MS Exercise and Sports Nutrition
Graduate in as little as 16 months with a Master’s degree in Exercise and Sports Nutrition (ESN) from TWU's Denton or Houston campus.
Request InformationProgram features
- Explore research and study opportunities that allow you to determine how diet and exercise impact health and athletic performance.
- Develop sports nutrition skills in a variety of settings, including the classroom, health-related settings, and high school, university and professional athletic teams.
The MS in Exercise and Sports Nutrition along with the dietetic internship prepares graduates to take the national Registration Examination for Dietitians and apply for a license to practice through the Texas State Board of Examiners of Dietitians. Licensing of dietitians in Texas is voluntary. If you are a resident of another state, contact our department to determine whether our program fulfills requirements to apply for licensure in your home state.
Why Nutrition at TWU?
Dietetic internship opportunities
Texas Woman's Nutrition and Food Sciences Department offers Dietetic Internships on the Denton and Houston campuses. Visit our Master’s Dietetic Internship Programs page for more information.
Research opportunities
At TWU, you have the opportunity to participate in research with faculty in any of the on-campus laboratories. Research possibilities in exercise and sports nutrition include:
- Impact of plant and other compounds on body composition and sport performance
- Evaluation of and implications of exercise and diet on cardiovascular health and aging
- Assessment of nutrition status and cardiorespiratory health of first responders.
Career opportunities
- Working with sports teams and athletes (collegiate, high school, professional, Olympic)
- Working with first responders
- Corporate wellness
- Research in sports nutrition
- Academia
- Nutrition consultancy
Salaries in these areas vary widely. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a median annual income of $73,850 per year for dietitians and nutritionists with a much faster than the average growth rate.
Requirements
Program Completion Requirements
- Combined MS Exercise and Sports Nutrition with Dietetic Internship
- Thesis Option (Houston and Denton)
- 13 credit hours of required coursework
- 11 credit hours of elective courses in major
- 6 credit hours of thesis coursework
- Total credits: 30
- Coursework-only Option (Houston, Denton, or 100% online)
- 15 credit hours of required coursework
- Capstone Seminar during final semester
- 15 credit hours of elective courses in major
- Total credits: 30
- 15 credit hours of required coursework
Admission requirements
Admission to the M.S. in Exercise and Sports Nutrition
Program Contact
Wen-Hsing Cheng, PhD, (ESN Denton)
Chair & Professor
wcheng1@twu.edu
940-898-3715
Wesley Tucker, PhD, (ESN Houston)
Assistant Professor
713-794-2379
WTucker1@twu.edu
Application Deadlines
Fall — June 15*
Spring — October 1*
Summer — April 1*
* Our department has rolling admission for all of our graduate programs, however, to ensure a proper start time, we recommend having your application completed by the dates listed above.
Admission Requirements
- Undergraduate semester credit hour prerequisites, including:
- Chemistry, including Organic and Biochemistry (9-12 hours)
- Human Anatomy and Physiology (3-4 hours)
- Introduction to Nutrition (3 hours)
- Upper-level Nutrition, Advanced Nutrition: Macronutrients and Micronutrients and Nutrition through the Lifecycle (6-9 hours)
- Minimum 3.25 GPA on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 undergraduate semester credit hours and all post-baccalaureate and graduate semester credit hours.
Applicants who meet the above criteria with exception of GPA may qualify for provisional admission if they have at least a 3.0 GPA (4.0 scale) on the last 60 undergraduate semester credit hours. If the applicant has previously earned graduate credits from TWU or another regionally accredited graduate program, the first 12 credit hours completed will be considered in lieu of the last 60 undergraduate hours.
Graduate Admission
Begin by reviewing your program's website to see if there are additional admission requirements and application deadlines prior to applying.
- Apply online.
Apply to Graduate Programs via the TWU Online Graduate Application Portal following instructions below. - Submit transcripts to TWU.
- Domestic Applicants must submit official transcripts for each college or university attended, both undergraduate and graduate. See the Information on Transcripts website for more details. Original transcripts for each college/university attended must be submitted, even if referred to on another schools transcripts.
- International Applicants are now required to provide an evaluation prepared by a NACES or AICE member evaluation service. International transcripts should not be sent directly to TWU. See the International Admissions website for more details.
- Submit Recommendation Requests
If your program requires you to submit names for recommendations you will need to do it in the application. List of programs-majors. - Pay the application fee.
The $50 fee ($75 fee for International applicants), which applies to all new and returning applicants, can be paid by:- Credit card - Pay Online through the application as the last step before submitting the application. The second portion of the application will not be available until the application fee has been received.
- Fee Waivers - Graduate applicants who are certified McNair Scholars are eligible for a McNair Scholar Application Fee Waiver. TWU Alumni may be eligible for the Alumni Advantage Fee Waiver. Check your eligibility here: https://twu.edu/alumni-advantage/. If eligible submit the request using the Application Fee Waiver Submission
- Following fee payment return to the application dashboard where supplemental application documents can be uploaded. The online application will list which documents are needed to fulfill the program admission requirements. You can also check the program's website.
- Submit Program supplemental documents
- Review the specific requirements for your intended program to identify any supplemental materials needed for your application.
Watch for emails from your new program/department that may come to your TWU email address.
For more information or assistance with the application or graduate admissions, visit the Graduate Admissions website.
Students who wish to apply for a Graduate Assistantship must meet the General Criteria for Appointment of Graduate Assistants.
Study ESN on TWU’s Denton or Houston campus
Find more information about degree options, program requirements, dietetic internships, research and career path opportunities in the MS Exercise and Sports Nutrition (ESN) programs at the Denton and Houston campuses.
The Success of Our Alumni
Jennifer Fiske started at FC Dallas as a grad student during her ESN practicum, grew her position into a paid internship and worked with FC Dallas as the team nutritionist for 2 years. Fiske's experience led her to be the Health Education Coordinator at DFW Airport, working to increase comprehensive health education. Fiske is currently the Wellness Program Administrator for Frisco ISD.
Paradis is a US Army P3T (Pregnancy and Post-Partum Training) Systems Specialist. Paradis worked in private practice as a sports dietitian and strength coach for five years, developing his own studio. His clients ranged from high school and college athletes to professional cyclists and hockey players to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters.
Amy is a registered dietitian and consultant in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with an emphasis in overall health, wellness and sports nutrition. She has over 18 years of experience as a sports dietitian and has worked with the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Rangers, TCU Athletics, FC Dallas Soccer, and many PGA Tour players. Goodson is the owner of RD Career Jumpstart, a business to help dietetic students
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Page last updated 3:40 PM, December 16, 2025
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