Axe ’Em, Jacks!
Unlock the potential of a healthier future with our Master of Science in nutrition and integrative health. This innovative 36-credit-hour program equips students with advanced knowledge in nutrition, wellness and holistic health practices, preparing them to make a meaningful impact in a variety of health care settings.
Graduates of this program are prepared to excel in diverse roles, from private practice and education to health care, community outreach, and beyond. Take the next step in your professional journey and explore the many career possibilities that come with an MS in nutrition and integrative health.
What is nutrition and integrative health?
Nutrition and integrative health is a subset of integrative and functional medicine. It has quickly become an exciting and emerging way to practice nutrition that is accepted by multiple authorities in the health and wellness field, including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Integrative nutrition combines conventional care with complementary and alternative therapies. The goal is to use the most natural, least invasive treatments to achieve health. Functional nutrition uses a systems-based approach that acknowledges that every body system is interrelated. The individual is empowered to take control of their health by understanding the processes that contribute to their condition.
Practitioners take detailed histories to determine factors that may predispose, provoke and contribute to health problems. The practice recognizes that everyone has a unique biochemical physiology, genetic makeup and experiences that require an individualized approach to optimize body functions. The whole person is addressed by focusing on nutrition, supplements, gut health, movement, sleep, stress and reducing the toxin burden.
If you're passionate about health care and want to explore it through an integrative and functional nutrition lens, SFA is ready to help you achieve your career goals!
Two Concentrations
SFA’s Master of Science in nutrition and integrative health offers two concentrations:
- Registered dietitian with a dietetic internship
- For students with a verification statement of completion from a didactic program in dietetics from an ACEND-accredited program and seek a registered dietitian credential
- General (focusing on nutrition and wellness)
- For students seeking a holistic approach to health and wellness
Faculty Qualifications
The program director, Dr. Darla O’Dwyer, is trained in integrative and functional medicine and has years of experience applying these concepts to patients in her private practice. She publishes articles on integrative and functional nutrition in peer-reviewed literature and on her website.
Other SFA nutrition faculty members have training in specific areas within the integrative and functional nutrition realm.
Program Costs, Financial Assistantance and Scholarships
For an estimation of tuition costs by academic semester, state of residence and delivery method of the course, view the SFA tuition and fees webpage. The program requires 36 hours of graduate credit. Use the Tuition and Fee Plans and Rate Tables to determine the cost at the graduate level.
To add up the total costs using the Tuition and Fee Plans and Rate Tables take the monetary value related to the number of credit hours you take each semester. For example, in the fall semester if you take 9 hours, then add the monetary value listed for 9 hours. Then add the monetary value based on the number of hours that you take in the spring semester, and so forth.
An estimation of tuition and fees for 36 hours of graduate credit over a 2-year period is approximately $16,000 to $17,000. This cost also includes the internship, since it is affiliated with graduate coursework.
The SFA Graduate Tuition and Fees are different based on your residency status. For non-resident graduate students, please look at the monetary value for border state residents and non-residents. For non-residents, the tuition is over double the amount as compared to a Texas resident.
If you are a non-resident and are interested in our program, please reach out to the program director, Darla O’Dwyer, at dodwyer@sfasu.edu to discuss scholarship possibilities. Since very few programs offer an integrative and functional nutrition focus, we welcome out-of-state students interested in this focus and work hard to support their financial health. We have a limited number of scholarships available that can help waive out-of-state tuition.
Other program-specific estimated expenses include:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Graduate application/Graduation | $100 |
| Educational materials | $500 to $1,000 |
| Miscellaneous (transcripts, student ID, parking permits, etc) | $130 |
| Items below are specific to the Registered Dietitian concentration with Dietetic Internship | |
| Uniforms/Lab coats/professional clothing | $300 |
| Background check | $40 |
| HIPAA Training | $15 |
| Drug screen (repeat drug screens may be required) | $20 to $30 |
| Vaccinations/TB test/titers | $10 to $100 |
| Academy membership | $58 |
| Health and car insurance | Variable expenses |
| Apartments in East Texas (1 to 2 bedrooms) | $600 to $1300 |
If living off site with limited access to SFA computer labs, a personal computer will be required to complete all course requirements.
There is no separate application fee for the SFA Dietetic Internship program.
Even though SFA Online courses are affordably priced, financial aid helps. As an SFA student, you are eligible to apply for financial aid. To receive financial aid, you must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours of graduate courses. Nine credit hours of graduate courses per semester is considered full-time. Please visit the Financial Aid website for more information.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers scholarships for its members pursuing education in nutrition and dietetics. State affiliates also offer scholarships, for example, the Texas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers a foundation scholarship. To find scholarships in your state other than Texas, search for your individual state affiliate using your favorite browser.
For questions about tuition and fees, billing and payment options, visit the Student Business Services website. You also may email SBS at sbs@sfasu.edu, call (936) 468-6960 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or visit the office on campus.
Distance Learning
Graduate course modalities are offered in a hybrid (face-to-face/Zoom Livestream) format or are delivered fully online (supervised practice is face to face in the area that you were matched to). The courses with Zoom Livestream options are taught in classrooms with Zoom capabilities, equipped with microphones and cameras that track the movement of the instructor and students in the classroom, and the instructor and students can see those attending via Livestream.
All faculty at SFA must be certified through the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) at SFA before being approved to develop or teach fully online distance courses.
Students will be charged an additional $33 per credit hour for web-based courses in addition to the standard tuition rate.
Students who do not live in the Nacogdoches area and do not have convenient access to the Steen library or campus computer labs will need a computer with internet access (preferably high speed) to complete work associated with the dietetic internship combined MS program. Students will also need word processing and presentation design software.