Master of Science [M.Sc] [Nutritional Science] From California State University

California State University, Los Angeles Master of Science in Nutritional Science is a 30-unit on-campus graduate degree in Los Angeles, California, for Fall 2027. The programme is structured for one year, although an individual plan may take longer. Admission requires an accredited bachelor’s degree and a GPA (grade point average) of 3.0 in the last 60 semester units or 90 quarter units. For Indian applicants, this is approximately 65% to 70% or CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) 6.5 to 7.0 on 10. Fall 2027 tuition is unpublished; 2026-27 tuition was US$23,772.08 (INR 22.95 Lakhs), as a prior-cycle reference.

The degree offers a Nutrition and Dietetics option plus a Nutrition Research option, so applicants choose between applied nutrition work and lab-based preparation for doctoral study. The Dietetics option is a condensed two-semester route, while the Research option focuses on nutritional biochemistry and thesis-led research with biochemistry collaboration. The programme suits applicants with nutrition or related science preparation who can handle evidence review, research methods, counselling or laboratory work. It does not provide DPD (Didactic Program in Dietetics) coursework. DPD is the dietetics sequence used before supervised practice, so the master’s alone does not issue a verification statement toward an RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist).

• The programme allows a comprehensive examination, thesis or project as the culminating route.
• The curriculum connects nutrition epidemiology, biostatistics and qualitative research with applied professional communication.
• Published culminating work spans youth athletes, chronic conditions, community gardens and sports nutrition, giving applicants a practical portfolio signal.

Also Check: Cal State LA graduate admission

Cal State LA Nutritional Science Fees and Living Costs 2027

Fall 2027 tuition is unpublished, so applicants cannot treat any current figure as a confirmed programme charge. The university’s checked fee page remains the correct place to verify 2027-28 rates when released.

The degree is designed for 30 units and one year, but the university permits a longer individual plan. Therefore, the prior-cycle formula below is useful for provisional funding only, not as a Fall 2027 invoice.

Fee context: The table uses the college’s published 2026-27 graduate fee formula for a 30-unit academic plan and labels every amount as a prior-cycle reference.

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of US$ 1 = INR 96.5537 as of 12 August 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

Source: Cal State LA published student fee schedule; target-cycle tuition remains unpublished after checked official surfaces.

• The 30-unit academic illustration excludes living costs, visa charges, insurance, travel and personal expenses.
• A longer individual plan can create additional term charges, so ask the department to confirm your track and unit sequence before budgeting.
• Use the official student fees page to replace this prior-cycle reference when Fall 2027 rates are published.

Cost of Living in Los Angeles for Nutritional Science Students

The university’s 2026-27 college-level estimate places annual living costs at US$31,122 (INR 30.05 Lakhs). It publishes a combined estimate rather than a verified rent, food or transport breakdown, so category budgets require separate research.

The monthly figure below is calculated from the annual estimate and does not represent a university-published monthly allowance.

Source: Cal State LA 2026-27 cost-of-attendance estimate; monthly figures are calculated as the annual estimate divided by 12.

For a one-year planning illustration, add US$23,772.08 (INR 22.95 Lakhs) in academic charges and US$31,122 (INR 30.05 Lakhs) in living costs. Add US$70 (INR 6,759) for the application fee, producing US$54,964.08 (INR 53.07 Lakhs). This is calculated from prior-cycle inputs and is not a Fall 2027 total.

The planning illustration excludes visa fees, health insurance, flights and personal spending because the checked sources do not provide target-cycle amounts for those items. Keep those costs outside the academic and living estimate until the university confirms them.

Check Out: USA study cost planning

Key insight: The prior-cycle academic charge plus one annual living estimate reaches INR 53.07 Lakhs before visa and insurance costs, so verify 2027-28 tuition before committing funds.

Cal State LA Nutritional Science Admission 2027

Admission is a two-stage process: applicants submit Cal State Apply and then complete departmental review for Nutritional Science. The university requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.

The department applies a GPA threshold and subject prerequisites before assessing the supplemental materials. Because the research option has additional chemistry requirements, applicants should map transcripts against the chosen option before submitting.

Academic eligibility context: The requirements below describe the current programme rules for international applicants and include an approximate Indian academic equivalent where a foreign grade scale applies.

The prerequisite list is the main academic risk for Indian applicants from general science or health degrees. The programme page directs applicants from different backgrounds toward the post-baccalaureate route when they need the dietetics foundation.

A related bachelor’s degree can satisfy the field requirement, but it does not automatically satisfy every named prerequisite. Request a transcript review before the deadline when course titles or laboratory content differ from the Cal State LA sequence.

English Language Proficiency for Indian Applicants

English Language Proficiency (ELP) evidence is separate from academic eligibility. The listed routes include IELTS (International English Language Testing System), TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English Academic) and Duolingo English Test.

The TOEFL policy uses the iBT (internet-based test) scale and changes by test date, so applicants should preserve the exact test version with their score record.

The cached university policy does not confirm an India-specific school-English waiver for this programme. Treat the published test minimum as the working requirement until admissions confirms an individual exemption.

• Keep a course-by-course prerequisite map because ELP scores cannot replace missing anatomy, physiology, chemistry, microbiology or nutrition preparation.
• Record the TOEFL test date and scale because the university publishes separate 80 iBT and 4.0 iBT rules.
• Request a department review of unusual Indian course titles before the 15 February 2027 international deadline.

Tip for Indian students: A 3.0 GPA is only the first screen; align every listed prerequisite and the option-specific chemistry record before submitting the Fall 2027 application.

Cal State LA Nutritional Science Application 2027

For Fall 2027, the application can be previewed from 1 August 2026 and submitted from 1 October 2026. The international deadline is 15 February 2027.

The programme uses a two-step process: Cal State Apply submission followed by department review. The university also asks applicants to submit required supporting documents within 2-3 weeks of applying.

Fall 2027 application sequence: The dates below are for international applicants who require an F-1 visa or Form I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status).

The target-year page publishes dates without a cutoff time or timezone. A reliable IST conversion cannot be displayed, so the portal timestamp and university instructions control the submission cutoff.

The checked target-year pages do not publish a decision date or interview stage. Therefore, do not book travel or build a visa timeline around an assumed response window.

• Build the prerequisite map and statement of professional and research goals before submissions open on 1 October 2026.
• Send official transcripts, score reports and supplemental materials within the university’s stated 2-3 week document period after applying.
• Choose the Nutrition and Dietetics option or Nutrition Research option before departmental review because the chemistry prerequisites differ.

Check Out: USA application timeline for international students

Use the Fall 2027 graduate deadline page as the final date check because it identifies the international applicant row.

Application tip: Use the period before 1 October 2026 to complete the option-specific prerequisite audit, then submit by 15 February 2027 with every supporting document ready.

Cal State LA Nutritional Science Scholarships 2027

The clearest target-cycle funding route is the Graduate Student Non-Resident Tuition Waiver Program. It can provide in-state tuition and fees for limited non-resident and international students.

The waiver deadline for 2027-28 is 5 March 2027, which is separate from the degree application deadline. Other routes include assistantships and project reimbursement, but their target-cycle amounts are not published.

Because Fall 2027 tuition is unpublished, do not convert an award description into a net fee. Keep the full prior-cycle planning illustration until the university confirms the waiver mechanics and the new tuition schedule.

Funding context: The waiver is a 2027-28 route, the travel-support row is a 2026-27 prior-cycle reference and the other routes have no common target-cycle amount.

The waiver can change the cost decision materially, but the university does not promise an award to every international applicant. Apply separately and retain a funding plan that works without the waiver.

• Submit the 2027-28 waiver application by 5 March 2027 even if your degree application is already complete.
• Use the Research option to identify faculty whose funded work matches nutritional biochemistry or community outreach interests before asking about assistantships.
• Treat the project fund as reimbursement after approval, not as an upfront reduction in tuition or living costs.

Check Out: USA scholarships for international students

Scholarship reality: The 5 March 2027 waiver deadline is the only named target-cycle funding date here, so submit it separately and budget as though no award is received.

Cal State LA Nutritional Science Salary 2027

No course-specific salary, offer-rate or placement report is published for this Master of Science. The official programme instead identifies public health nutrition, dietetics and food-service supervision plus doctoral study as possible directions.

The degree is therefore better assessed through its research training and credential limitations than through a graduate salary claim. The closest published pay figure is an external occupational benchmark, not a Cal State LA outcome.

Salary evidence scope: The table reports national U.S. occupation data and does not represent graduates of this programme.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), May 2024 national occupational data; this is not a course-cohort outcome.

The BLS projects 6% employment growth for dietitians and nutritionists from 2024 to 2034. That market signal does not establish hiring probability for an international graduate or confirm that this degree supplies every credential required for clinical work.

Research and Career Value

The strongest academic return is research capability and option-specific preparation, not a guaranteed U.S. clinical credential. The graduate handbook emphasises literature review, oral communication, evidence-based practice and a comprehensive exam, thesis or project.

• Applicants targeting doctoral study should investigate faculty research and choose the Research option when lab-based nutritional biochemistry matches their preparation.
• Applicants targeting US dietetic practice should verify supervised practice and state licensure separately because the master’s does not issue a DPD verification statement.
• Applicants targeting public health or community nutrition should use the project or fieldwork route to demonstrate applied communication rather than assume the degree produces a placement outcome.

The BLS figure is gross, while take-home pay changes with federal, California, payroll and benefit deductions. Use a current U.S. tax calculator before building a budget from that benchmark.

For an Indian applicant returning home, the course’s research methods, evidence evaluation and nutrition communication may matter more than a U.S. occupation median. Confirm the intended Indian role and credential recognition before using the U.S. benchmark in a return-on-investment decision.

For a student staying in the United States, the one-year design may limit the post-study work window available for a job search. The visa section explains the published work period and the uncertainty around an additional science extension.

Read the official dietitians and nutritionists occupation profile only as market context, then verify the credential route for the role you want.

Honest take: This MS builds research and advanced nutrition skills, not a placement guarantee. Use the external wage only as context and verify the RDN or doctoral pathway before enrolling.

US Visa for Cal State LA Nutritional Science Students 2027

Indian applicants use the F-1 Student visa for this on-campus Master of Science (MS). The cached facts list US$185 (INR 17,862) for the visa application and US$350 (INR 33,794) for the SEVIS I-901 fee.

SEVIS means Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. The fee supports the student record system linked to the I-20, so confirm the amount before payment.

The post-study work route is Optional Practical Training (OPT), which allows up to 12 months. The course sources do not confirm a 24-month science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) extension for this MS.

Longer-term employment may require an H-1B specialty-occupation visa. Permanent residence (PR) is not automatic and the published path is employment-based EB-2 or EB-3 with variable priority dates.

Dependants may use F-2 status, but F-2 employment is restricted under the cached country facts. Health insurance is mandatory, while the checked course sources do not publish its target-cycle amount.

• Budget on the standard 12-month OPT window because this course’s STEM extension status is not confirmed.
• Treat the H-1B route as uncertain because selection is lottery-based and the employer must meet the higher actual or prevailing wage.
• Use the US$60,000 (INR 57.93 Lakhs) threshold as a cached reference only, not as a universal employment guarantee.
• Explain F-2 employment restrictions to dependants before choosing family relocation for the Fall 2027 intake.

Use the official U.S. student visa page for application steps, then confirm course-specific I-20 and insurance instructions with Cal State LA.

Also Check: US F1 and J1 student visa requirements

Visa reality: The dependable post-study assumption is 12-month OPT. Do not price the degree on a STEM extension, H-1B selection or permanent residence timeline.