Nutrition and Dietetics, Murray State University • Murray, KY • Hybrid, Online, and Campus • $631/Credit (Graduate, Public)
Murray State University lists 5 nutrition credentials, and 2 of them are ACEND-accredited:
- M.S. in Nutrition, Dietetic Internship concentration (33 credits; this is the ACEND-accredited Dietetic Internship, and it is the direct RD route after a DPD)
- B.S. in Nutrition, Dietetics track (the ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics)
- B.S. in Nutrition, Nutrition and Foods track (not an RD route)
- M.S. in Nutrition, Non-Internship concentration (online, 33 credits, not an RD route)
- Nutrition minor (not an RD route)
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.S. Nutrition, Dietetic Internship concentration | $20,823 in tuition; about $22,254 with online, course, and program fees (derived) | 15 months, 4 semesters | 33 |
| M.S. Nutrition, Non-Internship concentration (Online) | $20,823 in tuition; $22,473 with the online fee (derived) | Not stated | 33 |
| B.S. Nutrition, Dietetics track (DPD) | $42,120 in tuition over eight semesters (derived, resident); fees are separate | 4 years | 120 |
| B.S. Nutrition, Nutrition and Foods track | $42,120 in tuition over eight semesters (derived, resident) | 4 years | Total not stated |
The lead fact is that Murray State runs the whole RD route in one department: the DPD, then an ACEND internship that also confers the master’s degree the CDR now requires. The internship is about 15 months, mostly online coursework with in-person rotations, and it is competitive, with students ranking sites and no guarantee of the one they want.
The non-internship master’s is online and is framed as for people not seeking the RD credential, and the school says its curriculum establishes eligibility for Kentucky licensure as a certified nutritionist. Because the programs share introductory coursework, the degree titles do not tell you which track is accredited.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Format | B.S.: campus. Internship M.S.: the school says mostly online coursework with on-site rotations and a week of orientation on campus. Non-internship M.S.: online |
| ACEND Accreditation | DPD and Dietetic Internship: accredited, terms end June 30, 2029 per ACEND’s directory; the school says June 2028 |
| RD/RDN Eligibility | DPD plus the internship M.S.: yes. DPD alone and the non-internship M.S.: no |
| Supervised Practice | Internship: about 1,040 hours, with a 1,006-hour on-site minimum in the handbook, at sites in Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee |
| Entrance Exams | No GRE requirement found; the internship uses DICAS, an interview, and a computer match |
| GPA Floor | DPD entry: 3.0. Internship: 3.0 on the web and 3.4 in the handbook. Graduate School: 2.75 |
| Intake | Internship: summer, with DICAS opening after December 1. Non-internship M.S.: not stated |
| Tuition | 2026-27: $631 per graduate credit for everyone; undergraduate $5,265 a semester resident for 12 to 15 credits |
| Institutional Accreditation | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
Master of Science in Nutrition, Dietetic Internship Concentration
The internship master’s is 33 credits at $631 per credit, $20,823 in tuition (derived), and the school pages describe it as 21 supervised practice credits plus 12 of coursework. Adding a $50 per credit online fee on the online credits, $13 per credit in nutrition course fees, and a $102 program fee brings it to about $22,254 (derived), before any campus fees, DICAS, and the matching fee.
Internship Details
- Practice is in a medical nutrition therapy concentration at hospital, public health, and long-term care sites in Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee, with travel and lodging at the intern’s cost
- Admission needs a DPD verification statement and bachelor’s degree, a 3.0 GPA, at least 200 hours of nutrition-related experience, three references, a personal statement, DICAS, and an interview; interns then apply to the Graduate School for $40
- Current Murray State DPD seniors can use a preselection option with a deadline of the last Friday in October, which the handbook says needs a 3.4 DPD GPA
- Completion requires a 75 percent or better on a final post-assessment, portfolios, competencies, and a B or better in every graduate course
- Cohort size was not found
You Should Know
The school gives the internship’s hours as at least 1,200 on the DPD page, 1,040 in the handbook introduction, and 1,006 on site at completion, and gives a 3.0 GPA on the web against 3.4 in the handbook. The internship page says applications are year-round, while the application page and handbook describe a spring DICAS cycle with a computer match. The credit schedule on the page differs from the 21 plus 12 split, and the handbook table reaches 36 credits.
Master of Science in Nutrition, Non-Internship Concentration (Online)
The online master’s is 33 credits: eight required 3-credit courses and three approved electives, with challenge tests that can replace three required courses. Class size averages 10. Tuition is $20,823, or $22,473 with the $50 per credit online fee (derived). Admission uses the Graduate School’s 2.75 GPA, with conditional admission from 2.25, and up to 12 graduate credits can transfer. A thesis or capstone is not mentioned.
Bachelor of Science in Nutrition
The Dietetics track is the accredited DPD within a 120-credit degree, with a clinical practicum and a senior seminar and no thesis. Students begin in the Nutrition and Foods track and apply to the Dietetics track with at least 45 hours completed and 15 in progress, a 3.0 GPA, B or better in three nutrition courses, and C or better in biology, chemistry, and math. The verification statement needs a 3.0 and a C or better in every DPD course.
- Four years of resident tuition at the flat 2026-27 rate is $42,120 (derived as 8 times $5,265), plus $1,316 if the three 16-credit semesters bill the extra credit
- No online B.S. in nutrition was found, and cohort size and an application deadline for the track were not found
- The Nutrition and Foods track page gives no total credits, and its sample plan adds to 123
Tuition
Murray State is public, so residency matters for undergraduates, but the graduate rate is the same for everyone.
- Undergraduate: $5,265 a semester for residents at 12 to 15 credits ($438.75 per credit), $7,995 non-resident, and $5,544 for regional students
- Fees are separate: $200 technology and $150 Racer Experience each semester, $10 per credit in asset preservation capped at 15, and a $75 per credit online fee; resident annual tuition plus fees is about $11,470 to $11,530 (derived)
- Graduate: $631 per credit for residents, regional, and online students, plus $50 per credit for online courses
- Nutrition course fees are $13 per credit for most graduate courses and $24 for four undergraduate courses, and a $102 program fee applies with its period unstated
- The 2026-27 resident rate is up 2.03 percent from $10,320 a year, which is the figure that circulates
Be aware that:
The “Tuition and Fees” line on the school’s cost page equals tuition alone, so fees come on top of it. Official figures are on the undergraduate tuition page.
Why Choose This Nutrition Program?
Best suited to western Kentucky students who want the DPD, the internship, and the master’s from one department, and to graduates who want an online nutrition master’s without the RD credential.
The in-house route lets a Murray State DPD graduate move into the internship through preselection without the national match. The honest limit is that the DPD alone is not enough, internship sites are ranked rather than guaranteed, the school’s accreditation dates and hour totals conflict, and only outcome targets are published.
If you want licensure as a certified nutritionist in Kentucky without the RD, the online non-internship master’s is designed for that. If you want the RD credential, make sure you apply to the internship concentration.
Accreditation
Murray State is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, reaffirmed in January 2025. Institutional accreditation matters for transfer credit, graduate admission, and federal financial aid.
ACEND’s live directory for Kentucky lists the Didactic Program in Dietetics, with initial accreditation on April 1, 1977, and the Dietetic Internship, with initial accreditation on April 1, 2000, both with terms ending June 30, 2029. The school says both are accredited through June 2028 after a March 2020 review, and its older track pages still cite a 2013 reaccreditation.
ACEND’s decisions pages show full and continued accreditation for the internship in December 2020 and the DPD in January 2021, without term dates, and nothing for either program from 2022 through 2026. The Programs Under Review page lists no Murray State program. A graduate of the DPD holds a verification statement only; a graduate of the internship master’s is eligible for the CDR exam.
More Nutrition Degrees in Kentucky
- Eastern Kentucky University - Richmond
- Kentucky Nutrition Programs & Online Degrees
- University of Kentucky - Lexington
- Western Kentucky University - Bowling Green