An education from the University of Texas at Austin opens doors. As one of the top-ranked public research universities in the country with a global reputation for excellence, an education from UT Austin demonstrates that you have the skills and experience to lead and succeed in your career endeavors.
Graduates of the Master's of Science in Nutritional Sciences program represent our values of hard work, constant innovation in nutrition, and commitment to bettering the lives of their patients and communities.
Certified Nutrition Specialists® (CNS®) Academic Requirements
While "nutritionist" is a broad term that includes individuals with various training and credentials, our program specifically fulfills part of the current academic requirements for certification by the Board for Certification of Nutrition SpecialistsSM (BCNSSM) as a Certified Nutrition Specialist®(CNS®). The CNS is an accredited certification that distinguishes advanced nutrition professionals. To achieve certification, the BCNS requires a graduate degree in the field of nutrition from a regionally accredited university, specific coursework, and 1,000 hours of supervised experience. This certification enables you to practice medical nutrition therapy and other aspects of nutrition care in many states. Learn more about eligibility. We offer our students and alumni continual access to our designated ANA Ambassador alumna to assist in the CNS certification process.
Danielle D., 2021 Graduate
In her teens, Danielle developed an interest in health and wellness that grew into a desire for a career in nutrition. She earned an undergraduate degree in nutritional sciences at The University of Texas at Austin. After graduation, she needed the flexibility to work full-time while earning her master's degree and the online MSNS program was the perfect fit!
| Postdoctoral Fellow | Research Fellow | Assistant Professor |
| Research Scientist | Nutritional Consultant | Nutrition Education Specialist |
| Research Analyst | Project Manager | Data Collection Coordinator |
| Epidemiologist | Drug Discovery Scientist | Program Director |
| Senior Scientist | Oncology Dietitian | Clinical Project Manager |
| MD Anderson Cancer Center | Baptist Health System | St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital |
| Georgetown Lombari Cancer Center | USDA Food and Nutrition Service | UT Health Science Center San Antonio |
| Texas Biomedical Research Institute | Methodist Hospital System | Texas Department of State Health Services |
| PepsiCo | Galderma | Terapio |
| Whole Foods | NetHope | Metagenics |
| Eli Lilly and Company | The University of Texas Medical Branch | Baylor College of Medicine |
| Tufts University | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute | Genentech |
| Trewon Technologies | US AID | University of Maryland School of Medicine |
| USDA Agricultural Research Service | Hutchison Medi Pharma | Princeton University |
Elizabeth D., 2019 Graduate
"Graduating from an esteemed university and online MSNS program made me a more competitive applicant for dietetic internships and career opportunities. Today, I work as a leading clinical dietitian at iHealth thanks to the skills and knowledge I gained as a student.
"Looking back, I really appreciate the curriculum, the faculty, and the flexibility of the program. My favorite classes were Experimental Design and Statistics and Theories of Behavior Change, because they really prepared me to be a well-rounded dietitian and leader.
"I utilize what I learned from these classes on a daily basis to analyze patients' clinical outcomes and design program-initiatives grounded in theory. Overall, I would highly recommend this program to anyone seeking to invest in their professional advancement for more opportunities in the field of nutrition and dietetics."
