Nutritional Sciences (M.S.) Program Details
Degree Requirements
❱ Required coursework
❱ Qualifying or comprehensive examination
❱ Graduate School writing proficiency requirement
❱ Graduate School Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) requirement
❱ Thesis
❱ Final oral examination/thesis defense
Research Specializations
❱ Community nutrition
❱ Experimental nutrition
Program Objectives
- To foster a program of excellence with specialized expertise in the study of human nutritional issues with particular emphasis on the needs of the underserved poor, ethnic minorities, and disadvantaged populations.
- To prepare competent graduate professionals in human nutrition with the skills and abilities to improve nutritional well-being and the quality of life for individuals and families.
- To conduct interdisciplinary research to improve the nutritional well-being and the quality of life of ethnic minorities and the underserved.
Research Areas & Interests
Faculty Research Interests
A sampling of research interests
- Nutrigenomics:The role of diet in chronic disease prevention (obesity, diabetes, cancer)
- Impact of sleep on dietary intake
- Diabetes and cardiovascular disease in minority males
- Use of technology for tailored interventions
- Molecular bases for Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and metabolic syndrome
- Bioactive herbal constituents and functional genomics
- Nutrition education in patients with chronic diseases
- Risk factors for overweight/obesity
- Cardiovascular health in faith-based populations
- Nutrition competencies of health care professionals
- Impact of sleep on dietary intake
- Use of technology for tailored interventions
- Regulatory toxicology: Safety evaluation and risk assessment of food ingredients and color additives
Program of Study*
COMMUNITY NUTRITION TRACK
CORE COURSES (14 CR)
Micronutrients I
Macronutrients I
NUTG 284 Community Nutrition
NUTG 316 Evaluation of Nutritional Status
NUTG 318 Techniques in Community Nutrition
ELECTIVE COURSES (17 CR)
A sampling of elective courses
NUTG 310 Graduate Seminar in Nutrition
NUTG 401 Research in Nutrition
NUTG 208 Nutrition for Aging
NUTG 501 Global Health and Nutrition
HLMN 506 Epidemiology
NUTG 503 Nutrition Policy
NUTG 311 Carbohydrate & Energy Metabolism
NUTG 312 Proteins
NUTG 313 Lipids
NUTG 314 Vitamins
NUTG 315 Minerals
NUTG 440 Expository Writing for Nutritional Sciences
BIOC 182 Clinical Biochemistry
NUTG 319 Research Methods in Experimental Nutrition
PSYC 207 Statistics I
PSYC 208 Statistics II
HUDE 205 Introduction to Statistical Methods
BIOG 430 Biostatistics
HUDE 400 Intermediate Statistics
Course may be selected from graduate courses in NUTG- Nutrition, BIOC-Biochemistry, PSYC-Psychology, SOCI-Sociology, CHEM-Chemistry, EDUC-Education, COMM-Communications, or ANTG-Anthropology level 200 and above. Courses outside of these codes can be considered for approval by the program director.
THESIS (3 CR)
EXPERIMENTAL NUTRITION TRACK
CORE COURSES (15 CR)
Micronutrients I
Macronutrients I
BIOC 182 Clinical Biochemistry
NUTG 319 Research Methods in Experimental Nutrition
NUTG 316 Evaluation of Nutritional Status
ELECTIVE COURSES (17 CR)
A sampling of elective courses
NUTG 310 Graduate Seminar in Nutrition
NUTG 401 Research in Nutrition
NUTG 208 Nutrition for Aging
NUTG 501 Global Health and Nutrition
HLMN 506 Epidemiology
NUTG 503 Nutrition Policy
NUTG 311 Carbohydrate & Energy Metabolism
NUTG 312 Proteins
NUTG 313 Lipids
NUTG 314 Vitamins
NUTG 315 Minerals
NUTG 440 Expository Writing for Nutritional Sciences
PSYC 207 Statistics I
PSYC 208 Statistics II
HUDE 205 Introduction to Statistical Methods
BIOG 430 Biostatistics
HUDE 400 Intermediate Statistics
NUTG 284 Community Nutrition
NUTG 318 Techniques in Community Nutrition
Course may be selected from graduate courses in NUTG- Nutrition, BIOC-Biochemistry, PSYC-Psychology, SOCI-Sociology, CHEM-Chemistry, EDUC-Education, COMM-Communications, or ANTG-Anthropology level 200 and above. Courses outside of these codes can be considered for approval by the program director.
THESIS (3 CR)
*Courses included in the sample program of study are subject to change. Students should consult with their programs regarding their required program of study.
Admission to Candidacy
Students are admitted to formal candidacy by the Graduate School when they have completed the required coursework, passed the qualifying or comprehensive examination, submitted an approved topic for research, and been recommended by the Department. Candidates must also have satisfied the Graduate School writing proficiency requirement and Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) requirement.
Graduate Funding
Graduate research or teaching assistantships may be available at the department level that provide tuition remission and/or a stipend during the academic year. Research assistants and teaching assistants work no more than 20 hours a week under the program's direction, usually in support of faculty research (research assistants) or in support of assigned courses (teaching assistants).