The MS in Nutrition Sciences, Lifestyle Management and Disease Prevention (LMDP) track admits during all terms.

Open House

The LMDP track will host a Virtual Open House on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, from 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. CST. Students who are unable to attend the live session may email Dr. Marian Carter at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. after October 4 to request the session recording. Register for the event and receive session information.

Admission Requirements

Students with a bachelor’s degree in any field of study are eligible to apply to the Lifestyle Management and Disease Prevention (LMDP) track as long as they have earned a grade of C or higher in three-credit hour courses for the following prerequisites:

• Introductory Biology – 3 credit hours – lab is not required
• Organic Chemistry – 3 credit hours – lab is not required
• Human Physiology – 3 credit hours – lab is not required
• Microbiology – 3 credit hours – lab is not required
• Nutrition and Health (Intro to Nutrition) NTR 222 – 3 credit hours

Prerequisite requirements can be completed at UAB or another institution. Here are the courses recommended for completion through UAB (if you are a distance-based student, please note that NTR 222 is available online every semester). Courses taken at another accredited institution are acceptable as long as the content is similar to the course descriptions found above. The Introductory Nutrition Course (NTR 222 Nutrition and Health) can be completed online at UAB the first semester of the program. You must earn a C or higher in the other prerequisite courses prior to applying to this program.

Students Interested in Becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)

Students in the LMDP track interested in becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) have the option to apply to the Dietitian Education Graduate Certificate Program (DEP-C), an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)-Coordinated Dietetics Program. Admission to the DEP-C first requires admission to the LDMP track, then successful completion of 29 specified semester hours of the LMDP track with a minimum 3.0 GPA by the DEP-C start date. Students who complete these LMDP requirements are eligible to apply for the DEP-C, although there is not a guarantee of admission into the DEP-C. The DEP-C is a very competitive program and meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. The DEP-C cohort begins during the fall term, annually.

If admitted to the DEP-C, LMDP students will be required to complete an additional 37 semester hours of coursework and practicum experiences to meet ACEND eligibility requirements to sit for the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) national credentialing examination to become a RDN. More information on the DEP-C can be found here. The first step to beginning this process is to apply to the LMDP track.

Official Transcripts

Official transcripts from each institution where college credit was earned can be submitted electronically at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or mailed to:

UAB Graduate School
LHL G03; 1720 2nd Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35294-0013

Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation are required. Strong letters of recommendation generally come from the following:

• Current or previous professor
• Professional supervisor
• Professional colleague

Every applicant has unique circumstances. Collectively, your letters of recommendation should describe transferable skills such as leadership, critical thinking, decision making, overcoming adversity and attest to your academic ability to complete a rigorous graduate program. Providing specific examples that illustrate these characteristics make for a strong letter of recommendation. The UAB Graduate School will send an email link to each of your references from the email address that you provide for each reference as part of your UAB Graduate School application. Your letters of recommendation will be submitted electronically by your references directly to the UAB Graduate School.

International Applicants

Due to the exclusively online delivery system of the LMDP track, this program is not available to students who desire to pursue their studies while physically present in the US on an F-1 or J-1 student visa. Applicants who are physically present in the US in another immigration status that permits exclusively online study (such as H-4, L-2, TN, pending green card, etc.) are welcome to apply.

Please email your current immigration document (USCIS approval or receipt notice, plus most recent I-94 card) to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for an initial assessment and information about English proficiency requirements.

The program expects a cumulative TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 80, IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 6.5, PTEA (Pearson Test of English Academics) score of 53, Duolingo score of 120, or IELA (International English Language Assessment) score of 176.