Public Health Nutrition Degree Programs

Public health nutrition focuses on the nutrition of populations and communities more than individual patients: food access, school and community programs, policy, and the prevention of chronic disease. At schools it appears as a Master of Public Health in nutrition, a master’s in community or public health nutrition, a bachelor’s option or track, or a graduate certificate. Each program in the table below is listed because the school’s own pages name a public health nutrition or community nutrition program, track, or concentration.

Public health degrees and dietetics credentials are accredited by different bodies. The Council on Education for Public Health accredits schools and programs of public health, while ACEND accredits the dietetics programs that lead to the registered dietitian exam. A few master’s degrees satisfy both, and many do not. The RD Pathway column describes each school’s route to the credential, which is not always the same program as the public health track.

Public Health Nutrition Programs at 30 Schools

The table lists only schools with a profile on this site, so it is not every public health nutrition program in the country. Costs are per credit as published on each profile, and each school name links to the full profile with curriculum, admission, accreditation, and cost details.

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How to Choose a Public Health Nutrition Program

Decide whether you also want the RD credential

Some M.P.H. tracks build supervised practice into the degree, so graduates finish with both a public health master’s and RD eligibility. Loma Linda’s M.P.H. in Nutrition, the University of Minnesota’s M.P.H. Coordinated Program track, and Temple’s M.P.H. in Nutrition are examples described on their profiles. An M.P.H. without that practice leads to public health careers and the Certified in Public Health exam, but not to the dietitian credential on its own.

Compare the type of degree

An M.P.H. is a professional degree focused on population health practice, while an M.S. in public health or community nutrition is often more research or nutrition-science oriented. Bachelor’s options and graduate certificates introduce the field and can lead into a master’s. Check each program’s name on the profile, because “community nutrition” can describe a very different curriculum from school to school.

Check delivery

Public health programs are more likely than dietetics programs to offer online coursework. The Format column shows where each program is campus-based, online, or hybrid, and the profiles note which parts, such as rotations or practicums, still require in-person work.

Compare cost

Per-credit prices in the table range widely between public and private schools and between resident and non-resident rates, and some M.P.H. programs charge a school-wide rate rather than a nutrition rate. Use the profile for the details behind each price.