COLLEGE OF APPLIED & NATURAL SCIENCES
Graduate Programs
Our graduate programs in nutrition and dietetics use outcome-based research and evidence-based practice to understand the relationship between food intake and health outcomes at the individual, family, and community levels. They provide the education, research, and service to impact the nutritional well-being of individuals, families, consumers, and communities.
Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics
The Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics at Louisiana Tech University provides an in-depth study of nutrition and dietetics principles while developing students’ nutrition research skills. This degree includes a thesis option, which requires 30-semester hours of credit, and a non-thesis option, which requires 39-semester credit hours. Learners will complete a research project in either option. Although most coursework is offered electronically, the program itself is not considered an online program. Courses may require synchronous online class meetings and are designed to accommodate working professionals.
Admission Requirements:
Minimum admission standards are established by the Graduate Council for the University and can be found at https://www.latech.edu/study-with-us/graduate/.
The following are minimum requirements for unconditional admission consideration:
- Minimum 2.85 (4.0 system) grade point average on all work attempted or on the last 60 hours attempted.
- Completion of an undergraduate degree in Nutrition and/or Dietetics from a regionally accredited university. If the undergraduate degree earned is in a different field of study, the applicant must complete the program’s foundation requirements delineated below.
- Submission of all official admission documents to the Graduate School.
- GRE scores may be waived.
- Documentation of English proficiency as required by the graduate school for international students.
Foundation Requirements:
Applicants entering the MS Program in Nutrition and Dietetics with undergraduate degrees other than Nutrition and/or Dietetics will undergo a transcript review by the program graduate faculty to determine needed pre-requisite courses for admission.** At a minimum, each student is presumed to be computer literate and have the following college-level coursework:
- 6 credit hours of Anatomy and Physiology plus one co-requisite laboratory experience
- 3 credit hours of Biochemistry (along with its prerequisites)
- 6 credit hours of Nutrition courses (completed in the previous 5 years)
- 3 credit hours of Food or Food Science courses
** Some courses may be completed concurrently with graduate courses.
Graduate Certificate
Louisiana Tech University also offers a graduate certificate in dietetics designed to provide future registered dietitian nutritionists with the skills to participate in research and effective practice. Interns who complete the required 15 hours in graduate course work will earn the certificate.
Coursework toward this certificate can be applied toward the Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics.