Blended Track (BS to MS)

As part of the Beach EDGE: Expedited Degrees in Graduate Education initiative, the Graduate Program in Applied Nutrition and Dietetics (GP) offers a special application pathway to allow CSULB students pursuing a B.S. in Nutrition and Food Science to earn undergraduate/graduate degrees and become ready to practice as registered dietitian nutritionists more quickly and at a lower cost. 

Via the unique B.S.-to-M.S. Blended Track, admitted students in the final semester of their undergraduate program will have 12 units double count toward the B.S. and M.S.(Semester 1 of the GP). On this track, a CSULB student could achieve a B.S. in Nutrition and Food Science, M.S. in Applied Nutrition and Dietetics, and RDN examination readiness within 5 years (first-year students) or 3 years (transfer students), significantly reducing time-to-career. 

To be eligible to apply to the Blended Track of the GP, students must meet the following criteria:

• Be a matriculated undergraduate (international or domestic) student at CSULB 
• Be senior enrolled and in good standing in the CSULB Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Food Science with a minimum 3.0 GPA
• Have the readiness to transition into the GP by the spring of their final year
• Submission of a Proposed Plan of Study outlining required courses to be completed in the senior year of B.S. degree signed by student and academic advisor

Yes, transfer students are eligible for this pathway!

Application Process

More details will be released in spring 2025 once we are closer to admitting our first Blended students. The good news is that the Blended track does not require the double application process of both CSU Apply and DICAS. Instead, students will apply only on DICAS and have less administrative burden and application fees. 

If you're planning ahead to apply for this track, you can expect that you will need to submit the following on DICAS by September 1, 2025:

• Submit a complete application to DICAS (opens summer 2025)
• Personal Statement
• Demonstration of writing proficiency via a writing sample or a GRE analytical writing score of 4.0 or above 
• Provide 3 references who will submit a letter of recommendation (1 faculty, 2 professional)
• Submission of official transcripts from all universities attended
• Resume
• Answering short-answer questions

The items you submit will be the same as required for the Traditional track, so if you want more information now, you can look at the Application Process page for details.