Dietetics (M.S.)

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Admission

The Hospitality Management and Dietetics department offers an online Master of Science degree in Dietetics for registered dietitians or individuals who are registration-eligible.

This program is also offered through the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance (GPIDEA).

The online Master of Science in Dietetics is one of the most innovative in the country, taught through the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance (GPIDEA), a consortium of universities who have banded together to offer online graduate programs. The online MS in Dietetics is the largest of the GPIDEA programs with 8 universities participating:
Kansas State University
The University of Kansas Medical Center
Iowa State University
Colorado State University
The University of Nebraska, Lincoln
North Dakota State University
South Dakota State University
Oklahoma State University

Students must meet the following criteria to be admitted to the online Master of Science program:

• Must hold the credential of Registered Dietitian (RD) or be RD-eligible, (meaning
the student has met both the academic and supervised practice requirements of
the American Dietetic Association and is ready to sit for the national credentialing
exam to become a Registered Dietitian).

• Students desiring to complete this degree through Hospitality Management and Dietetics at Kansas State University must have a minimum of at least 3.0 undergraduate grade point average (or 3.0 on the last 60 hours of coursework in the undergraduate degree). Scores from the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) must be submitted as part of the application. In lieu of taking the GRE or GMAT, the applicant may submit a detailed professional portfolio which shows evidence of the applicant’s professional accomplishments.

The curriculum includes a 9 credit hour general core (statistics, research methods, current issues) a 6 credit hour specialized core in either nutrition or management, a choice of 15-credit hours of dietetics electives, and a 6-credit hour thesis. In lieu of the thesis, the student may elect to take an additional 6 credits (2 courses) and then sit for a comprehensive written and oral examination.

Admission Deadlines

Admissions to the Master of Science in Dietetics will be made two times per year. Application deadlines are:

October 1 for Spring Semester admission
March 1 for Summer and Fall Semester admission

Required Core Courses (15 Credit Hours)

HMD 810 - Research Techniques for Foodservice and Hospitality Management Credits: (3)
HMD 891 - Environmental Scanning and Analysis of Current Issues in Dietetics Credits: (3)
STAT 703 - Introduction to Statistical Methods for the Sciences Credits: (3)

Tracks

Select one of the following tracks. The two courses listed for each track are required and complete the 15 credit hour core.

Nutrition Track

HN 812 - Advanced Micronutrient Metabolism Credits: (3)
HN 842 - Advanced Nutrition: Nutrigenomics, Nutrigenetics, and Advanced Lipid Metabolism Credits: (3)

Management Track

ACCTG 810 - Foundations of Accounting and Finance Credits: (3)
HMD 640 - Entrepreneurship in Hospitality Management and Dietetics Credits: (3)

Elective Courses (choose 15 credits)

FINAN 815 - Corporate Finance Credits: (3)
GRAD 801 - Foundations of Leadership Credits: (3)
GRAD 820 - Leadership Practicum Credits: (3)
HMD 705 - Computer Implementation in Foodservice and Hospitality Operations Credits: (3)
HMD 720 - Administration of Health Care Organizations Credits: (3)
HMD 805 - Food Production Management Credits: (3)
HMD 995 - Grantsmanship and Publication Credits: (3)
HN 635 - Nutrition and Exercise Credits: (3)
HN 702 - Nutrition in Developing Countries Credits: (3)
HN 718 - Physical Health and Aging Credits: (3)
HN 726 - Nutrition and Wellness Credits: 3
HN 735 - Advanced Energy Balance Credits: (3)
HN 800 - Nutrition Education and Communication Credits: (3)
HN 820 - Functional Foods for Chronic Disease Prevention Credits: (3)
HN 838 - Advanced Clinical Dietetics Credits: (3)
HN 859 - Nutrition: A Focus on Life Stages Credits: (3)
HN 862 - Maternal and Child Nutrition Credits: (3)
HN 875 - Pediatric Clinical Nutrition Credits: (3)
MANGT 810 - Operations and Supply Chain Management Credits: (3)
MANGT 820 - Behavioral Management Theory Credits: (3)
MKTG 810 - Marketing Concepts and Research Credits: (3)

Thesis/Non-Thesis (6 Credits)

Students may select to complete a thesis (6 credit hours of HMD 899 Research in HMD) under the direction of their major professor and committee OR they may take 6 additional credit hours from program electives and sit for a comprehensive written examination followed by an oral examination with their committee.

The student’s thesis problem is preferably a topic related to his/her dietetics practice, results of which may add to the body of knowledge and support evidence-based dietetics practice.