Graduate Programs

Pathway to Becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Earn a Bachelor’s Degree: Complete a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from a US regionally accredited college or university or foreign equivalent.
Complete a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD): Successfully complete an ACEND-accredited DPD either concurrently or after earning bachelor’s degree.
Earn a Master’s Degree: Enroll in the TWU combined Master’s Dietetic Internship. Students in freestanding ACEND-accredited Dietetic Internships can also combine their supervised practice with an MS at TWU.
Complete a minimum of 1000 supervised practice hours: Complete one of the TWU ACEND accredited Dietetic Internships in either Denton or Houston.
Pass the national board examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).

We offer two separate Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)-accredited Dietetic Internships with one in Denton and one in Houston. Each of the programs provides the graduate level training and education required to become a Registered Dietitian (RD)/Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) as established by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). Both programs have a Medical Nutrition Therapy emphasis, and can be completed in conjunction with either a MS in Nutrition or a MS in Exercise and Sports Nutrition at TWU.

MS in Nutrition - Online and Classroom options

Explore how nutrition can influence health through health and disease. Face-to-face or hybrid programs on our Denton and Houston campus, including thesis or coursework-only options.

MS in Exercise and Sports Nutrition

Learn how to optimize nutrition for performance in sport. Thesis and coursework-only options available on both the Denton and Houston campus.

MS in Food Science and Flavor Chemistry

Prepare for a career as a flavor chemist with our innovative food science and flavor chemistry program. Available on the Denton campus.

PhD in Nutrition

Launch your career in research or academia with our PhD in Nutrition. Available on both the Denton and Houston campus.

Application deadlines

Fall — June 15
Spring — October 1
Summer — April 1

Student Spotlight

“When choosing which university to attend, I felt TWU was the perfect fit for me due to its welcoming environment, nationally recognized nutrition program and opportunities for undergraduate students to work side-by-side with accomplished faculty members.”

Lily Sebastian, Nutritional Sciences Major

Alumni Spotlight

Michelle Tribble in her chef uniform outside Hell's Kitchen in Las Vegas.

“TWU helped me learn more science about food. You can learn techniques all day but you don’t learn scientific details when you’re just learning about cooking food. Breaking down the science of why [reactions] happen I learned at Texas Woman's University.”

Michelle Tribble (BAS '16)

Associate Manager, New Product Development, KFC

Page last updated 12:38 PM, January 23, 2026