Two Oregon universities offer nutrition degrees: Oregon State in Corvallis and Oregon Health & Science University in Portland. Between them they cover a bachelor’s, three master’s routes, and two dietetic internships. There is no associate-level nutrition degree in the state, so every path starts at the bachelor’s.
Oregon State runs the only ACEND-accredited undergraduate dietetics program in Oregon, and it is the only entry point for someone starting from high school. Both universities offer accredited graduate routes that include supervised practice, so the choice at graduate level is between two real options rather than one.
Nutrition Programs in Oregon — Comparison Table
| School | Credentials | Est. Cost | Format | RD Pathway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon State University Corvallis |
BS Nutrition — 180 quarter credits, four options including Dietetics (DPD) MS Nutrition – Professional Dietetics — includes 1,000+ practice hours MS Nutrition – Advanced Dietetics — online Dietetic internship — 9.5 months, standalone |
~$13.4K/year resident on campus $409/credit online, flat ~$609/credit online graduate |
Campus in Corvallis; graduate coursework online via Ecampus | Yes — the only accredited undergraduate route in Oregon, plus a coordinated master’s |
| Oregon Health & Science University Portland |
MS Human Nutrition — 45 credits MS Human Nutrition with Dietetic Internship — 67 credits Dietetic internship with graduate certificate |
$842/credit ~$37.9K for the 45-credit MS ~$56.4K for the 67-credit MS/DI |
Campus based in Portland | Yes — via the MS with internship; the standalone MS does not include practice hours |
Costs are estimates for tuition and exclude fees and housing. Oregon State runs on quarter terms, so 180 quarter credits equal 120 semester credits. Non-resident on-campus rates at Oregon State are not shown here; confirm them directly. Verify all current rates with each school before applying.
Which Oregon Nutrition Program Fits You
Choose Oregon State if you are starting from high school. Its Dietetics option is the only ACEND-accredited undergraduate dietetics program in the state, so no other Oregon school can take a beginner toward the RD credential. The Nutrition BS also carries non-dietetics options for students heading to medicine, research, or food systems work.
Choose Oregon State’s Ecampus routes if cost or location is the constraint. Online tuition is a flat $409 per credit for undergraduates regardless of residency, with no non-resident premium — unusual among public flagship universities. The MS in Advanced Dietetics is delivered online as well.
Choose OHSU if you want a hospital-based master’s in Portland. It is Oregon’s only academic health center, and its MS with Dietetic Internship includes over 1,000 supervised practice hours with rotations at OHSU Hospital. Electives extend to sports nutrition, and capstone work covers areas such as maternal nutrition and culinary medicine.
Oregon Nutrition Schools
Oregon State University
OSU’s School of Nutrition and Public Health in Corvallis anchors nutrition education in Oregon and covers every level from bachelor’s through supervised practice.
- BS Nutrition — 180 quarter credits, with options in Dietetics (the accredited DPD), Nutrition and Health Sciences, Nutrition in Food Systems, and Nutrition and Foodservice Systems
- MS Nutrition – Professional Dietetics (MS-PD) — online coursework via Ecampus with in-person rotations in Oregon, minimum 1,000 supervised practice hours
- MS Nutrition – Advanced Dietetics — online, requires an RDN credential or a DPD verification statement
- Dietetic internship — non-credit, non-degree, 9.5 months full-time from September through June, with 56 or more preceptors
The MS-PD is the differentiator: it satisfies the CDR master’s requirement and the supervised practice requirement together, with coursework online and rotations in-state. OSU reports its DPD sits at the 97th percentile nationally for first-time RDN exam performance.
The MS-PD cohort is small — OSU has published an intake of up to 12 students. Treat admission as competitive and have a second route in mind. The Foodservice Systems option integrates culinary coursework at Linn-Benton Community College, so check how that affects your schedule.
Oregon Health & Science University
OHSU in Portland offers graduate nutrition study only, through its School of Medicine, and is the state’s only academic health center.
- MS in Human Nutrition — 45 credits, 18 months full-time or two years part-time, thesis or capstone
- MS in Human Nutrition with Dietetic Internship — 67 credits, two years, over 1,000 supervised practice hours
- Dietetic internship with graduate certificate — for applicants who already hold a master’s
The curriculum is science-heavy, covering nutrient metabolism, nutritional epidemiology, and biostatistics, with medical nutrition therapy and research methods in the internship track. Clinical rotations run through OHSU Hospital, which is access no other Oregon program can offer.
Only the internship track leads to the RDN. The standalone 45-credit MS contains no supervised practice, so it suits someone who wants nutrition science or research rather than clinical credentialing. Admission asks for a 3.0 GPA minimum and three letters of recommendation.
How to Choose a Nutrition Program in Oregon
Where you enter decides the school
Oregon has one undergraduate door and two graduate ones. If you are starting out, Oregon State is the only accredited option; if you already hold a bachelor’s, both universities compete for you. Someone holding a DPD verification statement and a master’s can also apply to OSU’s standalone internship.
Online coursework, in-person practice
Both of OSU’s graduate dietetics routes deliver coursework online while keeping supervised practice in person and in Oregon. OHSU is campus based in Portland. If you need to stay employed while studying, OSU Ecampus is the flexible option and the flat per-credit rate makes it viable from outside the state.
The master’s requirement changed in 2024
Since January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration has required a master’s degree in any field, plus a verification statement from an ACEND-accredited program, to sit for the RDN exam. Supervised practice runs to at least 1,000 hours. An Oregon State bachelor’s alone no longer qualifies anyone, so plan the graduate step from the start.
Nutrition Licensure and Credentials in Oregon
Oregon licenses dietitians through the Board of Licensed Dietitians, part of the Oregon Health Authority’s Health Licensing Office. Initial application runs about $110, licences are valid one year, and renewal is around $60. Licensees complete 15 continuing education hours each licensure year, plus one hour of cultural competency education at alternating renewals.
One scope note matters: the board oversees licensed dietitians but does not regulate people practising as nutritionists in Oregon. The title and the licence are not the same thing, so check which one a job posting actually requires. Confirm current fees and rules with the Health Licensing Office before relying on them.
Before applying anywhere in Oregon, verify three things directly with the school: that the specific degree option you are entering carries current ACEND accreditation, that the tuition rate quoted matches the coming academic year, and — for the MS-PD in particular — what the cohort size and application deadline are for your intended start. Individual school profiles for these programs are in progress and will be linked here as they publish.