Bastyr University Reviews of Master's in Nutrition

"From the moment I drove onto the Bastyr campus, I knew it was the place for me. I had actually been reading their catalogs and website for many years before attending, dreaming about pursuing a career in natural medicine. It was finally the time for me to attend in 2015. All of Bastyr's programs are focused on natural medicine - this philosophy is supported in so many ways on campus. Food in the cafeteria is local and organic. The bookstore contains, books of course, but also fairly priced tinctures, herbs, and essential oils. There is a beautiful whole foods kitchen for culinary classes, as well as an herbal medicine making lab. There are nature cure clubs offering hydrotherapy. The setting itself is beautiful, as it is inside of a state park with miles of trails through trees and down to lake washington. The instruction itself has been challenging but manageable. I have never been one to actually get to know my instructors very well, but in this smaller setting it comes very naturally. Overall I am very happy with my experience here, and look forward to going back for one more year before I graduate."

"Bastyr University presents rigorous study under professional, inspirational professors. Classes range from challenging and complex to downright magical. Electives include a weekend learning Ayurvedic nutrition principles, learning how to identify and make medicine from seaweed on the coast, gaining a better understanding of fermentation, and more. Campus is within a state park and has plenty of trails to Lake Washington along with the herbal gardens, which provides a peaceful place to learn, study, or even just to eat lunch. Parking can be a bit competitive, but once in the building, the halls are always calm. The library offers a serene place to do homework, study, read, and do research. Library staff are extremely helpful and kind, always willing to solve an issue or find an article."

"Bastyr University is a special place. Many people think that it is central to hippies but what it really is home to are people that are truly dedicated to helping people create a healthy life. The curriculum is intense and requires a lot of time and energy devoted to truly understand the information. I have had some of the most life changing professors at this school that truly care about each and every student that passes through their doors. If you are at all interested in nutrition, exercise science, naturopathic medicine or herbal medicine then I would highly recommend taking a look at Bastyr, you will not regret it."

"I cannot recommend the Masters of Nutrition Didactic Program in Dietetics at Bastyr University highly enough for those interested in becoming an RD. Their focus on whole foods nutrition makes the curriculum unique while still providing thorough preparation for the dietetic internship. The program is academically rigorous so you must be ready to work hard, but the instructors are great and they provide you with support to help you succeed. The community is small and welcoming and has lots of clubs, activities and events going on for students."

"Bastyr is a wonderful University. My program (Master's in Nutrition) in particular is challenging in the best way. My teachers are fantastic and very inspiring. I feel grateful to be going to school at Bastyr. The environment is welcoming and encouraging."

"I was thrilled to find a university that offered a nutrition program focused on whole foods and "food as medicine". The program helps to provide information on how food can be used to not only prevent certain disease states, but also how it can be used to cure, or alleviate the symptoms, of others. I also like that there is a focus on the balance of healthy eating and an active lifestyle."

"The MSN-DPD program at Bastyr University is challenging and competitive. There are many opportunities to go above and beyond the requirements to enhance your learning experience. The faculty are incredibly supportive and available and know each student by name. The required 300 volunteer hours diversified my experience, helped me to narrow down my interests and gave me a competitive edge when applying to dietetic internships. The nutrition clinic shift at the Bastyr Center for Natural Health gave me a chance to practice and helped build my confidence in my counseling skills and nutritional knowledge. The MSN-DPD program at Bastyr is relatively small. We had few international students and it seemed there was not a lot of support for these students. There are few social activities on campus, which may have to do with the location of the school in St. Edwards State Park. It is beautiful, but isolated. There are many programs at Bastyr but not a lot of interaction between students in different programs, which really seems like a missed opportunity. Overall, I am very satisfied with the education I received at Bastyr and felt well prepared to apply for a dietetic internship."

"This is a rigorous program that adequately prepares us for our future careers as Registered Dietitians. Pros include: quality of instruction, networking opportunities, student body is outstanding, clinic training is fabulous, overall atmosphere of campus is healthy and encouraging. Cons: The area is expensive to live and traffic is not that great. The school seems to be growing their student body (wonderful) without providing additional shuttle and transportation services."

"I absolutely love Bastyr and I am proud to be part of the community. The professors are so helpful and supportive of their students and they care about all of our success. They are very open to talking to students and are almost always available to assist us. The professors are very knowledgeable and they always present an unbiased view point on topics. The cons of my program is the sheer amount of work and time it takes to complete assignments. At the end of the quarter I feel very drained. The Bastyr community as a whole is highly anxious when it comes to grades, and that gets to be stressful."

"The MSN/DPD program at Bastyr is incredible. It approaches health from a holistic perspective, while still having a very rigorous, scientifically based curriculum. The faculty is so supportive, as are my peers. The cost of the program is significant, but I believe that it is absolutely a worthy investment, as graduates are very prepared for a successful career in the field of nutrition and dietetics."

"Bastyr is certainly not the most affordable nutrition program in the country, but it is one of the only programs that is rooted in both hard science and natural, holistic ideology. The professors are proven thought leaders in the scientific community and bring a wealth of knowledge to their students. The campus is beautifully situated within St. Edwards State Park, making for lovely between-class hiking/running breaks. Also, you can't go wrong with breakfast or lunch from the Bastyr cafeteria!"

"Pros: The level of commitment exhibited by the professors at Bastyr truly made the educational experience memorable and inspirational. Additionally, unlike most medical and health programs, students at Bastyr are exposed to natural, complementary, and alternative methods of treatment for a variety of disease states and conditions. A focus on whole foods nutrition, complemented by the campus herb garden and organic cafeteria embodied health and nourishment, from the inside out. Lastly, students gain valuable clinical experience working directly and independently with patients at Bastyr's teaching clinic, the Bastyr Center for Natural Health. Cons: The workload and environment can lead to high-stress lifestyles and unhealthy behaviors, despite being a school focused on health. As expected with any graduate program, the time commitment is demanding and requires an expected level of commitment and perseverance."

"Bastyr offers personalized attention, small class sizes, and is very student centered. As a university centered in health sciences there are a good amount of events and activities focused around health. The professors tend to be on top of their research, and many are making their own, and have genuine interest in their students success. The courses are rigorous but we learn an incredible amount and our graduates tend to know more than peers in the workforce. I wish that the school offered more diversity (in terms of student population as well as activities and classes offered), affordability, and better transportation."

"Bastyr University is what I was looking for and expected. It is not only a school to receive high quality education , but a nice and wonderful place to live. The faculties challenge the students and try hard to educate them . I am sure that Bastyr University will gave me the opportunity to gather adequate knowledge about nutrition and dietetics, and will provide me with an overview of the work carried out by a registered dietitian"

"The professors and faculty in the nutrition department are extremely helpful and friendly. You can immediately tell that they truly care and want to help you succeed. Academically, Bastyr is challenging and provides excellent education. The professors do not impose personal beliefs or opinions, but rather relay pertinent information that allows us (the students) to think critically for ourselves."

"The MSN/DPD program at Bastyr University is both rigorous and rewarding. I'm very glad that I chose this school to get my masters and I would recommend it to anyone seeking a masters in nutrition. The pros are small class sizes, excellent teachers, and a sense of community. The cons are poor public transportation and high tuition."

"The Masters of Nutrition/ Dietetics program at Bastyr is competitive and can be an intense workload. Thankfully the faculty, TAs, and other students are very supportive. I am already learning a ton and love the focus on whole foods nutrition. I love the connection with the Bastyr clinic and love being able to get discounted treatments, like acupuncture. There is a huge focus on health and lots of interesting speakers and events that are health focused. I only wish the school had an actual gym, more variety of recreational activities, more diversity, and that we had more time to focus on our lives outside of school."

"Bastyr University is a natural science based school that has a small population of about 1,000 students and is one of an even smaller community of accredited naturopathic medicine education programs. My education has been one-of-a-kind, which is exactly how I will dedicate my practice as a Registered Dietitian. My dream of practicing medical nutrition therapy has always included Bastyr and I am incredibly thankful to be a part of that community. The drawback from this program is the expense to complete this program. As a graduate program it is highly demanding thus limiting time available for working to support living expenses and tuition costs. I am proud to be a student at Bastyr University in the MSN/DPD program."

"pros- small school so it is easy to communicate with teachers. Cons- living expenses in this area are expensive"

"I am currently a new enrollee. I haven't begun courses yet but I have been working to get into this specific program for 7 years. This is a major goal and I am thrilled to be accepted to the program."