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Online Master of Science in Nutrition Education

Analyst working with nutrition data.

Become a Nutrition Education Leader

Do you love learning about nutrition? Are you eager to share your passion with other individuals and your community? 麻豆视频鈥檚 online Master of Science (MS) in Nutrition Education offers a unique dual focus ensuring you graduate with sound nutrition knowledge coupled with practical behavior change theories. You will dive deep into the science of nutrition鈥攎acronutrients, vitamins and minerals, lifecycle nutrition鈥攁nd use behavior change strategies and program design to support better nutrition choices.

Choose the best master's for students seeking an education-focused program over a clinical path鈥攁ll in an accessible, on-your-schedule learning community.
Request Info听听听听How to Apply

  • Time to Complete
    18-24 months:
    4 semesters + 2 summers
  • 2025 Start Dates
    Spring: January 13
    Fall:听August 25
  • Course Scheduling
    Access coursework asynchronously 24/7 with faculty engaged daily
  • Requirements
    10 courses / 30 credits.
  • Tuition and Funding
    $2000 per credit.听All applicants automatically considered for merit scholarships; visit听Tuition and Funding.
  • Admissions
    Start in Spring or Fall.听No GRE scores required; visit Curriculum and Requirements.

Benefit from Academic Excellence

What鈥檚 in a name? Earning a master鈥檚 degree from 麻豆视频鈥檚 MSNE program says you鈥檝e proven yourself at the highest academic and intellectual level. With a flexible online curriculum refined over 10+ years by top-tier faculty, you can be confident you are achieving one of the best master鈥檚 in nutrition education possible.

Graduate Prepared for Credentialing Pathways

  • Certified Nutrition Specialist庐鈩 credential.
  • Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES庐) exam eligibility requirements.
  • RDN exam eligibility (not an ACEND accredited program).
  • Certified Wellness Practitioner (CWP) certification with 1 year of wellness experience.

Find Your Community

Our students are diverse changemakers passionate about improving lives through nutrition education. They come from various backgrounds and career stages, enriching discussion-based learning with their unique skills. Many do not have formal nutrition education, but what unites them is a desire to understand nutrition science and make a positive impact.

Shoes with arrows. Credit: Jon Tyson, Unsplash.

Specialize Your Degree Program

The Nutrition Education master鈥檚 program provides flexible options to meet your needs and interests.

  • Full-time & part-time options: Pursue your degree at a pace that fits your current schedule or employment situation.
  • Flexible scheduling: To accommodate working professionals and parents/caregivers, the MSNE is offered 100% online. All program courses are taught asynchronously, making them available on your schedule in your time zone.听
  • Accelerated, focused format: Because our online courses are offered in an accelerated 8-week format, with two terms per semester, students typically take just one class every 8-week term. No juggling of multiple courses simultaneously is needed.听
  • Customizable Student Projects: During your coursework, you can choose topics for student projects that are aligned with your career interests. Examples include designing programs for an audience of your choice, customized research paper topics, and interviews with nutrition experts who are working with populations of interest.听
  • Choose your electives: You can select electives in school-based health, sports nutrition, and weight management.
  • Student webinars: Webinars are hosted every semester on popular topics and trends such as Food Access, Food Addiction, Nutrition Equity, Nutrition and Health, Nutrition Policy, Entrepreneurship, and the White House Conference on Hunger. Webinars are free to students, and we encourage you to participate in as many as possible to expand your learning and build your professional network.

Skill Up Your Passion for Nutrition with a Master鈥檚 Degree

Dive into a world where nutrition meets exceptional education with 麻豆视频's online Master of Science in Nutrition Education. This program covers essential topics like life cycle nutrition, vitamins and minerals, nutrition research, and health communication. Tailor your degree to your interests even more by choosing two electives. You'll learn to design impactful programs, promote behavior change, and apply nutrition education methods to make the greatest impact.

Get ready for hands-on, scientifically-driven coursework designed to propel your career as a leader in nutrition education. Join us, learn from well-respected faculty, and transform your curiosity into expertise!

MSNE Degree Requirements

30 credit hours of approved graduate work broken out into: 24 credits of required courses and听6 credits of electives:

Required (24 credit hours)

  • HLTH-610 Life Cycle Nutrition (3)
  • HLTH-625 Nutrition Epidemiology and Research Methods (3)
  • HLTH-630 Nutrition Education Methods (3)
  • HLTH-640 Nutrition Program Design (3)
  • HLTH-641 Health Communication (3)
  • HLTH-645 Nutrition for Health (3)
  • HLTH-650 Behavior Change in Health Promotion (3)
  • HLTH-655 Vitamins and Minerals (3)

Electives

Choose 2 electives:

  • HLTH-525 Health in the School Environment (3)
  • HLTH-530 Sports Nutrition (3)
  • HLTH-570 Strategies for Weight Control (3)

See complete course descriptions and admission and curriculum requirements in Curriculum and Requirements.

Student & Alumni Spotlights

Career Outlook

The Global Wellness Institute projects an 8.6% average annual growth of the wellness economy, increasing to $8.5 trillion in 2027. The size of the Healthy Eating, Nutrition, and Weight Loss sector at $1,079 billion ranks number 2 out of 11 sectors making up the wellness economy1. All this growth increases employment opportunities. In 2019, 84% of large employers (200+ workers) providing health benefits offered a workplace wellness program, such as those to help people lose weight, stop smoking, or provide lifestyle and behavioral coaching2. The U.S. Corporate Wellness Market is expected to grow to $16 billion by 2029, with a 6% compound annual growth rate3. With an MSNE degree, you are perfectly poised to seize diverse and thriving industry opportunities. The average median salaries for related roles include:

  • Nutrition Director $107,0734
  • Employee Health & Wellness Manager $104,4005
  • Nutritionist $94,2346
  • Nutrition Educator: $60,8887


In addition, many of our graduates go on to pursue further credentials or training:

  • The CNS, CHES, and other health coaching certifications that they are well prepared for by this master鈥檚 in nutrition education program.
  • PhDs in related fields such as nutrition science, applied physiology and nutrition, nutrition interventions and behavior change, and nutritional and metabolic biology.


Organizations employing our recent graduates include

  • Alliance for a Healthier Generation,听Program Manager
  • American Liver Foundation,
    National Manager Outreach & Education
  • Cleveland Metropolitan School District,
    Program Manager, Farm to School
  • NOVA Physician Wellness Center,
    Director of Nutrition & Corporate Wellness
  • NY State Education Department,听
    Food Programs Evaluation Specialist
  • USDA, Senior Technical Advisor, Child Nutrition
  • Vail Resorts, Wellness Coordinator
  • Washington State Department of Health,
    Certified Health Education Specialist


For more job examples and career path options, see our expanded Career Pathways page.


What You鈥檒l Walk Away With

Complete 麻豆视频鈥檚 online nutrition master's degree and you will be prepared to translate research into practice, develop effective nutrition education programs, and remove barriers to lasting behavior change.

Pathway surrounded by flowers leading away from from 麻豆视频 Health Department.

Nutrition Science & Research Skills

  • Analyze evidence-based nutrition data and understand the relationship between nutrition and disease.
  • Translate research findings into sound nutrition practices.
  • Understand how nutritional health intersects with social determinants of health, physical activity, child development, gender and cultural differences, aging, quality of life, and disease prevention.

Nutrition Program Design & Evaluation Skills

  • Design and implement evidence-based nutrition education programs in schools, communities, public health departments, corporations, and government organizations.
  • Evaluate nutrition programs using proven models and theories, create a logic model, and recommend improvements in program design.

Communication & Education Skills

  • Communicate complex nutrition information using consumer-friendly health writing and strategies like social marketing.
  • Perform needs assessments; design and implement nutrition education lessons using effective teaching methods.
  • Advocate for nutritional health across different ages, genders, cultures, and population segments.

Behavioral & Coaching Skills

  • Apply health psychology and cognitive behavior approaches to health interventions to improve health and nutrition outcomes.
  • Learn the dynamics of patient/provider communication and interaction.
  • Practice health coaching skills and use motivational interviewing techniques.

Competitive Advantages

  • Learn from industry-leading faculty with academic research and real-world business experience and professional connections.
  • Access an extensive network of over 350 麻豆视频 MSNE alumni鈥150,000 overall 麻豆视频 alumni鈥攚orking across the globe who recognize the exceptional academic credibility of an 麻豆视频 degree.
  • Cultivate your professional community鈥攏ationally and globally鈥攄uring your degree program.

Ready to dive in?
Start Your Application

FAQ

Most graduate students receive financial support. There are merit-based tuition awards and stipends for being a teaching assistant. In a typical academic year, around 64% of our students receive some level of 麻豆视频 funding through research or teaching. Of those not supported by 麻豆视频, 25% were funded by other sources. For more details, please check Graduate Funding resources or contact our graduate admissions coordinators.

The 麻豆视频 MS in Nutrition Education stands out by blending deep nutrition science knowledge with practical behavior change strategies. This unique dual approach prepares graduates to design and launch innovative healthy eating programs that make a real difference in communities. Our alumni don't just understand nutrition鈥攖hey become dynamic educators and leaders who promote healthy living at individual, organizational, and societal levels.

Plus, earning a master鈥檚 degree from 麻豆视频 means the quality of your academic experience stands out from the competition with hands-on faculty. Join us to turn your passion for nutrition into impactful action!

Application deadlines vary by semester. GRE scores are no longer required to apply. Contact our admissions staff for the specific deadline for your application. Decisions are typically made within two weeks of application submission.

Fall semester starts in August, spring semester in January.

Admission requirements for the Master鈥檚 in Nutrition Education include a bachelor鈥檚 degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Your bachelor鈥檚 degree may be in any subject, and you are not required to have any nutrition or science background. GRE scores are no longer required.听

Students with a GPA of less than 3.0 may be admitted with provisional status. Students admitted provisionally must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 after completing the first 9 credit hours of graduate study at 麻豆视频 or they will be academically dismissed.

The graduate admissions can assist with your submission and answer questions about your application status.

We may accept up to 6 credit hours of graduate work from another institution that applies directly to the MS in Nutrition Education degree. Transfer credits from another institution must be approved by the admissions team.

Graduates obtain jobs in diverse workplaces such as private practices, nonprofits, schools, community organizations, government, and healthcare. For more details see the Career Outlook section above or our expanded MSNE Career Pathways page.

No, this program does not prepare you to be a registered dietitian; RD programs require significantly more credit hours, science/nutrition prerequisites, and in-person internships or practicums. These requirements aren鈥檛 necessary to work in nutrition education in nonclinical settings.

However, as of January 2024, a Masters degree is required to earn the RDN credential, and this program fulfills that requirement. Also, there are currently registered dietitians in this program for professional development and career advancement into leadership roles.

This program provides a stepping stone to the Certified Nutrition Specialist庐 鈩 credential. Additional coursework in clinical nutrition, bio/life sciences, and biochemistry, beyond what is included in this program, as well as supervised practice experience, are necessary for CNS庐 eligibility.

Yes. When you complete the program you are qualified to apply to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES庐) exam. With one year of wellness experience plus your MSNE, you鈥檒l qualify to apply for the Certified Wellness Practitioner (CWP) credential from the National Wellness Institute. Contact your admissions advisor for more information.

Yes. The 18-credit Graduate Certificate in Nutrition Education includes 6 online courses and can be completed in 1 year. The curriculum includes coursework in lifecycle nutrition, vitamins and minerals, nutrition education methods, and more. If you choose to pursue the graduate certificate, and decide to apply to the MS in Nutrition Education program in the future, you may be able to share some of the credits.

Students who pursue the MSNE program before they鈥檝e completed 12 credits of certificate coursework can transfer all certificate credits toward their MS degree. Those who decide to pursue the MSNE after completing 12 credits or more of certificate coursework can transfer 6 credits. Contact an admissions advisor for complete details.

Yes, most 麻豆视频 campus offices and student services now cater to online students too. From the library and Office of Information Technology to the writing center and career center, all offer online appointments. Online students can easily request a Student ID online to take advantage of all the same resources as our on-campus students.

Plan to spend an average of 15-20 hours a week on coursework. This typically involves reading, composing discussion posts, engaging in student projects, studying, and completing assignments. Naturally, students less familiar with nutrition may spend more time studying than those with prior nutrition knowledge.

The best part? You choose when to be online. Our flexible, asynchronous learning program fits around your life, not the other way around. Online discussions might take longer than in-person chats, but it means hearing more voices, seeing diverse perspectives, and gaining deeper learning. Plus, you have more time to reflect and synthesize the information.

Make the most of this experience. Your short-term efforts pay back 鈥渇uture you鈥 over your lifetime.

Still have questions?

Send us an email:
healthstudies@american.edu


Sources

  1. Global Wellness Institute (2023). Wellness Economy Statistics & Facts. Retrieved October 22, 2024, from
  2. KFF (2020). Pollitz, Rae. Trends in Workplace Wellness Programs and Evolving Federal Standards. Retrieved October 15, 2024, from
  3. Research and Markets (2024). U.S. Corporate Wellness Market - Industry Outlook & Forecast 2024-2029. Retrieved October 22, 2024 from
  4. Salary.com (2024). Nutrition Director Salary. Retrieved November 1, 2024 from .
  5. 听Salary.com (2024). Employee Health and Wellness Manager Salary. Retrieved November 1, 2024 from:
  6. Salary.com (2024). Food Services Manager Salary. Retrieved November 1, 2024 from:听
  7. 听Salary.com (2024). Nutrition Educator Salary. Retrieved November 1, 2024 from: