Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences • Raleigh, NC • Campus (B.S., M.S., Ph.D.) or Online (Master of Nutrition) • $280–$585/Credit (Resident, Undergraduate to Graduate)
NC State offers 4 nutrition credentials, and none of them leads to RD/RDN eligibility:
- B.S., Nutrition Sciences
- M.S., Nutrition
- Master of Nutrition (online)
- Ph.D., Nutrition
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.S. Nutrition Sciences | $37.0K in-state, $139.8K out-of-state (tuition and fees, derived) | 4 years (8 semesters, derived) | 120 |
| M.S. Nutrition | $17.6K in-state, $54.1K out-of-state (tuition only, derived, before assistantship) | 1.5 to 2 years (3 to 4 semesters, derived) | 30 minimum |
| Master of Nutrition | $22.1K in-state, $66.0K out-of-state (online, derived) | 1.5 to 2 years (4 semesters at 9 credits, derived) | 36 |
| Ph.D. Nutrition | $42.1K in-state tuition if self-funded (derived; typically funded) | Not clearly stated | 72 minimum |
NC State has no ACEND-accredited program of any kind, and its own pages say its degree pathways do not lead directly to dietetic internships or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist certification. What it offers instead is a science-heavy bachelor’s with an Applied track built around health-professions prerequisites, a thesis M.S. and a Ph.D., and a non-thesis master’s that can be completed 100% online with a human nutrition or feed science emphasis.
The one RD route tied to NC State sits outside it. Meredith College says its accelerated master’s gives priority admission to up to four NC State nutrition science undergraduates under a March 2024 agreement, a detail that NC State’s own pages do not mention.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Format | B.S., M.S., Ph.D.: campus (inferred; the pages never say so). Master of Nutrition: 100% online per the department, though the catalog also lists on-campus and hybrid |
| Credit Hours | B.S.: 120; M.S.: 30 minimum; Master of Nutrition: 36; Ph.D.: 72 minimum |
| ACEND Accreditation | No. NC State has no DPD, Coordinated Program, graduate dietetics program, or dietetic internship |
| RD/RDN Eligibility | No. NC State says its pathways do not lead directly to dietetic internships or RDN certification |
| Partner Route | Meredith College reports priority seats (up to 4) in its accredited accelerated master’s for NC State nutrition undergraduates |
| Specializations | B.S.: Science and Applied tracks. Master of Nutrition: Human Nutrition or Feed Science emphasis, optional Professional Science Master’s |
| Research Requirement | M.S.: thesis. Master of Nutrition: non-thesis. Ph.D.: dissertation and preliminary exams |
| Entrance Exams | Catalog and online page say none required; a separate application page describes GRE waivers |
| GPA Floor | Graduate: 3.0, with one biology and one organic chemistry course. Undergraduate GPA not found |
| Intake | Graduate catalog deadlines: fall June 25 (US), spring November 25, summer 1 March 25, summer 2 May 10 |
| Minors | Nutrition Minor, 15 credits; graduate minor, 9 credits (M.S.) or 12 (Ph.D.) |
| Tuition | 2026-27 per credit: resident $280.46 undergraduate, $585.39 graduate; non-resident $1,351.88 and $1,804.11 |
| Institutional Accreditation | SACSCOC (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges) |
Bachelor of Science, Nutrition Sciences
The estimated cost of the B.S. in Nutrition Sciences is about $36,986 for a resident and $139,842 for a non-resident (eight semesters of tuition and fees at the 12-credit rate, derived, 2026-27). The degree is 120 credits, and the sample plan runs four years.
B.S. Curriculum
The bachelor’s has two tracks. The Science track adds physics and four semesters of chemistry and is aimed at medical, dental, and pharmacy school, while the Applied track drops physics, requires three semesters of chemistry, and is aimed at prerequisites for physician assistant, nursing, RDN, public health, and occupational therapy programs elsewhere. Freshmen enter through Life Sciences First Year and declare a major by the end of that year, while transfers enter the major directly.
- Required nutrition core: NTR 301, 302, 401, 402, and 490, plus FS 201
- 9 credit hours of nutrition electives and 7 to 8 hours of application electives
- Internships for credit, undergraduate research, and teaching assistantships
- Study abroad options listed in Australia, Ireland, Italy, and Taiwan
You Should Know
The Applied track page lists Registered Dietitian among graduate and career destinations, while the same pages say NC State’s degrees do not lead directly to dietetic internships or RDN certification. Read the first as prerequisites for a program elsewhere, not a pathway at NC State. Track names also drift: the department calls the tracks Science and Applied Science, and the catalog’s career section uses Nutrition Science and Applied Nutrition.
B.S. Admissions
A GPA requirement and application deadline for this degree were not found on the pages reviewed, so confirm both with NC State admissions.
Master of Science, Nutrition
The estimated tuition for the M.S. in Nutrition is about $17,562 for 30 credits at $585.39 per credit for a resident (derived), before fees. The program requires at least 30 credits including a thesis and takes 1.5 to 2 years full time, per the department.
M.S. Research Requirements
The catalog lists no required courses, so the plan of study is built around a thesis and a faculty advisor. Graduate programs run through the Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Nutrition, with faculty from food science, animal science, poultry science, and other units. Support is competitive and the catalog says it does not guarantee funding, so the sticker price above is not what most thesis students pay.
M.S. Admissions
Admission is limited by faculty time and funding, and a faculty advisor must endorse the applicant in writing.
- Bachelor’s degree, preferably in science, with one biology and one organic chemistry course
- 3.0 GPA minimum; below 3.0, contact the program director
- No GRE or entrance exam listed in the catalog
Master of Nutrition (Online)
The estimated tuition for the Master of Nutrition is about $22,100 for a resident (36 credits at $585.39 plus $28.50 in per-credit fees, derived) and about $65,974 for a non-resident. The program requires 36 credits and takes 1.5 to 2 years full time, which is four semesters at 9 credits (derived).
Master of Nutrition Curriculum
This non-thesis degree pairs human nutrition with feed science, an unusual combination. Students choose a Human Nutrition or Feed Science emphasis and can add an optional Professional Science Master’s layer of 9 to 12 business credits, some taken at partner universities. Up to 6 credits can go to a practicum or internship, and the NC State page states the directed practicum is not a dietetic internship.
- Core of at least 16 credits, including NTR 500 Principles of Human Nutrition and NTR 501 Advanced Nutrition and Metabolism
- Human nutrition electives such as maternal and infant nutrition, exercise nutrition, and older adult nutrition
- Feed science electives such as ruminant, equine, and canine and feline nutrition, and feed mill operations
You Should Know
NC State’s pages disagree on points that change credit math and admission. The catalog calls the 4 to 6 credit professional practicum part of the 36 credits, while the online page says up to 6 credits of practicum, internship, or project may be included. The online page also says both emphases are offered under the Professional Science Master’s designation, while the catalog and department call it optional.
Master of Nutrition Admissions
The online program lists no start terms or deadlines of its own, so the catalog’s graduate deadlines are the best available guide.
- Four-year bachelor’s with biology and organic chemistry, which may be completed at a community college
- 3.0 GPA, three recommendations (managers acceptable; family, friends, and co-workers not), and a two-page personal statement
- International applicants: TOEFL 80 or IELTS 6.5 minimum
- Catalog deadlines for all nutrition programs: fall June 25 (March 1 international), spring November 25 (July 15), summer 1 March 25 (December 15), summer 2 May 10 (December 15)
You Should Know
The catalog and the online program page say no entrance exam is required, but a separate how-to-apply page describes GRE waivers (for MD, RDN, or RN credentials, a prior master’s, or 9 graduate credits at B or better) and alternatives such as an interview with a timed writing sample. For applicants under a 3.0 GPA, the catalog says to contact the director, while the how-to-apply page says to first complete at least 9 graduate credits with a B or better.
Doctor of Philosophy, Nutrition
The estimated tuition for the Ph.D. in Nutrition is about $42,148 for 72 credits at $585.39 per credit for a resident if self-funded (derived), though doctoral students are typically funded. The program requires at least 72 credits including transfers from a master’s, and time to degree was not found.
Ph.D. Research Requirements
Doctoral students take at least 20 credits in specified nutrition and biochemistry courses, a core in energy, protein and amino acid, vitamin, and mineral metabolism, and written and oral preliminary exams before a dissertation. Admission needs a 3.0 GPA, biology and organic chemistry, and advisor endorsement, with no GRE listed. No placement data was found.
Tuition
NC State’s published 2026-27 tuition is $280.46 per credit for resident undergraduates and $585.39 per credit for resident graduate students, with non-resident rates of $1,351.88 and $1,804.11. Campus students pay per-credit fees on top, billed at a flat semester amount once they reach 12 undergraduate or 9 graduate credits.
- Undergraduate, campus: $104.81 per credit in fees; at 12 or more credits, $4,623.25 a semester resident and $17,480.25 non-resident
- Graduate, campus: $140.41 per credit in fees; at 9 or more credits, $6,532.25 a semester resident and $17,500.75 non-resident
- Graduate, distance education: $28.50 per credit in fees, capped at 9 credits at $5,525.00 resident and $16,493.50 non-resident
- Derived: B.S. about $36,986 resident and $139,842 non-resident; Master of Nutrition online about $22,100 resident and $65,974 non-resident
- Derived: the Master of Nutrition on campus at 9 credits for four semesters, about $26,129 resident and $70,003 non-resident
- Health insurance if not waived: $1,312.00 a semester for undergraduates and $2,366.50 for graduate students
Be aware that:
NC State’s distance-education page says tuition and fee rates are not final until the state legislature passes the budget bill. No differential tuition was found for nutrition degrees on the graduate premium or distance-education tables, so standard rates are used here, and these totals assume flat 2026-27 rates.
Funded thesis and doctoral students rarely pay the sticker price. Graduate assistants receive a standard tuition award and health insurance, with stipend minimums of $15,000 for master’s and $20,000 for doctoral students, but premium tuition and student fees are not covered and funding is competitive. NC State’s assistantship page limits eligibility to on-campus programs and says distance education programs do not qualify, so the online Master of Nutrition is self-funded.
Official figures are on NC State’s undergraduate, graduate, and distance education rate pages.
Why Choose This Nutrition Program?
Best suited for students who want a science-heavy nutrition degree as preparation for medical, health-professions, or research careers, or an online master’s in human or feed nutrition, and who are not counting on NC State for the dietitian credential.
Students heading to health-professions school can choose the Applied track, which skips physics and is built around prerequisites for PA, nursing, and public health programs, or the Science track for medical, dental, and pharmacy school.
Working adults and career changers can use the 100% online Master of Nutrition, which combines human nutrition with feed science and an optional business layer, with no thesis. Research-minded students can apply for the thesis M.S. or Ph.D., where assistantships are possible but not guaranteed.
The honest trade-off is that NC State offers no RD pathway of its own. Anyone who wants the credential has to move to an ACEND-accredited program elsewhere, such as Meredith College’s accelerated master’s, and the priority seats Meredith describes are limited to four.
Accreditation
NC State is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate through doctoral degrees, and its page states reaffirmation in 2024 through 2034. Institutional accreditation matters for transfer credit, graduate admission, and federal financial aid.
No NC State program carries ACEND accreditation. NC State’s own pages say its degree pathways do not lead directly to dietetic internships or RDN certification, and the university does not appear on ACEND’s accreditation-decisions pages for 2019 through 2026 or on its Programs Under Review page. Those decision pages list only programs that had a decision in a given year, so the school’s own statement is the primary evidence, and ACEND’s live program directory could not be queried for this profile.
That is normal for a research-oriented nutrition department, and it means graduates of all four degrees need further study to become dietitians. They would need an ACEND-accredited program, a master’s degree (required for exam eligibility since January 1, 2024), supervised practice, and a passing score on the CDR exam. Meredith College’s accelerated master’s is one accredited route, and its priority admission for NC State undergraduates comes from Meredith’s pages, so confirm it is still in effect before relying on it.