.D., with a University Resources Fee of $1,750 charged per semester to degree students. It is private, so there is no residency split, and the university says to expect annual increases of up to 5%.

  • The number of billed semesters a year is not published; as an illustration only, six semesters would add $10,500 and seven $12,250 to any total
  • A $350 fee applies only in terms with a required in-person experience, which likely excludes these programs but is not stated
  • Other fees: a $100 payment plan, a $50 late fee, and a $100 returned-check fee

Be aware that:

Saybrook may enroll residents only of states on its authorization list, and some states, including Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, New Hampshire, and Nevada, allow only distance programs with no fieldwork component. Availability by state for these programs was not confirmed, so check before applying. Official figures are on Saybrook’s tuition and fees page.

Why Choose This Nutrition Program?

Best suited to graduates and health professionals who want a fully online integrative and functional nutrition degree with a CNS-aligned curriculum and are not seeking the dietitian credential.

The cost verdict is a high sticker price for a non-RD degree: about $60,000 to $73,000 in tuition for the M.S. before a $1,750 fee each semester, and more with the culinary specialization, so transfer credit and advanced standing matter. The specializations let a student add a culinary, mind-body, or coaching focus, and the certificate is the shortest way to sample the curriculum at about $18,000.

If you want a food-centered focus, the culinary specialization adds a remote cooking lab without a kitchen requirement. If you want the RD credential, choose an ACEND program, since this degree provides neither the coursework nor the practice for it.

Accreditation

Saybrook is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission, which matters for transfer credit, graduate admission, and federal financial aid. The Commission lists a most recent action in June 2026 with no notices, and the school’s reaffirmation and progress report schedule comes from its own press release. Its catalog states no ACEND accreditation.

ACEND’s live directory for California returned 49 programs across six result pages, and none is at Saybrook. ACEND’s decisions pages for 2019 through 2026 and its Programs Under Review page contain no Saybrook entry. The M.S. is designed to meet the CNS and Certified Clinical Nutritionist academic requirements, with the board reviewing each candidate individually.

A graduate holds a master’s or doctoral degree in integrative and functional nutrition and is not eligible for the CDR exam on that basis.

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