Lipscomb University Nutrition Degree Programs

Department of Nutrition, College of Health Sciences • Nashville, TN • Hybrid and Campus • $1,065/Credit (Graduate, Private)

Lipscomb University lists 6 nutrition credentials, and 2 of them are ACEND-accredited:

  • M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetic Internship, a combined program with MNT, health promotion and wellness, and sports nutrition concentrations (the direct RD route, 45 credits)
  • B.S. in Dietetics (the ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics)
  • M.S. in Nutrition (33 credits; for dietitians and DPD completers; not an RD route)
  • B.S. in Nutrition (public health and community focus; not an RD route)
  • Graduate Certificate in Sport and Exercise Nutrition (12 credits, Kinesiology; not an RD route)
  • Nutrition, foods, and health minors

Program Tracks Overview

ProgramEst. TuitionEst. DurationCredit Hours
M.S. Nutrition and Dietetic Internship$47,925 in tuition; $48,925 with clinical fees (derived)5 semesters, August to May of year two45
M.S. Nutrition (non-RD)$35,145 at the same rate (derived)Individually paced33
B.S. Dietetics (DPD)$44,486 a year in tuition and fees (derived)4 years77 in the major; degree total not found
Sport and Exercise Nutrition CertificateGraduate rates applyNot stated12

The lead fact is that the combined master’s and internship is one admission through DICAS, so there is no separate match. Applicants rank concentrations on the application, and the sports nutrition concentration is real but is delivered as a rotation block rather than a separate curriculum, because the sports nutrition course is required for every student.

The first year of coursework can be taken in person or online, and the second year of experiential learning must be in person in the Nashville area. ACEND lists the combined program as a Dietetic Internship with a master’s degree, not as a graduate program.

Quick Facts

FeatureDetails
FormatM.S./DI: year one online or in person, year two in person. The school lists hybrid, in person, and online. B.S.: campus
ACEND AccreditationDietetic Internship and DPD: both accredited, terms end December 31, 2030
RD/RDN EligibilityM.S. and Dietetic Internship: yes on completion. B.S. and the non-RD master’s: no
Supervised PracticeAt least 1,000 hours; about 34 weeks in the 2026-27 catalog, in the Nashville area with drives of up to an hour
Entrance ExamsGRE optional
GPA FloorM.S./DI: 3.0 in the DPD. DPD entry: 3.0
IntakeFall only; DICAS deadline October 15, offers by November 1, and a $500 acceptance fee
Tuition2026-27: $1,065 per graduate credit (undated on the program page); undergraduate block tuition $20,452 a semester
Institutional AccreditationSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetic Internship

The combined program is 45 credits: 30 in didactic courses, 15 in the experiential sequence and capstone presentation, with no thesis. At $1,065 per credit that is $47,925 in tuition, plus $500 in clinical fees each of two semesters, $48,925 (derived). The fixed schedule is 12, 12, 6, 6, and 9 credits over five semesters.

  • Admission needs a DPD verification statement, a 3.0 DPD GPA, references, and nutrition courses from the last five years, through DICAS and a Lipscomb Graduate School application, with an intro video and concentration rankings
  • Up to four preselect places go to Lipscomb DPD graduates, and the cohort is approved for 20 interns, with an inaugural 2022 cohort of 12
  • Sites include Nashville, Franklin, Murfreesboro, Clarksville, Gallatin, and Columbia, matched with a personality-based tool, and no relocation detail beyond local driving
  • The sports nutrition concentration pairs interns with athletic teams and a high school, and the sports course is also required of everyone
You Should Know

The program page says supervised practice is about 32 weeks, and the 2026-27 catalog says 30 weeks plus a pre-rotation week and three post-rotation weeks. The school reports a 95 percent exam pass rate over five years without naming the years, and quotes both 96 and 100 percent for internship placement. The application cycle is described as spring on one page and October on another.

Master of Science in Nutrition

The non-RD master’s is 33 credits of ten courses and a capstone, for people who completed an ACEND program or are registered dietitians, taken in person or online at an individual pace. A separate rate was not published, so the $35,145 figure assumes the combined program’s rate.

Bachelor of Science in Dietetics

The B.S. is the accredited DPD, with 77 hours in the major in the catalog and 88 on the program page. Entry to the DPD is separate from university admission and needs a 3.0 GPA, a B or higher in seven hours of nutrition, a C or higher in 14 hours of chemistry and biology, and an application in the semester before entry. Block tuition is $20,452 a semester with a $1,691 general fee and $100 technology fee, $44,486 a year (derived).

Sport and Exercise Nutrition Certificate and Other Options

  • The Graduate Certificate in Sport and Exercise Nutrition is 12 credits in the Kinesiology department and is not an RD route
  • The B.S. in Nutrition says in its catalog that it does not meet all competencies for internship eligibility
  • An aggregator-listed Exercise and Nutrition Science master’s is not in the 2026-27 catalog, so it appears discontinued or renamed

Tuition

Lipscomb is private, so one rate applies to every student.

  • Graduate: $1,065 per credit on the program page, the same as the 2025-26 catalog; the 2026-27 catalog carries no fee table
  • Derived by term: $12,780, $12,780, $6,390, $6,390, and $9,585 for the five semesters, summing to $47,925
  • Other published fees are a $50 application fee, a $500 acceptance deposit, a $250 graduation fee, and $60 per semester for a payment plan
  • Undergraduate: $20,452 block tuition for 12 to 18 hours, $1,691 general fee, and $100 technology fee per semester; nutrition labs carry a $150 fee
  • No nutrition tuition differential was found, and graduate assistantships were not found

Be aware that:

The graduate tuition page says rates vary by program. Official figures are on the university’s graduate tuition page.

Why Choose This Nutrition Program?

Best suited to DPD graduates who want a master’s and internship in one admission in Nashville, with a first year that can be done online and a sports nutrition option.

The combined route removes the separate match and offers concentration choices and a preselect path for Lipscomb graduates. The honest limit is that year two must be in the Nashville area, tuition is private-school level, the program is full time only, and the outcome figures carry no years.

If you already are a registered dietitian, the non-RD master’s is the lighter option. If you want sports nutrition without the internship, the Kinesiology certificate is a short, non-RD add-on.

Accreditation

Lipscomb is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges; the university’s page gives the name as the Commission on Colleges and Universities and says it was reaffirmed in 2025. Institutional accreditation matters for transfer credit, graduate admission, and federal financial aid.

ACEND’s live directory for Tennessee lists the Didactic Program in Dietetics, with initial accreditation on December 1, 1975, and the Dietetic Internship, with initial accreditation on December 1, 2001 and a master’s degree, both with terms ending December 31, 2030. ACEND’s decisions show approval in September 2021 to add a graduate degree to the internship and full and continued accreditation for both after a site visit in July 2023.

The Programs Under Review page lists no Lipscomb program. The school gives the internship’s start as 2002 and the department as existing since 1979, which differ from the directory. A graduate of the combined program is eligible for the CDR exam; the B.S. alone is not.

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