Grand Canyon University offers 2 nutrition credentials:
- B.S., Nutritional Sciences
- M.S., Nutrition and Dietetics
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.S. | $66.0K | 4 years (8 semesters) | 120 |
| M.S. | $18.3K | About 2 years (derived) | 30 |
Grand Canyon University’s defining feature is an online master’s that folds 1,000 hours of supervised practice into its courses as an ACEND Future Education Model graduate program, so students need neither a DPD nor a separate internship match. The campus B.S. is not accredited on its own; its role is to prepare students for that master’s or for other graduate programs.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | B.S. in Nutritional Sciences (campus) and M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics (online) |
| Format | B.S.: Campus, Phoenix. M.S.: Hybrid, online courses with in-person supervised practice |
| Credit Hours | 120 (B.S.); 30 (M.S.) |
| ACEND Accreditation | M.S. only, a Future Education Model graduate program. GCU pages conflict on candidate versus accredited |
| RD/RDN Eligibility | Yes via the M.S. The B.S. does not lead to RD eligibility on its own |
| Supervised Practice | 1,000 hours built into seven of the M.S.’s eight courses |
| Transfer Credit | M.S.: up to 12 credits. B.S.: up to 90 credits |
| Admission | B.S.: 2.8 GPA, or 2.5 with ACT 19 or SAT 1000. M.S.: bachelor’s plus relevant coursework |
| Faith Requirement | B.S. general education includes a required Christian Worldview course |
| Tuition | B.S.: $8,250 a semester on campus. M.S.: $610 per credit online |
| Institutional Accreditation | Higher Learning Commission (HLC) |
Bachelor of Science, Nutritional Sciences
The estimated tuition for the B.S. in Nutritional Sciences at Grand Canyon University is approximately $66,000 (eight semesters at $8,250). The program requires 120 credits and can generally be completed in 4 years (8 semesters) on the Phoenix campus.
B.S. Curriculum
The degree combines 34 to 40 general education credits with a 78-credit major. The science load is substantial for a nutrition bachelor’s: two semesters of general and organic chemistry, biochemistry with a lab, microbiology, and two semesters of anatomy and physiology.
Dietetics-style coursework without the accreditation. The major includes two medical nutrition therapy courses with a lab, two advanced nutrition courses on macro- and micronutrient metabolism, food science with a lab, and food and nutrition management. That mirrors much of a DPD, but GCU does not list the B.S. as ACEND-accredited, and graduates do not receive a verification statement.
- NSC-101 Introduction to Dietetics
- CHM-350 Fundamental Biochemistry
- NSC-350 Food Sciences, with lab
- NSC-420 Advanced Nutrition I
- NSC-425 Advanced Nutrition II
- NSC-475 Medical Nutrition Therapy I
- NSC-480 Medical Nutrition Therapy II, with lab
- NSC-490 Nutrition Research
- NSC-495 Capstone in Nutrition
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- General education includes a required Christian Worldview course, consistent with GCU’s identity as a Christian university.
- Up to 90 transfer credits are accepted, but no more than 84 of them can be lower division.
Master of Science, Nutrition and Dietetics
The estimated tuition for the M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics at Grand Canyon University is approximately $18,300 (30 credits at $610/credit). The program requires 30 credits and can generally be completed in about 2 years, derived from eight courses that mostly run 12 weeks each.
M.S. Curriculum
Coursework runs online and is competency-based under ACEND’s Future Education Model. Every course after the 2-credit orientation carries 4 credits and a set number of practicum hours, so students apply each topic in a professional setting as they learn it. The program ends with a capstone completed through hands-on practice in a chosen area.
- NSC-507 Introduction to Graduate Studies in Dietetics (2 credits)
- NSC-510 Behavioral Science and Counseling (100 practicum hours)
- NSC-550 Advanced Medical Nutrition Therapy (100 hours)
- NSC-595 Applied Medical Nutrition Therapy (200 hours)
- NSC-600 Food and Nutrition Management (200 hours)
- NSC-650 Community Nutrition and Advocacy (100 hours)
- NSC-675 Leadership in Nutrition and Dietetics (50 hours)
- NSC-695 Capstone in Nutrition and Dietetics (250 hours)
M.S. Supervised Practice
- 1,000 hours in total, spread across seven courses rather than a single internship block
- Hours are completed in person in professional settings while coursework stays online
- Students may need a drug test and background check for their sites, at their own cost
- How sites and preceptors are secured is not stated on the program page; it is covered in the program handbook
Spreading 1,000 hours through the degree meets the standard dietitian benchmark without the separate internship match that a DPD graduate faces. The open question for a working adult is placement: an online program still needs local clinical, foodservice, and community sites, so ask how GCU arranges them before enrolling.
M.S. Admissions
Admission is rolling, and a nutrition bachelor’s is not required.
- Bachelor’s degree in nutrition, nutritional sciences, or dietetics, or any bachelor’s plus relevant college coursework
- Career changers can complete GCU’s bridge coursework in math and science first
- Up to 12 transfer credits or one-third of the program, whichever is less
You Should Know
- GCU says program outcome data is available on request but does not publish it.
- An older GCU program handbook lists graduate tuition at $557 per credit. The current program page lists $610.
Tuition
GCU is a private university, so the same rates apply to Arizona residents and out-of-state students. The campus B.S. is billed at $8,250 a semester, about $550 per credit at a 15-credit load (derived). The online M.S. is billed at a published $610 per credit. Rates are listed on GCU’s tuition and financial aid page.
| Program | Basis | Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| B.S., Nutritional Sciences | 8 semesters at $8,250 | $66,000 |
| M.S., Nutrition and Dietetics | 30 credits at $610 | $18,300 |
Confirmed costs
- Campus B.S. tuition: $8,250 per semester
- Online M.S. tuition: $610 per credit
- M.S. site requirements such as drug testing and background checks: paid by the student
Be aware that:
- Totals are tuition only. Course fees, general fees, housing, and meals are listed separately on GCU’s fee pages.
- Travel to practicum sites and any site-required health documentation add to the M.S. cost.
- Students entering the M.S. without a nutrition degree may pay for bridge coursework first.
At about $18,300 in tuition, the M.S. is a relatively compact price for a program that includes supervised practice, since students do not pay separately for an internship. The B.S. is the larger bill, and because it is not a DPD, its value lies in preparing a student for GCU’s master’s or another graduate program rather than conferring a credential by itself.
Why Choose This Nutrition Program?
A fit for career changers and working adults who want an online route to dietitian eligibility without first completing a DPD and then competing for an internship.
One program instead of two. The M.S. combines the graduate degree the RDN exam now requires with 1,000 hours of supervised practice, and admission does not require a nutrition bachelor’s. That shortens the path for someone switching fields.
A science-heavy undergraduate option. The campus B.S. carries organic chemistry, biochemistry, and two rounds of medical nutrition therapy, which prepares students well for graduate study, though it does not carry ACEND accreditation itself.
The trade-offs. GCU’s own pages disagree on whether the M.S. holds full accreditation or candidate status, outcome data is only available on request, and the program page does not explain how practicum sites are arranged. Weigh the convenience of online coursework against those three unknowns, and confirm each with the program before enrolling.
Accreditation
Grand Canyon University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), one of the seven regional accreditors. That covers every GCU program and governs credit transfer and eligibility for federal financial aid.
ACEND’s involvement is limited to the M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics, a graduate program under the Future Education Model. GCU’s College of Natural Sciences accreditation page describes it as holding candidate status, while the program page describes it as accredited by ACEND. Readers should confirm the current status in ACEND’s program directory.
The B.S. in Nutritional Sciences falls outside ACEND’s scope. That is normal for a nutritional science degree and not a deficiency, but it does not produce a verification statement.
Graduates of the M.S. are prepared to sit for the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s RDN examination; ACEND treats students who complete a program during candidacy as graduates of an accredited program. B.S. graduates are not eligible for either CDR exam on the strength of that degree alone, and state licensure rules vary.
Nutrition Degrees Across Arizona
- Arizona State University - Phoenix
- Central Arizona College - Coolidge
- Northern Arizona University - Flagstaff
- Paradise Valley Community College - Phoenix
- Phoenix Nutrition Programs & Online Degrees
- University of Arizona - Tucson