Philosophy
The Master of Science in Nutrition program prepares current and future practitioners to meet the changing demands of health care, education, or business. This graduate program can also strengthen their application for a dietetic internship and allow them to meet the 2024 CDR degree requirements for registration as a dietitian. This master’s degree is designed to broaden the expertise of nutrition educators and scientists, health professionals, and dietitians alike beyond basic nutrition facts and clinical skills. It will increase knowledge of epidemiology, research methods, and clinical and functional nutrition — and prepare students to extend their
impact and influence outside of the traditional scope of dietetic and nutritional science practices. This master’s degree also allows you to work closely with SPU faculty and the extensive network of local area alumni, while also affording an opportunity to integrate your own professional work and interests (see errors and omissions page).
Distinctives
- Low-residency program that allows you to earn a master’s degree by completing 33 quarter-based credits over a brief 11-month period if full time.
- Coursework and experiences are built on a foundation of Christian values — engaging and fostering human flourishing with competence, character, and wisdom.
- Complete your MS degree in four academic quarters, which includes one summer term, along with the completion of two three- to four-day in-person intensives prior to Autumn Quarter and immediately following the summer term.
- Deepen your knowledge not only in the science of nutrition, but also in the areas of epidemiology, research methods, functional nutrition, and emerging topics in the field.
- Advance your choice of diverse and relevant skills in counseling, communication, project design, teaching, or informatics — to give you the ability to extend your impact and influence outside the traditional scope of dietetic and nutritional science practices.
- Online program coursework with the exception of the intensive sessions, with some synchronous time to facilitate discussion and relationship building about twice per week in the late afternoon.
- Successful completion of the program also includes a thesis or a final capstone project and respective presentation and oral defense or presentation (see errors and omissions page).
Application and recommended materials
To qualify for admission consideration, prospective students must turn in an packet to the Graduate Admissions. In order to apply, students must have completed or provide the following:
- and $50 application processing fee.
- Official undergrad transcript(s) that demonstrate degree completion.
- Completion of the following courses no earlier than 10 years prior to applying for this MS in Nutrition application, unless you are currently practicing in dietetics:
- Required
- Human Nutrition
- Organic Chemistry
- General Biology OR Anatomy and Physiology
- Recommended
- Advanced Nutrition/Metabolism
- Nutrition Assessment or Medical Nutrition Therapy
- Food Science
- Microbiology
- General Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Personal statement
- Please describe your personal background, interests, and work experiences (current and past) as they relate to your desire to pursue a Master’s in Nutrition.
- What personal strengths and professional expertise would you bring to the MS in Nutrition program at ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ?
- What in particular interests you about receiving your Master’s in Nutrition from Seattle Pacific?
Two letters of recommendation
- One letter of recommendation should be from a former instructor; the second recommendation should be from an employer/supervisor. (A third letter from an instructor or employer is optional.)
- Prompts for your references:
- What are the applicant's greatest strengths?
- What weaknesses do you perceive the applicant has?
- No GRE (Graduate Record Exam) test scores are required for this program. If you have taken the GRE, including your scores is optional.
- Interview (optional, at the discretion of the program faculty).
International Applicants
In addition to general admission requirements, international students must also submit:
- TOEFL internet-based score of at least 100 (600 if paper based, 200 if computer-based) and IELTS score of at least 7.0, if English is not your first language.
- Official financial statement reflecting financial support equivalent to the cost of the first year of graduate study. Complete the Declaration of International Student Finances form and send it to the address listed on the form, along with an original bank statement and copy of your passport (front and back).
- When submitting non-U.S. transcripts, provide a transcript evaluation by World Education Services (WES) or Foundation for International Services Inc. (FIS). (A page-by-page evaluation is sufficient, but a course-by-course evaluation is needed to determine if any pre-requisite foundations have been satisfied.)
All official transcripts must be submitted in English. International applicants are responsible for all costs associated with this service, including transcript(s) order and/or delivery fees (official transcripts must be sent directly from the school or translation evaluation service in a sealed envelope).