Master of Science in Nutrition

Department

Department of Nutrition, Health and Human Performance

Degree Type

Master of Science

Mission Statement

The Master of Science in Nutrition program provides advanced scientific study in human nutrition, including modes of inquiry and analysis of published research, the role of food and nutrients in health and disease and in exploring the interrelationships between people, diet, quality of life and culture in the modern food system.

Program Goals

The candidate will:

Acquire a meaningful knowledge base of the core content areas within nutrition science;
Differentiate between evidence-based and other sources of information in order to select, review and evaluate published research and other resources communicating nutrition science;
Investigate the role of food and nutrition in health promotion;
Explore aspects of the food system such as sustainability, food politics, production and distribution practices;
Demonstrate cultural competency and professional communication skills including interpersonal, collaborative, oral, written and visual communication;
Analyze complex issues within the food system that impact individual, community, public or global health and propose viable solutions appropriate for context, audience and available resources;
Impact nutrition knowledge/education or food security by interacting/partnering with community stakeholders

Program of Study

The Master of Science Degree in Nutrition is a 30-48 credit hour program. The curriculum contains coursework that provides a foundation in the science of nutrition while emphasizing both theoretical concepts and practical application. Students will learn how to critically evaluate literature through an understanding of biostatistics and research methods. They will study the role of food and nutrition in human physiology, disease and well-being.

Students in this program will also investigate the impact of food policy and how to administer a variety of nutrition education programs for groups and individuals. Students apply for and are admitted into one of three tracks; Dietetics (DPD), Accelerated Community (ACT), or Accelerated Dietitian Nutritionist (ADNT).

The Dietetics track is an ACEND accredited program designed for individuals with a career goal of becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) or Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, Registered (NDTR). A verification statement will be issued to students graduating with the Dietetics (DPD) track upon meeting all requirements as stated in the MS/DPD Policies and Procedures Manual. A Verification Statement is required to apply to dietetic internship programs.

The Accelerated Community track (ACT) prepares students for career paths such as nutrition education with community food and nutrition programs, food security, non-profit work, the food system including local, organic and sustainability, food marketing and communication, and food policy and advocacy. The ACT track is designed for individuals who are not interested in becoming credentialed in the field of nutrition as an RDN or NDTR. The ACT track is also designed to broaden the knowledge base of students who completed a DPD with their nutrition undergraduate degree and/or current RDNs and to prepare individuals to work in nutrition science research or as a foundation for doctoral programs.

The Accelerated Dietitian Nutritionist Track (ADNT) designed for individuals with a career goal of becoming a registered dietitian nutritionist. The program provides a strong foundation in didactic coursework grounded in science to prepare students by integrating supervised experiential learning in clinical nutrition, community nutrition, and food service management. A verification statement will be issued to students graduating with the Accelerated Dietitian Nutritionist (ADNT) track upon meeting all requirements as stated in the MS/ADNT Policies and Procedures Manual. This verification statement will deem the student eligible to sit for the credentialing exam to become an RDN.

Prerequisite Coursework

Applicants to the MS Degree in Nutrition program must have completed specific coursework before being considered for admission. A different set of prerequisite course are required for each of the three tracks offered.

Dietetics (Didactic Program in Dietetics) Track

The following courses must be completed before admission into the Dietetics (DPD) track of the MS Nutrition degree program. An overall GPA of 3.3/4.0 for all of the courses listed below is required to be considered for admission to this track.

BIO-112/BIO-142 – General Biology and Laboratory
BIO-339/BIO-349 – Anatomy & Physiology and Laboratory
BIO-334/BIO-344 – Microbiology and Laboratory
CHE-111/CHE-141 – General Chemistry I and Laboratory
CHE-221/CHE-241 – Organic Chemistry and Laboratory
FN-227 – Introductory Nutrition
MAT-175 - Introductory Statistics
PSY-100 – Introduction to Psychology

Accelerated Community Track

The following courses must be completed to be considered for admission into the Accelerated Community (ACT) track of the MS Nutrition degree program

BIO-339/BIO-349 – Anatomy & Physiology and Laboratory
CHE-111/CHE-141 – General Chemistry I and Laboratory
FN-227 – Introductory Nutrition
MAT-175 - Introductory Statistics

Accelerated Dietitian Nutritionist Track

The following courses must be completed to be considered for admission into the Accelerated Dietitian Nutritionist (ADNT) track of the MS Nutrition degree program. An overall GPA of 3.3/4.0 for all of the courses listed below is required to be considered for admission to this track.