Department of Nutrition, Kinesiology and Health, College of Health, Science and Technology • Warrensburg, MO • Hybrid and Online • $450/Credit (Graduate, Public, Online and Hybrid)
The University of Central Missouri lists 2 nutrition degrees, both under the title M.S. in Nutrition, and 1 of them is a direct RD route:
- M.S. in Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition Option (an ACEND-accredited Future Education Model graduate program that combines the degree with supervised practice; the direct RD route)
- M.S. in Nutrition, Sport Nutrition Option (not ACEND-accredited, not an RD route)
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.S. Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition Option | $21,672 in tuition and general fees (derived); the school estimates $21,670 | 16 months | 43 |
| M.S. Nutrition, Sport Nutrition Option | $16,632 in tuition and general fees for the 33-credit non-thesis plan (derived); the school estimates $16,640 | 24 months | 30 with thesis; 33 without |
The lead fact is that the two options share a degree title but are different programs. Only the Clinical Nutrition Option is accredited by ACEND, and it carries the master’s, the supervised experiential learning, and the verification statement in one 16-month program, with no separate internship match. The Sport Nutrition Option prepares students for settings that do not require the RD credential.
The university no longer offers a bachelor’s in dietetics. ACEND records the old Didactic Program in Dietetics as voluntarily closing, effective May 31, 2023, and the 2026-27 undergraduate catalog lists only a nutrition minor and a sport nutrition minor.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Format | Clinical option: didactic coursework online, with supervised practice onsite in the Kansas City and Warrensburg areas; the catalog lists online and hybrid. Sport option: online or hybrid, with some evening classes in Warrensburg or Lee’s Summit |
| ACEND Accreditation | Clinical option: accredited graduate program, term ends June 30, 2032 per ACEND’s directory. Sport option: none |
| RD/RDN Eligibility | Clinical option: yes on completion. Sport option: no |
| Supervised Practice | Clinical option: 10 credits of supervised experiential learning in clinical, community, and management settings; the hour total was not found. Sport option: none |
| Entrance Exams | GRE not mentioned for either option |
| GPA Floor | Clinical: 3.0. Sport: above 3.0 in the catalog, with conditional admission from 2.75 to 3.0 on the program page |
| Intake | Clinical: fall only, next start August 16, 2027. Sport: January 11 or August 16, 2027 |
| Tuition | 2026-27: $450 per credit for online and hybrid graduate courses, the same for residents and non-residents, plus $54 per credit in fees under 9 hours |
| Institutional Accreditation | Higher Learning Commission |
Master of Science in Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition Option
The estimated tuition for the Clinical Nutrition Option at the University of Central Missouri is $19,350 in tuition (43 credits at $450) plus $2,322 in fees, or $21,672 (derived), which matches the school’s $21,670 estimate. The 43 credits are 30 didactic, 10 in supervised experiential learning (clinical 4, community 3, management 3), and a 3-credit capstone. It takes 16 months and has no thesis.
Clinical Option Curriculum
The first two semesters are didactic, and the third and fourth combine coursework with supervised practice. Courses include medical nutrition therapy, nutrition across the lifespan, nutrition education and counseling, nutrition research applications, and macronutrients and micronutrients. Sites named by the school include Western Missouri Medical Center, St. Luke’s, North Kansas City Hospital, University Health, Children’s Mercy, and the Johnson County Department of Health, and students need a vehicle and Kansas City-area housing.
Clinical Option Admissions
- A bachelor’s degree with a 3.0 GPA and prerequisites at B or higher, finished by the end of summer 2027, in accounting, genetics, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, nutrition, and food courses
- A DICAS application with a $50 fee, a resume, a goals statement of about 1,000 words, three letters (two faculty and one supervisor or employer), transcripts, and a virtual interview for finalists
- A priority deadline of February 7, 2027 and a final deadline of July 15, 2027; the cohort is limited to 15 students
- Every accepted student receives a $1,000 scholarship
You Should Know
The catalog lists a January 15 deadline and a June 30 second deadline, while the program page lists February 7 and July 15, and the prerequisite lists differ between the catalog, the program page, and the older handbook. Older documents say 18 months and 46 credits, and describe the program as in candidacy. The cost section of the program page also quotes an out-of-state supervised experience rate of $645 per credit, which would add about $1,950 over 10 credits if it still applies; whether it does in 2026-27 was not found.
Master of Science in Nutrition, Sport Nutrition Option
The Sport Nutrition Option is 30 credits with a 6-credit thesis or 33 credits without, taking as little as 24 months. The 33-credit plan costs $14,850 in tuition and $1,782 in fees, $16,632 (derived), and the thesis plan is about $15,120 at the same rates (derived). It is not accredited by ACEND, and the program page says it prepares students to work in settings that do not require RDN certification.
- Prerequisites include anatomy and physiology, chemistry, kinesiology, and nutrition courses, and the deadline and GRE policy were not found
- The page says 100 percent of recent graduates were employed or accepted to graduate school within six months, with no cohort or year, so it is not treated as an outcome
- There is no supervised practice, and the Human Performance Lab is available for thesis work
Tuition
The University of Central Missouri is public, but its online and hybrid graduate rate has no residency split. On-campus graduate tuition in Warrensburg is $430 for residents and $645 for non-residents.
- Online and hybrid graduate: $450 per credit, flat, plus student fees of $54 per credit under 9 hours or $810 a term at 9 or more
- Derived: 43 credits at $450 plus $54 per credit is $21,672; at 9 or more hours in some terms, the flat $810 fee would raise the total to about $22,200
- Course fees apply to some prerequisite food and kinesiology courses, from $20 to $40
- Other costs from the school’s 2024-25 estimates: housing of $300 to $1,100 a month depending on city, textbooks of $600 to $1,000 a semester, and a $58 Academy student membership
- Graduate students are listed for unsubsidized loans only, and assistantship rules were not found
Be aware that:
The Clinical option’s cost page mixes 2024-25 rates and older handbook figures with the 2026-27 sheet. Official figures are on the university’s tuition and costs page.
Why Choose This Nutrition Program?
Best suited to career changers or graduates with the prerequisites who want a master’s and supervised practice in about 16 months with online coursework, and who can be in the Kansas City area for practice.
The built-in practice removes the internship match for a cohort of up to 15, and the online and hybrid rate does not change for out-of-state students. The honest limit is that the program is the newest ACEND graduate program in the state, supervised practice needs a local presence and a vehicle, the hour total is not published, and no outcome results are published, only targets.
If you work with athletes and do not need the RD credential, the sport option is a separate, lower-cost degree. If you want the credential, make sure you apply to the Clinical option, because the degree title is the same for both.
Accreditation
The University of Central Missouri is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The school describes a reaffirmation visit in March 2024 but publishes no outcome, so confirm current status. Institutional accreditation matters for transfer credit, graduate admission, and federal financial aid.
ACEND’s live directory lists the Graduate Program in Nutrition and Dietetics as accredited with a term ending June 30, 2032. Its listed initial date of April 26, 2021 is the date candidacy was granted. ACEND’s decisions show the old DPD closing in 2019 with an effective date of May 31, 2023, candidacy in April 2021, and full and continued accreditation after a site visit in October 2024. The Programs Under Review page lists no Central Missouri program.
The Sport Nutrition Option has no ACEND listing. A graduate of the Clinical option is eligible for the CDR exam on completion; a graduate of the Sport option is not.
More Nutrition Degrees in Missouri
- Missouri Nutrition Programs & Online Degrees
- Missouri State University - Springfield
- Northwest Missouri State University - Maryville
- Saint Louis University - St. Louis
- Southeast Missouri State University - Cape Girardeau
- University of Missouri - Columbia