Frequently Asked Questions

First review the program's admission requirements.

If you have further questions about the application process you can email the Graduate Assistant, call the office at 562.985.7493, or stop by FCS-005A during office hours.

According to the catalog, a student must have a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition, Dietetics, or related field AND have completed all prerequisites for 500 level courses prior to admission. With the completion of these prerequisites being a hard requirement, it is more feasible for someone with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition to apply for our program. However, if you are a student from an undergraduate background other than nutrition and are still interested in applying, you would be eligible to apply after completing the following prerequisites and their prerequisites:

Those who complete the CSULB Dietetic Internship combined with the MS in Nutritional Science Program will be eligible to sit for the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s dietetic registration exam and become a dietitian. Completion of the MS in Nutritional Science program alone, however, does not make you eligible. For more information on the steps to become a dietitian, please visit Eat Right Pro. 

International Students must go through the Center for International Education before they can be admitted to the University.

In addition, you will need to apply to the department following the instructions posted on our website.

Last Name A-I:
Dr. Gail Frank, MPH, RD, CHES 562.985.4494

Last Name J-R:
Dr. Rachel Blaine, D.Sc., MPH, RD 562.985.2141

Last Name S-Z:
Dr. Michelle Barrack, PhD, MS, RD 562.985.4545

Graduate Advisor for Food Science:

Last Name: A-Z:
Dr. Cheryl Rock, PhD 562.985.4497

A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 and a GPA of 3.0 on the last 60 undergraduate units are required for admission to M.S degree program.

If prerequisite courses are more than 5 years old, you will be expected to update the undergraduate prerequisite course before beginning graduate study. However, you may petition to waive some prerequisite courses by examination. Discuss specific courses with the Graduate Advisor.

The deadline for the application is available here: Graduate Programs and Academic Advisors | California State University Long Beach (csulb.edu). We do not accept applications for spring admission.

Up to 30% of the total required units for your program may be transferred from another program; this amount of transfer units may be any combination of units, taken at another university, and/or College of Professional & International (CPIE) at CSULB. The transferred units must come from appropriate graduate-level courses. Courses will be disqualified after 5 years; so a student may only use courses that have been completed during the 5 years preceding graduation. This policy applies to courses taken at CSULB as well.

Students in the M.S. in Nutritional Science program who have courses (including transfer courses) required for the degree that is more than 7 years old must revalidate these courses according to University policy in order to continue in the degree. The faculty advisor and student will select from the following options for revalidation, based on the student’s current academic performance for each graduate course in the student’s program of study that is more than 7 years old:

1.    The exact or equivalent course is retaken at CSULB with a minimum grade of B.

2.     An independent study course involving similar content and the same number of units is completed with minimum grade of B.

Further information about graduate degree regulations can be found in the university catalog. 

Information about current tuition and fees for CSULB students is available on the Tuition and Fees page. 

The current CSULB Schedule of Classes.